★ 4

Great bouldering spot in DC proper! Staff members are super friendly, relatively clean facilities, and routes are reset very regularly. Variety of community events hosted throughout the month, which makes this place a wonderful third space. Do note that this gym is on the smaller side; for example,
the Seattle Poplar location is easily 3x the size. However, I’m happy to call DCBP my home gym!

Source: Google

★ 5

Pros:
- the beast / steep overhang is an epic, unique feature
- pretty good mixture of routes, styles, and amazing variety of angles; routesetters did a great job
- vibes & people: from the outside at least, seemed like a chill, inclusive community
- very clean gym with new holds and a nice design

Cons:
- steep membership rates compared to comparable gyms in area (only bouldering)
- very soft grades (would be nice to add another system board, spray wall, or set harder)

Source: Google

★ 2

The gym now hosts youth programs everyday of the week between 4p and 8p. Meaning if you want to come after work there will be children running everywhere - and under you while climbing. Staff takes feedback and does nothing about it. Gym should be renamed a youth climbing gym.

Source: Google

★ 1

Comically bad, sweaty gym with pretty bad setting. Density on the walls is nowhere near where it should be for a gym of this size. Most climbs are awkward, sketchy, or just boring movement. Gym is way too hot at any given moment, little AC during the summer and too much heat in winter... for a friction dependent sport!

Grading system is not this locations fault, since all BP locations use the same awful system, but they at least need to use some of the money they make from their obscene prices to buy new holds *regularly*. The same circuits will use the exact same holds week after week and it gets extremely repetitive and boring. I also frequently find that climbs will just be "remixed" week after week in the exact same location on the wall with the exact same circuit. For example, if a green jug climb on an overhanging arete, the next set there will be a slightly different green jug climb in the exact same place… and this gets repeated over and over, and happens with so many other circuits (eg blue circuits are usually set in the exact same places every time). Progression is going to be really difficult for anyone if you’re constantly climbing on the same kinds of holds in the same areas and not being exposed to different kinds of movement/ holds.

The actual only training area in the gym (which the gym is mostly coworking spaces, couches, and regular gym area) is a dark corner in the back of the gym, where only a single person can use one hangboard at a time and there is a single training board. For some reason on the weekends, they dont even turn on the lights in this corner and its incredibly dark! For $120+ a month you would think they could afford to turn the AC or the lights on!

Source: Google

★ 5

My son and his godbrother were able to enjoy an entire day of bouldering and weight lifting then showering and saunas

Source: Google

★ 5

First class is free and staff was very kind! It’s a fun rainy day or winter activity that I’ll mix in here and again. A fun way to spend an afternoon - even if you don’t want to commit to being a more frequent member/customer.

Source: Google

★ 5

Love this place

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★ 5

Bouldering Project Eckington is an amazing gym. The long wall called The Beast was a challenge and highlight of my visit. Great variety of routes, friendly staff, and a strong community vibe.

Source: Google

★ 5

Staff here is great! Especially Owen, he walked me through buying a new pair of shoes and helped me find the right ones

Source: Google

★ 4

Fantastic gym with a welcoming atmosphere.
All the staff genuinely make an effort to help you feel at home. The grading system encourages beginners to try challenging routes and fosters an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds—I’ve made many friends here over the years. It’s also a great place for families.

The route turnover is fast, so you never get bored, and the problems are thoughtfully designed: accessible for all body types and focused on technique rather than brute strength. As a founding member over 50, I’ve never been injured here, which speaks volumes about the safety and quality of the facility.

I would gladly give 5 stars, but it’s unacceptable that management hasn’t taken a firmer stance with the landlord regarding the chronic leaks from the residential units above. These leaks damage the crash pads and compromise the space. Permanent drain pans that channel water to an open site drain should be installed to protect the gym and its members.

Source: Google

★ 5

I primarily use the fitness area. Given that it's a bouldering gym, the fitness area isn't the biggest or most equipped, but it's solid and gets the job done. Especially considering the area has a dearth of other gyms.

They also have a small co-working area that can be nice if you want a change of scenery while working.

Source: Google

★ 5

I only used the bouldering area, so I cannot speak for the gym (though the gym looked nice).
The staff is super kind and both bouldering areas were really fun. I am rather new to bouldering, I mainly do red or green routes, and these routes were challenging, yet fun and doable.
Locker rooms and showers were spacious and clean.
I can recommend this bouldering gym.

Source: Google

★ 5

This is a great bouldering gym! I had tried another climbing gym many years ago, but didn't get into bouldering until I came here. The climbs are really fun and the facility is nice. For those saying it's expensive, I think it's actually very cheap given how much it offers (a great sauna, fitness classes, gym) and that it's located in DC proper. Also, unless you come at peak hours of 5:30-7:30pm on a weekday, the bouldering areas are never very crowded. There's more than enough climbing space and the routes are reset pretty frequently.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 1

Unfortunately this establishment doesn't go far in making for an inclusive space.

After a staff member here treated me cruelly, I reached out to management with my concerns. Although management apologized for their staff member, there response was "they would talk to him" and asked me if "I would like a follow up" . Which was a lackluster response at best.

I look for a gym to offer a space where I can relax and feel like I don't have to worry about discrimination. This team did not speak once about a zero tolerance policy or even ask me if I feel comfortable or what would make me feel comfortable or welcome in this space after the incident.

And of course.... they have a HUGE Black Lives Matter sign behind their desk.

Source: Google

★ 5

i love this gym so much! the community i’ve found here has literally been life changing!

Source: Google

★ 2

Its overly expensive and they keep it way too warm. For the amount of money they charge for a day pass, you would think they could afford a decent AC system. If you enjoy bouldering and taking a sauna at the same time, you'll love this place.

Source: Google

★ 5

Immaculate lil’ spot. Came through on a business trip last one day and was not disappointed. Huge boulder tunnel: extravagant (the holds: bomber, the length: killer). Bash hooked it up for the homie (me, just a girl, trying to climb) - super friendly and helpful. Do it, ya heard it here first. Good spot. The beta on the approach to the gym? Google maps it and take a lime. Absolutely stoked, almost died in traffic on the way in. 10/10

Source: Google

★ 2

Terrible waiver system

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★ 5

Cool walls with frequent resets, multiple orientations and varied grades, including on a giant overhang they call The Beast. Free classes like handstands and circuits are awesome too

Source: Google

★ 5

Amazing place. Amazing people. This is a true gem of DC. There is so much included in the membership that you could easily go every day and the staff are always super friendly. If I could rate higher I would 🤌

Source: Google

★ 5

Flew in for a weekend and had a really good time here Saturday afternoon. The workers were super nice, there is a ton of climbing, and a bunch of other amenities. Really enjoyed The Beast, great overhang climbing. The workers gave me a little tour and were really helpful. Even with a lot of people at the gym it didn't feel crowded, there is just so much space for activities here.

Source: Google

★ 5

I can only speak of the bouldering parts of this gym and not the yoga parts.

I came in as a one-time visitor and thought that a $35 day pass was very steep, even though they included free rentals for me as a first-time visitor. However, this gym does offer quite a decent amount of square footage of climbing wall, as well as great workout equipment. The gym was clean, the staff was friendly, and the signage was clear.

I really enjoyed the “tunnel”, which is an overhang area where the floor mats follow the wall up, so they can set overhung routes of various lengths. I’ve only been able to enjoy longer overhang routes while lead climbing in other gyms so this was a really nice treat at a bouldering gym.

Source: Google

★ 3

I enjoyed the gym but had a pretty serious ankle sprain and stopped. This was on a low (3ft?) fall. I just met someone else who had a friend break their ankle here a few months back. I asked if they'd written a review and they said no.

I don't know if it's the gym or the sport but to me not addressing that kind of injury rate is unacceptable. If it's user error there should be more (than the current zero) guidance around how to safely fall.

Edit: I should note this is as a mid-30s man, and was after ~1.5 yrs of 3-4x weekly 1-2 hr climbing sessions, slash a general life of serious athletics.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

Absolutely lovely place to work out - the staff and instructors are amazing, and the members are all respectful no matter how familiar you are with climbing.

Source: Google

★ 5

Fantastic and engaging instructors, staff, and classes. I appreciate the facilities and community feel. My kids enjoy it too. Membership provides best value.

Source: Google

★ 5

Cool gym! They also have lots of classes other than the climbing which is nice. I do wish it had lead climbing but I love being able to bike there, so happy bouldering now.

Source: Google

★ 5

You can climb up and down

Source: Google

★ 5

Bouldering Project is a great gym that has a lot to offer. The classes are super high quality, the bouldering routes are rotated often, and has a decent sized fitness area (your traditional lifting weights gym area). It can get crowded around 6-7pm on weekdays, but people are courteous and respectful. I wish there was a top roping section, but don't think that's in the cards.

Source: Google

★ 5

litty

Source: Google

★ 5

fun climbs, classes, events, community, nearby food, this gym has it all! Except for a leg press machine can we get one of those please?

Source: Google

★ 5

I had an absolutely fantastic time at the Boulder Project’s two-hour bouldering rock climbing clinic! As a beginner, it was the perfect opportunity to not only learn but also gain the confidence to push myself further. The coaches were amazing, providing clear, constructive feedback that really helped me improve. They made sure to support each climber and encouraged us to embrace the challenge, even when things got tough.

What really stood out to me was the sense of community. Everyone—no matter their skill level—was so supportive, cheering each other on, sharing tips, and lifting each other up. It felt like such a positive, welcoming space to grow and learn.

I loved how this clinic helped me build confidence, not just in my climbing skills but also in trusting the process and being okay with taking a step back and asking for advice when I needed it. The climbing challenges were tough but rewarding, and it felt great to keep going, knowing I was part of such an encouraging group.

Boulder Project has truly become my home away from home, and I can’t wait to attend the next Boldering event! If you’re looking for a supportive and fun environment to challenge yourself and grow, this place is it. Highly recommend it to anyone!

Source: Google

★ 5

Lit

Source: Google

★ 3

Well maintained gym. BUT: It kinda feels like this place is always looking to fleece you as much as they can.

What business isn't, you might ask? Fair enough. But all their policies around billing seem designed to be as inflexible and greedy as possible--

No pauses on annual memberships, even for injuries with doctor's notes. No sharing multi-visit packs. Surprise auto-billing of annual memberships, even when it went from $1100 to $1445 year-over-year.

When you raise concerns on these sorts of things with the front desk staff, they exchange knowing glances and wince a bit when relating their policies.

But they have a bit of a monopoly on plastic climbing within DC boundaries, so I guess they're milking it (and you) for every penny.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great staff, good location, good facilities. Sauna is a huge perk. Only note is that the crash pads are starting to look at little worn (not at all dangerous, just worn). Good sign that the place is heavily used. Love the setting.

Source: Google

★ 5

Kato gave excellent customer service along with a few helpful tips and making sure your okay.

Source: Google

★ 2

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★ 4

The bouldering routes are fun and rotated frequently. They have a good variety of grades. It’s the only gym in a reasonable distance from me so it’s really the one I have to go to if I want to climb.

The gym can get busy and it doesn’t seem like the staff pays much attention to when there are unsupervised children running around/ I’ve had multiple instances were children aren’t being supervised and are running under climbers, this is also seen for new climbers wearing rentals that clearly haven’t been told about fall zones. The membership prices continue to increase without any new amenities or improvements to the gym (it’s freezing inside in the winter and hot inside in the summer). It’s too bad they don’t have much parking available in the area since it isn’t too close to a metro stop.

Source: Google

★ 3

40% of the gym is bouldering, 10% is campus board and kilter board. The rest is weights, yoga and other fitness things. This gym is conveniently located, but movement crystal city has more climbing training and is less expensive. Makes sense why it’s not crowded: the price per sq ft of climbing isn’t good

Source: Google

★ 3

Revised my review from 2 years ago of 5 stars down to 3. This is a cool facility but has some major flaws.

The biggest issue is that the gym continues to cater more and more to non-climbers. The hangboards and kilter board have been moved into a dark basement corner of the gym while things like co-working space, yoga, and other general gym equipment takes priority over the actual climbing facility.

The routes are extremely sparse and there are probably only 5-10 pink tags in the entire gym. Some of the movement is a bit compy for my taste but that may suit some people. We also found many of the routes a bit odd and some of them pretty morpho for my wife he is on the shorter side. A few extra well placed foot chips would make the problems more accessible without taking away from the difficulty for others.

Overall this is a cool facility, but I really hope they start treating it more like a bouldering gym.

Source: Google

★ 5

My wife and I were in DC for 5 weeks, and DC Bouldering Project was one of the best parts of our trip. Really going to miss this place. The gym is really spacious, clean, and never overcrowded. I didn't Boulder, only exercised and did a lot of group classes. The staff is super kind and helpful. Big shout out to Coach Byrd! Thanks DCBP.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 1

I won a 10 day hospital stay after falling from a downclimb and absolutely decimating my tibia. It required surgery and two months later I'm still unable to walk. Judging by the story of a broken ankle in the Google reviews, its not just me. Especially since, I broke my leg in early April and the other review was posted in May.

I hope management is reviewing the incident reports their staff takes to figure out how to make their gym safer. That said, the employees were really nice and helpful when I was hurt.

But yeah, 0/10 recommend if you like having your bones intact.

Edit on Sept. 2024: I can finally walk again. Hope they got better crash mats by now lol.

Source: Google

★ 5

I have been going to BPDC for about 6 months now, and I love every visit! They offer access memberships (which I am a part of at a 40% discount) for those that cannot practically afford the admittedly high membership cost which is super great. Acknowledging that climbing and fitness is not exclusive for those of higher incomes is great.

I climb about 3-4 days a week and attend 3-4 yoga classes as well. During those visits I also take advantage of the sauna in the locker room which is clean and well maintained. The setting is great for a newer person like me, and found their grading system is super helpful for tracking progress.

There are plenty of free things included with your membership like fitness/yoga classes, a few climbing classes and community events. The space is a bit tight at times, but there has never ever been anyone who does not let me jump in on a problem if our projects are near each other or even overlapping.

Source: Google

★ 3

Best gym I’ve been to for bouldering, but they sold out with the prices. They have gone up nearly 1.5x since opening. If you want to be a gym of the people, you need to be for the people. $1500 a year to climb is unreasonable!

Source: Google

★ 3

Really nice bouldering gym but its way too expensive...

Source: Google

★ 5

This place is amazing from top to bottom, the beast is unique, there is a decent amount of climbing space, the gym area is nice, it is very clean. And the staff are some of the nicest I've met in a climbing gym. The only thing is it can get cramped when it is peak hours. But in general, it is a great gym and I'm happy I have my annual membership.

Source: Google

★ 3

Not a terrible gym. Good music, good setting, very interesting long bouldering cave where the floor follows the wall up. The issue with this gym is that they have a ton of area but decided to build a huge workout area, two yoga/class rooms, chilling areas, and big locker rooms in. It feels like more of a fashionable urban gym vs a bouldering gym. With all that the actual climbing area was pretty small.

Source: Google

★ 4

it’s a nice gym but the last 5 times i’ve been here they have been working on most of the wall. really think that should be done after hours considering the $130 a month price tag.

also the work takes up much more space than needed, really quite frustrating to show up and not be able to climb. if it keeps up not sure i will continue my membership.

Source: Google

★ 5

Such a great gym! The staff are so nice to me, especially the supervisor Kato! I feel like I'm part of a family here with how much they care for their guests!

Source: Google

★ 5

Such a fun place to climb and workout. They have a few different climbing areas, free weights section, and a couple yoga studios. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend!

Source: Google

★ 5

Great spot for climbing, was able to try it out through the day pass. Offers other amenities besides climbing, super friendly staff too.

Source: Google

★ 5

Joined this bouldering gym after my second visit. Love the welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, and the music reflects the eclectic tastes of a Gen Z/Millennial clientele. The members and staff all contribute to help beginners quickly learn bouldering fundamentals. The weight lifting area, yoga studio, and sauna are huge bonuses and service all of my fitness needs.

Source: Google

★ 5

Love it, the route setting is creative and I've met so many cool people. Great community. The frequent events are fun too. Ideal for people looking to make friends while working on their fitness.

Source: Google

★ 5

Great gym, was here for a month and I am going to miss it. Staff was friendly, routes were diverse and challenging, and the facility was clean. Would recommend.

Source: Google

★ 5

The hours were great, the routes were regularly changed and challenging, friendly staff, and a great community for reasonable prices

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 1

Update: it's sad how downhill the business goes. The staff are actually great and this makes me feel terrible but let's call a spade a spade.

I approached the front desk requesting tape, only to be told, "Sorry, we don't have it, but you can buy it. and we find it stupid to give it away when we can sell it ( The idea which oddly resembles one of the oldest professions) " Seriously? It's absurd to prioritize cutting every corner to suck out every single drop of profit over providing essential equipment, and keeping the expected ettiqute, especially in a sport like climbing.

Charging $120 a month and neglecting to supply climbers with tape is simply disrespectful. A roll costs less than $2. Even if every climber were to use a full roll a month (which, let's face it, is never going to happen), the gym would still profit $2 per person. And yet, I didn't spot a single person carrying tape at the gym.

Whoever is making these decisions needs a reality check. It's nonsensical, and it needs to be rectified immediately.

Original review : August 2022 : I was visiting DC for a day and had some time to kill, so tried to give the gym a try. The place is pretty big with super nice staff there are a bunch different zones each one with their own nieche.

The staff also super nice and helpful one of them walked me all the way from one end to the other because I was stranded and needed direction.

The only thing I am not a huge fan of is the grading which is not numbers but brackets but then again when I told that to my gyms manager he said he was thinking of something simillar since he was tired of people complaining about something being a V5 rather than a V3- and whatnot. so...

Source: Google

★ 5

Someone said I got noodle arms so I went. My arms got bigger afterwards. Definitely worth trying

Source: Google

★ 1

It's disappointing to read over the last year or two of reviews and see things have not changed. The gym suffers from extremely limited space for climbing (in a climbing gym!), poor grading within a vague band system, and really awkward/potentially dangerous setting with frequent overlaps over corners, mostly because the gym doesn't have enough space for climbing! The large traditional exercise area is such a waste when you can hardly breathe in the main climbing areas during busy evening hours.

At $119 a month, the gym is ridiculously expensive for what it provides. Compared to my previous gym in Chicago, where I had access to MUCH larger spaces with better setting across FOUR different locations, the value proposition for DCBP is underwater. Everyone is nice and some of the events are cute, but the fundamentals of this gym are not aligned for it to be a CLIMBING gym, instead of a more generic fitness/lifestyle space that offers some climbing. The location has a lot of potential but the gym is just not built to be a primary climbing gym, even for a casual/intermediate climber like me, which is incredibly disappointing. Unfortunately, I'll have to cancel my membership and rely on free guest passes/go to Movement across the river when I get the itch to climb going forward.

Edit: Reduced another star because business failed to actually address any of this feedback, instead insisting a minor part of my review was the issue because it simply "wasn't for me," while ignoring the poor safety and uncomfortable climbing experience the gym provides through its poor layout and setting.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

I’m in from out of town and was looking for a good bouldering gym. I am a movement member in Chicago but decided to take the risk and try building project instead….. it did not disappoint! I had so much fun on the beast I ran out of time to check out the other part of the gym lol. Highly recommend coming here. They even give free chalk and shoe rental for your first visit - which made coming from out of town even better. Also super friendly staff :)

Source: Google

★ 4

Fills the much-needed niche of a downtown DC climbing gym for urbanites without cars. Visited during a Valentine's day 2-for-1 day pass special and had a phenomenal time. The routes were clean, imaginative, and each attempt was a blast, even if you knew you were going to send it. The long inverted tunnel is a fun feature that I've never seen at another gym.

However, it comes at a price point that will shock most.

If you live anywhere except the heart of downtown DC, you'll probably get more out of a membership at Movement, but that's not to say you shouldn't branch out and take advantage of the special deals occasionally offered here.

Source: Google

★ 5

This is easily the coolest gym I've ever joined- the community is unmatched and they really have something for everyone!

The climbing walls are changed weekly, they offer a wide range of fitness classes, weight lifting, and they even have a remote workspace area.

I spend countless hours here each week!!! Couldn't speak more highly of this place and their staff!!! :))

Source: Google

★ 5

Stopping by during a business trip in DC: Had an amazing time at DC bouldering project. Basically, anything you would expect from a bouldering gym, plus more. The roof (aka the beast) is a bliss 👌🏻. The staff is super kind and incredibly friendly.

Source: Google

★ 3

Good gym, great staff, members come last.

I've climbed here for 2+ years but would change gyms in a heartbeat if another one opened in the city. While the people and staff are great, ownership and management have made it consistently clear that the average, paying member is not their priority to cater to.

Sections of the gym are frequently closed off for people paying for classes. The gym hosts teams and after school programs that overcrowd the spaces with children during peak hours. Supervision of the under-12s is lackluster and mostly unenforced, creating an unsafe and frustrating climbing experience for adults seeking to get a workout in. It's not uncommon for climbing to be completely inaccessible for days at a time because they have decided to host tournaments or events with the goal of increasing revenue, not improving its members' experience.

The gym is mostly good in a lot of ways, but if you come here to climb, come with the expectation of being a reluctant guest at a child's birthday party hosted at a McDonald's play place. You might enjoy yourself, you might leave after 30 minutes because it's just not worth the hassle.

Source: Google

★ 3

Gym is good. But at $130 per month a bit expensive.

Source: Google

★ 5

Took the intro class and it was great. Owen was patient without being doting, demonstrated techniques, and ensured we had a great time. If you're thinking of doing it, sign up! Just go a half size up on the shoes.

Source: Google

★ 2

I've been trying to determine what I don't love about this gym for a while and I think I've finally figured it out. There is not a great selection of holds (where are all of the crimps? the pinches? pockets?) and it seems like most climbs consist of slopers, volumes, or big awkward holds. I do agree with other reviews that say the setting is creative, but not in a good way. I think the lack of hold selection really limits the kinds of problems that can be set, which often results in the setting feeling awkward or sometimes just straight up dangerous. If there is a more delicate crimpy route set there is also inevitably a huge hold from an overlapping problem preventing you from keeping your body close to the wall.

The thing that bothers me the most is that I don't feel safe on a lot of the climbs, which is not something I've experienced to this degree in any other climbing gym, and seems like it's been progressively getting worse. I've bailed on climbs more times than I can count either because the body positioning required is just not safe for your joints, or puts you in a position to potentially take a really bad fall. Combined with the fact that a lot of the sketchy moves are at the top of the wall it's just a recipe for injury. I am a physical therapist so I admit I might be more in tune to this than most. But I think the dangerous setting comes down to limited hold types and overall small amount of wall to set on.

The one thing I do really like is the kilter board, it's a solid piece of equipment and most likely where I will be spending my time going forward.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 1

$37 for a day pass is absolutely insane

Source: Google

★ 5

very good climbing experience! the staff is incredibly helpful and wants to make sure you're safe and having a good experience

Source: Google

★ 3

Average bouldering gym that has a lot of potential. Very large space, but very little climbing.

The exercise area is huge, probably two or three times larger than most climbing gyms of similar size. The main climbing area (the east wing) is about the same size as the exercise area, and much of the main climbing area has no walls in favor of space for slackline, ping pong, and empty space. The empty space would be valuable if it kept people from sitting on the mats, crowding the wallls, but it doesn't.

There's a wall on one side and two boulder islands, with a gap in the middle and plate glass windows on the opposite side. Instead of prioritizing a view into the gym and non-climbing activities in this area, the slack-line and ping-pong could be moved elsewhere, the boulder islands could be closer to the exterior wall, and more wall could be built in between. The exterior glass wall looking into the airy bouldering area and the exercise area gives the impression that potential for climbing has been sacrificed for aesthetics and the possibility to be seen by passersby.

The other side of the gym features a ramp with a continuous overhang above it, a training area (Kilter board, campus board, etc.) and two small slab areas, one of which has a very tight layout that forces crowding. The main climbing area also gets very crowded, in part due to chokepoints between the main wall and the two boulder islands, and in part because of people simply crowding the walls (probably since the climbable area is so limited).

Beside adopting a more efficient layout in the climbing areas to fit more climbing, the exercise area is also suitably tall for climbing and could be converted in part or in total. The space under the ramp that is currently a cramped slab climbing area would be suitable for a more modest exercise area, more similar in size to other climbing gyms. Meanwhile, there is a space with a large table for people to work, spaces with couches and chairs for people to relax, etc. I know many people appreciate these amenities and this style, but I would prefer for the climbing gym to be more focused on climbing. If the gym would like to offer ping pong, then let it compete with space for working remotely or lounging rather than climbing space.

Due to the limited climbing, it is very easy to climb out the whole gym between sets and be waiting for several sessions to even have one or two new boulders to challenge yourself with. I end up spending a significant amount of sessions on the Kilter board to avoid the chokepoints and crowding, but also to simply have new problems to try.

I've seen much smaller gyms manage to set as many problems as this gym by adopting efficient layout and wall geometry (e.g. GP-81 in NYC, Rock Oasis in Toronto, The Circuit Bouldering Gym in Portland, the list goes on).

Unfortunately the reality of the situation is that it's the best DC has to offer by virtue of being the *only* climbing gym in DC proper; unbelievable. Traveling to other gyms will require you to negotiate beltway traffic, which means you might be driving or taking the train up to an hour or more each way to get in a session after work. Not practical.

P.S. This gym occasionally hosts birthday parties and allows them to climb in the main climbing area. IMO no gym should, and many don't. Those that don't seem to manage financially just fine. I have no problem with youth climbers, but kids coming to a birthday party do not understand etiquette and safety, and parents frequently (and often even gym staff) seem uninterested in enforcing discipline, even in dangerous situations.

P.P.S. This is a nitpick, but the hold library seems limited. Almost every time a problem of a particular color comes down, a new one goes up using very similar holds. For example, for the past month or two there has been two pink problems composed of large slopers and one pink problem composed of small edges. Grading is by color, so there may never be a "pink difficulty" problem with pinches.

Source: Google

★ 5

Best bouldering gym I've been to in USA or Europe in over 15 years of climbing

Source: Google

★ 5

The people are amazing, the staff are so genuinely helpful, the setters are thoughtful and creative, but most importantly there is a kid named Reina on the team who is the best.

Source: Google

★ 5

I love visiting new climbing gyms when I travel, and I think this is the only one that I’ve ever had gym envy over! The amenities are wild, and I thought the setting was thoughtful and creative. They clearly have the $$$ to spend on big fiberglass holds and dualtex volumes, and I found myself enjoying the warm up routes just as much as my limit level. I can see how the advanced climber would chew through all of the sets though, especially considering the actual bouldering areas are fairly small relative to the massive gym space. I can also see how that would make it very crowded during peak hours. But I went at midday and didn’t find it overwhelming at all. I’m looking forward to coming back when I visit next!

Source: Google

★ 5

Amazing place to share good moments with friends. It has several rooms for bouldering, yoga, fitness…
Bouldering routs are awesome as well as the atmosphere and the staff working there… highly recommended!!

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★ 4

It’s a great bouldering gym, but gets way too crowded in the evenings

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★ 5

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★ 2

I got in for free and it still cost too much. The idea of spending $30 for a day pass is obscene. I’ve been climbing for 15 years and have gone to gyms all over and this is bar none the worst. For the variety of holds, volumes, and wall angles the setting was either awkward, boring, or morpho. I had such high expectations for DCBP since SBP is one of the best gyms in the country, but alas, this place was bad. Skip it!

Front desk staff was great +1 star for them

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★ 3

Relaxed social atmosphere and staff makes an effort to listen to feedback. Gym tends to run hotter than usual comfort levels in the summer, which is not ideal in DC weather. However overall a good place for beginner and intermediate climbers.

My biggest gripe is that the amount of higher grade climbs is quite low and the grade bands are very wide. Wish for V grades rather than color bands. Advanced climbers can find themselves quickly exhausting all the harder grades. Would greatly appreciate if this could be addressed so that climbers of all levels are challenged appropriately. Thank you!

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★ 5

Fantastic gym with very reasonable pricing and a wide variety of activities. Machines, free weights, climbing, yoga , strength &cardio classes, all included. I highly recommend it!

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★ 5

Amazing intro to bouldering class with dishal (sp?) can’t wait to go back and try out yoga and the gym

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★ 5

Amazing 🤩 Experience!! I loved climbing and using my brain to figure out where to climb w friends

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 3

Decent boulders and workout space. But not enough to justify a $29 day pass.

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★ 5

I love this place! And i also had a Intro to Climbing lesson with Jake - he was excellent! He is so passionate about this sport and it was a super helpful lesson. Thank you to him and the team at DC Bouldering!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Jake at the front desk was a GEM. Had a great time climbing here!!

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★ 5

Great experience I did a heated yoga course. The place was beautiful and the instructor was great. Would recommend taking the class here

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★ 4

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★ 1

I jumped down from a climb and landed on something hard in the mat and BROKE MY ANKLE. I’ve been climbing for years and nothing like this has ever happened to me before. 10/10 would not recommend.

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★ 1

I would give DC Bouldering zero stars if I could. The women’s sauna is DOWN this week and the manager on-site (Spencer) wants to offer no compensation for annual members. No complementary beverage, snack, or small apparel item was offered when asked for. It was almost as if I was an inconvenience to them when they didn’t even know about the sauna being down in the first place. HORRIBLE. Not renewing membership.

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★ 5

Cool space! Highly recommend the intro-to-climbing package for anyone who is new and interested in learning more about climbing! It’s a very low stakes and fun environment! Lots to explore!

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★ 2

Not a bad place if you want a little of everything. Just came for bouldering and it was disappointing. 30$ entry for a fairly small surface area, around 12-15 climbs per grade, and the setting is not very interesting.

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★ 5

Super friendly staff, consistently clean locker rooms, amazing buddy pass perk (2x month and super easy to bring a friend!). Two main climbing rooms and an awesome cave to climb upside down. Climbing routes change consistently and frequently, (~1.5 - 2weeks or so, rotating routes throughout the gym).

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★ 4

Update: I've seen some improvements here lately. Thanks guys!

+++++++++++++++
Although I live climbing here, the shift in management from Brooklyn Boulders to Building Project has been a bit of a mess.

The main problem might be that the BB staff was so effective. Everything worked as planned, routes were always fresh, problems seen and fixed.

BP has had a long time to get things together and have done ok. But it's wildly inconsistent. Caulk today, not tomorrow, broken equipment, 2 months of weird construction site and unfinished projects, seemingly slower turnover with routes, blank walls, and maybe most importantly poor communication. The staff don't know their own policies - kids camp, towels, chalk, safety demos. When there is an issue, like blank walls for a month, an email about a big push to change routes that never materialized, there was no communication about what was going wrong.

I like the staff. They are very nice so I don't mean to throw them under the bus. But better management is likely need.

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★ 5

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★ 5

I usually climb at crystal city movement but really love the bouldering here. The routes are very accessible and feel very inclusive, especially for short climbers like myself. You can tell that they have at least one female routesetter on staff. At other bouldering gyms, I always feel like a failure and a bad climber, even though I climb fine outdoors. Really appreciate the creative and accessible routesetting here. They make boulderimg fun!

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 5

Buenas vías ⭐⭐⭐. Calidad en las rutas. Las presas se ven nuevas . El mejor rocódromo para hacer bouldering en DC.

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★ 1

👎

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★ 1

Staff are rude, there is very little equipment for workouts, and the walls are pretty scarce. To give you an idea of how bad it is, there is a large bulk of gym equipment that they have put inside a group fitness room that is encumbered for usually at least three hours during peak fitness room use, and staff don’t allow you to grab small equipment inside the room, and as far as I know haven’t considered alternatives. There’s never any room to use the meager and often broken equipment during peak hours, you’re going to have to wait, and classes always go late/ there’s no respect for folks waiting to use equipment. I’ve had memberships all over the place in DC at other climbing gyms and regular gyms including earth treks, LA fitness, Lifetime, golds, body smith, elevate, etc. and this is the worst gym I’ve been to. I’ve had time while waiting to use equipment to write this entire review, and have dozens of times, and finally decided to do it. If you can avoid this gym and find another I highly suggest it.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Beautiful climbing center. All levels are welcome, many types of route. Important gym space with a complete equipment. Very nice team…. What else!!! Will definitely come back!!!

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Amazing gym. Super helpful staff and good route difficulty and terrain range. Not just for climbing as their gym is pretty nice too.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 5

Awesome facility with a great variety of problems to try. The problems had an outdoor style feel that involved fun technique for me.

I really appreciated the staff too. My partner and I are from Canada and visited DC for a trip and decided to check out a climbing gym. We really enjoyed the music and had emailed a few days later asking what playlist they had playing. Got a prompt reply back and they looked into exactly the time we climbed and checked in and pin pointed who's playlist was playing.

Great service, if we ever move to DC I know what our gym will be!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Absolutely amazing, 5 stars for the facility and 6 stars for the incredible people there, such an awesome experience, highly recommend going.

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★ 5

Friendly staff and super fun climbs. Also the best youth programs if you have a kid!

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★ 5

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★ 5

Best place to boulder in the city. Amazing staff, great routes, the sauna is awesome, and everyone is super friendly

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★ 5

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★ 3

Edit 8.10.22- old review deleted

Since the SBP acquisition I’ve seen some great improvements, now opens at 6:00am (huge!), the silly “Xboards” are being torn down, hiring of female route setter. All great things! There are still some things I would like to see improved to be a 5-star gym.

Route setting has improved a lot since the gym opened. This may be, in part, due to getting the route-setters a wider variety of holds. In recent months, there have even been more technical slabs on the slab walls. Much appreciated, route-setting team! Ya’ll are great!

For a 5-star review, I would like to see:

Greater safety training for new climbers or a way to prevent people from walking under me when I climb. Too dangerous, and happens too often at DCBP. New climbers are great, we need to welcome them by teaching good safety practices!

Better use of space- maybe put up another wall.

A training area with multiple hangboards and a spray-wall.

Turn down the heat, especially in the winter. Why pay for heating to make the gym over 90F in the winter? Open the garage doors, and you can make it the perfect temp (cold) for free!

Daily cleaning of the yoga room floor. Its nasty, I use a saniwipe to clean the floor around my mat before I do yoga, and still is gross.

Greater communication from MGMT. An employee theft using master key of climber belongings out of a locked locker rattled my confidence in accountability systems. I no longer trust the lockers. Others at gym are concerned, too. Communicate with us about what happened, and how we can be sure it wont happen again! Maybe need managerial approval for master key, or video-log of master key, or something!

Turn down the volume. Often, I can’t even hear my buddy who is right next to me over the music. It hurts my ears, too. It’s a bouldering gym, not a night club.

Sell useful stuff at the front (books, chalk, tape, brushes) when I need things, you don’t have them, so I buy from REI. I wouldn’t mind paying an extra dollar to buy them at the gym… if the gym sold these things.

Add more brushes! I can never seem to find one, and usually climb a nearby route and use my hand brush to clean.

More pull-up bars!

More yoga classes! Also Genevieve, specifically, is an outstanding instructor but only teaches once per week. She’s awesome! When you get outstanding instructors, make the most of them!

Pare down some weirdly specific gym equipment, like the rope-pull. I’d rather have more space in the gym.

There are awesome boulders in MD, PA and WV. The DCBP community is largely disconnected from them. Help connect the community. Bouldering is about boulders!

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★ 3

Incredible facility with top notch route setting, however serious issues with air quality and ventilation in the bouldering area really hamper this gym. While most of the workout area, co-working space, and entrance appears to be well ventilated and has great A/C, for whatever reason the main bouldering area is sweltering hot, and seems to have almost no ventilation, despite massive HVAC units and piping just overhead. Would be a 5-star review otherwise.

Aside from this, the amenities available like co-working, sauna, yoga, and towel service, they really hit it out of the park.

The staff, location, and especially setting have all been standouts for me. Boulder problems have been fresh, and creative with interesting low starts, good movement, and excellent space to climb and socialize in the main area.

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★ 5

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★ 5

My friends and I had so much fun at Brooklyn Boulders! The facility is beautiful and the staff was incredibly inviting. They were so willing to help and give tips when we needed it and made the experience an all around amazing time. Big shoutout to Jake for showing us around and being a great instructor. I will definitely be back!

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★ 5

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★ 5

I am a member since it was just a project, I was not very happy with the transition from BKB to Bouldering Project but things are settled now. The staff is just amazing. I climb with my 6y and my 10y, they always enjoy themselves and have done the camps. In terms of the problems I think the setters do an amazing job at keeping everyone in mind, from skill to body composition. They also keep thinking of very creative ways to engage. I personally love doing traverse circuits to build my endurance. Absolutely worth my money!

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★ 5

Cool bouldering gym.

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★ 5

As someone new to the sport this place was excellent! Great introduction to the all of the options of where to climb and very comfortable overall environment.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Fun place for bouldering and working out, would recommend!

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★ 5

Loved it

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★ 5

Excellent climbing facility. Friendly people. Good vibes.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Best bouldering gym in DC proper, amazingly friendly staff, great routesetting, awesome community!

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★ 5

Love it. Staff are awesome

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★ 3

I joined BKB as an early member. The gym is conveniently located for me and I was excited to have bouldering as well. Also this area is in gym desert so really a great add to the area. Overall, the gym is clean, the staff are friendly, and its a popular location. However, there are several problems that new Bouldering Project owners need to fix ASAP.

My biggest complaint is the physical layout of the gym itself. It’s pretty obvious when you walk in the door. The weight and cardio area is very challenging. Lack of mirrors, weights, and general layout makes this space very frustrating. There are two studios (one group workout and one yoga) that beyond classes (haven’t tried) are also not utilized well. Throw in a lounge and three climbing boards (with ipads) that aren't used much; you’ll be left with the feeling that this could have been much better organized. The two climbing boards at the back of the fitness center are rarely used and would be a great place to expand the fitness center.

When BKB was selling me on a membership, there was no shortage of promises made of new gym equipment and a wishlist of potential new layout. None of that has come to fruition.

I really wanted to love this gym, and desperately want to stay a member. New ownership needs to get going on changes, and fast. I’ll reiterate how attractive the fitness center/gym aspect is given the total lack of that in the area.

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★ 5

Great place! Lovely staff, facilities, and climbers. Highly recommend - even for first timers!

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★ 5

Shout out to the desk workers up front
I'm nice at ping pong

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

It's so exciting to have a bouldering gym in DC! The staff were friendly and helpful and the gym itself was clean, well organized and offered a fun variety of climbing routes at different skill levels. I also appreciate that the gym focuses on bouldering. All in all a great experience. I'll definetly be going back.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Great bouldering gym! Really enjoyed the traverse routes especially!

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★ 3

The space is amazing, the routes are not.

Having been bouldering in both Portland, OR and Seattle, I was expecting a similar experience. I visited multiple times, thinking maybe my disappointment was just because I was out of practice. But no, when I brought a friend with me who’d also been bouldering multiple times at a better place, they agreed, and affirmed my experience: the routes here are bad, at least, for shorter and lower-level climbers.

It seems to be a case of the routes being more a text of strength and height than actually being a puzzle to solve. There is a *Massive* shift in grips that are used beyond only the lowest grade of routes, and many routes simply are not achievable for shorter people unless you are a significantly more experienced climber.

Every time I’ve gone climbing here, both before and after the DC Bouldering Project acquisition, has left me feeling frustrated—and the more I realize this, the less interested I am in going back.

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★ 4

Great and convenient bouldering gym! Facilities are modern and clean. We looove the sauna. I’m new to bouldering so the intro class they offer free to members has made it a fun and easy new hobby to pick up.
Even if going for general fitness, they offer a decent variety of yoga classes and the gym equipment is often available.

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★ 4

please stop playing the mama mia sound track.

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★ 4

Good.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Some top notch bouldering 👌. A bit pricey but everything's like that here on the coast unfortunately.

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★ 5

Great place, super well equipped, very chill vibes.

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★ 5

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★ 3

Really nice facility, awesome sport climbing training section. The bouldering routes were lacking though and felt very cramped / too many traverses running into other problems. I wasn’t allowed to use my friend’s guest pass and had to pay $30 because he wasn’t around. At no other location is this the policy. I also had to wait 20 minutes before I could start bouldering to “learn how to fall” despite bouldering weekly for months and having been to other locations. I signed the waiver so let me climb!

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★ 5

Very welcoming with plenty of good routes for true beginners.

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★ 5

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★ 4

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★ 2

I joined BKB as a “founding member” before the gym had even opened up. The gym is conveniently located for me and I was excited to try bouldering (new climber here). Also this area is kinda gym desert (Other gym companies, if you are listening, open up some gyms in NoMa/Union Market!!). Overall, the gym is clean, the staff are friendly, and its a popular location. However, there are several problems and for the reasons listed below I will not be renewing my membership:

My biggest complaint is the physical layout of the gym itself. Many people agree with me when I say that the gym seems to be in an identity struggle. It wants to be both a climbing gym and a regular gym; and unfortunately its too small for both. The weight and cardio area just sucks. Lack of mirrors, weights, and general layout makes this space very frustrating. There are two studios (one group workout and one yoga) but there are few class offerings. The climbing areas seem to take up the majority of the gym but in general there really isn’t much of that either. You’ll find yourself dodging people when attempting to do a route. The “beast” looks really cool, but I rarely see people actually using it and it kinda feels like more space that could have been used for normal climbing. Throw in a lounge and three climbing boards (with ipads) that aren't used much; you’ll be left with the feeling that this could have been much better organized.

Growing pains. It’s a new gym and there are always going to be growing pains, but it does detract from the overall experience. There are few classes offered and the app can be difficult to use. The water pressures in the showers are weak. Communication has gotten better but there were some long periods where I didn’t hear anything and few times is feedback requested. Also the included “intro to climbing class” offered was sorta useless. We got about 15 minutes of instruction and then we just all climbed on our own. Not much info on technique and not well organized.

I really wanted to love this gym, but BKB needed to focus on one thing and one thing only.

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★ 3

As has been mentioned here already, the amount of bouldering space makes the fitness area extremely limited. Additionally, the amount of people who walk around shoeless and put their feet all over the equipment is odd and kind of gross despite posted signs asking them to wear shoes.

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★ 4

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★ 5

Wonderful experience never tried rock climbing before I'll definitely be back guys

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★ 3

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

The staff are absolutely fantastic. We have a six-year-old who goes to both the kids academy and adventure days, and they are so patient with him and supportive, even when he is working through some challenges. I highly recommend BKB Eckington and am thankful for all the hard work they're putting into their youth programming.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

Love this place!

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★ 5

I have a BKB membership in Chicago and decided to check this site out. Despite the strange setup (east and west bouldering walls on opposite ends of the gym), really enjoyed the routes and the variety of options.

In terms of the A-G scale that others are complaining about, I personally enjoy it. It gets my head locked out of what I can or cannot do, and then it also gives me permission to just enjoy the climb and not be focused on the grade. I know other gyms that do a similar scaling method (of different levels including 2-3 V grades) do typically record a specific V grade for their books. Not sure how one could access that info though.

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★ 5

Super nice and welcoming! Good mix of stuff for beginners and up

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 2

UPDATE:

Jo, with all due respect, that’s a non-answer. The local ordinance removes the requirement of masks indoors but gives businesses the space to make their own policies. BKB has chosen risk over customers safety. Your message is condescending “I know this is emotive”. I’m not emotive. I’m tired of corporations making internal policy decisions that threaten my life. Your engagement on this has been truly abysmal. Maybe you all should go back to Brooklyn & start over.

After speaking with a few staff members here, who pushed the leadership team to keep in place a mask requirement, it’s clear the leaders of BKB have decided not to listen to their staff or their members.

I’m really frustrated with Brooklyn boulders. I reached out about their recent policy change to not require masks in the gym, and was given the run around & a series of excuses. The ultimate message I received from their community response team was “well you can wear a mask if you want to” and that was it. I was asked to do a 3 month pause on my membership in lieu of cancelling, which is a sad solution for a policy issue on BKB’s part.

We are still in a pandemic. New variants are popping up, and DC community transmission is close to our previous high points. the leadership at BKB are putting people at risk and trying to maintain their bottom line. Please note this as you consider which gym to join. The high price tag here isn’t the only shocking thing about BKB.

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★ 5

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★ 5

I really enjoy it, I do think some of the A routes are more difficult than they should be. It's a little difficult for beginners, but the routes change every few weeks so it is fun to challenge yourself. The staff are really friendly, facilities are clean. Close to buses and NoMa metro. I wish it had a bit more variety of weight machines. I haven't taken the fitness classes yet, it was cancelled without notice when I tried to go to one. But hopefully that is a one time thing.

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★ 4

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★ 4

Immaculate facility with decent (but small) gym, OK bouldering, and very friendly staff. The layout of everything is just a bit funky, but it seems like management is responsive and actively trying to improve.

Some minor suggestions include: offering duplicates of lower-weight dumbbells (maybe you could tuck another rack somewhere in the group fitness room?), providing a trap bar, and adding some basic weight machines (lat pulldown/row combo, leg press, etc.). Maybe they could be added in small clusters on the second floor to break up congestion in the lifting space? I never see people use that couch just up the stairs...

I would also love to see more HIIT classes added to the calendar - there is only one per week at the moment and it is always booked well in advance (it is also 45 minutes, which seems pretty long for HIIT).

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★ 5

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★ 5

Brand new gym in a great location. Staff are very helpful and knowledgeable.

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★ 3

If you are a new climber/want something fun for the kids for just a day this is a fine place. But even then I’d still just make the commute out to earth treks. TLDR: Lifestyle climbing gym with nice amenities but really strange and poor quality setting.

Pros:
-Sauna
-Nice weight room
-3 moon boards.

Cons
-Endless traverses that means you’re constantly worried about overlapping
-Waste of space. There’s so much area and yet there’s so little relative bouldering area
-Weird comp style problems that aren’t even really that. On the slab wall there were like 3 dyno problems out of 5. Like. Why? And it felt like every other problem in the gym was either a dyno or a traverse.
-Inconsistent grading. Personal preference but using anything but the V scale is just frustrating for tracking progress.

All in all. I get that it’s new. But there’s a lot of room for improvement here to make this a climbing gym and not just a last ditch gym for traveling climbers or a location for parties.

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★ 4

Phenomenal bouldering gym, really love the variety of styles of climbing (comp style, traverse wall, slabs, overhanging, etc). Beautiful, modern interior design with gorgeous murals throughout. I'm not a fan of the band grading system but the route setting is solid, a good mix for climbers of all skill levels. Personally I prefer powder chalk to liquid chalk, but they do not permit powder chalk.

Monthly membership prices are pretty crazy but the day passes are affordable.

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★ 5

No rope climbing, only boulders - like the name suggests. It has lots of routes

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★ 5

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★ 1

I want to love this place, I really do. But there are so many things that make we want to change back to my old gym. I just want to start off that the staff are dope, the artwork is awesome, and the location is great.

Talking with other climbers, we all collectively agree that this rock gym feels like a normal gym with some rock climbing in it. The sauna, studio rooms, and small gym are all good stuff, but I feel like it takes more of the spotlight and space for what could be rock climbing specific.

The first concern I have is the routes/problems in the gym. The A,B,C grading is cool, but why change from the "V" grading system when it works perfectly fine. Also even with the current grading system, the routes aren't even consistent in their respective difficulty. I have read some comments concerning the grading and why it matters. I believe the grading system matters because it's what is used most across the US and if someone wants to visit another gym or even climb outside they would know roughly of their capabilities. Maybe the grading is the way it is because the route setters couldn't pinpoint accurately to the "V" system, I don't know. Secondly, there isn't a lot of space to begin with since its taken up by other stuff that I feel isn't needed (kids gym, 2 studio rooms, etc). There is like no room to climb when multiple people are on the wall. The problem isn't the amount of people, but the fact that routes have to span across other routes due to compensation on poorly used space. This makes people have to end mid way through a send just to let someone else complete. Thirdly, I don't know if setters are just going for aesthetics, but I wish the gym had more diversity in its routes. The holds are the same throughout almost all the routes. Along with that, there are barely any crimps in this gym. Like What!? I am by no means an expert in route setting, but I am begging for more diversity.

As I stated in the beginning, the staff are awesome, kind, and welcoming. But after talking with a majority of them, I have noticed that they either started out climbing or haven't climbed at all. This is frustrating because I've seen staff members give false advise on climbing. I don't think it's safe or reliable for novice climbers to train/teach new people. I also asked for a belt to do weighted campus training/pull-ups and the staff had no idea what that was. In addition, the staff had no idea what climbing tape was or even sold it.

Long story short for the weight training area, it sucks. No duplicates of dumbbells and little space to workout. Also, there are no mirrors to check form.
Im also curious on why this place doesn't have more climbing specific training areas. Like pinch blocks, more pull up bars, belts for weighted training, a pully system to help with pull ups, etc. Again, its dope for studio rooms but 2! Why!? That space could be used for climbing specific training.

I understand that one of the goals is to be beginner friendly, but I feel like this place can do that while accommodating the experienced climbers. I hate to be so negative on this place, but I am not confident that this will make me a better climber. Like myself and others, we want to go this place because its so close to our homes in DC. But each time we go, the drive/bike ride to Earth Treks Crystal city doesn't seem as bad anymore.

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★ 5

Have only been a couple times so far - but have to call out the front desk staff I worked with (Blake and Daniel) for being so genuinely friendly and helpful. Really made me feel part of the community as a new climber. They weren’t “salesy” as I’ve experienced in other gym settings and they answered all my questions.

I signed up for a membership and am so excited to go back as soon as I can lift my arms again :)

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★ 5

Beware the beast 💪🙃

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★ 3

Setting was good when I was there with climbs that had a variety of holds and fun setting. Grade range is too large in my opinion, as each letter (A,B,C,D, etc) correlates to 3 V-grades.

The gym and facilities are super nice however, the two bouldering areas have such a large divide that it’s impractical. To go from one bouldering area to another I have to walk for 3 minutes up 2 stairwells and down a third stairwell.

Finally the price point is just too expensive. I pay 70$ currently for my climbing gym membership in the DC area and will not pay almost double (130$) for their membership. Day passes are also 29$ which is ridiculously high. I hope their ownership recognizes that other climbing gyms in the area have far lower price points (this isn’t New York City where BKB originates). Lower and competitive pricing would be appealing to out of town visitors and the climbing community.

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★ 5

Based on some of the reviews from more experienced climbers, I see some people are highlighting things they don't like. Speaking as a person who has never climbed before, I've really, really enjoyed using this gym. The routes are fun and challenging, and there's enough of them that I never run out. The A/B/C rating system can be inconsistent, but it's not a big deal. The facility is gorgeous, the staff is incredible, and their kids programming is excellent. Great vibes all around. Not sure why people are complaining that the routes are too short. If a route is too short, pick a harder one. Very curious to see how crowded this gym will get in the winter. I like going in the middle of the day or late morning, but I can see how it gets a little bonkers in the evening. I guess that means people like it!

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★ 5

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★ 5

BKB is great! I recently joined after being a member at Earth Treks for a couple years. There are a surprising amount number of routes to climb and there is plenty for people of all skill levels. The regular gym also has everything you would expect. Perhaps the only downside is that it is bouldering only.

Source: Google

★ 4

As a relatively new climber (less than a year of climbing), this gym has been great. The A-C (v0-v4) routes set at opening have been inviting for new comers like myself. The staff has been very friendly and helpful by presenting multiple opportunities to mingle and talk about routes while taking any and all critics. I can confidently say that I've at least tried every A and B, coming back multiple times a week to progress on routes I had trouble with. 2 weeks after opening, some of the walls are getting reset, the density of routes on a wall is growing, and the amount of route overlap (particularly around corners) is being reduced. This is because they are listening to the community! I am very excited to see how the gym grows and how the staff continues to adapt to feedback. My only complaint is that the layout of the traditional gym (cardio and weights) feels really tight, almost always forcing me into the adjacent group exercise room to lift free weights.

Source: Google