TLDR: the gym is good. The belay tester was horrible. Long version: Having been climbing for the last 6 years, I've had the opportunity to climb both outdoors and indoors. To compare apples to apples, the indoor gyms include the likes of Touchstone gyms, Planet Granite, Cliffs of LIC, BKB in Brooklyn, Earth Treks, and small local gyms. The front desk was polite, the gym was clean, the routes were fun, and the problems were interesting. They had a mandatory tour before getting to use the facility; the guide was nice. The belay tester was the most rude person with the worst superiority complex I have ever met. It was by far the most terrible belay test I've ever had so much so that it soured my whole experience at the gym. Typically, the belay tester would ask for the standard safety checks and to demonstrate appropriate belay techniques. If they prefer I belay slightly differently to comply with the gym's rules, they would just ask me to do it and I would do it (I had no issues getting lead certified at BKB Brooklyn in the past). Here at BKB Somerville, everytime I made a 'mistake', he would shout "Nope! Do it again" without actually telling me what his gym's policies were. It only took about 10 loud Nopes before he finally explained what he wanted in a condescending tone. He was absolutely convinced that his way/the gym's way was the only correct way to do it (nevermind that he has been climbing in the gym for 1 year and has never been outside). It's one thing to instruct a visitor on the policies of a gym. I completely understand that if it's a gym policy and that's what the insurance requires, then those are the rules to follow in the gym. However, it is completely unacceptable to use rude bullying behavior to try to "educate" someone (even more so with false information). read more

Beware they charge you an additional $5 on your first visit for a mandatory tour and learn to fall clinic (ie. watch out for others and bend your knees when you land). This is not listed on their website and becomes a nice little surprise when you are about to pay. This kind of service should be provided free of charge with the day pass, especially given its higher than normal price for Boston gyms. As for the gym itself, its large, open, and full of a mixture of cool workout and work spaces as well as art. The features on the wall are pretty unimaginative. I feel Metrorock and central rock gym have better top-rope and bouldering caves, aretes, chimneys, etc. If you want a gym to just climb in, bkbs is way overpriced. Metro and CRG are much less expensive and provide high quality climbing. If you live in cambridge/somerville and want an all inclusive gym/workspace/lounge then it might make sense to take the plunge. read more

I have been at Brooklyn Boulder's for a little more than a year (rock climbing, yoga, personal training, classes). One thing that I wanted to work on was my general fitness, so I got a personal trainer. Ian has been professional, knowledgable, tailored workouts to my strengths and weakness, and has been encouraging me to push myself more. I had an injury with one my shoulders that made it weaker, and more prone to injury when exerting with weights. At the end there were some movements that no longer caused issues for me and it seemed to have a greater range of motion. There was a progression in them months I was there, and one thing that I appreciated was the workouts changed enough to keep things interesting, but stayed the same enough to show improvement. In probably 9 months with sessions at varying times, he was only 15 minutes late once (I think it was raining pretty hard or snowing). That one time he booked extra time in our workout, and made sure I benefited. I am leaving the area, so I need get to find a new trainer. I feel like it will be hard finding a trainer as competent as him, but at the very least I feel like I can take a lot of what I learned with me. General Brooklyn Boulders Review Rock Climbing: 5 Yoga: 4 Classes: 5 Personal: 5 Price: 3 Cleanliness: 5 Room for improvement: I find opening at 6:20 am a little odd. With the size of the gym, I would think having a coffee area could be profitable read more

I swear, BKBS is the climbing gym of all climbing gyms. It just doesn't get better than this. The staff was very friendly and quite helpful and the amenities are beyond my expectations, for you see, BKBS isn't just a climbing gym, it's also an open office workspace, yoga studio, and traditional workout facility all rolled into one amazing factory space. KUDOS: INDOOR bike parking! #bikelove For your first visit (just go already!), here are a few things you need to know: - Step 1. Fill out the electronic waiver on the iPads located to the left of the main desk (as you enter). Then proceed to the main desk where you will be assisted by a lovely staff person. - Step 2. You'll likely be getting a day pass ($22, $18 for students w/ ID). Equipment rental costs are as follows: shoes ($5), harness ($5), chalk bag ($2) = $11 (no, I didn't do the math wrong, you save $1 if you rent everything). - Step 3. Certifications. Regardless if it's your first time or your 100th time climbing, you will need to pass a BKBS autobelay/belay test and a "how-to-fall" test. Completing both tests will take no more than 30 minutes (less if you already have the aforementioned skills). - Step 4. Profit! Have an awesome time! I really enjoyed my time at BKBS and my only regret is that I have to leave at the end of the summer (to go back to CO, so I guess I can't complain that much...). Truly, BKBS is what I envision future [climbing] gyms to be. read more

The pros: Nice and close to home, about 10 minute walk Free towel services and showers are nice and clean in morning Nice selection of free weights and dumbbells if you want to get a workout session in Auto belay routes are not too bad if you are feeling anti social and don't want to boulder The cons: On some of the climbs, it is possible to fall between where the wall and the padding meet. As others have stated, the routes are generally very high. Often hardest move is towards the top. I find that the lack of beginner climbs makes it hard to bring a friend to get them into climbing. They generally have a handful of 5.6 and 5.7 and than shoot up to the harder climbs which most beginners have difficulty with. At central rock in watertown, there were climbs for all ability levels and a dedicated beginners area which were good for getting people into the sport. 7:30 (which is only on monday, wednesday and friday) opening time is a tad too late to get a meaningful climbing session in before work. This place is far too crowded, especially if you are doing bouldering. Whats worse, is they have decided to start renting out half the lockers so it is impossible to find an empty locker unless you want to pay extra. read more

I love this gym. I've been climbing for almost 10 years, mostly in the bay area, and so I've been to my share of awesome rock gyms. But this place just has a special vibe that makes it super accessible to all kinds of people. Every time I go in there I get jazzed about the awesome feel of the place. The murals are beautiful (especially the one in the entryway), and there are so many open spaces that are good for hanging out. It really is a beautiful space and so different from other climbing gyms, so full of light and air. I also love the treadmill desks-- I haven't come there yet to do work, but plan to and am excited about the prospect! And I can't wait for the coffee shop, when is that happening?? I agree with some of the other reviewers that the route setters are still working out some kinks with the rating systems and the variety (see below). But while I don't love every climb, there are some awesome ones, and I have lots of faith that it is going to keep on getting better, because the staff are really responsive to feedback and into being inclusive of all different types of climbers. I have just a few requests: -- I'm a runner and I've been using the treadmills quite often, and I'd love it if they would put up a fan by the cardio area- sometimes it gets a little stuffy up there. -- The routes are designed so that the hardest move is reachy a little too often. How many of the route-setters are women? In my experience having more women set routes creates more diversity of cruxes. -- I find the website kind of hard to navigate, especially for info on the yoga classes. What's with the online signup system? Are they really so crowded that you need to sign up in advance? read more

I think they were not prepared for the number of people that would purchase the Groupon and show up on a Sunday. It was so unorganized, they didn't have enough equipment, and they expected people to wait around for 45 minutes so they could find someone to do a tour of the facility. It was fun once I eventually got in there, and it's a very cool space. They just might need a few more employees. read more

Full Disclosure: I'm pretty much completely new to rock-climbing. I think I did an auto-belay once at the state fair when I was 16? Today I'll be going to Brooklyn Boulders for the fourth time. I'm still getting used the the V rating system. Since I haven't been consistently exercising for a number of years, I thought I would start on the shorter of the bouldering walls. What I found is that surprisingly, I completed a V1 without much trouble, but also that I was incredibly exhausted after one or two climbs. Basically, I've been taking it easy, warming up on the treadmills or ellipticals and then climbing 4 or 5 times (with frequent breaks), and I've found after just about a week or so my endurance levels have exponentially increased. What I like about working out here is that it doesn't have the robotic feel of conventional gyms, an atmosphere I've truly never fully acclimated to--on the other hand, at BB, there's a certain je ne sais quoi to the whole experience of staring down the wall, deciding how you're going to tackle it, chalking up and going for it. The instructors are thorough and kind. If you're going in as a beginner, expect to either jump in on bouldering of your own accord, or get certified on the auto belay (takes 5 minutes) and be good to go right away. Ask for a tour and someone will lead you the right direction. There is a yoga Room, weight room and a workspace. I know, pretty decked out, right? The decor is nice, modern, complete with a massive mural of a llama (or is it an alpaca?) making an absurd face. If you like llamas, as I do--this is a really big plus. There's also a sauna, if you're into that. It will be so nice in winter, I'm probably going to take frequent naps in there. (EDIT: I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT BROOKLYN BOULDERS DOES NOT ENDORSE SAUNA NAPS AND DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR LOST WATER WEIGHT OR SHRIVELED APPENDAGES, OR ANY OF THE FINANCIAL LOSSES ACCRUED AS A RESULT OF SAID INJURIES. MAY THE LLAMA GODS HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL) read more

Full Disclosure--I'm an indoor rock climbing virgin. Until yesterday I had been bouldering once, and that one time was at this Brooklyn Boulders location. What I can say about this space is while a day pass seems absurdly expensive, BUT if you do your research beforehand and check out sites like living social, groupon, or rush49, even amazon local, you can usually find a day pass for 1/2 price. The space itself is full of amenities--they have an auto belay, top rope walls, lead rope walls, two bouldering walls, a weight room, yoga studio, coffee stand, work space, video game lounge, basically everything... Seriously all they're missing is beer and food. And you can find all that next door at aeronaut brewery. The rental equipment seems decent--again I know next to nothing about climbing at this point--but the staff seems helpful and even for the rather absurd sounding monthly membership fee of $100 a month you DO get a lot, if you use it wisely. I'm seriously considering buying a 10-day pass coupon through rush49 and depending how that goes may sign up for a full membership. If and when I do, I'll update my review. read more

My friends and I had a gift certificate for this place, so we decided to try it out. The place is huge with so many different things to do. If I lived near by I would definitely get a yearly past. The place includes a gym area with weights and treadmills and such, a "quiet room" to relax and do some quiet work on a computer or whatever, MANY walls for belaying and bouldering and other cools things that cost extra like parkouring stuff. We had so much fun bouldering and auto-belaying. The staff are super friendly and the place was clean. The only downside is the price - $75 for two people to auto-belay (this includes equipment). Amazing place, I can't wait to go again! read more

Great climbing gym, gorgeous facility. Solid exercise equipment and fitness classes too means this membership is definitely your one stop shop. The whole gym has an amazing community feeling for everything from climbing to other fitness classes. There are just good people both working and climbing there and that makes it a great place to be. It's become where i go after work even just to hang out instead of going home. Morning work out classes (while costing extra) are amazing. As a former division one college athlete the sunrise savage class is one of the first I've taken to truly challenge me. Crazy obstacles/exercises, non stop activity, a French bulldog that likes to try to trip you up...it has it all. A pretty badass class for anyone training for Spartan or tough murder but also awesome for anyone looking to get ripped and not be bored. It's like crossfit but more exciting and less likely to make you annoying to everyone around you. read more

While the physical space at Brooklyn Boulders offers tons of opportunity for a great bootcamp aimed at obstacle course training, it is the continuing energy and creativity of the athletic director, Sven, which really brings the Sunrise Savage morning class to its full potential. The workouts are intense and are designed to make each participant think and become comfortable with moving their bodies fluidly, train in techniques to handle a myriad of obstacles, as well as exercises for overall conditioning. Sunrise participants generally don't know what to expect - be it Greco-Roman wrestling, rope climbing, bear crawls, spear-throwing, traveling rings (think Venice Beach), the obligatory burpees, rock climbing, and salmon ladder, just to name a few. After going through a class, there's no reason that you would be afraid of anything that a Spartan race could throw at you. Well, maybe except for the foul-smelling mud that was in Amesbury this past August... I swear they added cow manure into the mix just to increase the anguish. So, if you are training for an obstacle course race or maybe are looking to shake out the doldrums of your routine workout, you should definitely sign up to go a Sunrise Savage class. While you can expect the unexpected in terms of what insane exercises you'll do on any one day, you can rely and expect that the instructor and other participants are accommodating and inviting. read more

Pretty dazzling! Don't be fooled - it's not only a rock climbing gym; it's a workspace, a yoga studio, a weightlifting and cardio gym, and a place to hang out and play table tennis or Super Smash Bros. The climbing is good so far, the bouldering (free climbing) is fun and challenging. I think the best part about the gym is the fellow clientele - people scaling the walls constantly, giving each other tips and tricks, it never feels competitive - it's like the wall is the objective, and everyone works together to help each other climb to the very top. I haven't done belaying courses so I can't comment on them. The only major con that comes to mind is the price. It's not cheap, and I don't see it becoming cheaper anytime soon. Keep in mind you will have to rent climbing shoes and/or a harness if you don't own them, adding to the cost. Overall, though, the gym is a lot of fun and it feels like it's always improving. Check it out sometime, ask a friend who goes - they get guest passes every now and then! read more

Awesome community space. Great routes, especially lately. I love the amenities and versatility of this space. Sometimes I climb with a belay partner / use the autobelay / do my yoga routine / yoga and boulder / and then get on my laptop for a couple hours. Staff and community super friendly. Great community events and meetups. And the sauna.... I give 5 stars on everything but accessibility-- make the day passes more affordable guys. read more

+ HUGE, absolutely huge. + plenty of top rope, lead climb, bouldering, AND auto-balay (so you still have an awesome time without a +1!) + lots of space to put your stuff: lockers, table tops etc. +lounge for gaming, studying, coffee house...basically hey want you to never leave + indoor bike racks for the winter! -$$ annual and months fees are steeper compared to some other places -nickle and dime you with their equipment rental fees, day pass fees, training fees etc. (There are ways around some of these though, like asking a friend to teach you instead of paying them to do the same thing) Got a free day pass from the Somer Lovin' Fest in October and decided that after having a great time trying all the local joints, it was time to try the actual rock walls! I had climbed a bit in undergrad, but never went to a climbing gym itself...this place basically shocked me into being a climber! It's massive on the inside and really makes good use of its space. There are at least 10 different wall faces for lead and top rope climb and that includes auto-balay stations (only have about 6 of those though) and a dedicated section for bouldering which also includes and upstairs section and a kids section. I was there while there was a birthday party and it was pretty adorable watching the kids having a blast getting a head start on this great sport. All the workers are really chill and approachable, the climbing community itself is pretty stellar, everyone's super nice and making friends seems easy as you sit next to someone analyzing the same route to take. You're also allowed to come and go as you please so if you come in the morning, leave to grab some food, and you can always be back to climb or find a spot to get some work done and the rock walls will be there when you need a break! All new people, rather you've climbed before or not have to take a quick orientation about the in's and outs of the gym and bouldering. If you want to do some top rope climbing, you'll need a buddy that's "certified"--as in they took a test to show they can tie the knots and work the rope. If you DON'T KNOW how, then there are classes you can take with the gym (which personally are a complete rip off price-wise for what they're trying to teach you!) OR find an awesome friend to teach you. Students get a discount I believe, but do a quick check on it before you head there so you know what you're getting yourself into! 10-day passes are probably the best deal for gettng gear and climb entrance included! read more

I came here with my boyfriend because of a Groupon deal a while back. The moment we walked in, my boyfriend went to the bathroom as I waited in line to check in and immediately someone started to flag him down and yell at him harshly from across the room that he needed to check in. That was off putting, but we just rolled with it. The Groupon deal included an introductory course for beginners, but we opted out because we both are experienced rock climbers--I've climbed indoors and outdoors for years. Out of curiosity, my boyfriend checked in with the instructor to see what the course offered while I went to use the restroom. While he checked in with the instructor, I went to the bathroom and took off my climbing harness, of course. I walked back to my boyfriend in front of the top rope area and had my harness on, but it was loose because I just put it on and didn't want it to be tight and bother me as I walked. When I approached my boyfriend and the instructor, I arrived just as the she finished describing the course. She said it only offered basic techniques. As I said before, we are experienced climbers, so we politely declined. Suddenly the instructor pointed at me with her fingers and said "You really don't need an intro class? Because you're wearing your harness completely wrong." I told her again that I had experience, I only put it on so I didn't have to carry it as I walked and was going to tighten it once I started to climb again. She then scoffed and walked away. About an hour later, I took a break and went to the lobby area to look at the protein bars because I was hungry. I looked up and saw that the person at the front desk was staring at me. I continued to browse, but realized she was staring at me the entire time. She quickly averted her eyes when I looked at her. I tested this and she did it again... the protein bars are $3-$4. If I paid $50+ to rock climb, why would I steal a $3 protein bar? I finally decided to leave because it was clear that I was not welcome here. I was already skeptical about this place because it's called Brooklyn Boulders, has fake graffiti decor plastered on every corner of the facility, but almost everyone who works and frequents there is white. There is an obvious "young professional" vibe to the gym that I thought I could ignore, like I do with most places in Somerville, however, these interactions (everyone who I mentioned was white) were overwhelming. I know someone reading this can perceive these interactions as isolated incidents, but the fact that these microaggressions occurred in less than three hours shows a pattern of ubehavior here. Brown and black people rock climb. People of color shouldn't have to give off a yuppie vibe in order to feel welcome at a rock climbing facility. I'm never coming here again and letting all of my friends know how racist the staff are. Update: The manager responded to this review saying that he would reach out. It's been a week never heard anything. I doubt David really cares about what POC think about coming here and probably wants less of us there. Thanks David! read more

The best Best BEst BEST BESTEST ! Place Eva!!!! I signed up on my first visit ! I signed up then because the instruction from the moment I walked in was very informative , they led me through everything I needed to know . They instructed me on falling and on auto belays , set me up with a card saying I knew my stuff after the class , and I was off and running ! I have been going there regularly since . Parking on Main Street is plentiful , as well as the street out in front . They do spoo many other kewl things as well . Like how about a adaptive climbing class for the disabled ! Whaaaa!?! Awesome ! How about great instruction from advanced climbers who obviously are passionate about their sport. Friendly staff, attracts friendly clients , great times had by all. Courses are challenging and that is good if you wish to learn. Not so challenging that they are impossible , but well enough to help you advance . Yoga how about a little yoga class !?!? Some free weights and machines yet they got em . Some treadmills and cardio ! Parkour classes !!! Balancing course . And more ...... Meeting space and they have great events . Movie nights !! And it goes on and on ! Just go . Sign up , and keep going . If you don't love it very first time you will get to loving it soon after . read more

Bouldering Project - Swinging on the rings - Gyms Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Overall an okay gym. My biggest problem is that I can only climb during the day (8-5), and the gym is often partially closed at this time. Wednesdays and Thursdays lead routes are often closed for resetting, Mondays and Tuesdays for bouldering, etc. Plus, several times per year special events like comps also close part of the gym. Hiring more setters to minimize downtime would be great! read more

Bouldering Project - Hire more setters! Why is half of the bouldering closed today? Bonus: looks like a comp is coming up, which means more closures! - Gyms Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Updating this to 3 until the situation is resolved--I heard back right after I posted this, and a couple days after I left a message in the box. I don't know how things will work out, but I am starting to feel like the gym cares and it's brought me a lot of hope! To the staff team who are working on this, thank you so so much! read more

This gym has so much to offer. Huge space, plenty of climbing walls, not to mention the fireplace, place to work (har har har). BUT for a premiere climbing gym for Boston, I was surprised by that the training room looked as if it was built in the early 2000's. The progression of the sport in the last 10 years, there is so much development for climbing gyms and advancements training facilities. But for a $22 day pass, Brooklyn Boulders Somerville DOES NOT HAVE IT... I was really looking forward to having a gym close to my home with state of he art training room (not just a hang-board, campus board, and a system wall). If more Europeans keep coming to the states to down grade all our hardest routes (the red river gorge) we need the same training rooms as any gym in Europe. As for the climbing, if you are excited about getting strong, and trying to pull on steep walls, BKB Somerville is a great gym. If you are looking for grades set by people from all levels, this isn't the place (look to Metro-Rock), if you want sandbagged North East grades BKB has it. read more

Not my crowd, but a nice facility with good climbing. Very crowded on weekday evenings. Very, very crowded. The smooth walls take some getting used to (not ideal for training for outdoor climbing), and the route setting on the ropes can be mixed. I like the tongue for leading, and the low angle walls are pretty nice, too. The facility is gorgeous and very clean. Grades are pretty soft on the ropes, and the lead routes are super closely bolted (which I have to admit I kind of like). Definitely a nice place to go. read more

This is one of the worst overpriced "gyms" I have ever visited. Let's start off with the prices. They charge $130 a month for a membership, a $100 activation fee, a $250 "badass" package which is basically the membership with some of their $70+ classes and gear equipment included, personal training is $95 a session and if you happen to have $800 lying around you can buy a 10 pack for $80 a session. Now expensive prices are alright if the price matches the quality, right? Here is the thing: You don't get gear equipment included even with a gym membership, their gear sold in gym is more expensive than online purchases, their locker rooms are as tiny and poorly maintained, there is no towel service, there are only two classes available at a time of one yoga and one boot camp, and their gym equipment is pathetic. I'm sorry, but I don't understand why we are supposed to pay $130 and additional charges for the bare bones minimum. They have only a couple aerobic equipment, one or two weight lifting machines and a set a dumbbells. Lets talk about personal experience of my visits: The place can get loud and crowded, this is basically an awkward combination of young adults hanging out with friends and checking out people with a lot of kids running around. My free personal trainer session was with a completely unmotivated personal trainer who looked uncomfortable and unhappy to be here. After a couple of visits, I became too irate with the poorly maintained hipster place that I lost the motivation to keep coming back even though I paid for the first month there. Basically this place is an overpriced club/daycare center, it is not meant for exercising and working on improving your health. There are way too many gyms out there that offer more amenities and equipment at more than half the price of their membership. read more

This gym is seriously understaffed. I've had problem after problem trying to schedule a simple lead test. I'm a morning climber, but they simply won't let you take one during morning hours because they're understaffed. Fine. But I came in the evening right before their peak hours and was told that they were understaffed and I had to wait at least 2hrs until someone would be available. I counted 5 employees chilling at the front desk. Seems ridiculous. I left an event early to get there on time and I was only planning on taking the test and leaving, not waiting around for 2hrs at their convenience. People are paying absurd prices for a truly mediocre facility. I give it two stars bc they have a good location and I think that's how they get the majority of their clients. read more

The non-climbing areas are extensive, and there is a lot of protein drinks and snacks available by the front desk which is pretty convenient (but most gyms also have this). It's proximity to Aeronaut is also nice, but parking in the area is very difficult. This seemed like a location more suitable for people to gather and hang out, rather than climb. I've gone twice on a member's guest pass, and both times were pretty bad. The first time I went, a lot of the bouldering routes were closed. There was also an insane number of people sitting around the bouldering area chatting, but not that many people actually seemed to be climbing. The top roping part of the gym had really poorly set routes- 5.10s were MUCH lower in difficulty than any of the neighboring climbing gyms. And what is up with the walls?! If you've gone to any of the Central Rock Gyms in the area, I believe they use Rockwerx? The walls at BKB are akin to bowling alley floors, making smearing impossible. I can't even consider a membership for the cost, and can't recommend the gym to anyone unless you're going on a guest pass, because the cost of a day pass is absurd. read more

I'm smitten. I got my wife and I a deal on amazon local for a day pass here. It was great! Definitely better than I expected and it's totally up my alley. First of all, the bike parking is a major major plus in this city. We drove but if I were to come back? I would bike just to park it inside. The girl up front was real nice and helpful in guiding us with what we were allowed to use and how to use it. Entering the actual area where you climb is IMPRESSIVE. I can't compare it to another indoor rock climbing gym because I haven't gone to one but I loved it here. They had a smaller wall downstairs for bouldering and one wall upstairs. Then a little further is the huge huge walls for climbing on your own or with a partner. My wife and I had only climbed outside once in colorado with a guide. We don't know how to belay each other. That being said, the autobelay system is awesome for people like us. I would love to learn so we can go all over the place and climb whatever we want but for a one day pass, the autobelay system was more than enough. We actually left for lunch and returned later after dinner because we had an all day pass. We took advantage! What I really enjoyed about this gym is that they recognize that not everyone can pay for a rock climbing gym, a yoga gym, and then a regular gym. They've combined it all and made it a really cool unique experience. I would love to join this gym one day after my gym membership expires. They have done a great job with this place. The art on the walls is cool too. Yay for this place. read more

I have been climbing at Brooklyn Boulders for several years. Before joining I had no real climbing experience. I joined because of the convenient location and seemingly great facilities. Over the years the little things have become big things and have really started to get to me. Here is a list of some of the reasons I am seriously considering moving my membership to a different gym. 1. The pricing: everyone else has already said this. It is the most expensive gym in the area. I would understand this if it was way better than the other gyms but it's not. What are they spending all this money on? Membership has clearly inclined steadily judging by how crowded it is at all hours of the day but I don't see them reinvesting any of this money into improving the facility. They opened some weird boutique location in Allston that I can pay extra to go to but I'll pass. They spent weeks renovating the men's locker room but I can't tell the difference. 2. The facilities: speaking of the locker room, it's too small. There are rarely available lockers and getting changed in there is challenging. They do provide some cubbies but they fill up fast and most people opt to pile there their belongings on the communal benches or on the climbing mats. Sometimes these belongings include open containers of food, banana peels, other food waste and dirty socks. The bike parking area is a cluttered mess. 3. The kids: the gym seems to double as a day care. There are massive swathes of children that seem to run wild. The "coaches" maintain no sense of order and do not enforce any form of etiquette. The kids seem to have free reign over the gym and they climb at their leisure without any consideration for other people trying to climb. Sometimes entire areas of the climbing wall are closed off for private classes during peak hours. For the amount that I pay these closures are intolerable. 4. The closures: constant closures. Private events, competitions, mat cleaning? I don't like that my gym can be closed for a private event when I pay $135 a month. The competitions are more understandable although I don't see why I should pay $40 to participate considering my already exorbitant membership dues. What I don't understand is how they think it is ok to shut down ALL of the bouldering for a week to "prepare" for their competition. All the routes were set on Monday and roped off all week. I can't climb for a week because they think I'm going to cheat at their competition or something? Ludicrous. When I asked an employee how long the walls would be shut she gave me a attitude as if I should be totally understanding of the situation. I was told to go top rope. I just do bouldering but I still went to take a look and of course the lines for each route were very long due to half the gym being closed for no good reason. 5. The staff: they seem to do nothing to help this gym run smoothly. I see them skateboarding back and forth from time to time but I never see them actively looking to make sure people are climbing safely. It seems like their job is just to work the front desk and make sure people are paying for their $30 day passes. Oh and the long orientation where they have to show them all over the gym and how to fall. 6. The route setting: it seems to have gone way downhill over the past year. They have started only putting V3 and below upstairs except the right side which gets 1-3 weird competition style routes. They used to put challenging problems up there. There is currently one V4 but it's very generously graded. The grading is incredibly inconsistent and not on par with other gyms I have visited in the area and elsewhere. It's hard to get a sense of progression when the grading is all over the place. I feel like all the "hard" routes just have some huge final move instead of requiring real technique. I have noticed a drop off in the really good climbers. I guess they found somewhere with better route setting. There are other things that I'm forgetting but if you're still reading this I think you get it. I don't really like this place. I stick around because of the convenience but I am planning to change the CRG in the spring when I can comfortably bike to any of their 4 locations. I know they read these reviews and say that they want to improve but this place is a big money maker. They have a winning strategy with their crazy membership prices that people are willing to pay along with their day care and "beast" programs. They have no motivation to change and I don't blame them. I just want to be able to climb in a place that isn't always crowded and where people (including children) are encouraged to be respectful. That place is not Brooklyn Boulders Somerville. Great parking. Two stars. read more

While traveling on vacation my son was 'jonesing' to go climbing. We found this place in Google and here's his review, "Brooklyn boulders was a lot of fun. They had beginner to advanced routes, along with a work out room and parkour classes. I'm giving this place a 4 star because they had 50 ft. high walls & grigri's on every rope (a advanced high tech belay davice) and the staff seemed a little tired. We'll be back tho. It is a four star after all :) read more

BKB is by far the most beautiful climbing facility I have ever seen, so much open space and such a variety of climbing (bouldering, top rope, auto-belay, 50ft walls etc) and other fun/workout things (slack-lining, workout rooms, yoga classes, acro-yoga, bootcamp, cardio equipment, weights, chill co-working spaces and even a ping pong table). It's literally a large playground for adults. The staff there have never been anything but patient and incredible kind and friendly to me. That being said it is definitely the most I have paid for a gym membership, but for me, with all the classes and large amount of climbing space that comes with it I know I will definitely use it enough to be worth it, but it is definitely an investment. Overall I highly recommend Brooklyn Boulders to any climbing enthusiast or adventurous soul looking to do some solid climbing! read more

Website doesn't give you a clear pricing for day only passes and they only have 6 auto belay machines but it hits the spot to satisfy a rock-climbing crave. read more

Bouldering Project - $25 for day passes, $20 if you're a student. $5 for harness rental. - Gyms Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This place is awesome, but before I get into anything, a quick anecdote: Before last fall, the last time I went rock climbing was when I was 10 years old. I probably weighed no more than 100lbs (hey, I was a tall kid), and the instructors let the kids belay other kids. Except I didn't know it was called belaying. And we hooked the gri-gris onto our with a carabiner that was also hooked to the floor (can't have 10 year olds soaring into the air when their climbing partner is heavier and falls a couple yards...or, you know, more). SO, flash forward fourteen years and I find myself at BKB for a school event. I was blown away. The safety measures are top-notch: I'm a bit of a safety nut (having worked with dangerous chemicals and such) but they were able to answer all of my questions. They regularly test their ropes, harnesses, and other equipment. Additionally they have a set lifetime for all of these that they take very seriously. They have auto-belays and grigris that help minimize the human error factor. After they answered all my nervous questions, I took the falling clinic (necessary if you're a new climber to learn how to use the auto belays) and off I went. Now for the fun stuff. They have tons of top roping, bouldering, and a few lead climbing and auto-belay options. Not the tallest walls I've seen but tall enough for me...and there's always a way to up the intensity. On top of that, they change the routes at a nearly inhuman rate. With a few beginner route exceptions, I have never repeated the same route on different days. Of course, I am more of a casual user going 2-3 times a month. If you visit more frequently you'll be able to practice on those routes more. I find it pretty fun to look around for some holds that have been switched. The bouldering walls on the second floor used to have some baby head holds that have since been relocated...nothing creepier than climbing a wall and suddenly finding yourself grabbing onto a plastic baby head for dear life! You've also got the chunky triangle ones, the asteroid, and a few that look like strange vegetables growing out of the wall. It varies, you know. I only come here for the walls (and the people), but there are plenty of other reasons to come-they offer yoga, have free weights, treadmills, and a number of different classes from acrobatic ones to parkour to slack line to boot camps. They also have wifi and some lounge-y areas when you want to take a break. The locker room is pretty spacious with decent showers and the rental gear is all fairly new given that they opened roughly a year ago. The staff members are all hip and active, always willing to lend a hand. However, BKB can get crowded and it might be difficult to find a staff member for something like a belay test, for example. They have sales and events rather frequently but as I understand it, the lines are enormous and I've heard stories from the staff about people lining up before day break (in summer!!) to get some good deals. I'm a convert. I have my harness and (oh so painfully tiny) shoes armed with a 10-punch student pass. It's a bit far from me (so factoring time/lyft rides, price adds up) but it's undoubtedly good fun. Other friends of mine inform me that some of the other gyms in the Boston area have taller walls, different route schemes, and some variety in climbing surfaces (the walls at BKB are smooth so tough luck trying to smear on those). None the less, awesome place. read more

Bouldering Project - friend and kitty - Gyms Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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You could probably hang out all day here. It is a rock climbing gym with a cafe and N64 lounge. Do you want to feel super sore tomorrow? Great! There's a free weight room and treadmills. Bored? Try yoga or parkour. I'm new to the rock climbing scene, so I'll post my experience from it. The size of Brooklyn Boulders is impressive. There are many walls to choose from. I suggest taking the belay class to utilize everything. There are also auto-belays, but it's more fun with a partner. My instructors were helpful and the staff was friendly. The bouldering walls are plentiful as well. Pretty hard to try every wall as a new guy. The rental equipment were in good condition. The gym was relatively clean. Chalk dust is to be expected. I've came multiple times on the weekends. Usually gets crowded around 3pm. Limited free parking close by. You can also bike here. There is an indoor bike area. read more

This place is a pretty great climbing gym, about as good as what you would fond out west and generally much better than the average climbing gym on the east coast. Both bouldering and sport routes and we'll set. The gym is big and offers a lot of routes/problems for each level. They have a really sweet overhanging lead wall and all the sports routes are usually very long and great to train your endurance! They also have a pretty nice cave (a bit too small...) for bouldering. For some reason, some of the walls are exclusively for top-ropes, which I'm not sure I understand... The gym is easily accessible by public transportation: red line to Porter square and from there, either walk 15ish minutes or take a Hubway bike that you can drop off near the Conway playground, just one block away from the gym. The gym also offers all sorts of classes and workshop (climbing, yoga, parkour) but I've never tried any of those. One problem though is that the place gets insanely crowded in the evening on weekdays and it ends up being a bit stressful to climb there sometimes. The price can also be a bit stiff, but they do have good deals on memberships sometimes, you just need to ask about it. read more

A bit pricey for a day pass. But that's my only complaint. Thanks to BKB for creating an awesome space. So far, I've only been bouldering - they have plenty of great problems, both slabs and overhangs. I haven't done lead climbing here yet but the routes look sweet. read more

Unjustified pricing for subpar routes. There's some fun ones here and there, but clearly geared more toward beginners so not much variety or challenge. read more

There really are not enough good things to say about this gym, in particular its Sunrise Series run by Sven Welti. I have attended both the Sunrise Savage classes, which he leads, and the Sunrise Primal, led by Wendy and Anton. These classes are extremely different in concept, content, goals, and leading styles. They are supplementary, and create a well-rounded and holistic program of fitness on the physical and mental levels. The great thing about Sven is that his boundless energy and enthusiasm are matched only by his skill at what he does, and what he does is improve your life from the ground up. He is motivating, challenging, and engaging, providing expert individual attention and assistance for any fitness level or ability without making anyone feel singled out. And this warmth definitely trickles over: other members of the Savage community pull together to encourage and inspire each other through each vigorous session, influenced by this awesome example. Sunrise Savage is an intense megacircuit of obstacle-strength exercises, set up throughout the gorgeous facilities like mini morning Tough Mudders (minus the mud, of course). Sunrise Primal, with Wendy and Anton, is a cool contrast to Sven's high-energy Savage. The focus here is more strength through flexibility and agility, re-examining the body's most basic movements -- the ones we mostly take for granted -- and re-imagining their possibilities. These workouts are subtler in nature, punctuated by some high-powered sets among creative movement exercises. Sometimes, despite the perception that Primal workouts are lower-impact, I have found myself waking up sorer than from the Savage (good sore)! The gym itself is a treasure, with all kinds of surfaces, spaces, specialized offerings, and mechanisms, and it seems like every other week, a wild new obstacle station is added to the extensive portfolio. This is the kind of gym you want to live in, the kind of space that makes you forget it's 6:00 AM and instead focus on how ecstatic you are just to feel your muscles strain. All of the staff are knowledgeable, helpful, and really really ridiculously good-looking. They are also certified ambi-turners, so if you need some help with your left, they totally got you. So yeah, if you're looking for a boring, limited facility, with unskilled staff who don't pay attention, treat you like a locker number, and don't come up with anything fun or challenging or new, then this definitely is not the place for you. But if the camaraderie of a dedicated, talented, and vastly varied community of athletes -- cyclists, acro-yogis and -yoginis, aerial artists, Spartan Beasts, gymnasts, marathonists, triathletes, November Projecters, martial artists, probably a few javeliners or something exotic in the mix -- who are friendly, accepting, accommodating, and encouraging of all levels is more your bag, then you need to step through these beautiful doors and prepare to have ALL of your expectations wildly exceeded. read more

I love BKBS! I've sampled several rock climbing gyms in the Boston area, and BKBS is simply the best. The staff is always friendly and helpful; there's always lots to do from walls with auto-belay systems, to bouldering walls of varying degrees of difficulty, to ninja-style obstacles, or just sitting to enjoy a coffee with a friend. My favorite part of BKBS is the awesome classes. I'm a semi-regular at the Thursday morning Sunrise Savage class. If you can only do one early morning class each week, this is the one. I've done plenty of boot camp classes and sampled CrossFit classes, but nothing is like the Sunrise Savage. Where else can you swing from rings like a monkey, climb ropes and cargo nets, flip tires and walk a slack line - all in one class? It's like playing on the playground at recess! And you have the over-the-top energy of Sven and his Frenchie Bonk to keep you motivated. If you're into Spartan races or any other obstacle training, this is the place to go. read more

GREAT Gym... Sponsors an adaptive climbing group (Adaptive Climbing Group) that can work with a person having almost any disability to get up the wall... Several ACG regulars were participants in the recent world adaptive climbing championships in Spain. I am a paraplegic, as are several others, we also have particpants with amputations, visual impairments, and a variety of other disabilities. Has wonderful layout with nice lighting, lots of room, and up to 50' vertical height walls, bouldering and many other activities. Most parking is a moderate walk away, but has two HP spots next to access ramp. Elevator access to all three floors, though elevator is small and VERY slow... Staff is very friendly and helpful. Several have relevant experience in assisting HP climbers, though mostly this is done through the ACG folks. Rock climbing mats are thin high-tech energy absorbing type that are easy to get onto from any of the regular floor areas, and relatively easy to wheel on (as compared to other gyms I've been in) Bathrooms near front entrance have fairly typical HP stalls, but there is a Unisex room near the back that is easier to use. (They also have a ladies room with a wheelchair logo sign, and a step down to access it - some folks are not clear on the concept...) They have a lot of pedal bike using customers, that sometimes block the ramp by chaining bikes to it, but the management works hard to discourage this. read more

I am not a member of BKBS but I attend their Sunrise Savage class and I love it! I took this class because I wanted to be well-prepared for my first obstacle course race. I needed to improve my endurance, upper/lower body strength, and develop skills that'll help me conquer obstacles in a Spartan race. I am glad I attended this class - it had everything I needed plus more. I ended up running 3 Spartan races (trifecta) and this class had a lot to do with getting me prepared for those races. I intend to continue going even without any upcoming races - I'm hooked. I am already excited about the two-hour version of this class that they're offering soon. In a typical session, there are about 10-13 stations/obstacles that you need to do - 2 mins each and burpees in between. Each station is no child's play - and you have to really push yourself (the instructors will make sure you do). Here's a sample of the activities we've done so far: - cargo net climb - rope climb (with and without knots) - spear throw - wall climb - tire pounding (with sledgehammer) - tire dragging (up/down the stairs) - stump jump - sandbag anything (carry it, throw it, drag it, ...) - Tarzan swing - Tyrolean traverse - wrestling - Herculean hoist - burpees, squats, pushups, ... And it constantly changes - our leaders Sven, Jeff and Wendy are always thinking of ways to improve our experience. They always come up with creative and really challenging activities which makes every session something I look forward to. They are receptive to feedbacks and suggestions - mention something you want to see and they'll do their best to incorporate it in a future session. The camaraderie between instructors/staff and students is great. Everyone is encouraging and supportive of each other. Photos taken to remember the day by is an added bonus - everyone gets a kick out of doing it. It's a fun way to end the workout. To summarize, this one-hour session is a powerhouse: you get a one-of-a-kind workout, you have loads of fun doing it, and you connect with people with similar goals - all before 8am in the morning! read more

The management were very helpful in resolving the issues, I'm happy with the way they responded to this.

I attended Savage Games for the first time. I have only done two OCR's and was very nervous about going being so new to this. It was amazing! Extremely organized, challenging, professional, safe and fun! The energy was exhilarating and really supportive. It was an eclectic mix of personalities and athletes! Love love love this! I left with more confidence and knowledge on strengths and what I need work on! I can not wait to do this again! Bonus, excellent customer service, I had inquired about activities with my son and got an immediate response and follow up! read more