Reddit mentions of climbOn The Original, All Purpose Lotion Bar - Aromatherapy Balm Helps Soothes and Moisturizes Dry Cracked Skin, 1 oz Tin

former trapeze person here: I'd get a LOT of callouses and had to manage them so that I'd keep some protection but not get rips.

Before each session I would use a foot file to take down any edges and smooth out my hands (similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S89QX2?sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1)

After every session: repeat above and add a hand conditioner. I happen to like ClimbOn! that's made for climbing. It will last a long time and smells good (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017TK2TC?ref_=sr_1_1_s_it&s=beauty&qid=1499425262&sr=1-1&keywords=climb%20on&sa-no-redirect=1&pldnSite=1)

Total time (before & after) = less than a minute

Good luck!

As a rock climber, I would recommend ClimbOn! over Burt's Bees. Burt's tends to leave your hands with this more oily feeling while Bag Balm has a pretty undesirable smell. ClimbOn! has a little thicker consistency and tends to stay in cuts and cracks better.

Chalk

Tape

ClimbOn

Chalk Brush

Merry Christmas!

You just have to let the blisters do their thing. I recommend some before and after rowing treatments from the rock climbing world. You want your hands moisturized but not waxy or greasy or sweaty.


An hour or two before- protects from salt water. Climbskin Hand Cream - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HNA2YW2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2G0WBbTNR5CSC


After- climbOn Bar. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017TK2TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4C0WBbS2MCY1D

As others have mentioned, it just takes time. What helps however is climbing balm. I would recommend ClimbOn for your hands after each session.

Cloth climbing/hockey tape might work better, but you might as well just embrace it for now.

Your skin will toughen up over time and you'll stop noticing it.

If your thumbs hurt a lot, you can pick up some of this to put on after a session: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017TK2TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_xGuFDbPQK0B5C

Meant for rock climbing and helps relieve damaged skin and keep it healthy

http://www.amazon.com/Climb-On-Bar/dp/B0017TK2TC

Climb-On. Apply directly to handskin

Climb-On. Apply directly to handskin

Climb-On. Apply directly to handskin

Used to shred a lot of skin off my hands, usually while bouldering, and I also have quite sensitive skin, washing with a moisturising hand soap after climbing and using climb on balm helped so much, hardly ever get any flappers or nasty cracks now :) probably other stuff that works too but that's what helped for me
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0017TK2TC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1541328341&sr=8-2&dpPl=1&dpID=41RGWT%2BlJIL&ref=plSrch

Also for people who have Amazon Prime. Same price as REI.

There's lots of things to remember, but your main concern will (obviously) be what happens if you fall. So you need to know how to control a fall but more importantly you and your buddies need to know how to spot and have the equipment to do it effectively.

If I were you, my first port of call would be the staff at your bouldering gym. Chances are, they are experienced climbers outside as well as in. They should be able to give you good first hand advice on bouldering outdoors and answer any of your questions. My gym even hires out bouldering mats.

You might also want to check out this article. It's got some genuinely good advice. The only other thing I would say is take it easy when you go first time. Climbing outside is obviously different to inside, but you might be surprised how much. On plastic I can do most 7b/7c grades, but you can knock a whole number off that sometimes when outside. Rock can also be a bit of a shock on your hands. The first time I climbed outside was on gritstone and it literally tore my fingertips off. I was cleaning blood off the rock at one point. So yeah, take it easy and buy some climb on.

Most important thing though - enjoy yaself!

As other's have pointed out, you're probably going to develop calluses regardless, and that's a good thing. I recommend a few things, grips for rig work (Bear Komplex or Victory Grips) or taping your hands like this. Shave your calluses a bit or use a pumice stone and if you ever rip your hands Climb On will helpt them heal faster.

I really like Climb On!s balm. A little exfoliating with a pumice stone or exfoliating scrub periodically and putting this on my calloused areas right after lifting an climbing (especially since chalk dries my hands out) has been lovely.

"Climb on" does wonders. It is waxy and traps moisture at the skin. Creates a barrier so that water in skin doesn't evaporate away and the skin becomes tight. I use it after workout - maybe you could use it during but probably not. It would make the holds slimy.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0017TK2TC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1395298280&sr=8-1&pi=SX200_QL40

For my hands, I use Kiehl's Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, works great, non-greasy which is important since I don't want to get everything slick. It's expensive though, so I also use Aveeno Daily Moisturizing (with natural colloidal oatmeal). Again, non-greasy after a bit of working in and mostly fragrance free, hate stuff that smells. The Aveeno should be OK on the face, but I don't bother with anything on my face, just the chapstick for the lips.

When my cuticles get really bad, I use ClimbOn which is fantastic, but mostly apply it before going to bed. Been thinking of trying O'Keeffe's Working Hands since seeing it at some stores.

More a rock climber than a lifter, but I like this stuff

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0017TK2TC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?qid=1458955780&sr=8-1&keywords=CLIMB+ON%21&pi=SY200_QL40

Climb on bar

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0017TK2TC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_a_it?qid=1463153114&sr=8-1&keywords=climb+on+bar&pi=SY200_QL40

This stuff is awesome. I used to tear callouses all the time when I was into climbing and this worked great for healing.

When I was 11 my mom said that instead of a birthday party I could take 3 friends with me for a spa day at her salon and that after we could eat and have dessert at the resturaunt next door. So flash forward to the lunch we're at and I'm drinking a sprite because I'm 11 and I like to pretend that sprite and ginger ale are champagne, and my best friend is sitting across from me, and for the life of me I can't remember what she said, but whatever it was caused me to like fire hose spray sprite from my nostrils directly into her open mouth, drenching her entire face. There was a moment of calm and then oh my god did she scream.

She's still my best friend though. So, things work out..

1. Pick up a can of Climb On. SKINourishment climbOn Bar 1 oz - Original https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017TK2TC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0vvvDbTD1BAXA
   After you shower or wash your hands, disinfect any hangers and apply this stuff. Also apply before bed. It helps the skin to heal.
   
   
2. Watch this video on how to tape a hanger: https://youtu.be/Bg7h_zjU6h8 typically after I tape up, I move to the vertical wall and try to climb things with good crimps instead of jugs, just to give the tear a break.
   
   
3. Blisters: disinfect a needle, disinfect the skin (I stole some alcohol pads from the first aid kit at work). Poke a hole going from the edge of the blister through to the middle of it. Drain the fluid into a tissue. Disinfect the skin again. Let that heal up.
   
   
4. Sanding down calluses to avoid hangers: I picked up a sanding block yesterday, coarse grade. I sanded a callus before it started. Eventually it tore but it wasn't a bleeding gash, I was actually able to keep climbing on it after I taped it. That's my only feedback, only tried this once.
   
   From what I read, everyone does things differently, so I'd experiment with all of these. After 3 weeks of climbing, my skin seems to have toughened up enough to where I'm not tearing/bleeding after every session. It sucks, but the best thing you can do is take 2 days off to heal if you've got a bleeder. On those days I'd work out legs or abs just to make sure I did something.
   
   Have fun! I'm learning along with you!