This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Is there a perfect indoor climbing centre? Whats the best indoor centre you have ever been to and why was it so good?
In reply to Catherine99:
I've never been to Ratho but from what I've read and seen about it I would imagine it's close.
Awesome walls stockport is my favorite at the moment now they've extended the bouldering, however if they could've found a way to make the 24m wall overhang a bit it would have been amazing.
I've never been to Ratho but from what I've read and seen about it I would imagine it's close.
Awesome walls stockport is my favorite at the moment now they've extended the bouldering, however if they could've found a way to make the 24m wall overhang a bit it would have been amazing.
In reply to Catherine99:
The Arch
Good route setting
Great training area
Good fingerboard selection
Good music
Good atmosphere
Very friendly staff
I also really like mile end wall, but it lacks a bit of the atmosphere you get in The Arch I think.
The Arch
Good route setting
Great training area
Good fingerboard selection
Good music
Good atmosphere
Very friendly staff
I also really like mile end wall, but it lacks a bit of the atmosphere you get in The Arch I think.
In reply to Eagle River:
Ratho is very good. For a start, it's huge, and it has a fabric-type roof, so it's much lighter than every other wall I've been in in. The ancilliary facilities - changing rooms, showers, cafe, shop, gym, etc - are also much better than anywhere else I've been.
However, it's also the coldest wall I've ever been to, and the only one to be shut as a result of flooding on the approach road.
Ratho is very good. For a start, it's huge, and it has a fabric-type roof, so it's much lighter than every other wall I've been in in. The ancilliary facilities - changing rooms, showers, cafe, shop, gym, etc - are also much better than anywhere else I've been.
However, it's also the coldest wall I've ever been to, and the only one to be shut as a result of flooding on the approach road.
In reply to Catherine99:
So far, I'd say Momentum in Salt Lake City: spacious, well lit, lots of good routes at all angles on 15m high wall, extensive crack section (Indian Creek isn't far away...), frequent resets of routes/problems, nice cafe.
So far, I'd say Momentum in Salt Lake City: spacious, well lit, lots of good routes at all angles on 15m high wall, extensive crack section (Indian Creek isn't far away...), frequent resets of routes/problems, nice cafe.
In reply to Catherine99: No there isn't because you have to cater for all the following 'climbers' and no one wall really manages it:
- The instructor running kids sessions
- The novice adults
- The recreational 'VS' trad climbers visiting over the winter
- The keen teenage boulderers
- The improvers keen to move through the 6s.
- The advanced/elite climbers onsighting 7b/7c/8a
- The advanced/elite boulderers working V7+
However, if you took all the bouldering from The Climbing Works, all the big lead walls from Ratho and possibly the extensive easier leading and top-roping from somewhere like The Westway or Boulders and then the friendly cafe from The Climbing Academy then you wouldn't be too far off...
- The instructor running kids sessions
- The novice adults
- The recreational 'VS' trad climbers visiting over the winter
- The keen teenage boulderers
- The improvers keen to move through the 6s.
- The advanced/elite climbers onsighting 7b/7c/8a
- The advanced/elite boulderers working V7+
However, if you took all the bouldering from The Climbing Works, all the big lead walls from Ratho and possibly the extensive easier leading and top-roping from somewhere like The Westway or Boulders and then the friendly cafe from The Climbing Academy then you wouldn't be too far off...
In reply to Catherine99:
Another vote for Ratho, I like everything about it but yes the cold is a killer and the flooding of the road a pain but that normally is only for a day or two and the staff are great too, keep you up dated on floods etc. And you can warm up in the hot tub after a chilly -5 session! If it was also a tad closer to the city then it'd be good too.
Like Alien in Ed too but with Ratho membership we go there more to get value for money!
Have also been to Boulders in Cardiff which I really enjoyed, as the name would suggest it is mainly a bouldering wall but there are good routes for beginners and the odd interesting lead, but not very high.
Not sure there could be a perfect centre, mine would be one I could build myself!!
Another vote for Ratho, I like everything about it but yes the cold is a killer and the flooding of the road a pain but that normally is only for a day or two and the staff are great too, keep you up dated on floods etc. And you can warm up in the hot tub after a chilly -5 session! If it was also a tad closer to the city then it'd be good too.
Like Alien in Ed too but with Ratho membership we go there more to get value for money!
Have also been to Boulders in Cardiff which I really enjoyed, as the name would suggest it is mainly a bouldering wall but there are good routes for beginners and the odd interesting lead, but not very high.
Not sure there could be a perfect centre, mine would be one I could build myself!!
In reply to Mark Stevenson:
Oh my, I like that combination. The Climbing Works comes closest to the perfect wall in terms of bouldering - if only they'd put some bloody heating on occasionally!
> (In reply to Catherine99) > However, if you took all the bouldering from The Climbing Works, all the big lead walls from Ratho and possibly the extensive easier leading and top-roping from somewhere like The Westway or Boulders and then the friendly cafe from The Climbing Academy then you wouldn't be too far off...
Oh my, I like that combination. The Climbing Works comes closest to the perfect wall in terms of bouldering - if only they'd put some bloody heating on occasionally!
In reply to BigJames:
Aren't the Arch and Mile End a bit lacking in roped stuff?
Camp 5 in Kuala Lumpur is pretty cool. Would be nowehere near big enough in London but every time I went it was empty.
http://camp5.com/
Aren't the Arch and Mile End a bit lacking in roped stuff?
Camp 5 in Kuala Lumpur is pretty cool. Would be nowehere near big enough in London but every time I went it was empty.
http://camp5.com/
In reply to terryturbojr:
Yeah totally, Arch is bouldering only (i'm a member there), and mile end is 80% bouldering, guess what I like to do....
I love The Arch, because they come up with really interesting bizarre problems that can require really big dynamic moves/swings to solve them, even at the lower grades V0/V1, I only just got up to doing my first decent V2 the other day, and mile end seems to be lacking in creativity with stuff around this level, although it is still good, just not on a par with the arch.
All that said, I do love that mile end is the only place I know where you can do some highball boulder problems indoors, 10m up away from the mats, which is a helluva lot of fun, plus the monkey room is all kinds of awesome, one day I will make it more than half way across....one day.
Yeah totally, Arch is bouldering only (i'm a member there), and mile end is 80% bouldering, guess what I like to do....
I love The Arch, because they come up with really interesting bizarre problems that can require really big dynamic moves/swings to solve them, even at the lower grades V0/V1, I only just got up to doing my first decent V2 the other day, and mile end seems to be lacking in creativity with stuff around this level, although it is still good, just not on a par with the arch.
All that said, I do love that mile end is the only place I know where you can do some highball boulder problems indoors, 10m up away from the mats, which is a helluva lot of fun, plus the monkey room is all kinds of awesome, one day I will make it more than half way across....one day.
In reply to Ava Adore:
Why, would you prefer to boulder with your shirt off ?
> (In reply to Mark Stevenson)
> [...]
>
> Oh my, I like that combination. The Climbing Works comes closest to the perfect wall in terms of bouldering - if only they'd put some bloody heating on occasionally!
> [...]
>
> Oh my, I like that combination. The Climbing Works comes closest to the perfect wall in terms of bouldering - if only they'd put some bloody heating on occasionally!
Why, would you prefer to boulder with your shirt off ?
In reply to tony: I remember being in the Foundry in June 2007 and having to wade through thigh deep water to get out to the bus because of the Sheffield flooding.
In reply to i.munro:
stanage with a roof would be rather fun. The belay police have been there for years anyway...
stanage with a roof would be rather fun. The belay police have been there for years anyway...
In reply to Catherine99:
My favourite is probably the Climbing Academy in Bristol, great problems and the board are great for stamina/power training, but most importantly of all, the tunes rock!
My favourite is probably the Climbing Academy in Bristol, great problems and the board are great for stamina/power training, but most importantly of all, the tunes rock!
In reply to Catherine99: I really like redpoint centre in Birmingham, imaginative route setting, great design friendly atmosphere. It has two bouldering areas and a fairly large main room with a stalectite feature and a hanging arrete. The routes are changed regularly, it's well situated and near to transport links
In reply to Catherine99:
And of course to be perfect it would have to be free with all of the routes on a 8 week cycle.
And chuck the Icefactor into the Ratho, Climbing Works combo with a shop like joe browns or needlesports on the side.
And of course to be perfect it would have to be free with all of the routes on a 8 week cycle.
And chuck the Icefactor into the Ratho, Climbing Works combo with a shop like joe browns or needlesports on the side.
In reply to Ava Adore:
won't invite you climbing then ;0)
> (In reply to Paul F)
>
> No, I'd rather like to boulder without a million layers on...
>
> No, I'd rather like to boulder without a million layers on...
won't invite you climbing then ;0)
Surprised no-ones mentioned Ibrox in Glasgow, I reckon its a pretty well balanced wall (though admittedly I have only used Ratho a few times and the Ice Factor once), routes are usually well graded, good mix of them, good balance of Top-rope to Lead climbs, absolutely evil overhang, big bouldering area downstairs, decent amount of locker space (which you get your money back from) not horrendously priced cafe upstairs, usually kept at a temperature humans can survive for extended durations and normally with decent music playing as well. I'll take that over X-scape and Kelvnhall anyday.....
In reply to Catherine99:
I'm a big fan of the Foundry - the perfect antidote to tw*tty walls like the Westway. Friendly, cheap, good routes, good problems.
The bad walls tend to be the ones not run by climbers.
I'm a big fan of the Foundry - the perfect antidote to tw*tty walls like the Westway. Friendly, cheap, good routes, good problems.
The bad walls tend to be the ones not run by climbers.
In reply to Catherine99:
japans got some great walls, especially around tokyo.
route settings a bit wayward on the grading at times - but with lots of japanese girl climbers, whose lookin at the grades!
japans got some great walls, especially around tokyo.
route settings a bit wayward on the grading at times - but with lots of japanese girl climbers, whose lookin at the grades!
In reply to Catherine99:
The Reach is not even half developed yet, but already it's good and the potential is great. |Once it's completed it is going to be one of the best walls out there. In addition to the climbing its got a nice cafe with home made cakes etc, and good clean changing/shower and toilet facilities.
The Reach is not even half developed yet, but already it's good and the potential is great. |Once it's completed it is going to be one of the best walls out there. In addition to the climbing its got a nice cafe with home made cakes etc, and good clean changing/shower and toilet facilities.
In reply to Paul F:
Oh please do....but invite me somewhere warm!!
> (In reply to Ava Adore)
> [...]
>
> won't invite you climbing then ;0)
> [...]
>
> won't invite you climbing then ;0)
Oh please do....but invite me somewhere warm!!
In reply to jonny2vests:
Look, if I go faster it just means I fall faster!
> (In reply to Ava Adore)
>
> Its the perfect temperature! Go faster.
>
> Its the perfect temperature! Go faster.
Look, if I go faster it just means I fall faster!
In reply to Busby:
Sometimes, sometimes not.
>
> Surprised no-ones mentioned Ibrox in Glasgow, I reckon its a pretty well balanced wall
Hmm, can't say I'm surprised!> Surprised no-ones mentioned Ibrox in Glasgow, I reckon its a pretty well balanced wall
> routes are usually well graded,
<Cough!> Any wall that consistently gets the grades out by 2 points, sometimes more, needs to reassess their systems I reckon.> big bouldering area downstairs
Big...BIG?! You jest, surely?> decent amount of locker space (which you get your money back from) not horrendously priced cafe upstairs
I'll grant you those ones.> I'll take that over X-scape
X-scape's not really a climbing wall though, is it?!> ...and Kelvnhall anyday.
Sometimes, sometimes not.
In reply to Fraser:
<Cough!> Any wall that consistently gets the grades out by 2 points, sometimes more, needs to reassess their systems I reckon.
Correction: "...some grades out by 2 points,"
> routes are usually well graded,
<Cough!> Any wall that consistently gets the grades out by 2 points, sometimes more, needs to reassess their systems I reckon.
Correction: "...some grades out by 2 points,"
In reply to Catherine99: MCC in manchester is pretty darn nice... but as I am down in London I am going with The Castle
In reply to Catherine99:
In my opinion, The Climbing Works is top.
Here's why -
- The route setting is very intuitive and it's just way ahead of other climbing walls I've been to. Really gets you thinking and moving in new ways, and there's something for everyone
- Lots of space to watch your buddies climb
- Comfy sofas
- Good coffee
- Nice staff
- Plus, they hold some great competitions - namely the international climbing festival they hold every year
It could be made better if there was a pub serving real ale situated next door, but I guess that's not really in their control...
In my opinion, The Climbing Works is top.
Here's why -
- The route setting is very intuitive and it's just way ahead of other climbing walls I've been to. Really gets you thinking and moving in new ways, and there's something for everyone
- Lots of space to watch your buddies climb
- Comfy sofas
- Good coffee
- Nice staff
- Plus, they hold some great competitions - namely the international climbing festival they hold every year
It could be made better if there was a pub serving real ale situated next door, but I guess that's not really in their control...
In reply to Catherine99:
Ok I guess The Climbing Works would get my vote too, if it was more local....like in London!
No really it was very good though, very impressed, blows away pretty much anything you get down in London, although I haven't been to The Castle yet, supposed to be good?
Ok I guess The Climbing Works would get my vote too, if it was more local....like in London!
No really it was very good though, very impressed, blows away pretty much anything you get down in London, although I haven't been to The Castle yet, supposed to be good?
In reply to Catherine99:
Wow! Ratho, the Ice Factor and Climbing Works under one roof, with fab shops and cheap food does sound like the ideal indoor centre....
Wow! Ratho, the Ice Factor and Climbing Works under one roof, with fab shops and cheap food does sound like the ideal indoor centre....
In reply to JFort:
The ice factor the height of the tower at Ratho and the old comp wall for dry tooling and we are on to a winner!
SDB
> (In reply to Catherine99)
>
> Wow! Ratho, the Ice Factor and Climbing Works under one roof, with fab shops and cheap food does sound like the ideal indoor centre....
>
> Wow! Ratho, the Ice Factor and Climbing Works under one roof, with fab shops and cheap food does sound like the ideal indoor centre....
The ice factor the height of the tower at Ratho and the old comp wall for dry tooling and we are on to a winner!
SDB
This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings.
Elsewhere on the site
Loading Notifications...