UKC

Hi

I'm a regular user of the TCA Glasgow original southside venue.

How does their new venue, The Prop Store, compare? 

I'm < 10mins from the original venue but 30mins (by bike) from the new one so haven't been sufficiently motivated to make a visit.

It's much colder (feels like bouldering outside), there is no training area (hangboards, pull-up bars etc.), the rope climbing stuff is still not setup and there are no circuits. At the moment I would say it's way less developed, still need to wait a bit. In terms of just bouldering it is pretty good, mixing climbing between the two gyms would give you more variety.

I've been twice and really enjoyed it. It's very different to the Newsroom with a top-out boulder, textured panels and some walls that are a bit shorter in height than the original. The training room is still being built and the lead walls, but there is more than enough to go at for now. 

Edit: Sorry, that was meant to be a reply to Flinticus.

It's brilliant if you ask me. It compliments the old TCA perfectly. Generally less overhanging walls, more slabs and just off vert. A big massive roof, which old TCA lacked. Textured walls! Well good! Top out boulder...

By the looks of it the leading and autobelay section will be good also. Excited to see how the training area turns out. Not that I'll use it because I'm too shit. Most importantly, the coffee is good. 

Thanks all. What's the transport links like? 

Have they got secure bike storage facilities? 

Been a couple times - really like it. Walls are a bit less full-on (overhanging/long/physical) than Kinning Park. Makes up for it, as usual, by some absolutely stellar setting. Top out boulder was an unexpected hit for me with some proper Dumby-style sloper-grovelling (skinned forearm - unlike Dumby)

I feel like there must be hordes of north Glasgow climbers who like me found the south side centres a PITA to get to, especially ploughing in toward the Clyde Tunnel at 5pm. The new one is just 5 or 10 from my parents place. Nice and cool in the new place and the steel pillars are great for cooling finger tips down more. (Probably unintended?)

I'm yet to see the allure of textured walls, trashes your shoes (especially if your footwork is as bad as mine) and leads to more scrapes and grazes. 

IMHO original TCA is the best wall in the central belt - steep, smooth, and plenty of circuits. Shame I'm currently on the wrong coast. 

Although it does make sense for the new place to be different and not just more of the same, I think it will do pretty well. 

I think the advantage of textured walls is they can set route that involve smears, REALLY bad foot holds and just promotes more general use of footwork like flagging.

There is currently a black set against the back wall on the left that involves no foot holds but you still need to use your feet properly. That's a problem that was basically impossible at the other place.

I'm not saying textured is the only way to go, but it's a nice change from the non-textured old TCA. It compliments the other wall very well.

I forgot to mention probably my favourite feature of the new wall - it's openness. It's just a nice place to hang out and climb.

Speaking of smears, have you been on that weird green in the very far left corner? A step thru, a bridge then some crazy palm/foot smearing on the textured wall.

Had me occupied for ages, really technical.

I’m, with you about the textured walls. Really hate them as they trash your shoes (mainly due to me being weak and with shite footwork though probably

Thats my only gripe about the place though. Really good setting, and some very interesting angles. It is a good sibling to the kinning park venue. I’m sure I’ll be regularly using both (but only my old shoes at Maryhill...)

They haven't got an area like the one at the Newswroom, but they do have a number of bike racks you can lock your bike too (And given that you can always get into the fenced off area at the Newsroom it's not really any more secure tbf). It's also on a small industrial estate so people won't be wandering past. 

That was a great problem. Check the video on my instagram...very knacky!

That yin exactly!

Looking at my possible routes to it I already foresee seldom use! The roads are too unpleasant and I think 30 mins an under-estimate when you account for traffic and traffic lights. There doesn't appear to be a convenient train station (Gilshochill at 20+ minutes) and its well outside the underground (unlike the Newsroom which is close to two stations)

I went to the new one this week. I've only bouldered at the Newsroom & Dumby before and this sits somewhere between the two with the textured wall and top out boulder. They're also using different holds. And you can look out a window!

I've travelled to the neighbouring unit by public transport before, had to change trains then get a bus down Maryhill Rd. Kinning Park is much easier with the rail/subway link. There's a bike rack outside which I think is visible from the front desk/cafe area.

It's about the same journey time to either by car from Dumbarton so I'll go to both. I think it's worth checking out - there's enough difference/variety to justify the extra journey time even with just the bouldering area open.

None of these are TCA.

There is only one TCA. And it has Dyson hand driers.