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bashir
Sep 8, 2010, 10:49 AM
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Hi!
Interested in building or buying a large climbing gym.
I want to see what's out there first though! Does anybody have a list of the BEST climbing gym's in the United States?
I am going to do an indoor climbing tour visiting the best indoor climbing gyms. If you can link to a list or recommend a gym it'd be great!
Do any of you have any resources for a aspiring climbing gym owner?
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cruxstacean
Sep 8, 2010, 11:55 PM
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Momentum Salt Lake
Front Ogden (newly opened)
maybe The Spot in Boulder?
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acorneau
Sep 9, 2010, 12:26 AM
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bashir wrote: Hi! Interested in building or buying a large climbing gym. I want to see what's out there first though! Does anybody have a list of the BEST climbing gym's in the United States? I am going to do an indoor climbing tour visiting the best indoor climbing gyms. If you can link to a list or recommend a gym it'd be great! Do any of you have any resources for a aspiring climbing gym owner?
Most of the larger (higher-end) gyms have full time route-setters that post/check-in here on a semi-regular basis...
http://www.routesetter.com/forum/
I was in SLC last month and stopped by Momentum. It's definitely a nice gym that I would look into.
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treemonkey
Sep 9, 2010, 1:29 AM
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Stone Summit in Atlanta
Movement in Bolder
Meza Rim in San Dego
These three are the latest and greatest gyms to open
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dindolino32
Sep 9, 2010, 4:20 AM
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Omaha Ne, That's where I work. I think what makes the place "the best" is if the workers are friendly, and don't have an attitude like they are too cool. Also, Good route setters that dont set for their strengths, but keep people pushing past their limits. The same moves get boring, but workers that dont even greet the climber, or don't build a local community seems even worse.
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jh_angel
Sep 9, 2010, 4:33 AM
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dindolino32 wrote: Omaha Ne, That's where I work. I think what makes the place "the best" is if the workers are friendly, and don't have an attitude like they are too cool. Also, Good route setters that dont set for their strengths, but keep people pushing past their limits. The same moves get boring, but workers that dont even greet the climber, or don't build a local community seems even worse.
All excellent points to keep track of, but I think the OP is more interested in the actual facility right now. I second going to routesetter.com and asking around there. If you build a gym setters like to set in, the routes will most likely come out better, and the climbers will like to climb there.
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gosharks
Sep 9, 2010, 8:07 AM
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Momentum isn't that special anymore. Tall and overhanging is the only thing they have. No angles or roofs at all.
Planet Granite San Francisco has an cool bouldering ramp that is pretty unique. Roped climbing is nothing special. In Northern California, the best roped climbing gym is Planet Granite Sunnyvale.
All of the above is IMO.
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bashir
Sep 9, 2010, 11:27 AM
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Hey thanks for the input. Would you be able to say why you recommended they climbing gyms? Thanks again!
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bashir
Sep 9, 2010, 11:32 AM
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I completely agree! I visited a climbing gym in South Africa where I had to almost beg for information. Then I visited one in Kuala Lumpur built by BlocX. It's called Camp5. It was a great climbing gym. But the staff were extremely friendly. After the manager realized I was interested in building one of my own she chatted me up for 2 hours divulging all kinds of information.
Regardless though the staff was extremely helpful and seemed to actually enjoy their jobs.
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bashir
Sep 9, 2010, 11:34 AM
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All input is greatly appreciated!
dindolino32, that is an excellent point! "If you build a gym setters like to set in, the routes will most likely come out better, and the climbers will like to climb there."
Would you recommend bringing route setters into the wall design phase?
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bashir
Sep 9, 2010, 11:37 AM
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You think climbers get bored at Momentum?
Does anybody know how long members stay at a gym? I mean if you go once or twice a week to the same climbing gym do you eventually get bored with it, even with different routes and good route setters?
Why do you say roped climbing is nothing special? Is Bouldering basically the future of indoor climbing?
What do you mean by all of the above is IMO? |
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acorneau
Sep 9, 2010, 3:04 PM
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bashir wrote: You think climbers get bored at Momentum?
As long as the routes are changed on a regular basis, then my guess is no.
In reply to: Does anybody know how long members stay at a gym? I mean if you go once or twice a week to the same climbing gym do you eventually get bored with it, even with different routes and good route setters?
I live in Houston which is 3 hours away from any real rock, so the the gym is it for daily climbing. Again, as long as you have good setters putting up a wide variety of climbs which are refreshed on a regular basis then people shouldn't get bored.
In reply to: Why do you say roped climbing is nothing special? Is Bouldering basically the future of indoor climbing?
I would say absolutely not. Some people like to boulder, some like top roping, others lead climbing.
Perhaps "Gosharks" was saying that the roped climbing at that particular gym wasn't anything special?
(edit for clarity)
(This post was edited by acorneau on Sep 9, 2010, 3:07 PM)
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subantz
Sep 9, 2010, 3:14 PM
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bashir wrote: Hi! Interested in building or buying a large climbing gym. I want to see what's out there first though! Does anybody have a list of the BEST climbing gym's in the United States? I am going to do an indoor climbing tour visiting the best indoor climbing gyms. If you can link to a list or recommend a gym it'd be great! Do any of you have any resources for a aspiring climbing gym owner?
Biggest and best in the country and 5 minutes from da house.
Atlanta baby. Home of the Southeast and the best climbing in the world. I mean it sux here stay away, NO GOOD NO GOOD. go to Canada
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Toast_in_the_Machine
Sep 9, 2010, 4:00 PM
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I like your idea of seeing what is working in the marketplace prior to your investing capital. My first suggestion is that you watch the show "Kitchen Nightmares" (British version). Watch how Gordon Ramsay enters a resteraunt and sizes up their businss and looks for what is right and what is wrong. You should target yourself to b able to walk into a gym and have within a few minutes an estimation of what their books look like in your head. You should also generate a list of five things that are done well and five things you would look to change within a week.
I would also suggest visiting smaller gyms so that you get as good as you can at generating that "what works and what doesn't work". Your ability to see what works is a critical skill for a venture like you are planning.
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j_ung
Sep 9, 2010, 4:37 PM
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Best indoor climbing gym's what?
Sincerely,
Grammar Nazi
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johnwesely
Sep 9, 2010, 4:48 PM
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j_ung wrote: Best indoor climbing gym's what? Sincerely, Grammar Nazi
This.
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gosharks
Sep 9, 2010, 10:55 PM
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acorneau wrote: Perhaps "Gosharks" was saying that the roped climbing at that particular gym wasn't anything special?
IMO = in my opinion.
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cruxstacean
Sep 10, 2010, 2:30 AM
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so planet granite has a big arch, smaller roofs and pillars. I'm don't really see what is so amazing about that.
Momentum has slabbish starts on some of the TR walls and hard offwidth cracks.
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gosharks
Sep 10, 2010, 8:42 AM
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cruxstacean wrote: so planet granite has a big arch, smaller roofs and pillars. I'm don't really see what is so amazing about that. Momentum has slabbish starts on some of the TR walls and hard offwidth cracks.
That's a questionable list at best. When modern gyms are 25000+ sqft with 50'+ walls, older, smaller gyms should not be on the list in their place.
(This post was edited by gosharks on Sep 10, 2010, 8:51 AM)
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kletter1mann
Sep 10, 2010, 11:26 PM
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By putting Carabiners in New Bedford on this list the author disqualifies herself from being able to assemble such a ranking in the first place. Anybody that has climbed there will know what I'm talking about.
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jh_angel
Sep 11, 2010, 2:57 AM
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kletter1mann wrote: By putting Carabiners in New Bedford on this list the author disqualifies herself from being able to assemble such a ranking in the first place. Anybody that has climbed there will know what I'm talking about.
That has to do with the horrible route setting and an owner who has no idea what climbing is. Carabiner's could be amazing if someone who knows what they're doing ever takes over.
I'd agree with checking out Earth Treks and MetroRock. Haven't been to any of the others except Stone Gardens. While the walls are nice, SG has an outdated layout IMO. It feels cramped in there.
(This post was edited by jh_angel on Sep 11, 2010, 4:04 AM)
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milesenoell
Sep 11, 2010, 3:49 AM
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they just need to develop the outdoor stuff more.
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yodadave
Sep 12, 2010, 4:20 AM
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Outside of the US Alien Rock in Edinburgh Scotland is my favorite. Based on vibe, lead/beginner/tr ratio, monthly comps, location. Check out YouTube and their site. Oh and the fact that it waS in an old converted church added some cool factor.
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