All the free chalk in the world won't make up for cluttered walls and an overbearing owner. We were forced into a "falling training class" fit for five year olds, to a group of very bored, intermediate climbers, listening as he slowly and painfully walked us through his falling technique as though we were all mentally deficient. Despite that we were all there just to boulder, he insisted on training us in autobelay, then sort of hung around eyeballing us while we climbed his sub par routes. The routes are a mess. Once you can suss out the correct path you're looking for amidst 4 royal blue paths, it's hardly worth the effort. If I were local, this would *not be my gym. I'm all for safety, but that was a bit much. It was only $10, so at least it's cheap. read more

I lived near and climbed at focus for a few years. It's an excellent place to develop as a climber. The setters keep things fresh with frequent resets, and the routes range from good to excellent. I was always impressed by the little things: chalk being included, how clean the gym is, how much the staff know about climbing, and, most importantly, 2-ply toilet paper in the bathrooms. Keep an eye out for the spotlight problems, they tend to be winners. And even if you don't think you can compete, enter one of the free comps: they are great learning experiences with nothing to lose. read more

Focus Climbing Center - And he held on. - Climbing Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

I stopped by Focus at 730 pm on a Tuesday. It was locked, the lights were off, no signs were posted, no one answered the phone, and no message indicated anything. Maybe they evacuated because of a gas leak or something. If there was an emergency evacuation, okay. But this place was closed for no apparent reason when their stated hours said they'd be open. I hung around the parking lot long enough for one of their members to stop by and also not get in. So, I went to a different gym. read more

Focus Climbing Center - Focus during claimed business hours. - Climbing Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Changing my review from 5 to 4 stars for one reason only, the recent change to the same color holds. I'm not sure why the change was made, but the consistency of difficulty(I climbed my first V2, but can't climb some new V0s) is not the same as it was before. I'm no expert, but using the same color holds seems like it would also restrict the variety of problems when the setters are putting together a new wall. I love this gym though! It's always clean and the mats are awesome. read more

Been coming to focus for around a year and a half now. The staff is very friendly, the gym is always clean, top ropes have auto belays if you're someone who goes solo, and the walls are reset frequently. I've only been to two gyms in Tempe, the other being Phoenix rock gym, and focus is by far the best in the area. Also the people who go there are very friendly and always looking to give tips or just chat. If you're looking for a place to climb long term, this should be your go to. read more

FINALLY. A bouldering gym. Take it from someone that knows (me), this is the best bouldering in the valley. Setting is solid, the open space is luxurious, the chalk is free. THE CHALK IS FREE. That being said, a day pass is also more expensive than what you would pay anywhere else in the valley. It's worth it. The vibe is better, the climbers are more attractive ;) the holds are brand new. Don't worry, If you want to rope climb, you can do that too. read more

My to go to rock climbing gym in Arizona! They have a huge bouldering section available. And lots of top rope/auto belay routes! It's nice to go climbing and not have to have someone belay you. You can go at your own speed and rock out as many climbs as you want. The routes are very well made and many different routes to choose from. Ladies night is on Wednesdays. $5 if you have your own gear. read more

This is a great place for rock climbing. I went with my friends and the orientation was very quick but thorough. Amazing walls for bouldering with many routes, also have auto belay systems and equipment for calisthenics and gymnastics. The price for the day pass is reasonable. I'm considering a monthly membership. read more

Focus Climbing Center - Just admiring the walls for bouldering after a couple hours of climbing! - Climbing Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

Awesome staff, awesome bouldering and the auto-belay is a huge plus!!! Wish they would open up a West Valley location!

Just finished climbing and overall did not have very good experience. Boulders were not very well maintained and decoding each route with the tapes made it very difficult to navigate. The auto-belay system is a bit scary to deal with (also with not many routes to begin with) and the only reason I am giving a star is cause of the chalk bags conveniently placed around the gym. The person who attended us also was kind of curt and uninterested in us participating in the gym. Other staff members were friendly but I still did not have that welcoming feeling I've had when I attended other gyms when speaking with other staff. Overall, sub par experience compared to other gyms. Do not think we will come back especially with the prices the way they are (no half day prices or something like that as other climbing gyms do). read more

I wish this gym was better, but it's got a few damning flaws. I'll start by saying that it's a great facility, with overall great staff. What it's majorly lacking is A/C to keep it cool enough to boulder. I saw they installed a new unit recently.... But the ducting and/or the unit isn't cutting it. I've had enough sweaty, greasy bouldering to say that Focus is a fall/spring kind of bouldering gym... Lol. My other minor gripes are the limited training areas (no systems board), small/uninteresting toprope walls (why is that even there?), and mediocre routesetting/holds. No military discount, but they do have a student discount... Which is also off-putting. I'd say one of those groups deserves a discount over the other. Focus picked wrong. read more

As a new comer the the climbing world I was a bit intimidated to go with my friend but I had a blast and signed up the next week. The owner Joe and his staff have always been pleasant and courteous. They also do a great job of changing up the routes and keeping a variety that would suite any skill level. read more

This is a great location, right off the 101. I needed a gym that wouldn't require me to have a climbing partner to get in some routes. Compared to the other gyms in town, this has to be the cleanest with the coldest A/C! Chalk is free so, no worries if you forget your bag. The staff is great, restrooms are clean and the gym doesn't smell like feet - which is RARE for climbing gyms. The bouldering wall is free climb, obviously, and the mat is really comfortable and safe to land without worrying about rolling an ankle. The wall has a good variety of angles, roofs and slabs. There are also several sport routes with auto belays. I do wish the workout area was a little larger but there is a good selection of weights, bands and hangboards. I liked this place so much I put my kids on the team. Focus Climbing Team is a great supportive, hard-working group of kids and coaches. This isn't the everyone gets a participation trophy, half-ass, recreational sport. If you want your kid to learn discipline, teamwork and become a strong athlete, the Focus coaches provide the environment for just that experience. My kids have developed friends, adults included, who encourage them to be their best. This is a local family-owned small business. I recommend a visit to beginners and experienced climbers. read more

I love this place, it is one of my go to's. It has, most recently in the last year been unusually difficult to deal with intensive and extensive micromanage from the general manager. Excessive Micromanagement of your clients/not about safety is harassment. Communication is key but the man doesn't seem to be understanding even when I talk to him. I always engage friendly conversations and have been in the physical end of things but let that ish go ya feels. Love the climbing team and coaches.. the front desk just doesn't seem in sync with the rest of the facility for the most part. There is a subdivision or sub/group second/class when it comes to owners/setters/coaches/and/the/help//desk.. um this review has been due for 17 months. Just letting you know I have had enough of this petty b.s I have also let other facilities know when this issue has come up so don't think I'm singling this gym out. Front desk is literally front of house they are the first people we see when we step into this business and the experience immediately becomes sour when the front of house is depress which is all the time.. newbies.. get your things together you don't seem enthusiastic about being here one bit especially that kid with the confused look on his face g/d it. read more

So I was visiting my friend in Arizona and wanted to check out a nearby climbing gym. When I got there, the first thing that turned me away was the route structure. They had probably 15+ patterns for tape marking which is incredibly hard to differentiate from so many other patterns/ colors. Also, the rocks are obnoxiously cluttered, making it extremely difficult to find the holds in the routes, even when you aren't climbing and just studying the route. And finally, the routes are just not very creative at all. It just seems like the slapped a shit ton of holds on a wall and marked them with tape with no creativity to it. Finally, when we went back to the front desk after about 10 frustrating minutes of climbing, they didn't even offer any kind of refund. Pretty sad because if you want to build a good name, service is usually first priority, and after 10 minutes of climbing, I think it's just the courteous thing to do to give a refund. It's important to note that I had been climbing for some time back in Texas at Summit gyms prior to going so it's not like it was my first time. All in all, it was a disappointing experience Update: Just look at the Owner's reply... How snobby, sarcastic, and unprofessional he is... Talking down upon customers and degrading their intelligence is no way to run a business. smh Update 2: He took down his reply lol read more

Focus Climbing Center - Update 2: He took down his reply - Climbing Near Me - Mesa, Arizona

This place is awesome. I haven't been to any of the climbing gyms around the valley besides this one so I will not be comparing. The gym is very nice and clean. They have a huge bouldering wall and some regular belay climbing walls. They also have a workout station with rings, pullup bars, parallets, a climbing rope and various workout equipment. The staff is very friendly, helpful, and informative. I have come here twice in 2 weeks because it was a lot of fun. It hasn't been super busy yet. The last time was a little busier because it's cheaper before noon but we still got some climbs in before my forearms gave out. Overall, great gym. Fun times. Good pricing. read more

Focus features some attractive perks as one of the Valley's better climbing gyms. Overall, however, it suffers in some key practical areas. Pros: *Of the three gyms I've visited in the Phoenix area, Focus has the best route setting. *The modern, comprehensive padding system lends climbers confidence to take falls. *Staff is generally friendly. *Since it is a newer facility, the holds are in better shape than some other gyms. Cons: *Space. The entire gym space is a relatively small area - where this really hurts is in its miniature exercise space. The diminutive nature of the exercise space is further exacerbated by it being reserved for climbing team use during peak evening hours. *Hours. Focus has limited hours of operation that force guests who have standard work schedules to climb only in the evening on weekdays. This is problematic on a lot of fronts. Most obviously, it makes the evenings a rush hour. These limited hours also restrict the value of a membership since those who would benefit from quieter training sessions in the morning have no option. *Facilities. There are just two single occupancy bathrooms which is inconvenient when the gym gets busy. Focus also lacks showers which is a pretty standard amenity in most gyms. *Short route walls - for climbers who want longer routes, the route walls are pretty short. *Staffing - If you do visit during daytime hours, staffing can be such where you have to wait quite some time as a non-member. This can be a frustrating experience if it's you're a first or second time visitor and the only staff member working is busy running an orientation and you have no one to help you at the front desk. read more

Best Gym in phoenix! Clean and challenging walls that are constantly changing. Love see Joe on the wall working hard. Shoutout to Michael who is the greatest. Great place to work out while having fun around cool people. read more

One of the best gyms I've been to. Well thought out in every aspect. What a treat! Amazing flooring system, skilled setting, fun staff, and forward thinking! Nice work! read more

This place has the best toilet paper of any public establishment I've ever been to. Stand up job, you guys. But really, the staff is attentive and the regulars are great. If you have questions about anything at all, the employees would be happy to help you out. I am new to bouldering and it's been so surprising but pleasant to find out that if you cannot figure a problem out, you can ask almost anyone and they will give you pointers. The culture of Focus is very inviting. The routes on all of the walls are interesting and get changed often enough to be interesting but not too often that your problem you've been working on gets cycled out before you can send it. As I said, I'm new to the sport but Focus has been the perfect place to learn. If you're looking for a new, scary, but gratifying pursuit, climb at Focus. read more

I have been to the Phoenix Rock Gym, AZ on the rocks, and Climbmax gyms. Every route in those gyms are a complete joke. I've been going to Focus for almost two years now. I think that Focus either lowers their ratings or are completely true to the YDS which I love. Thanks for making me a beast at other gyms. read more

Three stars because the staff is great. If this is the only gym near you then it'll do but if proximity is not an issue I would go elsewhere (AZ On The Rocks). Great for bouldering! Really small (compared to four other gyms in Tempe/Scottsdale area), 90% bouldering 20% TR, few beginner climbs (most of the wall is at an incline), no real "gym" area (free weights, board, pull-up bar and rings in a corner) and it's in an area not easily found (industrial park). read more

I've experienced every gym in the valley, and this is by far my favorite. The staff/setters are super friendly, and the owner is usually in house. I constantly see them giving advice and giving off a really good vibe. The facility itself is still new. This month it celebrates its one year anniversary. There are a lot of strong climbers and the members are a good bunch of people. The bouldering side of the gym has a very unique padding that measures two feet of thickness. The walls are 28ft tall, which is a bit intimidating at first, but they set for every skill level. There a several routes that end halfway up the wall for those uncomfortable with heights. The routes are fantastic. They have a really good variety of routes and they change it up often. The wall itself has slab, overhung, roof, hella roof, a globe and a can like configuration. It's a really well thought out set-up. While this is primarily a bouldering gym, there is a wall of auto belays. I consider myself a stronger sport climber and I prefer having a belay partner. Besides that, the routes are still very good. The setting doesn't make the sport climbs feel like an afterthought. Being a member there has most definitely made me a stronger climber and improved my technique. Bouldering has become a preference. read more

Popped in to Focus for the first time earlier this week. I am a regular at PRG and enjoy bouldering and I LOVED the routes at Focus. Much higher walls and more technical settings. Their bouldering area/wall is probably three times larger than most rock gyms in Arizona. Everyone there was very nice and the employees answered all of my questions. Will definitely be returning! read more

I had only been to a rock climbing gym once before coming here and had repelled down waterfalls once so I had some idea of what to expect (or so I thought). When you get there you sign a waiver and then an instructor goes through all the equipment with you. Makes sure you have the right sized shoes and harness. They demonstrate the different walls and how to fall safely. They have a free climbing area and a self belay wall. Different walls have different difficulties. They also change the positions of the holds every month or so. They first time you let go to belay down is super scary because there is a drop before it catches you. But once you get the hang of it it is super fun. Wed nights is ladies night so there is a big discount. It's fun seeing all the kids that are fearless and climbing the walls like monkeys. Totally family friendly. read more

This place is pretty good for the price. I came today when they had the $5 all day deal. Rental for the harness and shoes was an added $6. I arrived around 11am so the place wasn't very packed which was a good thing because this place is not big at all. The staff members were all very friendly, professional, and pleasant. The facility was clean and clutter free. They offer bouldering and the usage of their auto-belay devices. The only downfalls are the size of the facility and the lack of having a partner act as the belayer instead of using the auto-belay devices. read more

It's tucked away off the main road, but overall a great gym! Brianna was great with our orientation and made sure we had the basics down for safety! Great prices and lots of space to boulder! They were adding more auto belay walls too! If I lived closer I would get a membership! Great prices! read more

The climbing is great and the staff is friendly. The space is a bit small and doesn't really offer more than bouldering (autobelays are a joke) but thats the whole concept and they pull it off! They change routes constantly, the equipment is well maintained and the features are interesting. Honestly i gave it such low marks because of the COST. $75 for a month membership is crazy. The whole point of a gym is that they are more convenient than the outdoors. This is so expensive that crappy gyms like prg seem better. Spend the money on gas to go outside or on another gym. read more

This was my first visit to Focus and definitely will not be my last. I was greeted by the owner Joe and he was more than helpful as I am a noob in this sport. He gave me a quick lesson on some falling techniques and answered any questions I had. The facility was very peaceful and clean. It has a full range of bouldering routes and numerous auto belay walls. I opted for the auto belay walls and found numerous routes that challenged me at the level I needed. I look forward to my next visit, which hopefully will be tomorrow. read more

I have to preface my review by saying that I haven't actually climbed at Focus, but my son attended a competition here. I can say that the front desk was organized and seemed to have their stuff together. The gym itself has a combination of bouldering and roped climbing though most of the gym appeared to be dedicated to bouldering. All around good experience for us on an early Saturday morning. read more

On Wednesdays its LADIES NIGHT! $5 gets you climbing if you already have all the gear. It is a little extra to rent shoes and a harness (looking about $12) which still is not bad! It's a great bouldering gym with just a small ropes wall, worth it! read more

I loved it so much I work here now... I made this review a year ago, I just got a job around January. xD

Had a great time today, the owner/manger was great. Very knowledgable and friendly. Very clean gym

I loved it here. I'm just getting back into climbing and the staff was super helpful and friendly. Prices are awesome and I can't wait to come here again. read more

Amazing gym. Very clean, and they had great routes that EVERYONE was psyched on!! And for the 1 star review from Sienna... I ran a climbing wall, albeit small, for years. And liability is no joke.. We don't watch to judge you, but to ensure your "bravado" matches your skill level.. We want you safe.. Sometimes spotting lessons are in order to supplement your flailing on what some excuse as 'sandbagged.' I'm actually glad they walked us through that, as my partner needed it.. Even though I suggested we didn't as well.. Very interesting, no? Learn to appreciate the refresher. read more

Dropped into this climbing gym when I was in town because I went solo and it looked like it had the most bouldering. Wish I'd brought my harness because there were 7 autobelays, though those routes were not much taller than the bouldering problems. I liked that they starred a few routes for the newcomer like me! This was mentioned during the requisite new climber orientation. It wasn't too bad other than the fact that I had to wait a while for the orientation to start. Joe, the owner, was the only guy giving orientation. However, I did like that he seems very much involved with his gym. The gym is probably a third the size of my regular climbing gym, but it didn't get too crowded while I was there. I appreciated that there were communal chalk buckets to cut down on chalk dust. read more

I regularly climb here and often bring my children along. This is the cleanest gym I have ever climbed. (I have been to Boulder, London, Chicago, and many other locations) Probably the cleanest gym anywhere climbing or no climbing. Clean toilets, clean mats, clean floors. You can see the wipe marks from the last cleaning. I'm not really a clean freak but cleanliness says a lot about how you approach your business. Furthermore there is a very friendly teaching culture here. Advanced climbers will always stop and give you advice with a smile if you ask for it. This is really an extension of Joe the owner. If you've always wanted to learn how to climb but don't know anybody (this was me five years ago) then this is the place to go. And finally, I must say something about the setting of the routes. Focus gym changes the routes about once per month. They have creative setters who refuse to lay down simple crimp ladders. This part of their culture is also an extension of Joe the owner, he was the principal setter for the World games sometime past. Just a quality operation. read more

You seriously can't beat their Ladies Night on Wednesdays. Big fan! The staff is friendly and always available to ask questions. There is a limit on beginner trails but no pain, no gain? read more

Knocked a star for the high price, but this place is really awesome. A very relaxing cool place to climb.

Very tentative staff! Great with beginners to experts. The equipment was clean and well organized. The location is tucked in a business complex, but Google did a good job of mapping to it. read more