I visited The Hive Bouldering Gym with someone and it was such a unique experience. The atmosphere was energetic and focused with climbers encouraging each other and music playing softly in the background. Teenagers would love how supportive and adventurous it feels because everyone is trying something new together. The staff were friendly and gave helpful tips which made the service feel personal and motivating. The value was great because you get access to a lot of climbing space and gear for a reasonable price. The quality of the climbing walls and safety equipment was excellent and everything felt thoughtfully designed. The selection of climbing routes was impressive with options for beginners and advanced climbers. I only visited once before writing this review but it stood out as one of the most active and teen friendly places I have been to. Teenagers would love it because it is empowering adventurous and fun. read more

Went here during the weekend with two new climbers, and one occasional climber. We have pre-booked our 2 hour slot beforehand; this is required as part of covid protocol to limit the number of people in the gym. They also asked us to show our QR code for our vaccination status, and also one ID. Once we all checked in, I asked for fall assessments for all my friends, so they know on how to fall. They demonstrated how to fall, and ask us to repeat and made sure that we did it correctly. The staff also provided some useful technique to fall on different wall (overhang, slanted), and make sure that we understand the risk associated with it. The are quite a number of problems on the wall ranging from hex 1 to 6. Hex 1 is v0, hex 2 v0-v2, and so on. Not a big fan of the hex grading system as it's really hard to compare with the other gyms. Problems reset after around a month. I do like the fact that they have more climbing down holds lately so I do not have to jump down from a really high hold. Amenities in this site include foot bath (ask for towel at the front desk) , strength training area, and changing room with lockers. It's pretty hard to book for this location, so I have to always book a week ahead. This location is also always more crowded than the other location. Personally, I think drop-in is quite expensive, but I think the membership is worth as I go more than twice a week. read more

See all

Had 2 people assisting. The girl was not useful and provided false information whereas the guy was more helpful. The place is really crowded but the climbs are nice. read more

This place has so many stupid rules. If I wanted to follow a bunch of bullshit rules, I would be doing something other than climbing. Why can I not wear outside shoes or have bare feet in the gym? Wearing your climbing shoes everywhere is going to ruin aggressive shoes in no time. Why do I have to look below me during the fall assessment? What this gym should be doing is creating more space and clear barriers for where people should sit because it's very crowded and easy to be in the way of people climbing. read more

Been here three times and it's not bad. I like the slide. But bouldering is hard on the hands and you do need good core. Had a great time here with a bunch of friends. This place can get quite busy and I do recommend it. Rentals are not bad but the shoes can be nasty so I do recommend you on getting your own shoes. read more

The Hive - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

See all

4/21/2018 Man have things changed. The good news is, I'm still climbing. The bad news is, The Hive isn't what it used to be. The facility, although it's gotten some additions to the space, has not been upgraded. 3 years ago, they promised a new ventilation system. 3 years later, it still hasn't happened, and every time I go you can see the chalk clouding the air. It doesn't feel good when you constantly put your lungs through that a couple times a week. They've added a training section above the women's locker room. Although it's well equipped (weights, trx bands, yoga mats, resistant-band machine), I don't know how stable it is because you can feel the locker room shake anytime there is any activity happening above. All the good route-setters have gone to newer and better gyms in Ontario. The head-setter I mentioned from 2014? Yep, gone. From what I've heard, the Hive doesn't pay their staff well so they all eventually leave. The front desk staff are a constant stream of changing faces, and they've even hired staff that don't even climb. Really? The Hive has also lost any sense of community. The gym used to feel like home. The number of events have gone down, and the number of newb deals on Groupon (and the like) have gone up. There are so many newbies in the gym that they're pretty much at max capacity every day. To make matters worse, none of these people are taught any sort of climbing etiquette or general safety (walking underneath people climbing, climbing on a route that clearly crosses paths with the one you're on...). The Hive is trying to mitigate this with Member's Hours, but it still doesn't have any impact on the number of people in the gym. I'm pretty sure they're just using Hive Vancouver as a cash cow to finance their better gym on the North Shore and their future gym to come in Surrey. The only reason I still come to this gym is because there's no other bouldering gym in Vancouver proper. If you have the luxury of time, go to Project Climbing Cloverdale instead. read more

I liked this gym a lot. Mandatory orientation for a day pass, but it was short and no big deal. Pretty normal day pass pricing for gyms in cities like this. The facility wasn't super fancy or new, but the bouldering setup had a bunch of interesting terrain and the setting was fun. So, so many volumes on their wall, made for a lot of cool and more varied problems. They especially did a good job making the easier boulder problems interesting- sometimes they can just feel like ladders, but not the case here. Overall, fun to climb at and worth a visit. read more

I have tried my hand at bouldering a good handful of times at various gyms and I would have to say that I did not have a particularly good experience at this gym for a variety of reasons: 1. Even if you have bouldered before, this gym still requires you to take a fall assessment and brief orientation - and you have to pay $5 for it! Not to be a stickler about it because, yeah, its only $5, but $30 for a first time user (also including $5 shoe rental) is pretty steep IMO, especially if you're trying to figure out if you want to continue or not. What really got me about this tho, was that the guy who oriented us to the gym did take a few minutes to teach us how to fall, but then he refused to explain the basic terminology used on the instructions ... Instead, he just pointed to the wall and said I needed to study it and figure it out. I actually got a dismissive response both times I asked a question when he asked "do you have any questions." What the heck ... why am I being required to pay for an orientation that the guy won't orient me on? I did not like that. 2. The directions on the walls are not intuitive. For ex: each sign had a circle of different numbers of colored hexagons designating difficultly (the color seemed arbitrary and did not match the route) with two other hexagons bracketing the circle colors designating hand holds (colors made sense since it matched the route). However it seems to me that it'd be much easier to have the hexagon circle color = the route and number of hexagons colored = the difficulty. The verbal descriptions were also confusing - in both terminology and attempts to be funny.. 3. There are many color paths that are very similar, and placed right next to each other. Red, dark pink and burnt orange, for example. This was confusing and fatiguing, especially when already on the wall and trying to figure out where to go next... 4. The spacing between some of the hand and foot holds felt hugomongous!! There was more than once that I virtually felt stretched out like an octopus to try to complete a 1, and still couldn't even get a touch - the span had to be about 5' wide - I've been to a couple other bouldering gyms in Seattle and Portland and I have never had that problem before. 5. I am normally able to complete 2s and 3s, but I could barely do 1 and 2s here ... as I walked the perimeter and inspected all the walls, it seemed to me like things weren't rated consistently when I look at the grade, the hand holds, the spacing, etc. I hear that the other gym is a lot bigger than this, so perhaps with more variety and space, these things wouldn't be as much of an issue, but I'm not sure I will be going back anytime soon in order to see and try it out. read more

Great drop-in experience while we were in town for the week. Online booking made for a smooth check-in and limited capacity. Friendly and helpful staff - Big ups to Ben for the hospitality! read more

Relatively new bouldering only gym. I mainly boulder and so this place was a dream come true. Its relatively large compared to the neighboring cliffhanger's tiny attic. Bouldering has really picked up over the years compared to vertical walls and Im happy to see more boulder-focused gyms open Tuesday evening ~ 8pm it was pretty full -They don't tape their routes, rather, they use colored rocks to mark their routes -Each route is marked at the start with a written explanation and colored difficulty level. -Check the wall at the front for the corresponding colors and V ratings -It took a little getting used to but I liked this method more because they don't have tape coming off the routes. And on inclined routes, its much easier to see the rock color than to look for the tape under the rocks when looking for your next foot rest. - because of the setting method - there are less overall routes - the slide was closed, that made me sad - hang board and chinup bar are on the second level to the left - free weights in the back behind the counter - inverted cave is small read more

The Hive - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I took the intro class, and when they showed us how to fall I rolled over my neck and almost kicked my spotter in the face. The instructor laughed it off and instead of practicing it a few more times, said that was good enough. My second time climbing here, I fell from near the top of the wall and dislocated and broke my heel bone and shattered two more bones in my foot. I had to quit my job of ten years and wait almost two years for corrective surgery. I now suffer from constant chronic pain and can no longer walk or stand for more than five minutes at a time. I wish the intro class had been organized better, and that the instructor had actually cared about teaching us how to fall properly. read more

Good place to go for indoor climbing. That seems to be the consensus among my associates who are into climbing/bouldering anyway. The beginner's class I took gave me enough information and enthusiasm to send me on my way as Weekend Climber, Conqueror of Polka Dotted (most basic) Holds! The facilities are clean, but the rental shoes are RANK. Think bowling shoes, but worse. They spray them each time they're used, but I suggest bringing a thin pair of socks to wear with them or buying a pair as soon as you think climbing may be something you want to do more than once in a blue moon. A few more tips for the beginner: Cut your nails (all 20 of them) short. Chalk your hands well. Moisturize hands liberally afterward. Prices are what they are. If you want to do indoor climbing in Vancouver, expect to pay rates similar to Hive's. Yippee to a fun way to get stronger! read more

Coming from Montreal, where we are spoiled with indoor bouldering gyms, I had to check out Hive. The staff were super friendly and the place was quiet during a weekday (although, it is known to get incredibly busy after work hours). There are a lot of options for people of all skill levels and different features for everyone's style of climbing. There is also a teaching area in the back and a small workout area on a second level. This place has all the right bones for success, but their execution lacks significantly. The negative experience started off when I was charged $5 as a "fall assessment" that lasted less than 20 seconds. No matter whether you are a beginner or an expert, learning how to fall when bouldering indoors should never cost $5. This is a standard safety skill that should always be included in a day pass. Playing devil's advocate, if you really feel you have to charge someone, do it when you know you'll have to invest time in teaching them. Next up, holy holds batman! Highly used red, orange, and pink routes all overlapping... same with brown, blue, and black routes. Ridiculously overcrowded walls, making it extremely annoying to understand and visualize routes. To make matters worse, the start of the routes are vaguely explained on the route indicator, rather than simply and clearly being identified with tape. Finally, although not too big of a deal, Hive decided to use their own colour system, rather than the standard V system... why complicate life? All this to say that Hive can be amazing, but needs an incredible overhaul. Unfortunately, since they are the only pure bouldering gym in the area, it doesn't seem like it will happen any time soon! read more

Meh. So, I'm not pretending to be a climbing aficionado, but from my limited climbing experience, the Hive--was in short--unfortunately anticlimactic. For the several months leading up the opening of a bouldering-only gym, the "buzz" was definitely absorbed on the Hive's ability to offer something new. PROS: It's Clean, with lots of space, and in a centralized location (with free parking). CONS: 1. Cost--We all know that "new" things can demand a premium. But it's hard for me to justify paying $24 just to Boulder! $16.50 for drop-in, $5.00 for "fall assessment", and tax = Over $24/day. 2. Assessment--Everyone has to take a "fall assessment". They spend 5-10mins going over the rules of gym, safe climbing techniques, and how to take fall. Great idea; but not worth $5. 3. Difficulty--Their grading system is a little different. Kinda confusing at first but, you get used to it.We found that lever 1 is too easy, and level 2 (for the most part) can be way too hard. They need to reassess their difficulties. Level 1 = V0/V1 Level 2 = V2/V3 4. Holds--WARNING Color Bind people will have a serious disability traversing the problems. The Hive does not use numbered tape, instead use colored rocks with a starting sign explaining the route (Haha, most signs are hand written and hilariously illegible). As well, we've noticed that certain colors can be surprisingly difficult to differentiate when covered with chalk or shoe smear marks. 5. Crowds--Ok, this one's not a biggy. But rather you should be aware that for the next couple weeks this place is going to be REALLY busy. Prepare to share. If you don't like sharing, then get lost; this place will just aggravate you and probably the people waiting for the wall. 6. Kids--Sorry kids. But this is probably not the best place for you right now. Serious climbers only, or until it gets less busy. So, there you have it! I think the Hive is great to check out, however, I probably will not go there again for quite some time (not to mention its summer... Squamish FTW!!) read more

I'm new to bouldering, and came here knowing absolutely nothing about the sport. I found the staff incredibly friendly and helpful, offering me safety lessons and general tips in regards to climbing. I found some of the routes labeled easy to be quite difficult, but this may be more of a reflection on my lack of experience (and possibly upper body strength) than anything else. The place was almost empty on a weekday afternoon but I'm assuming this place fills up in the evening. Sure, the place isn't cheap for a drop-in, but they offer reasonable rates if you buy a month membership or a 10-class card. It's not a place I would go to a few times a week as a part of my regular workout routine, but it's a great way to change things up, or to take a date! Overall I had a fantastic experience and I'm looking forward to going back. read more

About a year and a half ago, I fell hook line and sinker into a damn groupon trap. I came to the Hive for a beginner lesson and 2 weeks free trial and what the heck do I get? Lassoed into signing up for an entire year. And then! The travesty! I go sign my gullible hiney on another year when my first year completes. Why? Am I total sucker with too much cash, fetish for peeling, roughed up hands and a vast enjoyment of falling from 12 foot heights? Ha....hahahahahahahhahaha no, no and .....no. Ok so its not a trap, what I meant to say is that really I never left this place. My first lesson, I was a total newb. I'd done a few top roping sessions and never really went back until this popped up on the radar. The excellent first beginner lesson showed me the ins and outs of the gym, how to fall, basics of technique and was a precursor to the wonderful world of indoor bouldering. The gym itself is bright, cheerful and inviting with separate communal change rooms fitted with lockers, washroom stalls & a shower area, a back room for lessons/warming up, small gym(ish) area and of course the main climbing walls. Apart from the excellent problems set out by some standup route setters, the best part of this place is the people. Theres always a friendly face, or a future friend/acquaintance willing to give you a hand when you need one. Need encouragement? People will cheer you all the way up. Need help figuring out how to scale a problem? Willing betas are everywhere. Want to complain about life and creep out the front desk people? Maybe when they get past your weirdness and strangely warm up to you. My one qualm with this place would be that it seems that most people that climb have this whole height thing going for them. Being quite far below 5'3, there are some challenges that you're going to have to face. I figure if I keep requesting that they hire some shorter setters maybe they'll listen. Until then, I'll just keep pestering the front desk people. They won't mind, right? read more

Good variety of problems, fair amount of space. Smells clean. Bright. Good music. Friendly. The biggest downer here is that it's very expensive for what it is. Ten-pack reduces cost to $14/session which is kind of pricey compared to what I'm used to in SF. Poorly equipped washrooms (crappy dryer, nothing to blow your nose with when it's full of chalk dust), shower but no free towel service. A little too no-frills, especially for the cost. They have a back room which could be used to offer yoga or something but instead it's kind of under-utilized. One or two exercise machines but... I'd put a little more effort in there and this place could be that much better. However, it's the only game in town. So, I pay and will continue to boulder here. I agree with the other reviewer who mentioned the rating issue. There seems to be a pretty quick jump from V0 to V2 with not a lot in between. I don't know why they wouldn't just stick with a standardish rating system? read more

There's an incredible community at Hive Bouldering. I was only there for a night - in town for a long weekend and wanted to check it out. I felt welcomed and immediately like part of the Hive family. I watched other people working on their projects and sended my own to others watching. High fives with people I didn't know! Love that. Their rating system is a little different than what I'm used to - and their start holds are designated differently which confused me quite a bit and gave me a little difficulty. But their problems have color coded holds, too, which is THE best. And their staff was also quite awesome. I'd be happy going there if I was a local! read more

This is a fantastic bouldering gym. I've taken the Fundamentals and Beyond Fundamentals course and it was worth every penny. The class sizes are small and the instructors incredibly good. They give you great feed back to help you work on your technique and build a training plan that will help you become a better climber. The facilities there are great. There are plenty of problem there for each skill level and most of them are really interesting (well at least the ones I try). A lot of the clientèle there are friendly and you can always find people willing to give you some beta and help you out. If you're looking for a great and entertaining workout, this is the place to go. read more

Dropped in to see how our 4 year old would like it. We ended up staying for 2 hours and would have stayed longer if it wasn't time for dinner. The staff was so helpful and friendly. We got an orientation session and the instructor patiently explained to my son the rules of the gym and practiced proper falling technique until he understood. Before we left we signed him up for the annual membership. Excited to see how he grows and develops his climbing skills! read more

The Hive - Baby steps - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I love coming here with my friends to have some fun climbing. The first time I tried this activity I was struggling so hard but my friend was absolutely killing it. Two years have past and I am comfortable to say that I have improved since coming here for the first time! I now climb two hexes quite comfortably! I love how this gym is so open and inviting to all skill levels; they hold orientations for newcomers and have numerous beginners climbs that are more than achievable that allows you to feel good about yourself. There's also no shortage of pros who show the way and impress you with their skill and talent. And of course you have the tweeners like myself who tackle climbs together and help show the way which is a really awesome environment to be in! Overall and awesome activity to do with your friends! One thing I was though was if their day pass was cheaper or if they have a two hour pass as most drop in people don't have stamina to last longer than 2 hours. read more

1 star because it's like the only bouldering gym in Vancouver Another star because some of the routes were fun & the staff were nice. Here's where hive loses 3 stars: -the gym is concerned more about cleanliness than safety (reprimand you for spilling a little chalk dust on their pristine floors, but it's perfectly ok for a little girl to keep running around while other climbers try to dodge her) -not a gym made for serious or potentially serious climbers: 1) have to wear your shoes all the time while on the floor mats (really? You're a bouldering gym! Not a freaking spa) News flash: rock climbers like their shoes tight 2) the grading system is THE most ridiculous thing I have ever seen. It's a hexagon rating to keep with the "bee-hive" theme... I feel sorry for those who start here and then venture outside and wonder what a v4 is. "What, the rating isn't 3/6 hexagons?" -The routes were so hard to read, literally and figuratively, they write on these hexagon cards to show you where to start, but the hand writing is so terrible I couldn't read 75% of them. Also they decided to put orange, pink, and red all next to each other. They all look like one color when chalked up and scuffed with shoe marks. -$5 "fall fee" on top of the ~$20 entrance fee. It should be included in one price, or waived if showing knowledge on how to climb & fall properly. In all this is a joke of a gym, made for kids. I would only come here if desperate (which I was, because it's been a week of rain in Squamish). read more

I was less than impressed with this gym. The place is a lot smaller and dirtier than it seems in the pictures. Pros: -friendly community -longer routes than normally seen -good variety of routes (lots of traversals) Cons: -Utterly frustrating route marking system. For some reason you want to use your own grading system instead of the V system, fine whatever. I can get over the fact that prominent colors on the markings don't actually indicate route color. But why not just mark the starting holds with tape instead of describing it with words? Having to stand in front of this piece of paper and figure out where to start is just unnecessary. -The fact that the route grading paper also describes how to climb the route is like giving a test with all the problems solved. -Confusing route colors. Tons of places where Orange, Red, And Fleshy Pink routes are side by side or intermingled. Trying to distinguish which hold is which is a complete nightmare especially since a lot of the holds were really dirty. At the corner wall there was a clump of pink holds that corresponded to 3 separate routes. Better hold color separation is needed. -No good down climb holds. Not everyone wants to jump down from the top of a slab wall (or any wall for that matter). It was annoying to have to down climb on crimpy holds . read more

Staff is super friendly. They are always around to help you with any problem (get it? problem? Heheh). They change up the problems to keep you on your toes. The gym is never too busy that you can't get some good climbing in. Highly recommended :) read more

Great bouldering gym. Lots of challenges for experts, beginners and kids. Bright and airy with great customer service. Will be back. read more

The Hive - Climbing Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

The staff are very friendly and helpful. The instructors are experienced and able to demonstrate the techniques very well. The only drawback ( at the time I was visiting) was too crowded. It was so busy and the music was a bit too loud. read more

What's not to love about this place? Great indoor bouldering gym and accessible by bike.

The gym has a nice vibe that is welcoming to everyone. A big selection of routes to choose from. Great music, and awesome DJ when she's there. read more

I've been coming here for about a year and figured it was about time I got around to reviewing. The instructors are top shelf. This is a great place to take classes whether you're a rank beginner or are looking to upgrade your skills. Definitely worth checking out. It's one of my top two bouldering gyms in Vancouver. read more

Worth it. I won't claim to know anything about climbing, I just started, BUT I would give this place ONE MILLION STARS if I could because it is awesome and the staff is incredible. I'm sort of hooked. I was a bit apprehensive about going on my own at first, but when the staff isn't around to give you pointers or make you laugh there is a butt tonne of other people there who are all friendly and eager to start a conversation. Almost immediately I felt comfortable there, and it's beginning to feel like more of a sanctuary to me than anything. There is such a wide variety of routes, and new ones being set up all the time, that there is definitely something for everyone whether you want to play it safe or like a challenge. The facility is clean and well laid out, the mats are super squishy, and word on the street is there is going to be juice soon. Seriously, who doesn't like juice? I don't think the drop-in rate is unreasonable at all. You pay about that to go to the aquarium, go kayaking, rafting, the PNE, two fancy cocktails at the bar, enter a 10K race, the art gallery, or a movie and you won't have NEARLY as much fun. AND if you buy an annual membership you only have to go like, twice a month to make it worth it. Pros: EVERYTHING Cons: NOTHING read more

If you want to do indoor bouldering in Vancouver, the hive is your best bet. Sure, Cliffhanger (just down the street) also has a bouldering cave, but it's tiny and the problem setting is just better at the hive. They had some problems with their grades being all over the place (and mostly soft) when they first opened, but since hiring head routesetter Dustin, things have more or less fallen in line. The staff are all very friendly, and the place is less busy than Cliffhanger at peak hours (although that's not saying much, at peak hours, CH is ridiculous). However, I will disagree with the other reviewers and say that the place is actually quite dirty and chalky due to somewhat poor ventilation. drop-in rates are fairly high, as well - $16.50 + a $5 orientation the first time you go. It's fun and beginner friendly (and absolutely dead during the day if you can make it out at that time), though, so if you're curious about climbing, I'd encourage you to check it out. read more

The gym is massive with a good variety of climbs. Overall quality of the facility and climbs is pretty good but they do run into some issues. There is a lot of climbs packed in the area creating some issues with overcrowding and unsafe landing areas. Another issue is that they use coloured holds instead of tape, normally a plus, but they seem to like putting similar coloured holds next to each other (red, pink and orange) which become nearly impossible to discern once they get some chalk on them. read more