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| - The route setting is impressive. It is awesome to climb the routes here and this gym will make you overcome your petty old habit of climbing like you would a ladder. I've been to lots of gyms, mostly around Denver and the route setting at this gym is competitive enough to place this gym at a good 3rd, better than Rock n Jam n or a tie for 2nd with ThrillSeekers, which is very similar to this gym in terms of size and vibe. Although I don't think any gym in Vegas(or most gyms really) could ever compare to the Denver Bouldering Club, a real training gym for climbing. (24 hours climbing and an adjustble system wall anyone?)
Now there doesn't seem to be any sort of requirement for a belay check, but this is where I did first learn to belay and the lessons were good. That was a long time ago and I felt safe with the Gri-Gris and the lady teaching me was straightforward and a quick teacher. A year later after spending time in Colorado as well as taking a full year climbing course, I can definitely say this place seems built to prevent mishaps. You don't tie in, you clip in with an auto-locking carabiner for both the climber and the belayer. There is a Gri-Gri pre-set up on every rope so that you don't ever have to set up for belay, just clip in. I'm not a fan of this set up, since I can't show people what they need to do if they want to go outside. I am always going to be a fan of tying in and using your own belay device because I believe that being knowledgable is the best way to prevent accidents and that individuals need to recognize the dangers of rock climbing. I think that this will also help beginners prepare themselves and their habits for outdoor climbing, which is where the magic really happens. (love moment of me and the rock)
With that said, here are a few more details that people might find helpful.
Top Ropes here have perfect friction compared to other gyms, belaying my father who weighs twice as much as me wasn't a problem, some gyms have almost no friction and can send me flying into the air and into my climbers feet, almost happened to me a few times at other gyms
No anchors for the belayer to tie into but it's not really a problem thanks to the friction
Chill atmosphere, relaxing, not as smelly red rock climbing center, but could still use a bit more ventilation/cleanliness. The place just seems a little stale at times, maybe its the lighting, or just the melancholy colors of the whole gym itself.
Great vibes. you can feel the love of the routes here. It's amazing.
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