My daughter had a great time climbing the walls in this rock climbing gym. We were lucky that we arrived when they weren't too busy. There is also a great area for young kids to play in too and belay. There is dedicated space for adults only. The instructors give you a quick run through at the beginning so that you know what to do, and how to use the harness. A great way to spend an afternoon! read more

This establishment is one of the older rock climbing gyms in the city, yet it still holds its own rustic charm to it. They maximize the space/setting well and the renovations seem to have made this place significantly better as a result. Here's to more fun climbs, sets, and memorable moments to be had! read more

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I always see this Rock Oasis on my Go Train rides and finally decided to check it out. It's a little confusing getting in to the parking lot but just make sure you turn on to Dickens which Street which is just a tiny bit north of Dundas Street East. It's awkwardly near a set of traffic lights if you're turning left onto that street. The lot isn't paved and is shared with the neighbouring businesses. This Rock Oasis is very different from the Ajax one. There's a sections for all types of climbs including autobelay, top rope, lead, and bouldering. We were mostly in the bouldering section. They were in the middle of transitioning their number point grading to colour grading, so some of the climbs had both. The best time to come here seemed to be after 12pm on a Saturday. Most of the gym was clearing out to have lunch so we pretty much had the bouldering section to ourselves. I found the staff here to be exceptionally friendly and helpful. I was in need of some feminine products which they do stock here and can retrieve for you upon asking. They also have other first aid needs like bandages if you're prone to scrapes during climbing. read more

Hans was a great instructor. Helped me feel comfortable and at ease with the heights and equipment. Def coming back with friends! Great place! read more

The Rock Oasis - Great places. My first time and had a blast! Be sure stretch! - Climbing Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

This is perfect if you're a beginner or novice rock climber otherwise you may want more of a challenge somewhere else, this is for just a fun afternoon. I would recommend this for anybody, plus a great location. read more

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Was a member for years before I moved to Montreal. Pros: - great route setting - gender inclusive washrooms - friendly staff and community - they're always working on improving the space, from building new walls to adding new amenities - seriously the route setting is very good Cons: - they often play the music too loud which can make it difficult to hear your climbing partner - they can be kind of lax about safety - lots of unrated routes - terrible lead climbing course. The course is two lessons that are totally inadequate for you to lead confidently and safely. My regular partner took the lead course about a year after I did and had the same experience. When we complained to the staff, one of the staff (not the one who taught the course) gave us a one-on-two lead climbing tutorial that made all the difference for us leading confidently and safely. read more

Unbelievably poor customer service. I signed up for two months, left my credit card number for the second month to be charged at the time of use. When they charged me for a third month, on where I'll be out of town and unable to use the membership at all, I reached out to try and remedy the situation. They claimed no staff member ever noted that I didn't want the third month, and thus nothing could be done about the extra charge. They did promise not to charge me for a fourth month, so kind! I was eventually given contact info for the -owner- whose response included such gems as, "Why did you give us your credit card if you didn't want us to use it?" Clearly they want the $90 more than a repeat customer. My inquiry was polite and friendly, so I can't imagine what I said to warrant such an absurd and careless response. They may be a decent climbing gym, but they aren't to be trusted with your payment information. read more

Of the four Toronto climbing gyms, Rock Oasis is my top choice. This is primarily due to location - I'm a short bike ride away. There's lots else to like (and a few things to dislike). LOCATION: 5/5 Located at Carlaw/Gerrard, it's actually quite easy to get to if you live/work downtown. The Carlton/Gerrard streetcar drops you off right there, it's a relatively short walk (or bus ride) from Pape station, and it's a delightful downhill bike ride (good luck pedaling home though, after a three-hour session.) Free parking round back, and there's a car2Go lot near Broadview. Overall, it seems to be the easiest to get to if you live central/North Toronto CROWDEDNESS: 2/5 Oasis can get really busy some nights, but there's lots of wall space to work with. You won't often wait for a wall, but you will often find yourself belaying shoulder-to-shoulder with someone else, or waiting on a route for someone to cross up ahead of you. It's a nice social atmosphere sometimes, though you may want goggles for all the beta you'll get sprayed at you. SELECTION: 4/5 The routes change pretty often, and there's always a vast array of difficulties. Not to mention the self-belay wall has 12 extra routes. I love the self-belay wall, because it forces you to send it's routes cleanly, teaching you resting skills. Especially good for when your buddy is caught in traffic/lying about being caught in traffic while still at home getting ready. Lots of overhanging and straight walls, but no slabs. ROUTES: 3/5 There's often a fair balance between routes which are challenging and interesting, and features moves that teach you balance and efficiency tricks...and finger training exercises. There was a 5.11 a few weeks ago that featured nothing but tiny little footholds and crimps the entire way up. Ugh. There's lots of variety though, and you can always skip ones you don't like and find something better. They had an incredible 5.10 overhang that was almost exclusively dyno moves, which was accessible and crazy fun for intermediates (if they used the dyno and skipped the last move) but was also crazy challenging if you instead skipped the dyno and moved with stable balance. Sadly gone now, I wish it had been a permanent fixture. BOULDERING: 4/5 They used to have a pretty weak bouldering gym, but they just got a mega upgrade - new padded floor, new holds, and a vastly improved grading/separation system. I haven't explored it fully yet, but I did a couple routes last week and was very impressed. UPDATE: I have since explored, and definitely the upgrades are pretty extensive. There are a lot of routes to explore, and it's really well spaced out. You never need to be in someone else's way. PRICE: 5/5 At 15 bucks, it's the best in the city. The 10 pass ($135) doesn't expire in 6 months like everywhere else, which is logical and fantastic and thank you Rock Oasis for not being ridiculous. STAFF: 3/5 There's a good mix of friendly, unfriendly, helpful, inexperienced, surly. Depends on the night. GENERAL FACILITIES: 5/5 Great selection of gym equipment in the bouldering section, wi-fi, tons of change rooms, lockers (with free use of locks), washrooms, and a few private showers. I once got out of a shower only to realize I had forgotten to bring a towel. You didn't ask for a story, but if you've ever been in a post-shower, towel-less situation, I know you will sympathize with me when I say that your change of clothes do not make an adequate substitute, and great now you're still wet and you have two soggy t-shirts to deal with and it's cold outside and what a perfect time for that aforementioned uphill bike ride. Note: This summer there was no A/C, but rather lots of humongous fans. There were some pretty unbearable days. Hopefully they're working on making it a little cooler in there. MUSIC: 3/5 Sometimes 90s rock, sometimes Indie/Alternative...last time it was mostly weird dance/electro. Just once I'd like to hear them pump some classical - nothing will make your climb feel more majestic than some Mahler/Wagner. Oh wait, something will: Alan Silvestri's theme from Back to the Future. UPDATE: The music has upgraded a little bit. I've noticed a lot of great modern tunes, both popular and a little obscure, so that's cool. Overall, it's a solid gym, lots of choice - highly recommend! read more

I never would have figured myself to be the rock-climbing type...so when I agreed to go with my boyfriend to check it out, my immediate thought was "Okay! Go! Get it out of the way. Do it for him and then he'll owe you a favour." But....I LOVED IT. We took an intro lesson, that isn't really that hard and doesn't take all that long, rented all our gear and stayed for two hours (you can stay as long as you want) for $35! I was surprised, most of all, that I could actually do it! And that my cynical nature sort of melted away and was replaced by this other feeling....uh....whadda-ya-call-it? You know! Uh, the opposite of doubt? Confidence. That's it. A great place to try something new in the city. read more

I've been going here for months and it's my go-to rock climbing gym! I love all the different options that are available at one gym. There is an extensive bouldering area in the back and also auto belays if you're climbing by yourself for the day. There are also lots of top rope selections. The staff is extremely friendly and would provide helpful tips. They may not be as big as some other gyms, but they change up the routes frequently and I never feel bored. There's always something new to try. They've recently added a children's climbing gym, which attracts a lot of birthday parties on the weekend, so if you want to avoid crowds, stopping by on a weekday evening is generally a good bet. However, even during peak hours, I never felt like I had to wait very long for a wall. Would definitely recommend, especially for beginners that would like to try both top rope and bouldering. read more

Good location, decent climbing, but a number of drawbacks. The place is way too crowded, or at least whenever I'm there (weeknights, the odd weekend). I often have to wait around for a route to clear up, or settle for something I'm less inclined to climb. The upside is that the crowding makes this gym more social than others, and the patrons are friendly and always ready to offer advice. The music selection will bring you right back to the 90s. Minus points for the change room. Who thought a unisex change room was a good idea? It can also be really difficult to find a locker. I'm pretty sure the lockers were designed and constructed by a twelve year-old. Big points for the convenient location, though, which gives it the edge to keep me climbing here. read more

Wonderful experience!! The instructor was extremely patient and gave helpful pointers.

Good place to learn climbing if you've never done it before! The fun stuff: - Super high walls, fun just to look at and it makes you want to shout just to see if echos come back - Lots of easier routes for beginners The not so fun stuff: - Super cramped - for some routes, you have to sit in a circle around benches to belay. Story - I was belaying and didn't notice that someone took my smelly climbing shoes as it was so crowded. When I realized the shoes that I ended up with looked like my shoes, but weren't, I ran around the gym asking if anyone had something similar. Luckily, I found the girl who took the wrong shoes just before she left the building. Whew! - Unisex change rooms There are some fun routes there, and it can be a test of endurance. Not my favourite climbing gym, but a good place to try. read more

Very friendly and helpful staff. If you're not able to come regularly, you can pick up a 10-day pass; it doesn't expire within a year, compared with places like True North. There's also free parking in the back! 4.5/5 stars read more

My kids were all beginners and it would of being good if the staff gave us alittle advice as they were climbing throughout the day. They just gave us a brief explanation at the beginning and that was it. The staff was just on their cell phone and didn't do much to assist the kids. Also location is to far from city. read more

Went here last Friday for the first time to celebrate my friends 30th birthday! Let me just start by saying this place is GREAT! The instructions were very detailed. The made sure everyone in the group knew how to stay safe while going up the walls. They also know how to make everyone feel comfortable and confident as if you have been climbing for years. I was pleased as well that they included shoe rentals in the price. I also enjoy the variety of climb options. They also have a set of walls that auto b-lay ( not sure of the correct spelling) you. I found that exciting because if one day I feel like going and No one is able join at least there are walls for me to climb alone. I would definitely go back. This place was easy to get to through public transit and who doesn't like a great work out. read more

What a great place! I've always wanted to rock climb and had my first try at it here this past weekend. It was super fun and challenging, but definitely worth trying at some point in your life if you haven't! We called ahead of time to make a reservation since the place was pretty packed (because it's the weekend), so I suggest you do so as well since room is limited.The staff is friendly, helpful, and are really great at explaining how to do everything. You have to have a lesson before climbing but it doesn't take very long and you learn to climb, tie the ropes, and also be on the other end to help support your partner in lower them down. There are many wall, heights, and difficulty levels to choose from. The prices are appropriate and you can climb as long as you want. The locker room is alright, however it is co-ed and quite small, but it does the trick. There are private changing rooms and showers if you need though which is nice. Just come wearing comfy work out clothes and they supply the lessons, harnesses, ropes, and climbing shoes. Definitely a great spot weather you are a beginner or are an experienced climber since they have both vertical and horizontal walls to scale! I would definitely come back here again! read more

Try something different. Did the $35 intro lesson. I had my own shoes when I tried bouldering so, I saved a little there, which was awesome. Not too crowded and nice atmosphere. The instructor was very friendly and gave easy to understand instructions so, we were able to start climbing ourselves in no time. We sucked and we really sucked, but we still had fun. There are various levels of difficulty for rock climbing, which is great. I checked out the bouldering routes quick and could not figure out the routes. Not sure if it is me, or the stickers came off I don't know. I came here for rock climbing anyways so I didnt care. I would recommend it. read more

Very disorganised. I went in to sign my son up today only to find a kid hanging upside down on the autobelay. We immediately walked out again! read more

Great gym with all the facilities one could want and an awesome staff as well...I always look forward to my climbing sessions there.

Well, I just came here for a "training" session as I am climbing down a 200 ft building next week (for realz, - msg me if you want to know more) for charity. There were two people assisting and they are experts. They make you feel comfortable and tell you to relax so you are prepared for the day of your climb/fall. I don't know the price, but highly recommend for the experience. read more

Some say I'm an adventurer who likes to live life on the edge. After finding my passion in rock climbing I was invited to try climbing here at Oasis. The warehouse can be quite tricky to find. You have to drive to the back of the building for parking and the lot looks like 10 land mine had blew up. After you park the fun begins. Sign up is fairly quick and painless. My only complain is that they don't have change rooms besides using their washroom. From the outside it would appear to be a small gym but I was surprised to walk into a huge gym. Lots of wall and a variety of level for beginners and advance climbers. One thing that stood out about this gym is that it caters young climbers with a party area for kids. There was a birthday party when I was there; not sure if that was just a coincidence or just the norm for Oasis. Although there were a lot of climbers that day, the wait was minimal to non existent thanks to numerous walls built inside. I give Oasis 3 stars because the gym is a little old and wasn't as clean as compared to newer gym like True North but that doesn't mean Rock Oasis won't satisfy climbers of all level. I had a great time and would not hesitate to go back. read more

Went last night with a friend who climbs regularly. Id gone climbing before, over on Broadview, but hadnt gone in about six years (or more!). $35 got me a one hour lesson (which was great as it was semi-private, only me and one other person) and my harness and shoe rental for the entire evening. Let me just say this: I suck at climbing. I get halfway up the beginners wall and want to come down. Its not that Im scared of heights, its more that Im scared of falling -- not an unreasonable phobia, if you ask me. However, the gear is rigged so that you wont plummet to the ground so its just a matter of learning to convince myself I can make it up. Right now I have pretty bad upper body strength and am carrying more weight around than I should, so I found it hard to keep my grip. I think that if I keep at it, Ill eventually get the hang of it (so to speak). Now about the gym: its a lot smaller than I expected, and super popular. We were there for three hours on a Thursday night, and there were climbers EVERYWHERE. It was hard not to be distracted while listening to other people's stories and adventures. While crowded, the vibe is fantastic and everyone there seems to be super supportive and encouraging of those on the walls (maybe this is normal for the sport?). The change rooms are co-ed, although there are private cubbies for those less inclined to bare all to the oppposite sex. The location is ideal, right at the bottom of Bathurst, but since Im more of an east end girl these days, my appearances at RO will likely be limited to when Im visiting my west end climbing friends. read more

Nothing bad to say, great location in the east side, friendly and helpful staff. We've had kid birthday parties there as well as solo bouldering sessions - just took out a family membership. read more

I'm a 5.8 climber on average and I found this place to be such a disappointment :( First, the music was horrible. They played way too loud 90's hate-my-life rock music. Second, this place was a dump. The washrooms were so dirty. Third, they only had top roping so it's really, really uncomfortable to go climbing with my boyfriend who is 6'1 when I'm only 5'3... if you know what I mean. Fourth, only around 30% of the walls were between 5.7 and 5.9. And they were all such short walls. Maybe this place is more for an advanced climber? This place is in between moving to a new location, so perhaps that's why. The old location was way better. In future, I won't be going back. TCA is waay better! Go there! ! :D read more

Bouldered here for an afternoon while visiting from out of town. Had a really fun time! BUT - it took us nearly 40 minutes from the time we walked in to the time to when we actually got started climbing. Employees were all friendly, but they definitely don't keep enough staff around. It wasn't a particularly busy day. We filled out waivers right away, and then had to wait behind two families while one person at the desk scrambled to help everyone. Then had to wait in line for an orientation. It just added up and became really tedious. The setting was fun, especially the techy slab stuff! read more

My first and favorite gym so far. The walls aren't too high, but variety of routs is pleasing. Has roof in lead zone. Some say that grades are a bit more difficult than in other gyms. Grigri is a must for lead climbers, other devices are not allowed. read more

I've tried a bunch of different climbing places (Climbers Rock, True North, Up the Bloc) and this place is my fav! They have very reasonably monthly membership prices, friendly staff and regularly reset their routes. They have quite a few options for auto-belays and a large bouldering section which is nice for the days you can't find a partner! read more

I've been to most of the other gyms in the city, and I have keep going back to Rock Oasis. The walls were taller at the old place, but they make up for the lack of vertical with complex routes, so a 5.10B at Rock Oasis will be equivalent to a 5.11- or + at True North. The place went through some growing pains in terms of facilities when it first opened. With some recent renovations: more bathrooms, added showers, AC, etc... it's really settling in. A few things I have to say about them that set them apart- they change their routes regularly. If you have a beloved 5.10 overhang- climb the shit out of it while you can because it'll be gone next week, and you'll have a new 5.10 to play on. Great atmosphere- super helpful staff who wants to keep everyone safe as opposed to impose weird rules that you have no idea why, ample parking, not far from downtown or the highway, they'll change the music if you want- just ask. Once in a while, me and my climbing partner say "Hey- let's go check out another gym." but we always end up coming back home to Rock Oasis in the end. read more

For my birthday last year, I got it into my head that all I wanted to do was try rock-climbing. After some Googling, I came across The Rock Oasis - I hadn't yet been introduced to the world of Yelp so decided to venture forth armed without any prior knowledge. I can't remember whether or not I had to make a reservation for our group of 4 but I vaguely remember calling in and the staff telling me that a reservation wouldn't be necessary (perhaps since it was Valentine's Day and they weren't expecting too many visitors). We were all rock-climbing virgins and I felt that the price of $35 for new climbers, which included a 1-hour lesson, equipment rental and unlimited climbing time, was excellent value. This cave of fun is hidden behind a very unassuming yellow door in a somewhat industrial part of downtown Toronto. Upon entering, we were asked to sign a waiver (basically signing our lives away) and then headed up to the change-rooms to get changed. You can rent lockers for a nominal fee and we managed to cram all our stuff into 2 lockers. I was already excited by all the brightly coloured walls (indicating degrees of difficulty, as I learnt later). We headed downstairs and spent a little time learning how to tie the knots for our harness - during this time, another couple joined our group and the instructor started the class. You are required to pair up with a partner as you both take turns between climbing and operating the safety device to lower your partner (I believe the technical term is "belaying"), so be sure to go with an even-numbered group. Since there were only 3 pairs in our group, we got a lot of one-on-one time with the instructor who was able to give us customized tips. All in all, it was a fun day trying something new with my group of friends. The website is very comprehensive, the staff were all friendly and the location was crowded in a what-an-awesome-vibe kind of way. I would definitely recommend it for people looking to try rock-climbing for the first time but can't speak for experienced climbers who are looking for a real challenge and probably get quite annoyed with all the newbies around. I personally found out that rock-climbing is definitely not my one true talent in life but still had a great time overall. read more

This is the closest climbing gym and most convenient for me and my climbing partner. That, and the high walls, are the only reason that I climb here. The place is just way too crowded and hot. Also, the change rooms are unisex and lockers are often full. It does make for a more social atmosphere, I suppose, which is good, but having to wait around for walls to free up is a pain in the butt. Good selection of music, though. Pluses and minuses, but for me its my climbing home for the time being. read more

I've been here twice and the experience both times were amazing! The instructors are very knowledgeable, friendly and patient. The lessons go at a steady pace and they take the time to ensure you know what you're doing. I love that this gym does 1 instructor per client/ group. Other rock climbing gyms may do a whole bunch of strangers per one instructor and it gets really confusing. There are tons of empty lockers, and props to the complimentary chalk ball. Bathrooms are clean. There's also free parking right out back which is convenient. The gym itself is massive. They have tons of options for any level. There are also dedicated lead rooms (I think that's what it's called). I'm glad they have a lot of 5.6 and 5.7 options too. I'm glad this gym has the automated belayer mechanism thing where you don't need a partner, and you can climb by yourself. This gym is judgement free, and I find it really easy to strike conversations with other climbers. Some have even offered to help us. They also have quite a large bouldering spot where again, they have tons of routes with varying difficulties. The price here is also lower than other gyms. $35 + tax for new climber instructor with rentals. Note: bring your own lock! read more

Pros: -Staff and members were friendly and helpful -Affordable, especially if you're just getting a day pass -New paint job on the walls makes the place feel bright and modern -Very little use of tape, so the routes and (most) boulder problems don't feel crowded or confusing to read -New holds! Some of them are gigantic and AWESOME -Plenty of lockers for your belongings -Separate children's room, so you forget that they even exist -Decent setting - SOME routes were awkward, but others were challenging and had cool moves. The boulder problems flowed really well and were fun! Cons: -THOSE FRIGGIN FANS. Who needs music when you can just listen to high powered fans? -Short walls (but they make up for it with their setting) -Flat walls. I'd like to see more volumes used on routes -Cubicle style floor plan - it can get annoying to belay right next to someone else, especially if you're lead-belaying and need to move around a lot -Lead test felt too easy - we only went up 2 clips and didn't fall Overall it was fun, affordable, and I'll definitely be back! read more

Least busy: After 9.30pm, Sunday afternoon/evening Most busy: 7pm on a weeknight. Saturday afternoon (kids' parties.) Height - They're about 35', so not too tall. Good for me, a novice, probably a bit short for those who are pretty serious. Diversity: There's a pretty large bouldering area, 6 climbing wall "nooks" with about 12 climbs each, a room with ceiling climbs, and a wall with about 12 self-belay climbs. Difficulty: I find it a good mix, sometimes there aren't enough 5.9/10a's for me if they're changing routes over, but if that's the case it's usually better in a few days. Routes seem to change every few weeks. People: The other climbers have been nothing but helpful/friendly. No egos in my experience, which is great. read more

I also went to this place with my boyfriend to check it out. We have been planning to try out rock cclimbing for a while and finally picked up and went one Sunday. The place is big and had a significant amount of "tracks" or "paths" or whatever they are called at different difficulty levels. We had to to the training first since I have never climbed before and we were slightly annoyed since the session was full of people and it took a really long time for the other people to get the concept of belaying and getting the ropes tied properly. I would recommend trying to find out when they are the least busy so you can get a quicker training done. By the time we were done the training we have been there for 2 hours and were tired of standing around. Rock climbing is a great work out but I would recommend everyone try it at least once. I can see how easily people can get addicted to this activity. It's a lot of fun but very hard. If you get discouraged easily expect to fail a lot your first time. It's not as easy as others make it look. read more

The climbing here is pretty average. The walls aren't particularly interesting - none of them are textured and most of them are vertical - ie no interesting angles. The walls are also very low - since the move to Carlaw Ave the walls are probably only about half the height they used to be. There's no air conditioning so climbing here is pretty uncomfortable. On the plus side this place is much larger than the bathurst location so there are more climbs and more space between climbs. I would climb at the toronto climbing academy instead. read more

I have climbed here for over a year because it is close to my house. However, I have been constantly disappointed in the service and atmosphere of the gym. The staff always looks unimpressed and is never helpful. I have brought friends on multiple occasions and they have always asked what is wrong with the people at the front desk. I won't mention any staff names, but certain members seem to constantly be in a terrible mood. On the plus side the gym does have good features (i.e. the ceiling) however the gym gets very crowded on certain weeknights, so you need to plan around this. The gym pales in comparison to other gyms in Toronto, and was supposed to be a temporary location before OASIS cheeped out and decided to stay. read more

Was a member here for 7 years, and if I lived closer, wouldn't have left. I still remember the old location, where the 60 foot walls were the dream of many climbers. They do the best with what they got at the Carlaw location. Walls are obviously much lower, but they have a world class setting team and set new routes very often. It gives you a great variety of climbs and holds to experience. I was critical of the bouldering area until the last year, in which they added new sections and made it quite good actually. The roof climbing is great for advanced lead climbers who want a really hard challenge, and the price is the best in the city, which does make up for the older gym walls, etc. They have a lot of walls for beginners, so if you're new to the sport, you have plenty of routes to practice on and still enjoy yourself. They also have numerous self-belay devices, which are great for warmups, endurance training, or testing yourself on a harder climb without a belayer all the time. They offer storage lockers for rent so you don't have to lug your equipment to and from the gym every time you climb. I can't understate how great this feature is. I really do wish other gyms did this. It really ups the convenience. Parking is free, and showers are provided. Rock Oasis is also one of the few gyms that allows for loose chalk use. Love this about them, as the more technical you get, the less need for a chalk bag, especially when most of your holds require only your finger tips to be chalked up. Rock Oasis is clearly an older gym, and one can't expect them to compete with a True North or Boulderz Etobicoke in terms of facility and newer walls, but they more than make up for that in variety of climbs, convenience, and price. read more

A fun place. I went with a teen and we had an intro lesson and then were on our way. She was fearless and all the way up the wall. I was a little more cautious but still had a good time. It is great that you can anchor into the floor so the weight differential between the two of us didn't matter. It defintely was cramped and hot but it was a Sunday afternoon! A good workout...my arms were sore the next day. read more

This a decent climbing gym in many ways, but terrible in two respects that knock it down a peg from average. There are two bouldering areas and plenty of routes which lean (like most places do) towards the difficult end. The bouldering rating system is vague and inaccurate; they use their own 1,2,3 dot system instead of any of the official route rating systems...and often routes are never marked with any difficulty rating. This initially annoying aspect has gotten progressively worse. I talked to a guy putting up new routes who happened to be there while I was climbing and got the inside scoop on that (which just means that I know exactly how vague they are set and c'est la Rock Oasis). There is a fast turnover in the bouldering routes so it's hard even to get used to the routes and make measurable progress, and without a rating system it's really against the purpose of doing bouldering problems. That said, there are usually some good problems at my level, they are just hard to identify and they disappear quickly. The other big hit against them is the fact that it's not air conditioned and they don't even have working fans around the place (just a couple). Having a gym (of any kind) with no AC in Toronto's summer means that you'll sweat just sitting down in there, and if you're climbing the walls you turn into a fountain. This is especially bad since sweat is slippery and slippery is dangerous. So instead of leaving because I'm too tired, or too busy, I have to leave after an hour just to avoid heat exhaustion. This is only a problem for 25% of the year, but it's a huge problem. I like that they provide locks for the lockers they have upstairs. So you don't have to worry about your clothes or gear or phone or money getting swiped while you climb. I don't like that their floor has lots of hard strips of rubber and their crash pads are 1" thick light foam mats. Falling will hurt for sure here. I'll definitely go back since it's the closest climbing gym, and I'll definitely avoid evenings because the place is cramped when empty. The people working there are mostly friendly and cool and willing to help with advice and listen to requests...although I haven't yet convinced them to use a standard (or at least consistent) rating system. read more