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liquidshadow111
Jul 29, 2006, 2:05 AM
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This past week, I went on vacation to cape cod. On the way back, I convinced my parents to let me climb at one of the largest climbing gyms in the US. Located in New Bedford, Carabiner's climbing gym is a great place. The gym has: 112 top rope stations, 95% of the gym is lead climbable, up to 65 foot climbs, speed climbing, ropes course equipment, gear shop, and two bouldering caves. Because of a lack of a partner, I got a student bouldering day pass at the very reasonable price of 8$. I tried the first cave, which is upstairs in the gym. I couldn't get past the first of the minimal holds. I learned that they were cleaning them at the time, so there wasn't much I could climb. So on I went to the next cave, Which was much larger. They have these great pads to fall on that are about three and a half feet thick and really squishy. The bouldering was really fun and the staff there were very helpful, giving me ample amounts beta when I needed it. Everyone was friendly and the facility was clean. All in all the place lived up to my expectations, and is the best place to pull plastic in New England.
Cheers,
Karl
you can see pictures of the place at: http://www.carabiners.com/
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cjsimpso
Jul 29, 2006, 3:30 AM
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I've been there and felt similarly, but this post seems a bit contrived. Are you the owner, or just a shareholder?
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sustainedclimber
Jul 29, 2006, 4:42 AM
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yeah, seriously. I've enjoyed things before, but I usually tell my friends, not the world. Also, I don't usually give that many details. Example conversation:
Me: I went to this new gym, it was awesome!
friend: Alright, let's go sometime
Me: Skip work tomorrow?
friend: sounds like a plan.
-Josh
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the_iceman
Jul 29, 2006, 10:39 AM
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In reply to: I usually tell my friends, not the world.
That's why you'll never dominate the world...
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notch
Aug 8, 2006, 4:52 PM
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In reply to: All in all the place lived up to my expectations, and is the best place to pull plastic in New England. |
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20ftwhipper
Aug 8, 2006, 6:32 PM
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Anyone badmouthing this place is just out of line. I mean, staying loyal to your gym of choice is one thing. But Carabiner's is just fantastic. Great bourldering, 65 foot walls, big overhangs, pinnacles, caves, you just can't have a bad time. The employees are friendly and the atmosphere is too.
Sometimes people gripe for the sake of griping, but lets stay positive, check it out for yourself, make your own call.
I dont work there or anything, just climb there when outside isnt an option.
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taino
Aug 8, 2006, 7:04 PM
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I read through the "Safety Rules" and shook my head a couple of times...
1) the only belay device allowed is a gri-gri?? In the hands of someone who knows how to use it, the gri-gri is a great tool. In the hands of a newbie, it's a deadly weapon; I've been dropped three times by people who "knew how to use a gri-gri". Also - and this is just my opinion - a gri-gri isn't the best tool for lead-belaying; if forces you to hold it open with one hand, and feed slack with the other. Unless you have a third hand, that means you've taken your hand off the brake line.
2) You have to be anchored in to belay at all times - but you can't keep the anchor taut??? So, when the climber falls, the belayer can get yanked into the air and jolted when the anchor comes tight?? This isn't the most comfortable thing for a belayer. When I choose to anchor myself, or when I anchor my clients, it's TIGHT on the belay to prevent such a thing from happening. And, apparently there's no such thing as a dynamic belay at this place.
Tall walls and such are all well and good, and the price looks right. However, IMHO, those rules are absurd.
T
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gblauer
Moderator
Dec 5, 2006, 8:19 PM
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I have been to Carabiners and I agree with Tai; the belaying rules are intense.
The gym is great, the routes interesting, but you can't give a dynamic catch to a leader (you have to be anchored) and you have to use a gri gri. Oh yeah, NO LOOSE CHALK, chalk ball only.
As a side note, I took the lead test and I was instructed to fall at a specific draw. despite my protests (looked like I would hit hard), the staff member insisted that I fall at that draw. In doing so, I smacked my face into the wall. The staff member said that they did that on purpose to see if you and your belayer could keep their "cool" upon impact. When I talked to the manager he was appalled that I was told to fall from that particular draw (100% likelihood of a hard impact with the wall). He apologized and told me that he would talk to his staff member. (by the way this happened right after they opened their doors).
(This post was edited by gblauer on Dec 6, 2006, 12:58 AM)
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olderic
Dec 5, 2006, 8:39 PM
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gblauer wrote: Oh yeah, NO LOOSE CHALK, chalk ball only.
That's about the only regulation they have that is relatively normal - everything else from the sometimes silly, sometimes dangerous belay rules, to their color coded routes, to their "friendly" staff is pretty out of line with just about every other gym in the area - and not for the better. Too bad - the place has potential - even though too much of their terrain is not steep enough to lead safely - but as long as it is run the way it is there is no way it will be popular with the average climber.
(This post was edited by olderic on Dec 5, 2006, 8:53 PM)
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mr-pink
Dec 5, 2006, 9:24 PM
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I just read the rules.
These are the stupidest gym rules ever.
In europe, you won't see this.
the cover there ass in all possible ways.
Someone should wack everybody sueing other people/firms for there own stupidity/ignorance.
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olderic
Dec 5, 2006, 9:37 PM
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In general American gyms have a lot more rules and regulations then European and even Canadian gyms because of liability concerns. Trying to fix the whole sue-happy American culture is a bigger issue then fits into this forum. But the specific thing that might be appropos to discuss is why this gym, which one would think has the same issues as all the rest of the local climbing gyms, has come up with a much more restrictive set of rules then the other local gyms - rules that are sometimes just annoying (although enforcing annoying rules that other gyms don't have will not gain them any customers) and other times contradictory and downright dangerous.
If a spokesperson for the gym were to pipe up I'm sure the response would be something along the lines of "we know the rules are annoying but it's what our insurance company requires - beyond our control". How is it then that the other local gyms mange to get insurance and also a set of rules that are more reasonable? My guess is that most of the other gyms were started by foks who were climbers first and then became buisness owners - good buisnessmen (in most cases) but folks who understood climbing first as opposed to the situation at Carabiners which is owned and operated by non climbers.
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silascl
Dec 5, 2006, 10:16 PM
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Registered: Jul 14, 2006
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Beyond all the silly insurance type rules, they told me I couldn't walk around in bare feet. I would need to put on sandals or something.
Oh yeah, their routes suck as well. You can't combine two 5.8 routes and say it's 5.6, some parts will have way more holds than necessary and other parts will still be sparse. It doesn't work. And the routes are not well set to begin with.
That and the color coding doesn't work. They never clean the holds, so from above your white holds route has a bunch of greasy holds, indistinguishable from the blue, green, and black routes next to you.
I also get the impression that they don't set a lot of new routes, but that could be wrong.
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jh_angel
Dec 5, 2006, 10:47 PM
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From what I hear it's a crazy owner that's bringing the place down. You should all come to one of the MetroRock gyms where the owners are cool and the rules are normal.
And yes, I'll admit that I work there, but I did like the places before that.
-Josh
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goshalarik
Feb 21, 2011, 10:42 PM
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Registered: Feb 21, 2011
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i just got back from carabiner's, and it sucked for a few reasons
-we got there at 12 and got belay tested(tested, we didn't need lessons) at 2:30(we left at 2:50
-you can't get lead certified on the same day you get belay tested
-the lighting on the bouldering wall sucks
-the routes are kinda boring
-some of the i's are harder than the a's
-there aren't any serious climbers, its just a bunch of kids and teenage girls, one of them decided to stand under me as i was bouldering and i almost fell on her
Of course the walls are like 70ft but the routes suck. For 2 extra dollars you can get into Rock Spot Climbing in Dedham, which isn't nearly as tall but offers some high-quality climbing
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