Max, Jessie, Ethan, John and Emily were all wonderful and our group had the best time! They really helped our group have a fun time at island rock and will definitely be returning for more climbing! read more

Max h was awesome and our group had the best time! Will definitely come back and bring my friends! Max really helped us have a fun time!!

Island Rock grades problems closer to outdoor standards, which is nice. The community there is very strong and it's a great gym to improve at. There are many climbers in the V5-7 range. The gym has a nice range of climbs from simple to very difficult. It caters to pretty much all levels of climbers. The gym is highly recommended, especially for climbers looking to be competitive and improve, but there is no judgment against beginners; the community is very supportive. read more

Came to Island Rock this past weekend with a few friends to try it out and our expectations were met and exceeded! Mylo did our orientation and was incredibly helpful, encouraging, and kind. We all learned a lot as beginners and we got to try all different levels of walls and bouldering problems. Would definitely recommend using the groupon that's available to take the intro class. Excited to come back again soon! read more

What's wrong with this place? Pretty much everything. The staff is a hit or miss. You might get someone really nice or someone who just don't give a crap. I don't know how some people get belay certified because I could count 5 incidents where I thought someone would die because of bad knots or letting go of the brake rope. The place is dirty and don't even bother when there's a birthday party. Kids running around while climbers are descending. Really? Other than the fact this is the only rock climbing gym I know of on long island, I would not even go here. Luckily the Cliffs at LIC is open again so I would rather go there after work then coming to this place. read more

I was very happy to learn from a friend that there was a rock climbing gym near where I work. I used to climb a lot during grad school, but hadn't gotten back into it in several years. Overall, I like Island Rock - there are a lot of ropes and a lot of routes on each wall, giving you options for what you want to climb. It also appears, at least based on my experience, that they have started resetting those routes more often than some of the other reviews here would suggest. There is a small locker room for each gender, including lockers and a shower (for those intrepid enough to need to shower directly afterwards... I'm not that hardcore). And there are ample cubbies up front if you just need to tuck away a jacket and shoes. A couple things I would note: 1. If you're going after work, try to go as close to 5pm as possible. The place gets hoppin' around 7:30-8pm. My buddy and I usually leave by 8:30-9ish because we get frustrated trying to find open walls with lower scored routes. 2. Beware of Sunday afternoons when they have birthday parties. The place is packed solid. (Note to any Island Rock people reading this: Perhaps limit birthday parties to blocked off time on Sat and Sunday mornings?). 3. There are kids clubs for junior climbers. For some this might be a great thing (and honestly, I think it is), but for others this will be slightly annoying because those clubs run on certain weeknights and take up a couple ropes a piece around the gym. Because the kids are kids (though somewhat more prolific than me!), the ropes they take up are usually on mid-range rated routes, which might be frustrating to the intermediate climber. read more

Aside from the fact it's in what I call a random place to be located in, the inside felt a bit small. When crowded or overrun w/birthday parties, it makes it difficult to navigate around the area even more so. First thing is that they have the party area in front of the cubbies, so you will probably be hovering over a seated guest when you're grabbing/putting away your gear. Second, that area is only a very few feet away from the climbing areas, so it sucks arse to be climbing all morning and smelling all the food. Yes, i have problems. Third, a few of the climb zone/wall/route are really close together. If you have a group there and someone else too, it is tight and claustro. For some reason on my first visit the ropes keep getting knotted on the top causing climbers to be stuck and belayers unable to release them. Second time I came, it seemed a little more better, or maybe we keep nudging the ropes to the center and making sure they're not getting twisted. I feel bad for the staff because that one day, someone was always in need of being rescued (one after another continuously). There is one most distracting part aside from everything else listed above. I cannot believe the insane amount of climber/belayer mistakes I witness every single time I come here. Like who "certified" them? I watch a couple girls tie a really horrid "figure eight" or just a plain old crazy whatever goes knot. I see people letting go of the brake rope either because they were just cutting shortcuts or the worst, taking pictures. Other patrons don't observe the rule that climbers/belayers have the right of way. A belayer is concentrating on the climber. If you happen under there, it's not their fault. NEVER EVER, EVER, WALK UNDER A CLIMBER DESCENDING. Apparently some folks just don't get it. If it wasn't for the fact that it is close to my friend's house and he wanted to squeeze a climb in, I would not rotate this gym in. The staff are helpful (literally life savers in knotted jams) and great sense of humor. read more

Had a birthday party there and it was a blast. The staff was really great and everything was well done. It was such an awesome and different type of party that all the kids enjoyed. Would definitely recommend! read more

This place is amazing! We had my daughter's 12th birthday here and all the kids loved it! The customer service "Rocks"!!! My balayers were really knowledgeable- Ashley, Ari, Julio, Olivia were really helpful and handled my party very professionally! Keep up the good work and we will definitely be back soon!! -Maria D. read more

Small bouldering area, with short routes. TR routes are short, too. Not very inspiring problems. Mostly cave wall kind of routes (slight overhangs). No towel service. One mildewy shower stall in the women's small locker room. ...At least, there is a climbing gym in Plainview. It is what it is. read more

Island rock is built inside a warehouse in an industrial area. it is somewhat harder to find since it is hidden in the back of another warehouse. place has about 9000sq ft of climbing wall and 30ft walls. For their bouldering caves, the routes are longer and not as crowded(on top of each other) as MPHC. They have about 40-50 bouldering problems for all levels and some are definitely challenging. if you like to climb on a incline, this place has at least 20 problems that would fit your taste. Their top rope stations are average sized. their wall is at 30 ft tall. therefore, you actually get a better climb than MPHC in the city which only has 20ft tall walls. but it is not anything special, it has small variations in wall angles. The routes are not changed often, and it take them a long time to change them. Many of the walls are dedicated to beginners or little kids. This place is filled with kids and beginners on the weekends. It gets quit noisy as kids are yelling/running around the gym. However, the kids should not interfer with you if you are not a first timer, they have their own super easy problems. Overall, it is an average climbing gym, nothign estremely good about this place. Easily accessible off the LIE. Kids friendly, and good for beginners. read more

I love this place. I try and go every time I'm on long Island. I mostly boulder and there are plenty of problems to get on and a wide variety of difficulty. I do get on the ropes here and there. They have a plethora of ropes set up for top roping, which is great for new people. As for the management and staff they are super friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. This plus the cleanliness makes island rock a great experience. I look forward to the next time I'm in town and can get some climbing in there. read more

My Friend and I purchased a Groupon to try, and it was one of our favorites! The staff were nice, we were thoroughly informed on how to belay, and we were comfortable to do it on our own after instruction. We intend on coming back after the Groupon ends read more

Update on this Business. You can read my previous review for the horrendous customer service I received. However, a shout out must be granted to the General Manager that reached out to me. I received a heartfelt message from him, and that changed my view of the place for the better. Maybe in the future I will give this place another try. read more

It was my first climbing experience with the BF and it honestly was a fun one. The only reason they are getting 3 stars is because 1. Having to wait 30 minutes for 3 person group before us to be signed in, and then having our harness strapped on BY OURSELVES (did I mention beginner) God knows, I could've killed myself! No instruction on how to wear the harness and we all stood around like idiots waiting on what to do. We actually had to go up to the bunch of teenagers running this place and asked them ok, uh, what now? 2. During our belaying and knot tying lesson, there was a birthday party going on, music blasting, and our instructor talking below his breath. Thank goodness for BF who was able to catch on and show me how to tie these ropes. Well after all, the knots are what will keep you in the air! I liked that we got some one on one instruction but you definitely had to pay very close attention because he kind of just let you figure out your positions. But once you were on the wall, it was all you and muscle. For the one on the ground, it was more of a remember what you were taught lesson. In all, we had a good time. After our lesson, we were able to climb any rock we wanted. It's a little more expensive than I would like to pay for each visit. But at least I know I can come back here to climb when I want to. Now that I won't have to do the lesson all over again. read more

From all of the mixed reviews for Island Rock (with most ratings below the A-OK), I've decided to give four stars (actually 3.5 stars). The facility is not as big as other rock climbing and bouldering places but is as challenging. Island Rock can get crowded but lucky we went on a non-holiday weekday afternoon (during winter recess). So the place was not very crowded. For people who are irritated by the chalk dust that can fill the air, Island Rock did not have that problem on the day we were there. The trainers/workers there appear to be attentive. Since we've been to other rock climbing gyms, we didn't require instructions and just be familiar with the rules. I would recommend Island Rock for first timers and will return to try climbing with the harness. read more

First time trying rock climbing and it was fun .. great work out you'll be sore for a few days but it's really fun .. read more

Island Rock - My nephew had a blast - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

Bigger and a nicer ambiance than Brooklyn Boulder. I love the stone work all around. I got lessons and the instructor was quite knowledgable and knew exactly how to break everything down for maximum comprehension. read more

Island Rock - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

My brother introduced me island rock month ago & I fell in love with it. Since then me & my boyfriend consistently go twice a week and its always awesome. Every friend we've brought along has had a great time too. Its an amazing full body work out and it doesnt matter what fitness level your at; you do what you can & progress pretty quickly. The Staff is really helpful & so are the other climbers. Everyone ALWAYS has a great attitude and there is an overall positive energy. read more

Started climbing at island rock 5 years ago, have been climbing at many climbing gyms around the country. Always stop back when I'm in town for some of the best route setting and friendliest community. Cheers to one of the best gyms around! read more

Friendly and helpful staff. A great place to go if you want challenging fun climbs. Highly recommended. read more

Island Rock - The bouldering cage - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

I've been wanting to go indoor rock climbing for some time, and I finally had a chance to go with a friend of mine. Island Rock is a bit off the beaten path, as you have to make a right off the service road of the LIE onto Commercial St. (which you'll just see office buildings). Go down the road, and it will curve to the left. Just ahead on the left, you'll see a small sign that says Island Rock. Drive along the side of the building to the back and you'll feel like you're in the ghetto, but then you'll see a small parking lot and a warehouse-type garage door that leads into the indoor rock climbing facility. Since I've never done rock climbing, we opted for the Quick Start Package ($38.50) which includes a lesson, day pass, and harness rental. During the lesson, they will take you to a wall with climbing rope to teach you how to tie the the rope to your harness, which consists of a figure-8 knot, rope through the harness, followed with a figure-8 follow through, and a safety knot (double overhang knot). After you practice a few times, they will teach you how to belay someone down the wall. They will walk you through 2-3 belays just to make sure you have it down, and then they will leave you on your own. If you plan on coming alone, I definitely recommend coming with at least one other person, so each of you can take turns and belay each other down the wall. If you know how to tie the harness and belay, you can also get a day pass ($16) and a harness rental ($4). For such a simple lesson that takes no more than 20-30 minutes, I think the starter package is pretty steep, but would recommend it if you don't know what you're doing, since this can be a dangerous sport if you take a fall. The facility consists of about 20-25 wall climbs (~30 ft high) varying in difficulty, a small stretch (~15 feet) of a 8-10 ft. high bouldering wall, and then a few walls with carabiners going up the ~30 ft. wall (I'm not really sure what you call this type of climbing). When we got there around 1pm, there was only a handful of people (6-10 ppl), and throughout the day, another 10-15 people came, but we always found a unoccupied wall to climb so that we never had to wait. Most of the facility is run by teenage kids. They constantly walked the floor to make sure everyone was climbing safe, and another employee seemed to constantly vacuum the cushioned floor (I'm guessing for dirt). We also noticed a few loose climbing holds that would swivel when grabbing/stepping onto them. We notified a staff member who fixed a few of them promptly, but I believe they should spot check all of their walls for safety. After a while, the ropes started to get grimy and smell like dog/sweat. I recommend bringing some soap to clean your hands when you're done, as they seemed to run out of soap in the bathroom, which was a minor inconvenience. There is also an upper floor with gym equipment, but I did not bother to check it out. The men's bathroom consisted of a steamroom/sauna, two bathroom stalls, 1-2 showers, and a bunch of lockers. For the most part, I had a really good time for my first climbing experience, but I can definitely see this place as short-lived after 2-3 times, as it can get boring. read more

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This place really grinds my gears... Iv been coming here for years, and for years this place has held a status quo of complacency for the important things and other times has been the police of absolute nonsense. They claim to have a 75 person limit but that clearly doesn't apply to birthday parties or the parents of those who attend. They also have all but thrown away any care for teaching the sport properly. Every single person belaying here has their brake hand in the air, is clearly not attentive because they are too busy making a tik tok, or has their harness on upside down. Today a staff member came up to me to tell me to coil up my rope while I was belaying my wife on a pitch of top rope, but most definitely walked by the two empty water bottles or Gatorade bottle littered about the base of climbs and ignored them as well as atleast a few individuals who were not obviously taught the way to belay properly... My main gripe with this is that this odd lack of enforcement on the important aspects of this sport and the constant policing of the trivial is what leads to accidents and dangerous situations when these newbie climbers begin climbing outside. It also leads to the litter and defacing of the places we love to climb as well as the playing on the phone and blasting music outside. This place teeters on the brink of extinction should just one decent establishment choose to open up shop somewhere else on the island.. read more

Visited here with 3 friends who have never climbed before. The staff there that day was super friendly and even gave me different shoe sizes for each foot since my feet differ in size. The orientation was brief and the gym itself is well labeled and has a very good variety of paths. I look forward to returning again soon! read more

I was a member here 3 years ago and it's where I first got into rock climbing so I am thankful for that. I went off to college and was a member at a much nicer and more affordable gym in western Mass , although I'm sure rent is much steeper here in NY. I digress. This gym has never been super "nice"- the sauna has never been in use, the gym upstairs has never grown or been minimized (although they now have gymnastic rings). I can say that they seem to have more crash pads now and routes that are actually fully functional. What has gotten worse is the general rock climbing experience. Firstly, they used to have grades in bold numbers in a nice big square at the beginning of the route, so you could actually see from a distance how hard the routes were. Now you're lucky if the grade is even written on the tape somewhere. This place has always been known for it's steep grading, which is fine because it boosts your ego at other gyms, but they've gotten worse. A 5.5 or 5.6 used to be totally doable for someone brand new in decent shape, now there's no way I could see a beginner doing one of these ratings at Island Rock. They are way too traversal and crimpy. What are new members climbing these days? The kid's wall? I think you're doing a big disservice to newbies. I haven't climbed in a few months but I was left laughing at how relatively challenging a V1 route was in the boulder cave. Does that mean a V5 is going to be impossible? Or are the gradings just so arbitrary that there's no continuity? Also, fix the faucets! I would like to add that an employee listened to me as I talked his ear off about my complaints. I think if more of the staff (and the owner) cared a little more this place could be better than it was 3 years ago, not worse. Until then check out Brooklyn Boulders. read more

My daughter rock climbs a lot at Lifetime Gym in Syosset. This place is great and brings it to a whole new level. The set up and facilities are well set up and clean. The locker room is well maintained. The staff is the best part. She got individual help and instruction which she really enjoyed and benefitted from. read more

Island Rock - Island Rock. - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

This gym has been a great starter rockgym, cool people, climbers and staff, but smaller than ideal and major negative is not clean. So dusty and in need of new mats. Some cleaning and mats easily a 4.5/5 routes are challenging, staff is helpful, and they have a decent gym set up for a traditional workout that desperately needs some love! If you have asthma or allergies, bring your meds! read more

Had my daughter's 9th birthday party here and everyone had a great time! Most parents completed the waiver online so check in was quick and girls had lots of time to climb. Staff (Ashley, Sam, Emily and Mike) was very helpful, friendly and accommodating. They took care of everything and made sure party ran smoothly! The party was early so we had the place practically to ourselves. Would definitely recommend checking out Island Rock Climbing either for a fun afternoon out or party. read more

This was our first time going rock climbing and we had such a great experience! The facility is clean and the staff were very helpful. BEN was our instructor and really made the experience for us fool proof by taking the time to explain all the tricky knots to us, even when we asked him to repeat it 5 times lol. Definitely would recommend Ben as the instructor for your first time! read more

Island Rock - Rock climbing - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

Came here because i got a 30 day membership groupon deal. very knowledgeable instructors. fun place....it even has a weight gym (i guess for those that needs to get stronger) read more

Nice open space vs. the places you can find in the city. Many good possibilities for a great work out even aside from the fact that some 'members' treat this gym as their own. Nice and knowledgable stuff. Overall, it is a good spot - 5 stars, though people who are in it 'members and party participants' may run it down to 3 and 2 stars, which has nothing to do with the gym itself. read more

First let me start of by saying I am not getting paid for this message. I am just a member of the gym voicing my opinion. I have never writen on this website and just stumbled accross Island Rocks reviews. I have been to about 5 rock climbing gyms in the NYC area and I feel IR is by far the best gym based on size, diffulculty, atmostphere, location, and price. Forgetting the newbies, I am not sure where the rest of the people reviewing this are from but I would like to see where they go to review that place. The place is hugh, with 30' high walls no other gym I went to was that high. The routes are spaced nicely, other gyms put routes right ontop of one another so one rope does 10 climbes(This is because they have little square footage to work with). My guess is they have about 25 Top Ropes each doing on average of 3-4 routes making for about 100 TR climbs. The bouldering area is also nice with plenty of pads to go around their 75' wide area. The bouldering averages about 1 route per foot getting about 75 routes. The Lead Wall is great as I just started leading. The lead wall has the least routes at maybe 40 but this is the hardest climbing in the gym and its never crowded. Everybody that comes to IR tells me the rating system is way off and I have to disagree. IR prepares you for the outdoors. The ratings of the outdoor climbs and IR are very close. Other gyms want to look good so they have their ratings lowered. This is no good when you go outdoors you are climbing 2 levels lower than the gym. Hows that for screwing with your head. Since I became a member I have made lots climbing buddies. I now go to the gym 3 times a week and know most members by face. Finding someone to TR with is never a problem but I mostly go to boulder. I always say IR is a different experience than a reg gym because everybody wants to be there. When you go to a reg. gym most people are their because they know going to the gym is good for you. At IR everybody is a climbing adventurer and is egar to talk about past and upcoming trips outdoors. The location and price I will combine here. Yes the gym is off the beaten path but thats how they can make the day pass and memberships what they are. If you are seeking out a rock climbing gym you can seek out the location. If you want IR to be on the main strip be prepared to pay $30 for a day pass. Overall I think IR is the best gym around. Keep in mind its been around longer than most other gyms as well. Yes the ropes are dirty and its hot inside but your going their for a workout your supposed to sweat and get dirty. As for the holds getting loose every gym has that happen. Yes they have bday parties for kids, its a cool place to go I wish I went their for my bday parties as a kid. The kids are doing very easy routes and you can mostly work around them. I would def. recomend this gym to friends as I already do. I will also be talking to other members of the gym to see how they feel about IR compared to the other gyms in the area althought I am sure I already know the answer. read more

Visited Island Rock two weeks ago with a group of friends. We all did the quickstart climbing package together. The belaying lesson was lead by Kevin, and our skills were put to the test by Andrew. Both staff members were amazing, chill, and supportive. They set the mood for the rest of the day. We had a great day of climbing - joking around and challenging each other at the same time. And what a workout... All I have to say is, all of us returned yesterday for more fun on the walls, and it won't be the last time! read more

My Daughter loves it here. The staff is great and so laid back. New Covid restrictions are safe and they credited what we didn't use last year because of the shutdown. read more

Despite the very sketchy location and difficulty finding the building, the facility was well lit, there were friendly and knowledgeable instructors, and many different walls to climb. Fun to come here with a group read more

Island Rock - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

Awesome place, lots of routes and a friendly crowd. Have only tried the easier bouldering routes but they are really fun read more

Island Rock - Gyms Near Me - Plainview, New York

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when I came here a couple of weeks ago, I had so much fun! I haven't gone rock climbing in years and I climbed to the top of so many walls. the staff was extremely friendly and helped me and motivated me to get to the top! I would definitely come back! read more

I've been climbing at Island Rock for two years now, and I really couldn't be happier with the gym. The staff is friendly, the walls and holds are high quality, and the routes, changed monthly, keep things fresh and engaging. The recent acquisition of a massive amount of new holds only helps to make things better. Just remember to bring plenty of drinks, especially during the summer, as the gym can get very hot. read more

I visited Island rock with my friend for the first time. We had Chris aka Crispy as our instructor. He rocked!!! Although I had a fear of climbing, he walked me through it. Also, he gave us the history of the gym and how it came about. I had a wonderful experience and can't wait to go back! read more

Since my last review, they've expanded and renovated, so the gym is about twice as big as it used to be, they've switched from colored tape to colored holds, fixed the holes in the floor, have a working toilet again, etc. So those are all nice improvements. It's still true that other gyms are a bit better, but Island Rock is cheaper and where the people I know climb, so I go here. It's common to find holds that are loose/spinning. You can borrow a wrench from the front desk and fix them yourself, but it's still annoying. When they set new routes, they don't grade them for a week to let people decide what the grades are and maybe tweak them to get a good variety of difficulties. That's cool, but it would be nice if that were explained somewhere. (Another gym I went to had a sign on the wall explaining that they were experimenting with not grading routes.) Also, other gyms give their routes names, which is convenient for talking about them or remembering which you've done. Even numbers like "route #23" would be more helpful than "that pink 5.9 over there". FYI: At this gym, you tie into your harness, but the belay devices (Grigri) are permanently attached to the ropes. (Other gyms have carabiners permanently attached to the ropes that you clip into, or have you use your own belay device.) It would be nice if they got a chalk eater. There's a lot in the air sometimes. read more