This review is mostly in response to Annick's review. I came across Annick's review of Rocks and Ropes while finding out their hours which lead me to check out another of Annick's review for Black Rock Bouldering Gym. I have been a member at both gyms and I think Annick's take on both do not reflect anything close to the majority of their visitors views. I only hope that future visitors will brush off these reviews as nitpicky, naggy, and just plain ignorant. Annick claims to be an experienced climber but expects a modern, corporate type of gym everywhere Annick goes but fails to realize Rocks and Ropes and BRBG are completely appropriate for the community they are serving. While these gyms are not perfect, they were both recently modified and I assure you, they considered customer input during design. Annick tries to call management out by not "embracing" feedback, if all businesses "embraced" this type of feedback, they would sink. I'm going to guess Annick is the type of person to order something completely off the menu at a restaurant and complain about how it doesn't taste good. 5 stars for support of local, well-run businesses and to help offset a ridiculous review by a ridiculous person. read more

Very much so enjoy this place. It's the go and only option for indoor top rope and led climbing locally. Very spacious, great routes, gear store, snacks available for purchase, gear rentals available, bathrooms and shower in bathrooms, training spaces and cubbies for your belongings. So what's the 4 star mark for huh? Well, as a parent of two, it's never felt open and supportive to me which is so crucial to me in any space. read more

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I thought it was a super fun experience. I have only gone with another person, so I cannot speak to a solo experience. You can bring your own climbing equipment or get a membership, but I'm a realllllllllly inexperienced climber (like this was my first time) and when you pay for your time you can also rent the equipment. They ask you if you need help or not and what climbing level you are at. If you are new to it like I am, they have someone come over with you and go over how to deal with your harnesses and assist your partner while climbing etc. Each color and number represents different levels of difficulty. read more

Rocks and Ropes - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Rocks and Ropes is great! It's the only rope gym in Tucson, so your options are limited, but they have a great variety of climbs and a bouldering area. The lead cave is probably the coolest feature and always has such fun climbs. The staff is friendly and the gym is always clean. It can get VERY busy though in the evening hours, so plan accordingly! read more

Rock and ropes is probably this biggest indoor rock climbing center I've been to. They offer military discount on Monday and Friday but don't forget to check in on yelp! Since you can get 50% off their rental equipment, dope right? This is the first place that has ever offered that. You get shoes and the harness as the equipment that you'll be renting. The staff was friendly, they taught us how to put on the harness and how to use the automatic belaying rope. They have many routes that you can climb on the wall or on the boulders. If you go upstairs they also have a place where you could free climb and it can get tricky with the angle of the wall. I'm still a amateur at this but I will be back to go at it again. The automatic belaying was helpful because if you go by yourself or with friends that are new to this sport, you don't have to worry about falling. Once you let go, it would catch you and slowly lowering it back down to the floor. Oh yeah I forgot to say that military members also get a sweet deal on their membership. I can't recall the benefits for joining their membership but why don't you come in with some friends and try out rock climbing! Hey, you might just become a member! read more

Rocks and Ropes - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I miss the old rocks and ropes before the renovation. Waited forever for the reopen after the renovation and I am really disappointed. Now this place is more like a family style than climber style. Hated the walls were so coarse that you can just smear the entire way up. read more

Rocks and Ropes is a wonderful place for all levels of climbing. The staff is always helpful and willing to check harnesses, answer questions, and share information about memberships. I appreciate that they offer appointments to climb for new members, punch cards for flexible memberships, and monthly memberships for regular climbers. They also offer gear rental for those who don't have their own which is nice when you want to bring friends without their own gear. It seems like they have classes as well to improve climbing, though I wish some of them were outside of 8am-5pm for people with a traditional schedule to take part! Overall great fun for all ages and skill levels. read more

This place is SO much fun! Whether you're into bouldering, sport climbing, or lead climbing they have it all. First timer or long time climber, you will feel right at home. They also do lead certification if you're interested. Staff is fantastic and you can tell they really know their stuff. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a good climbing gym or want to try something new! read more

Rocks and Ropes - Indoor climbing gym - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This place is awesome! The staff were kind and helpful, and there were so many routes to explore, it was impossible to be bored!

Climbed here for about 3 years but have now switched gyms. I can't say I'm the biggest fan of the staff due to their condescending and smug attitude towards myself and other guests. Id expect much better customer service from a gym that has been around for so long. Im now climbing at rock solid. read more

This was our first time at Rocks & Ropes and we can't wait to go back! Our instructor was Katie and she did an amazing job educating us while keeping us entertained. Kudos to you, Katie! Once we got our shoes and chalk (included with the day pass btw), we started with a level 5 rock wall. Then we moved on to the boulder walls and found our new favorite hobby. The gym offers a variety of rock walls, bouldering, and strengthening. 5 stars for cleanliness, too. We'll be back!! read more

Before the remodel this was the best rock climbing gym in the state and according to my brother who's travelled a lot the best in the country. However after the remodel it's even better. Lot more routes including lead routes, good diversity of climbs and hold styles, and awesome new bouldering area that is almost as good as their bouldering specific gym the Bloc. My only complaint is the routes feel spaced a little closer together then before but it's only noticeable when it's super crowded where you end up actually having people climbing on top of you. They raised the price which is steep compared to before but it's kind of the standard now for gyms. If you want to save money come on discount Monday nights it's actually really fair especially if you already have gear but just be mindful though it will probably be crowded. read more

One of my favorite spots in Tucson. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and I've found the climbing community to be very welcoming. It can get a little crowded in the evening, but people are generally courteous and patient. It saddens me to see negative reviews about R&R. I have only good things to say about this gym! Thanks for serving the Tucson community with an excellent climbing experience. read more

Rocks and Ropes - Staff resetting the Southwest climbing wall on a Monday. - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I went for my first time recently and really enjoyed it. I had to have a lesson and it was so helpful. I feel like their sanitation practices make me feel safe and they're doing everything they can to keep things running neatly. Successfully climbing some of those walls is such a rush! I want to go back all the time!! read more

My husband and me love this place. My first climbing gym in 10 years. Nice that Tucson has such a place to offer. The staff are so nice and helpful. If you want to try rock climbing or want to spend a day with your kids this is the place to go. The only reason why they did not get 5 stars is they need to update their bathrooms badly. Also please add in AC, the swamp coolers are just not doing the job. The routes change constantly which helps keep things interesting and new climbs to conquer! Check this place out :) read more

Rocks and Ropes - Having fun with friends - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. They took a lot of time to teach us everything we need to know to be safe and successful while climbing read more

Phenomenal place to climb! Amazing routes, lovely community, and a wonderful environment to be in overall!

Loved this place. I feel safe with the equipment. There are different levels of challenges. One thing I will say is not to go there after getting your nails done. The shorter the nails the better. Also put long hair back if you don't want to rip it out. You would think this is basic knowledge to have but... Yeah read more

I visited a friend and went climbing to check out the gym in AZ. It's pretty sweet. I didn't do ropes, but I did boulder for a few hours. Place is pretty big and lots of families with kids. Great place to have a climbing party. Compared to the CA gyms, I think the routes were a little soft (at least the routes I were on). Overall, a good gym to go to. read more

I came in for a day pass a while ago but have been meaning to leave a review since then! This place was so cool! Kate was very helpful showing me how things worked and made my time at the gym very enjoyable! It was clean, upbeat, and loads of fun! the only reason I can't give this place all 5 stars is cause of the other staff member that was there at the same time (Candy?). when I asked questions she was pretty cold abf unfriendly. I felt like I was bothering her and was hesitant to ask her questions. overall though, I can't wait to come back once the semester ends! This place is great! read more

They updated with brand new training equipment. Really good stuff, especially since it's covid season too. There's a cage with squat racks, and pull up bars and also weights for barbells to do deadlifts/bench if you want. Definitely getting your money's worth here. read more

Love coming here when I'm in town for winter. Routes are well-set, and changed up frequently. An overhung autobelay (which they used to have in seasons past) would be awesome to have again for unpartnered visits. Staff is always great. I've been to gyms with snotty staff, or nice but not accessible staff, whereas staff here (at both gyms) is friendly AND accessible/approachable. Creates a really good vibe, I've never experienced any ego/bro snobbery and that likely thanks to the tone set by the staff. When owners are present they are welcoming and low pressure as well. read more

So much fun! This place is huge! Instructor was very knowledgeable and friendly, made me feel comfortable to start belaying and getting up there! read more

This place is amazing. Love the staff and facilities. They are doing a great job mitigating the risks of Covid, while still offering full use of the facilities. Climbing has offered some peace and mindfulness during this horrific year. read more

I recently started coming to this gym after moving back to town and I am so happy they now have amazing air conditioning in the summers. I remember it being too hot years ago. They are constantly changing the routes which is great. They have a membership drive discount at the beginning of the summer so I bought a 3 month unlimited pass for much cheaper than it normally is. They also have discounts for students and family packages. I always feel safe with their equipment. The place is very clean and the staff is super friendly and helpful. They also have a small shop that sells rock climbing gear. read more

Clearly not made by actual climbers. The bouldering section has almost zero vertical almost all overhang. 17 bike racks (not a single one used) but almost no place to sit and chill. The climbs are CLEARLY underrated. I climb v5 usually and couldn't even get up a v2 there. Then the holds and footholds are super slippery and have clearly been up a LONG time. Climbs are pretty dangerous too. No good and safe downclimbs. No wonder no one is in the boulder section. And then NO SHOWERS?? Like I'm used to showers with shampoo and conditioner and fresh towels AND saunas. Not good guys. This is what they just messaged me. Way to embrace feedback. Like they are accepting NONE of it hahahaha. Annick- ANNICK: WAY TO ADDRESS YOUR CUSTOMERS. I FEEL LIKE AT SCHOOL. First of all, we appreciate all feedback and we are sorry you didn't find the shower during your visit to our gym (kind of scratching my head on that one since there are showers in both bathrooms). ANNICK: THERE IS ONE MEASLY SHOWER HEAD LIKE IN THE CORNER WHICH LOOKS LIKE IT'S THERE ON ACCIDENT WITH NO SHAMPOO, NO TOWELS NO NOTHING. Rocks and Ropes has been in existence for almost 30 years. We were one of the very first climbing gyms in the country. Last August we closed the gym for 7 months and went through a complete renovation and expansion, so without a doubt there are a few things we are still working out - seating being one of them. I'm curious how you came to the conclusion on your visit that our gym was ".... not made by actual climbers." Do you have specific things you could point to that earned us this designation, ANNICK: BECAUSE IT IS NOT THOUGHT THROUGH FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A CLIMBER. LIKE NOT ENOUGH ROTATION OF CLIMBS, NO PLACE TO PROPERLY SIT, BUT 17 BIKE RACKS THAT MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL. ADDITIONALLY AN ELECTRONIC CLIMBING WALL THAT NOONE KNOWS HOW TO USE NOR ARE THERE INSTRUCTIONS ETC or was that just a great intro line for a Yelp review? ANNICK: WOW WAY TO ASSUME THE WORST. We have had the same ownership group for most of our nearly 30 years, and we all climb regularly - indoors as well as outdoors. Regarding the angle profiles in our bouldering area, your assessment is simply incorrect. Our entire free standing boulder ranges from slab to slightly overhung. We also have nearly vertical terrain at both edges of our large bouldering cave. This makes up roughly 40% of the entire bouldering area that ranges from 5 degree slab to 5 degree overhung. ANNICK: FAIR. FELT MORE LIKE 5%. Regarding the route rotation, it's about 8 weeks, a timeline which serves the Tucson community well. Sorry if you found the footholds to be less than fresh, but if you have been to many other climbing gyms you probably understand that rotation varies from gym to gym based on what is best for each facility and community. ANNICK: RIGHT AND YOUR ROTATION IS DEFINITELY BELOW AVERAGE OF WHAT I HAVE SEEN AND I TRAVEL THE COUNTRY A LOT AND GO CLIMBING EVERY 2 DAYS. Regarding grades: these vary greatly depending on where you are climbing and the most any facility can strive for is consistency within itself. We're sorry if you were unable to crush at your normal level, but as someone who has climbed in most of the gyms in the San Francisco area and many across the country I can tell you that the grades in the Bay Area are 'soft.' ANNICK: AGAIN WAY TO ACCEPT FEEDBACK. ESSENTIALLY YOU ARE SAYING HERE THAT I HAVE BEEN TRICKED AND LIKED IT BECAUSE IM VAIN. GOOD ONE. ALSO I DONT LIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO BUT AGAIN WAY TO ASSUME. In the indoor climbing industry this is called "vanity grading," which is aimed squarely at making customers happy. I will be the first to admit that this is something we have struggled with. ANNICK: SO THE ONLY THING YOU ARE ADMITTING IS THAT THE OTHERS ARE BEING AT FAULT. GREAT. Lastly, we do read our reviews and we do discuss them internally with our management team. We respond to the good and the bad alike. read more

We went as a group and the training was organized and well explained. I was nervous at first but definitely felt comfortable afterwards. The place was huge so there was plenty of room to climb. I had a blast and will be back again! read more

Rocks and Ropes - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I have now become a member and climb at least once a week, sometimes when I have time I will climb twice. I normally come Saturday's or sundays and sometimes monday's, and its always crowded, but its not that bad, you just wait your turn. Sometimes its annoying when you are already climbing and someone starts on the route right next you and climbs much faster and kinda gets in your way, so when that happens I just sit back and relax. There are 3 autobelays in the gym, and the routes change often. I really really recommend this place its so much fun and totally worth the $ read more

Rock climbers are strong and smart. Well, the whole death defiance aspect of the sport borders on the less than sharp. So I'm visiting Tucson when I get the"call of the wall" - that's my way of saying that I want to rock climb. I yelped for more info and found Rocks and Ropes. The place has close to 50 top ropes at 35 feet high and a several lead areas including a nice tall cave. Their bouldering area proved to be harder than most with taped, but unrated routes. That also goes with the rest of the gym, a lot of the climbs were unrated. Ah, be not discouraged oh, rock hugger because Rocks and Ropes has a member rated system where they take an average opinion of a climb and rate it later. That means that the setter's opinion is not law. I like! So when I actually climbed I found that the gym offers climbs for beginners and elite athletes. It's challenge level, based on the climbing on nearby Mount Lemon, tends to fall a bit on the harder side for the higher rated routes. Tall climbing and plentiful top roped walls round this off as one of the best indoor places I've climbed - ever. The rap: - $12.00 entry fee (average) - Inexpensive rentals ($6.00 each for harness or shoes - average) - Military / Student Monty Discount ($45 - nice). - Daily Specials (Mondays and Fridays are best $9.00 entry fee) - Nice adder: Guided trips to Mount Lemon Rounding up, I found this to be a fun place to climb some rather high indoor walls. The gym offers a lot of unusual features that should train even the best climber for the hard climbs out in the Mt. Lemon area. Climb on! read more

These days so many people are on a fitness craze. It seems like everyone I know (and their mother) are gym members or do some crazy boot camp. As a tried and true member of the 'sit on the couch and watch movies' crowd, Rocks and Ropes has been a fun and interesting place to trick myself into a 'workout'. I love that each time I come there's a mix of new and old routes. It's great being able to really see my progress (finally got up a 7+!) as well as have something new to try out. They rate their climbs on a tally system where everyone who climbs a new route can rate it, which is great, but leads to a bit of variation between similarly rated routes. It still makes for a great workout though and you can push yourself to try something a little more difficult each time. After coming here a couple times, my boyfriend and I sprung for the punchcard deal where you get 10 anytime entries + rental. They also have monthly memberships with discounted student, military and family/couple rates as well as a 2-for-1 beginner package for 30 dollars which includes rental and an intro class to climbing for two people. read more

Love this place!!! I pretty sure the routes are more technical or difficult than any other gym I've climbed at... I'm working on 11's here and I can climb 12's at other gyms. I love the challenge and I think they produce better climbers. Everyone that I've met here genuinely wants to help one another on the routes and the staff is always ready to chat about a problem your working on or help with anything you need. Great atmosphere, great routes, great place! read more

Rocks and Ropes - New routes and new look in the bouldering cave - Fitness & Instruction Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I really like R&R and probably would have given it a 5 if it weren't for my first climbing experience being a few weeks earlier at a gym in Scottsdale that I rated a 5. I think the only reason for the 4 is because I think they should add more auto-belays and vary the difficulty of wall where they're placed. Out of the auto-belays they had here I think only 1 was was particularly "do-able" for a beginner and not alwaysdo you have someone there to belay you. Perhaps that can be a suggestion to the management (hint-hint). Other than that, I really enjoyed my day. The staff was very patient and helpful which is always a plus when you have some beginners. I did find some of the walls very hard to do for my level which I found odd, so it's nice to read the other reviews to find out that they are constantly changing the routes. I like climbing so much that I've decided to start training more, so I'm sure I'll be seeing R&R more and more often! When you're done, walk up the street to Barrio for a great local brew! read more

I am specifically reviewing Rocks and Ropes' weekend open climb for kids. What a wonderful group of volunteers who seem to genuinely enjoy introducing kids to climbing. The entire place is an amazing environment with 360-degrees of huge walls, and the staff is great. But these volunteers really make the place and my kids will be there every weekend. And parents... let your kids go and sit back and be quiet. Yelling "encouragement" is not as helpful as you (and only you) think. read more

I used to come here 3-4 for about a year but recently have completely stopped because of how over crowded and unprofessional the gym has become. The staff are always rude and in a bad mood, and have been extremely condescending toawrds me. I brought a friend here as my guest and as I was given the rope tutorial for my friend, the instructor talked about how they didnt want to be here doing this it was extremley akward. The gym is constantly full of children and old people who have no manners, i feel like cant climb a route without someone nearly kicking my head off, rocks and ropes really needs to expand their gym because it is way to full and not a place where people looking to improve their climbing skills can actually practice or work out. This whole place is a zoo for people who want to try climbing once and hog all the routes. read more

As the honey badger narrator would say, "This place is totally bad-ass." I have watched this gym evolve and grow over the years into it's current exceptional form. My daughter recently discovered a love for climbing and the "Kids Climb" on Saturday and Sunday are a perfect way for her to begin honing her fledgling climbing skills while being easy on my wallet. The staff is super friendly, helpful, and respectful of beginners. They show their passion for the sport by welcoming newcomers and making them feel comfortable and confident about climbing. The volunteer belayers on the weekends are also usually very friendly and helpful to the kids. My daughter has been getting some great tips on technique and form and I have watched her go from routes rated a four, to sixes in about four weeks. Happy dad. read more

Great place, kinda pricey but mostly worth it. The staff is super helpful. Caution- they did not honor my yelp check in with a free equipment rental- I didn't notice until after I left. read more

I've been going for years, and I simply love this place! I don't know why I haven't written a review before now, it just never crossed my mind. Where do I start with a place that has so many good points? The staff is amazing! They are so friendly, nice, and really make the customer feel safe and respected. They are always there to help rookie climbers, and offer tips to the people who have been climbing for a while. Regardless if you are renting your equipment from them, or bringing in your own, the staff will treat you with the same respect and courtesy as anyone else. It is a rare event to see on of the staff without a smile on their face. As good as the staff is, the walls are even better. Rocks and Ropes offers a variety of climbing options for every skill level. They have flat walls, inclined walls, and simulated rock face walls. They offer belaying more than one type of belaying, including multiple auto-belayers for those without a partner. They also have a Free standing boulder, and a secondary bouldering room upstairs. They also have a small area upstairs for parties, a store to buy your own rock climbing gear, and showers available for those who might need to head somewhere after working out. (I even like the music they have playing throughout the building.) The only thing I wish was different is their hours. (Who closes at 8:00 PM on a Saturday?!) But even that isn't enough to detract from the five star rating they obviously deserve! read more

I am not an outdoorsy person or do anything like hiking or climbing to say the least, but this place was fabulous! It is one place that is not just fun for one, but fun for the whole group. I went to Rocks and Ropes for a social and it was much more than I expected! Not only was it a blast and a great group activity, but it was also a workout. The atmosphere is great and you can tell the "experienced" climbers and how accommodating they are to share the rocks with you. A hidden gem and a great place to go for a handful of fun!!! read more

Back when I lived in T-Town i was here for over a year. One of the best in my life. Had a lot of fun, routes were always changing, it was hard to do all the routes before they set up new ones. The lofted bouldering area is also a fun space to re-coop while your arms sizzle down from fiery stumps. The new addition to the space done over a year ago ads a lot more room , because it can get crowded as the most popular indoor gym in Tucson. The rates are good and the staff friendly. I will always visit whenever I'm in town... read more

This is a great climbing gym. When compared to other gyms I have been to (in California and Indiana), I found that the routes are set pretty darn high. That was a bit of a wake-up call, but it pushes you to be a better climber. The staff are helpful and knowledgeable, the routes constantly change, and there's enough of a variety of routes that anyone from an absolute beginner to Chris Sharma could have a good time. They have a great membership drive in October, with awesome discounted membership rates. read more