Love and miss you PRG!! So sad that motivation to take climbing more seriously is hitting after we've moved, but best believe we'll be back when we visit. You'll struggle to find a climbing gym anywhere else that's so supportive, colorful, fun, friendly, all the good things. You and your team inspire us read more

If I could go above five stars I would, Climbmax is the best gym I've ever been to, not only in AZ but in multiple states. The atmosphere is always energetic and friendly and I always feel supported by everyone when im there. The space is family owned and operated and you can really feel the love, sweat and tears that was poured into making this place the way it is. 10/10 read more

I've made my way to numerous climbing gyms in the Phoenix area and can say this is a solid climbing gym. I've come to PRG (this abbreviation is what climbers call it) a few times mainly for skills training, once for climbing ascend skills training and another time recently for caving ascend skills training. Dief, the owner, is a great guy and let's climber/caver groups come in to practice in his gym, I really appreciate the community vibe here. I would say this is an older gym so things are a bit worn down but the vibe here is great. Very welcoming and close to the ASU campus so lots of college students here. I wish their bouldering section was bigger and this is where BP spoils me. BRG up north also has way more bouldering options, but keep in mind, BP and BRG are solely bouldering gyms. Alta out in Chandler and Gilbert also has way more bouldering options too but it's a much newer gym. Overall, a very solid climbing gym and you can feel the community vibe here. I'd definitely come back here again to climb, train, etc.! read more

See all

Very cool walls, my daughters especially love the crevice wall. Lots of variety for different abilities. The price is great, and while I was very nervous belaying for the first time the staff took their time explaining everything. They also checked in repeatedly to make sure I was comfortable. We have been back a few times now and are happy to make a bit of a drive for such a great time! read more

So much fun. Lots of courses ranging from beginner to expert. Decent price and good water fountains.

Been here for a couple of years now and it's always a good vibe here. Staff are really friendly and the routes are pretty good. I do wish there was more bouldering, but definitely come here if you like to top rope. They also have a fun role to climb at the main lobby. There are some lockers on the side, clean restrooms to change, and cubbies to put away any shoes or small bags. The ceilings are pretty tall, so top rope is pretty cool from way up there! Kids are allowed but only downstairs at the bouldering area; adults only for upstairs (that's where the better bouldering climbs are too) read more

See all

Very old school climbing gym! I only Boulder so can only comment on that, but the routes were fun and people were kind. I'd never had the chance to climb at a tape hold marked route gym and it definitely took some getting used to, but it was overall a good experience! read more

See all

I've been to this climbing gym a few times over the last couple of years. It runs about $11 per visit and equipment rental is another $2 which included shoes, harness and carabiner. They have a lot of routes but the routes are marked with tape that's located below the pegs/holds so it makes it hard to see. The staff there is super nice and is always keeping an eye out for improper equipment use to ensure safety. read more

Been here twice. Amazing experiences both times. Adult and kid friendly. Good for a hang session with friends from work. Affordable. Not too crowded. Great introduction and safety video. Impressive hands on help from the staff. read more

See all

A fun time and a solid rock climbing gym. I feel like they could work out the logistics better to save everyone time, for example allowing more people to watch the introductory training video (they split us up into one large group and a second group of two... could've just combined us instead of made us wait fifteen minutes). Another negative is that it's super crowded. And the most significant negative is that you really can't come alone, as there is no auto-belay systems, so you always need a partner to belay you. Some positives are that it's cheaper than Focus, it's very spacious, and the staff is careful to teach you how to belay and watchful while you climb. They also have a Black Friday sale to check out. Overall, great workout, welcoming atmosphere for all ages, and fun time. Just got to weigh your options. read more

Summertime in AZ can be challenging when it comes to finding indoor family friendly activities... Enter Phoenix Rock Gym for one healthy, adventurous option. My husband (shout-out to you, Jared), came up with the idea to take my daughter here on a summertime Saturday and they had so much fun that my son and I joined them the following week. Phoenix Rock Gym is a bit "older school" than some of the newer rock climbing, ninja warrior, and trampoline gym options you'll find around the Valley. That being said, the staff are knowledgeable and mostly friendly, and they provide a one stop fun shop for everyone in the family... For $20 per person including gear, (less for kids 5 and under), you can keep busy with climbing, bouldering, and just watching others... it's great exercise too! Note: you do need a "buddy" to belay you, so if you have a little one, it's probably best to have a 1:1 adult to kid ratio. You also should plan on watching a video and signing your life away on a waiver before getting started. Once that's done, adventure awaits! According to the PRG website, the routes are changed frequently so you'll always find something new to test your skills. Enjoy! read more

Phoenix Rock Gym - Fun family activity!! - Gyms Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

See all

I went here for my first time rock climbing and had an amazing time, would 100% recommend for people getting into rock climbing and experts. The staff here are very kind and have a good sense of humor. Would definitely go again! read more

I've been climbing for 22 years and I have been to many gyms. The staff here are wonderful - friendly, safety conscious and welcoming. The whole environment is friendly. Frankly, as a 50-something, female climber, I know what it is like to feel out of place in a climbing gym. I have never felt this way at this gym - not once. Also, kudos to them for having flexible membership options. In a perfect world, they would have a locker room and be open more. And I would prefer that they use colored holds to mark routes instead of tape. But for this imperfect world, this place is a delight. read more

They have you watch a video, and then a coach helps you. Very thorough and helpful. No rushing. Making sure you understand and learn properly and SAFETY. Highly recommend. I'll be back. read more

Phoenix Rock Gym - Going over safety. Safety first. - Gyms Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

I wish I could give this place 7 stars, it was perfect for us! I took my 5 year old kid to this indoor rock gym and she absolutely loved it! There was a good variation of really easy climbs she could do and lots of very hard ones for more experienced ones. I really loved the community vibe of the place; there was a "looking for a partner" board as well as lots of climbing groups and a Meetup you can join if you want to take your climbing skills out into the wild. The first-time safety briefing was quick and efficient. I'd say from walking in the door to actively climbing was about half an hour. Ben did a great job explaining everything clearly and both staff members seems to actually enjoy working there. Anytime I had a question, one was within talking distance to help me out. We got in today with the Pogo Pass but we honestly have to come back so we'll definitely be looking into memberships since my daughter loved is so much! read more

See all

I have climbed in gyms and crags around the country and recently moved to Phoenix. Hoped I could find a close by gym to train so I tried out Phoenix rock gym with my boyfriend who has years of experience indoor and outdoor rock climbing as well. We patiently watched the unnecessary video going through how to tie a figure eight and put on a harness and more very rudimentary parts of climbing which I have previously taught at the outdoor store I work at as well as in a climbing gym. We asked to test out for lead climbing and both failed on account of "not PBusing like you do for ATC belaying." This place is a bit of a joke and there are obviously not real climbers working here. Don't waste your time with this subpar 'rock gym' read more

Jamie is the best lead belay teacher! If you're planning to climb inside or outside to get in touch with this amazing woman she will teach you all the best tricks! read more

Phoenix Rock Gym - Gyms Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

I've been making my way around the different rock gyms in the valley, and PRG is a winner in my books. Upon entrance, we were greeted and assisted in determining the appropriate route of action. We were new, so we had to watch the video and go through the hands on belay demonstration. My friend and I were placed with another pair. We for the most part did feel comfortable belaying each other by the end of it. If we didn't feel comfortable, there was staff walking around the gym the entire time we were there. I felt comfortable Asking for help if I needed it. Note: They use grigris in this gym. After the demo, we were free to climb. There were tons of routes throughout the gym. A lot of more challenging routes, but plenty of easier routes as well. I enjoyed their naming system, some of them gained a chuckle or two. This is a seemingly older gym...no same color rocks for their routes, no separate ninja gym, no auto belay, but I did feel a very positive energy throughout the gym. The people I did run into were friendly. They have a community board where people post for climbing partners and events. It makes me want to come back and challenge myself even more! read more

Higher marks because the instructor shrugged and told me that my belaying methods were "unconventional, but it works" while I had another human dangling several feet above our heads. Should I ever create an online dating profile, this will be the headline. Thanks, dude. Otherwise, this place was pretty good. They have a swamp cooler instead of air conditioning, so it got sticky real quick, but it wasn't too bad. You're exercising anyway, so deal with it. The place was absolutely packed with (likely) ASU students on a Wednesday evening. They had great music to climb to going in the deep background. There are no auto-belays here, so bring a human belay-buddy unless you're good at making friends on the fly. I enjoyed the route names, but damn are there a ton. It can be hard to follow the routes when you're on the wall. We found a good selection for our level, so we had that going for us, which was nice. I'd return, but hopefully on a less busy day to try out more routes. Maybe then the employees would be more willing to be helpful as well. read more

Strangest gym experience I've ever had. You have to tether to the ground for top rope?? Not sure the safety behind that while top roping someone. But the best part was failing my lead test. Have been climbing for 5+ years (sport, trad, multi) all over the country and never had any issue with lead belaying with a Grigri. We didn't stay. Set up of the routes seemed quite bizarre as well with their tape situation. Anyway, I had high hopes as this is the closest gym to me, but I will continue making the drive down to Alta or the new bouldering gym in town. Don't waste your money or time here. Better options out there. read more

Get ready for your forearms to be sore. The Phoenix Rock Gym, located near the ASU campus in Tempe, is a climber's paradise. I'll walk through some of the details for beginners and intermediate/advanced and give some info on pricing: Beginners: if this is your first time rock climbing or if you haven't been in a while, you'll need to fill out a liability waiver and watch a short video. The PRG team will get you set up with your harness and shoes and will take you to the introductory wall so that you can practice your belay technique and climbing. Since you will always have someone belay you when you climb, you will need a partner. You'll double check with your partner that they are locked in and ready to belay and you will have your knot checked. Climb up to the monkey face hold (you'll see what I'm talking about) and practice a few times with your partner. After that, the gym is open to you! Intermediate/Advanced: this gym has 56 top ropes from levels 5.6 all the way to 5.14+. You'll see all your favorite obstacles with overhangs, cracks, slants, and most people in the gym are fellow enthusiasts. There is also a 2-level bouldering area, but the bottom level is a better place to practice and perfect your technique. There are also ropes to climb (like in elementary school gym class) if you want to take on that challenge! Pricing: $15 day pass, additional $5 for gear. $60 unlimited month pass, $130 quarterly, $250 semi-annual, $450 annual, and if you plan to live forever, then the $1 million lifetime pass is the way to go! read more

Phoenix Rock Gym - Gyms Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

Good central location in Tempe. I usually get the day pass with rental gear in shoe for $20. Not too bad of a price, definitely cheaper than another rock climbing gym. It is cheaper with your own gear. Checking in is quick and easy. If it is your first time visiting the gym, they make you sign a waiver and to watch a tutorial video on tying the rope and belaying. Walls are setup with easy, intermediate, and difficult levels with in different sections of the gym. They also have the area for bouldering. Nice and clean environment everything is well organized. The staffs are friendly and will help you if you have questions. Best to come with a partner so you have somebody that can belay you, As they don't the automatic belaying machine thing. Bring some of your own chalk. They do have a cubby hole area for putting your belongings. An a water fountain with a bottle water refilling. Good range of difficulties on the walls. Definitely recommend trying this place out if you want to rock climb. read more

Went here yesterday just to explore some of the climbing gyms in the area as we just moved here from the Bay Area. I can only speak on bouldering, but it seemed like a fairly small upper and lower area. The climbs took some getting used to because many holds are reused for multiple routes... it's a bit of a visual overload looking at the walls and hunting down where your route is. The climbs seem to favor longer routes. Most of the holds seem caked with old chalk and I wasn't able to find a longer brush readily available. Kinda looks like they aren't taken care of on a regular basis. From a difficulty perspective they seemed a little all over the place, but I think this is mainly due to reusing holds for multiple climbs. Kinda feels like they are trying to cram as many routes as possible on the walls. The V0 and V1s seem a little difficult for what their level and the V2 and V3 seem pretty straight forward. Compared to Dogpatch, Touchstone or Planet Granite, the routes here don't have as much personality. read more

Easily my favorite climbing gym in Tempe. Welcoming community of regulars and newcomers. Staff is friendly and helpful for answering any questions you might have. If it's your first time in the gym they'll have you more or less 'sign your life and any risks away' before they have you watch an informational video and then they'll walk you through belaying. Takes between 10-20 minutes in total before you can start climbing. They offer bouldering, top rope, and lead climbing. All routes are taped. To lead climb here you will need to pass a lead climbing test. They also offer a lead climbing class but you'll need to bring a rope, belay device, and a partner. read more

Not too fond of this place mainly because of the staff. The first time I went here, I was still fairly new to climbing where I had only climbed outdoors(mainly in Joshua Tree) and not much indoors. So I wanted to get better. The staff was NOT AT ALL friendly and inviting like my climbing buddies I have met outdoors. And I feel like that is what makes climbing better- the community. Besides that, it is a great facility to go to and has plenty of routes for beginners up to advanced. Even the lead wall which is awesome!! read more

Phoenix Rock Gym - Tuesday nights - Gyms Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

After reading a few reviews I'm glad I'm not the only one who experience poor customer service - and immediately! The initial greeting should NEVER make me feel unwelcome. Poor customer service from the woman working the front desk. As a first-time visitor she made me feel dumb with an eye-roll when I said I had never been there before and proceeded to be un-welcoming throughout our visit. On the plus side - the gentleman (Alex) who trained us on the equipment was amazing! He laid out the instructions very well and made us feel at ease. I was a fan of the facilities but the initial experience definitely dampened my overall experience for this place. May not be back. read more

I chose to start rock climbing at this gym because its close to work. The first timers training was very informative, I received all the info I hoped I would and even made some friends along the way. This gym is awesome. The rentals fees are low, the gear is in good shape and the staff is super friendly and eager to help out without making you feel like a dummy for asking. One thing I find terribly funny is that you can get a lifetime membership for only a million dollars, I can't decide if this is a joke or a typo but it makes me laugh all of the time. read more

For Review Number 400 I decided to choose a place from my recent visit to Phoenix that stood out from the rest of the places I visited on the trip by far. This rock gym is located in Tempe close to the young college community of ASU. I have been to many rock gyms and one of the things that always stands out for me is customer service in a place. Upon entry we were instantly greeted with a friendly smile and welcoming voice by Michelle the manager. She asked if we had been there before had us fill out waivers and proceeded with friendly small talk and helpful information about any thing we had questions about in the gym. We spent the first 2 hours or so bouldering in their boulder area with few if any others in the area at the time. The ratings in the boulder area were stiff and I felt like a weakling trying to climb these V0+ routes and failing. Then I remembered those are 5.10s at least and don't beat yourself up so bad, I said as Deb flashed a V2. Our friends ended up bringing their kids (age 2 and 5) to the gym later and along with a few other adults and teens and with the help and guidance of Kat and Gravity we go them climbing immediately on the ropes. I had not actually used a Grigri before as I use ATCs when I climb with rope but just a simple lesson got me cruising. Customer service and a great selection of routes with reasonable prices, make me wish I live in Tempe!!!! Will visit again soon. read more

See all

People that give this place more than 3 stars probably have not experienced many rock gyms. They get some stars for being the budget friendly place, but the cost savings definitely is reflected in their practices. This place's practices are lazy. They try to cram as many routes onto a single top rope as possible...I've seen up to 10 routes on one rope. This traffic jam of holds could be mitigated if they'd color coordinate their holds, which isn't that difficult, but instead they use tape as markers (often peeling off). Taping the underside of the holds makes it near impossible to see which footholds to use especially on an overhang. This place uses a swamp cooling system instead of AC. What this means is they cool the water vapor instead of drying out the air like a traditional air conditioning system. The results of this is an extremely humid gym that smells like a locker room. I can't tell if my sweat is from a good work out or from the humidity. And if there's any outside precipitation good luck climbing. The ropes swell up and get extremely sticky in their billets, resulting in unsafe practices to feed the rope through to get your partner down. Unfortunately I'm stuck because I bought a 6 month membership with my wife. Will be looking for a new place afterwards. It's a shame that this is the first experience a lot of climbers have because just with a little change they could make the experience so much better. read more

BEST TIME!! The staff was awesome!! We had 7 in our group & lots were kids & they were so helpful!! They did an awesome job explaining everything! Everyone had so much fun! Couches & chairs in the middle for some relaxing when some were done & some were resting. There were tons of ropes so although the place was packed there were always options of places to climb. We cannot wait to go back! We all really had a blast! read more

Today was the first time I ever went to a rock climbing gym. The staff was exceptional, helpful and it was fun! I recommend taking a partner because while one person climbs another is at the bottom managing the rope. It was humid in there - they use 6 swamp coolers instead of air conditioning. They have vending machines stocked with healthy snacks and drinks if you get hungry. The facility seemed fairly clean and the equipment looked good to us. It is a great workout - both physically and mentally. (Discipline). They had a variety of climbs according to ability - from beginner to advanced. Give it a shot - don't be intimidated - the staff is super helpful. Take a camera to capture the magic. A solid 5 stars! read more

See all

Phoenix [Tempe] Rock Gym rocks! I had a great time with friends yesterday. We decided to get together for a Sunday Funday of climbing and [well-deserved] carbs. Most of us had never been to PRG so we had to go thru the standard procedures of a little paperwork, watching a video tutorial, and hands-on orientation with one of the staff members. Totally quick and painless. I will admit though, I am not a pro at knot-tying but the staff are always walking around and more than willing to answer questions or be hands-on help. Big shout-out to Jonah for having extreme patience for orientating me and a friend, and a pair of frantic kids + their parents. At first it was fairly busy but lucky for us once our orientation was complete it had scaled back and we had a lot of open space to explore. There's a pretty good mix of different levels of climbs throughout the walls. A few times I might've just gone straight up instead of following the specific colored path but no one yelled at me [yay]. It's totally a team sport, especially since here they do not have automatic belayers [must have a partner]. At dinner our group kept saying how much fun and challenging it was and definitely worth return multiple visits. Barely 20 hours later and my arms are still dead. For an open gym pass like we had it was $15. A few of us were eyeing some of their monthly/quarterly passes which are well-priced. Can't wait to come back! read more

Loved it - went on a day pass with a friend and it is a huge gym. Tons of walls, and the staff was extremely helpful in giving us a refresher course on the knots and technique as well as watching out for us. Some of the paths seemed like they were missing tape or holds as the way up just seemed unreasonably impossible, but the sheer size of the place and the helpful staff makes this a great visit. Also a good variety on things to do, from bouldering walls to verticals to inversions... read more

Talk about not feeling welcome in a new spot... Check-in was incredibly uncomfortable with a receptionist that did not smile at all. While I waited for the rest of my party I went to the bouldering area which was so full it would have been rude to try and squeeze on the wall. There's no other options if you are solo because you need a partner to belay in this gym. Not one person greeted me or engaged me while I was meandering around and waiting. I can normally find a way to feel comfortable in new places and this felt completely uncomfortable and alienating. It was also incredibly dirty. When we did get to climb there is a film on the walls and grips that has been building up for years it seems. I'd love to come back if this place had a deep clean and an organizational shift for customer service. read more

Gotta burn off those yummy BoSa donuts I just ate! Lots of tall walls for all levels of climbers. Lots of safety features as expected. A ton of fun for old and young. read more

Phoenix Rock Gym - Front sign - Gyms Near Me - Tempe, Arizona

This being my first time rock climbing and having a tremendous fear of heights, I'm not gonna lie, I was a little apprehensive about the whole thing. But we had a Groupon that was about to expire (that I had bought on one of my Groupon sprees) and my boyfriend assured me that it would be fun, so off we went. And...it was actually a ton of fun. Being a first-timer, the staff had us watch a safety video which though rather quiet, was later reinforced when a member of the staff walked us through how to secure the ropes, check each other's ropes, and of course, belay. Once I had asked all the questions I needed, and assured that I was doing it right (cause, you know, my boyfriend's life was literally in my hands), we were all set! They have some pretty interesting rock walls, with little tapes to identify the different paths which were of varying difficulty. It wasn't too crowded when we got there around noon, but at about 1PM, it was becoming a bit of a feat to find a wall without someone right next to you. We took turns climbing for about 2 hours, as that was about all our arms could take. So all in all, great experience, great staff, big on safety, and I'll definitely be back! read more

The staff members were friendly and helpful from the get-go. The training video was an okay introduction but it was not sufficient for me as a beginner. The routes are difficult to understand; they are marked with various colors of tape all over the place. The level of difficulty in the bouldering area is too high, especially for how routes are labeled. Overall, the Phoenix Rock Gym provided a fun afternoon of climbing, but it could use some upgrades or improvements. read more

See all

Consistently great experience with both the staff and the routes. Every time we visit, it's been no hassle. Thanks Phx Rock Gym!

Compared to other rock climbing gyms. This one has a really small bouldering area. The tape on the walls bit confusing since on one hold there could be multiple colors of tape. Not sure where to finish. I did wish this bouldering was bigger so people wouldn't have to walk underneath me while I was in the middle of climbing. There is a second floor for bouldering but sadly it's for members only. I recommend to anyone if you want to boulder, go to another gym since it's very claustrophobic. Another gym would have same color holds, more room for safety and even a better supervision. read more

This is a wonderful place to climb if...!! 1. You enjoy someone treating you like you're stupid. From the very second we walked in. We were greeted with a dumb look. Not a "hello welcome!!" Not a single thing. We said "hi! We'd like to climb." (Eye roll)Have you been here before? She said.. I work in customer service. When your front desk girl greets customers this way. It's pretty ridiculas. The rest of the staff is the same way. Rude, eye rolling, 0 personality, I understand safety is very important. But come on... If you're looking to work on your form or practice climbing. Expect this kind of treatment. Or just go outside. read more