I was tired of the "environment" at LA Fitness so I decided to give a smaller gym a try. After one week I joined and completely canceled my LA membership.
Independence is never overly packed, and you hardly ever have to wait to use any of the weights or machines.
The equipment is a little older but still effective. I do miss the sauna and basketball court but all in all it's a small price to pay for a lower monthly premium & non Scottsdale environment.
There is a good selection of classes offered. The staff is always highly visible but never pressures you to buy any personal training sessions.
The locker rooms and bathrooms are always clean and there is plenty of locker space to store your stuff.
There is a small store (nothing like the juice bar at LA) that sells protein bars, energy drinks, water, protein drinks, etc. they even give a small discount when paying with cash.
All in all highly recommended!