Built by a climber. Built for climbers.

Midnight Lightning was founded by Jon Thorpe, a climber who has spent the better part of his life on rock. Jon started climbing at 11 years old, ticked his first major multi-pitch,Yak Peak in BC, at 13, and spent years climbing across North America: Lions Head, Hueco Tanks, Red River Gorge, Red Rocks, Bishop - plus a full year living out of his VW Westy travelling and climbing through the American Southwest. He's since been based in Squamish, BC - one of the world's great climbing destinations and the home of Midnight Lightning Climbing.

Climbing wasn't just a sport for Jon - it shaped his career, friendships, and values. His first job was as an instructor and route setter at a climbing gym. He competed at the regional and national youth level alongside climbers who went on to become some of the most respected names in the sport. That depth of experience - knowing what climbers actually need, how gear actually performs, and what the community actually cares about - is what Midnight Lightning is built on.

Why we started

When Jon founded Midnight Lightning in 2021, the goal was straightforward: make the best climbing chalk on the market, and do it without the environmental compromises that have become standard in the industry. Most chalk is mined - a destructive, energy-intensive process with a heavy footprint. Most liquid chalk relies on grip enhancers (like rosin) that nobody talks about. Most brands treat sustainability as a marketing footnote or simply greenwash with buzzwords and weak claims.

Midnight Lightning was built to do the opposite.

What we make

Our goal has always been to create superior quality products that have less of an impact on our environment, so that future generations of climbers and adventurers can have the same experience that we enjoy today.

Our Sea Grip chalk line is made from high-purity magnesium carbonate derived from seawater minerals, concentrated through solar evaporation - no destructive mining, no fillers, no rosin. Our liquid chalk is formulated with natural grain ethanol for a skin-friendly formula that performs through long sessions. Every product in the Sea Grip line gives back: through our partnership with Oceanworks™, each unit sold removes ocean-bound or at-risk plastic from the environment.

Our liquid chalk refill ecosystem, a circular program that eliminates single-use packaging at the gym level gives climbers an option to save money while bettering the environment.

To date, Midnight Lightning products have helped recover thousands of lbs of ocean plastic and have eliminated thousands more single-use packages through our refills and "naked" options.

Grip For Good™

Grip For Good™ is our commitment that performance and responsibility don't have to be a trade-off. The best chalk on the planet should also be the most responsibly made. We're not here to make compromises - we're here to make responsible products that perform at the highest level.

Midnight Lightning is proudly based in Squamish, BC, Canada. 🇨🇦