What to look for in an indoor climbing center

[amaliedageek]

I've been doing Pilates Reformer at least four times a week for the last six months; a change in focus on the part of the studio has left me looking for a new challenge. My son and his friends have been bouldering and top-rope climbing since middle school and have been trying to get me on the wall for years; I have some issues to work through (a friend died while free-climbing in the canyons not far from here), but 20+ years is doubtless long enough to let the fear have its way.

I would welcome the community's suggestions: what would recommend a place to you, or send you screaming for the exits?

Comments

[cofax7]

Things I would want from a safe and supportive indoor climbing gym:

1. Require all adult climbers and belayers learn to tie the entire knot themselves before they can get on the wall. No using a carabiner to clip to the harness. No knot, no climbing. At the moment, my gym only requires the belayer to pass a test, and kids aren't tested until they're 14.

2. I know some people like it, but I would prefer no automated belays. I want a person on the other end of the line. Having nobody to talk to or ask for support is very disconcerting. And it's more like outdoors--part of climbing for me is working with other people, learning to trust your partner the way you trust your equipment and your rope.

3. Lead climbing should be available, so people can learn about the sharp end of the rope.

4. Lots of mats in the bouldering area. Have some easy routes in the bouldering area, so newbies can get used to the idea without being faced with nothing less than a 5.10 on that wall.

5. SLAB ROUTES. I so miss doing slab problems: hardly any gyms set them anymore because the risk of injury is higher than on overhangs, but overhangs privilege people with really strong upper-bodies, whereas people like me are really good at slabs.

6. Lots of classes bringing new people in. A climbing gym full of hard-bodied 20- and 30-year-olds isn't very fun. Make it friendly. (Our gym does birthday parties and parents-belay on the weekends, and has a regular Free Guest night.)

What else? Nice locker rooms, a sauna, a full set of weights and aerobic equipment. I wish my gym had a nicer locker room, and the lighting in the locker room isn't very good for doing makeup before I go to work (need to make a suggestion about that).

[jumpuphigh]

Require all adult climbers and belayers learn to tie the entire knot themselves before they can get on the wall. No using a carabiner to clip to the harness

I'm not sure I get what you mean. The belayer will always clip in with a carabiner.

I know some people like it, but I would prefer no automated belays.

And I prefer auto-belays, although not having them isn't a deciding factor for a gym. They are great for training and for anti-social days.

[cofax7]

The belayer will always clip in with a carabiner.

The belayer is responsible for checking the climber's knot: I expect a belayer to know how to tie the knot and what a proper figure-8 looks like.

The reason I don't like auto-belays is that without another person in the system, it's relatively easy to miss things like an unbuckled harness or an unfinished knot (even with another person in the system it happens). And there is (almost) no such thing as an auto-belay outdoors: it's too easy to get into bad habits in the gym, which are deadly outside.

IMHO, etc. Mileages certainly vary.

[jumpuphigh]

I expect a belayer to know how to tie the knot and what a proper figure-8 looks like.

Ok. I was picturing something where climbers were connecting to the belay with a carabiner and I was very o_O. I agree with you here.

it's relatively easy to miss things like an unbuckled harness or an unfinished knot

I can see your point. I'm even more safety conscious with the auto-belay (and I'm one of the most safety conscious climbers I've ever seen) but I could certainly see safety being an issue with newer climbers using the auto-belay.