★ 3

Vertical rock feels like a coffee shop that happens to have some climbing vs a climbing gym that happens to have a coffee shop. It’s clear the coffee shop is the money maker and priority. I’ve climbed here multiple times since its opening and I don’t think the holds have ever been cleaned. I’ve also never seen any new and exciting holds being set. For being novas first bouldering gym it’s a huge let down. Check out other gyms in the area for a better experience.

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★ 5

I booked an Intro to Bouldering lesson here on Sunday. I had a wonderful time! My instructor Richard was very friendly and helpful.

The gym was clean and well-kept. I saw people of all ages climbing here; it was a welcoming environment. I will definitely be coming back!

Source: Google

★ 2

Small. Inattentive staff that ignore you. A fourth of the gym was closed the second time I went for a change out at 1 PM on a Monday. Most beginner V0-V3’s can be solved by being tall and there aren’t many of them at all. This is a place for a higher level boulderer otherwise you would be wasting your money here. Take the extra time and go to EarthTreks.

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★ 5

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★ 3

Limited gym equipment.

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★ 5

Love coming to this gym..very Challenging climbing routes and cool staff. Also Justin is the man!! He’s a good guy he’ll make u feel welcome when u step in

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★ 4

Have to deduct a star for the music volume - this is a gym, not a music venue. If you're looking for an opportunity to get into your own zen climbing zone this is NOT the place for you unless you dig exactly what they're playing. Admittedly solid tunes, but I really needed a low key climbing day to destress.

Upon walking in I actually had difficulty hearing the staff member's instructions on signing in for the day. Staff, who were friendly, turned the volume down once when I asked politely, but with very soundproof headphones on it still felt like I was battling the very loud background music. I wasn't gonna ask again as I'd made one courtesy request and the rest is up to the gym crew to set the vibes.

Otherwise solid routes, equipment and overall facility.

Please consider your membership. Climbers are a diverse lot and some wanna blast tunes with their headphones, others want a peaceful meditative session. Give'em the opportunity to choose 🤙

Source: Google

★ 5

Good exercise. Great staff.

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★ 5

VR is perhaps the best gym in the area!!

I've been a member for more than a year and I've loved this gym. Everyone in the gym, staff and climbers alike, is awesome!

It's a very casual and wholesome and supportive environment.

I needed to undergo a major surgery this year and I reached out asking to pause my membership due to financial hardship while being disabled -- they got back to me so quickly and paused my membership until I was ready to come back.

I'm THRILLED to be back and to see all the wonderful faces (fake rock & human) and will continue to be a loyal member and bring all my friends 😎

Rock on VR, you're the best.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

My first gym and my home gym for a little under a year. Cool people (shoutout to Vega for the dim garage-style lighting and ambient music) and cool boulders with lots of training options (hangboard and Kilter, two squat racks with two benches, cable machine) - all without ever getting too crowded. Will definitely visit whenever I’m in the area again

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

I signed up for an Intro Climbing Class with Richard and Justin today! This was my first time visiting here. I climbed a couple times elsewhere, but it's been a long time since I had someone guiding me. Richard and Justin were very professional and patient, encouraging us, demoing, also watched you in a distance when you climbed to make sure beginners like me was safe and comfortable. I really enjoyed climbing here. The only thing to note is it's not super spacious given its location. Hence, it can get crowded during the weekends or holidays.

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★ 5

A bouldering gym with a cafe? Superb!

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★ 5

Vertical Rock Tyson's is my home gym, and I climb here about five times a week. Obviously I'm biased, but I love this place. Here's a few specifics:
- location: 5 stars. central in Tysons corner
- staff: 5 stars, super friendly, and accessible for coaching and pointers
- setting: 5 stars. The setting is fun, and on the harder side. The grades tend to be set to an outdoor standard with some flexibility, but usually lots for intermediate/advanced climbers to work on. Some complain about the difficult grading, but, it's just a number - don't get hung up on it or attach ego to it!
- climbing layout: 5 stars. They maximize the small space with a variety of surfaces that are densely packed. Slab, cave, arch, and a variety of angles and hold types
- gym area: 4 stars. This place has a kilter board, and a small but serviceable weight section. EDIT 4/1/25 they now have a hang board!
- coffee: 5/5, great espresso drinks, I usually get an oat cortado before climbing
- events: 5/5 when they have them. I wish there were more, and they're working on having more events

Overall, an awesome community, so happy this gym exists here in Tyson's corner!

Source: Google

★ 5

I have been a member for a little less than a year, and I think there are 2 aspects that give them a 5 star review:

1. Problems are meticulously set, offering a perfect balance for both beginners and seasoned climbers. Each wall is thoughtfully designed, with routes that challenge and inspire climbers to push their limits while still being accessible. It's clear the setters are passionate about their craft and cater to a diverse range of skill levels. While some visitors may consider them to be "stiff", I think the grades are well representations of outdoor grades.
2. The staff is always on hand to offer tips, encouragement, or just chat about the climbs. They genuinely seem to care about every climber’s success and enjoyment, creating a supportive and inclusive community vibe. Whether you're a solo climber or with friends, you’ll feel right at home.

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★ 5

Super fun sets. My wife and I were visiting from CA and thought of checking out a local gym. The sets are pretty challenging and have a lot of variety. Most of the climbing is overhang at different gradients.

Unfortunately my wife fell off the wall towards the end and injured her arm. The staff there were super helpful and came immediately to help with the supplies they had.

Overall a great bouldering gym with helpful, friendly staff. Would definitely go back for bouldering.

Source: Google

★ 5

Love this gym good vibes and great setting. I don't understand the reviews complaining about the price when it's cheaper than most gyms in the area. Also they are setting new problems every week and each one has a lesson that will help build skills to get to the next grade. Brand new holds being put up all the time, I've looked into building my own wall and know how expensive these hunks of plastic are. Staff does a great job keeping it clean. I'm so glad this gym is here in this convenient location!

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★ 1

Been a member since last summer and the recent routes aren’t what they used to be. V0s are NOT beginner friendly. V1s are on an overhang….needless to say, the majority of the routes require a lot of power.

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★ 2

I have been going to this gym 2 days a week for over a year and this gym has really gone down hill in the past couple of months. Dirty mats, broken treadmills, and slow route setting. It's like they stopped caring for it and dosen't feel like it is worth the $80/month membership anymore...

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★ 5

I’m a huge fan of this gym. It’s 100% bouldering and it has very good routes with good ratings. There is a coffee shop right below it which is cool as well.

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★ 5

Its a good sized bouldering gym with with lots of amazing climbs. As someone who usually lead climbs at the Manassas location I was quite surprised that I got up a v6 with only a few attempts. The Gym is a great place to go with a group as friends as it has wide variety of grades which allows for a new and experienced climbers to have a blast. The coffee shop below the gym is also very cozy and the coffee is very delicious. although the cups them self are bad. Good gym and good coffee shop would recommend.

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★ 5

Very fun! Would recommend to friends and family.

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★ 2

Very dirty gym, most routes appear to stay up for months at a time from the couple of visit I’ve done.

Very small as well.

Routes are okay normal, grading is fine.

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★ 3

Steep price for day pass and no student discount for a small bouldering only gym. It was meh with the routes. No hang board or locker room either, but was OK

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★ 4

Climbing gym with decent equipments, great community, and a kilterboard. Lacking fingerboard, climbing specific training equipment, and hard boulders. Great workers but awful management. Convenient location on top of a cafe and several food options downstairs.

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★ 4

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★ 5

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★ 3

Update: the setting and grading feels like it's gone downhill. Regulars I talk to agree that they're getting shut down a grade or more from what we were climbing, so problems are even more limited if you're just an intermediate clumsy. Can no longer really recommend this.

Medium sized gym, but plenty of problems to fill a 2hr session. Grading feels all over the place and very inconsistent grading. Plenty of parking and love the atmosphere of the basecamp cafe you have to walk through to get to the climbing area. Fine if it's the closest gym to you, but there are better options around.

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★ 4

Good walls and enough to keep you occupied. Friendly staff but aren’t super attentive, good equipment but expensive, and pretty hard grading. Great gym non the less.

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★ 4

The gym is on the smaller side, but there are plenty of problems and a gym/cardio/free-weight area. Boulder ratings were on par and there's a good mix. Helpful staff at the front desk. The only downsides, and this is just preference, most of the walls are overhangs and some do not have the best down-climb options (but good matting compensates some). Also, tried the Base Camp iced latte, and it was good :) Definitely worth checking out.

Source: Google

★ 5

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★ 5

I love climbing, and it's so easy to boulder and grab a coffee. I can't think of a better combo!

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★ 3

Came with family and while we all found routes we could climb and have fun on, the setting was a little haphazard and ratings were wildly inaccurate (V0's with more complicated movements than V2's). This was especially noticed by the novices in our group. Overall vibe was a bit dark, loud music, and cramped headroom. Great coffee downstairs though!

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★ 5

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★ 5

I just took the bouldering class, and I would give it six stars if I could. I can hardly wait to go back and climb more.

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★ 2

Grades are inconsistent for higher grades and a lot of problems feel uninspired. Setting could improve with better focus on different styles. I also noticed that the volumes in parts of the gym were sparse. Better volume usage and macros could open up more route setting options.

There is a small training area (no hangboard) and a Kilter board. But given the steep day pass price, you're better off looking at the other options around.

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★ 5

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★ 4

Pricey for Europeans, but really good climbing

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★ 5

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★ 5

Fun bouldering gym, not much experience needed to climb. They have weight lifting sets and fitness equipment too. Great for adults and children.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 3

Had a chance to visit Vertical in Tyson's and was lucky to have the gym to myself early in the morning. Was excited to give this place a try since I've only been to Sportrock and Movement.

The Facility: Nice and spacious building. Has a nice variety of walls for you to choose from (Cave, overhang and moon board). They also have a small little fitness area with dumbbells, barbells and some cardio equipment as well. The mats are are well cushioned too, to catch your falls and there are plenty of cubbies to store your gear and be put out the way.

The Routes/Grades: Their routes are on the v-scale and were somewhat accurate to the grades from what I've seen. I saw a mix of grades that I did and didn't agree with, and I can see this being a little hard for some beginner climbers. But, my biggest problem with this gym is that the holds here are all old and dirty. For the most part, the whole gym was kind of dirty and didn't looked well kept. For some of the routes I was on, the holds didn't make it enjoyable as dirty holds left me slipping off my feet. They were quite dusty and full of rubber shavings and the whole gym didn't look well kept at all.

The Staff: Staff here are very friendly! They were helpful with any questions I had and were respectful.

Overall, a 3/5. Was quite disappointed with my experience here at Vertical. For the amount it cost for a day pass, I would look elsewhere like Movement or Sportrock.

Source: Google

★ 4

Setting is good, doesn’t seem like the holds are cleaned very often though.

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★ 2

Good gym, is close in location, but is lacking in equipment for climbing.

I asked about adding in a hangboard, which is pretty standard for a climbing gym but that still hasn’t been done. Besides that they don’t have any other climbing specific training equipment either, no campus boards, the pull up bars are shared with the squat racks, which interferes with other people’s workouts.

Not a lot to ask for a climbing gym.

Source: Google

★ 5

Lots of fun, great people and a very supportive community. Highly recommended for beginners and experienced climbers alike.

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★ 5

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★ 5

nice community and overall great experience :) would come back and recommend anytime!

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★ 4

Visited this place with some friends last weekend. The bouldering is pretty nice for beginner/intermediate—but some of my friends were basically new and there were no V0s in the whole gym. We still had plenty of fun so just keep this in mind if you’re very new to climbing.

I’m taking off a star because of the bad experience we had at the reception desk. When we came in to buy a day pass, there was a small line and two people manning the counter. But then one guy said “I’m going to finish my set” and then went to the gym and started working out, leaving the girl to do everything by herself. We waited 15-20 minutes just to enter the gym all the while the guy was just working out next to us. I thought it was pretty rude. I don’t mind employees using the gym but he could have at least helped everyone before finishing his set.

Source: Google

★ 1

I've made multiple visits to this climbing gym over a couple of trips to the area, but unfortunately, my experience seemed to worsen each time.

Cons:
- The holds, gym floors, and mats were consistently dirty, and there was only one available brush that is rarely used.
- The problem setting, especially around the V6-V7 grade, felt confusing and detracted from the climbing experience.
- The gym lacked adequate training equipment for climbers, not even offering a fingerboard.
- It's a small gym with a limited number of routes available.
- The pricing structure for visitors felt disproportionately high considering the facilities and experience provided.
- The reception employee's attitude appeared to be less than enthusiastic about their job.

Pros:
- kilter board
- The gym tended to be relatively empty, even during peak hours.

While I appreciated having a nearby bouldering gym, I regretfully won't be returning due to the pricing model. I'd recommend introducing a more visitor-friendly approach, perhaps by offering a 10-entries pass for around $170 and establishing specific pricing unique to this gym, separate from other facilities under the same management.

Source: Google

★ 5

great routes, awsome coffee

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★ 4

Climbing here is enjoyable. Holds rotate about monthly, 1 wall every week. Only complaint is holds get dirty, but that's part of the activity

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★ 4

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★ 5

Great place, but steep day-pass price. Especially when you're rusty and with a newbie and can only climb a couple routes before getting flappers.

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★ 2

Too expensive for what you get.

I've been climbing in gyms since 2007 and have seen a wide variety of them.
This is the first one that doesn't provide a place to change your clothes. Yes there is a single stall toilet with urine on the floor but no where to cleanly change your clothes. This location is marketed as a convenient spot for commuters to get their climbing fix so cater to them.

The coffee shop is not an amenity. A gym membership does not include any benefits associated with the Café business downstairs.

There are no classes, no yoga, etc offered at this location. There isn't a studio space for it.

The daily pass is more expensive for this stripped-down location than it is for the full-service Fairfax location. I don't want to be forced to buy a monthly or yearly membership for both locations. I really don't mind that this spot just offers a bouldering wall and nothing else. I actually want that, but I don't want to pay for everything this gym doesn't have.

Ownership would be wise to offer a membership rate just for their Tysons bouldering location, commensurate with its lack of extra gym features that are found at the Fairfax location.

Source: Google

★ 5

Awesome gym and awesome coffee spot!
They also have some great strength training equipment to get in some lifting in addition to your climb!

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★ 5

VR Tysons is a great place to work out and climb. Its not a huge gym but the limited space is utilized to the fullest. But in being small the atmosphere is very "homey", I can't say enough good things about the staff. They are all super welcoming and very helpful. I might come in in a bad mood from time to time but I ALWAYS leave with a smile & feeling great.

Source: Google

★ 5

Friendliest bouldering gym! Very beginner friendly.

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★ 4

Decent bouldering gym.
At $27 the price is a bit steep for it's size. For context Movement is $27 and DC bouldering Project is $30 but they are both significantly larger. That said I didn't run out of climbs to work on before I got tired so I suppose I got my money's worth.

There is some training equipment here but it's not a fully equipped fitness area by any stretch.

Pros:
- Good location. Convenient for waiting out traffic if you work nearby
- Route setting is solid. Felt just right in terms of difficulty.
- The community was great and the staff was friendly.
- Kilter board

Cons:
- Small. It wasn't too crowded but I can imagine during peak times it would be a bit much
- No hangboards (that I saw anyway)
- They played the same 4 songs on repeat for over an hour. It became nearly unbearable.

Source: Google

★ 3

Underwhelming but satisfied the need for wall time while visiting from out of town. $27 for a day pass felt steep for the smaller size of the gym and sparse amenities.

Expect 8-10 routes per grade in the beginner/intermediate range. Grading is steep and somewhat inconsistent, may be challenging for beginners. Walls have a variety of overhanging terrain but not much for slab and are fairly short. There is a good mix of traversing routes to provide a bit longer climbs given the height constraints. The caves are quite dark and could use more lighting.

Amenities include a bathroom, typical weight room equipment and a water fountain. This is an adequate spot for a quick climb

Source: Google

★ 5

Great place and very attentive and friendly stuff. Richard is great instructor.

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★ 3

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★ 4

Small gym but has good lighting and fun setting with varied holds. Has proper V-grading and a kilter board with some treadmills and basic weight training section. Surprisingly no hangboards.

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★ 4

I have not been to many rock climbing walls, but this is the best one I've been to. We made it clear we were fairly new, so it would have been nice if an employee checked in on us once or twice to see how much success we were having. The price was fair and we even could of stayed, or returned all day for the same price. Overall, a great experience and slightly better than 4 stars.

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★ 5

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★ 4

Cool gym, very friendly staff. One thing that is odd though is that there are no hang-boards to be found here. I thought the setting was very creative.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Bouldering is expensive, but I have found it to be worth every penny. All of the people here are great; climbers and employees. There is also a high-quality coffee shop on the first floor when you need to rest your hands from climbing.

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★ 5

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★ 5

Great climbing gym! And the staff is super nice :)

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★ 4

Good for a workout and a climb.

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★ 5

Super fun route setting.

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★ 5

Our new go to gym in the dmv. Really awesome staff and setters.

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★ 4

Great selection and variety of bouldering sets! Though I can see it getting a bit crowded

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★ 5

New sets on the regular. Nice variety of setting styles. Clean and friendly. Oh, and the coffee is top notch as well

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★ 5

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★ 5

Kind of small but less overcrowded than other local climbing gyms. Staff are also very polite.

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★ 5

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★ 5

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★ 5

The best, convenient location here at Tysons! Really good bouldering routes and modern amenities including a great coffee shop.

The coffee shop really is one of a kind with great options that have opened me up to new, better types of coffee.

Up top at the gym, the culture with friendly staff and members is what separates this place from other bouldering gyms I have been to in the past.

Source: Google

★ 5

Wow! I live in SLC and came out for the holidays, only to be shocked by this gym. I was so happily surprised to experience great route setting in a warm and inviting building. I usually stay around the V4-V6s and found challenging projects, yet there are routes set for any difficulty of climbing. Even beginners could join in. I am absolutely coming back when I’m in town. I can’t speak for the other locations Vertical Rock has, but the new Tyson’s location is a must for any boulders and gym rats (bouldering routes only FYI!!)

Source: Google

★ 5

Amazing climbing gym!!! Friendly staff, fun atmosphere and great coffee. I’m planning to have my daughter’s birthday party at Vertical Rock. My kids love it as do adults!

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★ 5

It was great I would go back!!

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★ 5

The staff is professional and knowledgeable. Basecamp roasters is an added bonus! Get your family a membership this holiday season, totally worth it!

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★ 5

Best climbing gym I have ever been to. Amazing facility. Courteous and professional staff. Very welcoming and a great culture. Love this place.

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★ 5

Very impressed with this new location. The coffee shop / climbing duo was very thought through and intentional. This is a no judgment zone, supportive, and positive environment to learn a knew hobby without feeling "like the new guy".

Both upstairs and down stairs are clean with an ambiance that is very creatively designed. You can tell that the baristas are passionate about all things coffee and if you take a moment to chat you will learn a lot about the coffee process.

The climbing gym (upstairs) has a fun design for bouldering that stays challenging. The layout is also very comfortable to where there is plenty of space for climbers to walk around without feeling like you are about to get in someones way. The free weights area with treadmills etc. is also a plus for days where I just want to lift and lift hard.

The staff is on point with being helpful, respectful, and professional. They all love what they do and are enthusiastic about growing the climbing community. They are even very chill and reasonable about adjusting music levels and genres.

Regarding cost for either a day pass or a membership you have to see it as an investment. As a first responder and father of two, that pump feeling and mental clarity I get after leaving the gym is worth it every time I go.

Source: Google

★ 4

Nice new bouldering gym on top of a coffee shop. The space is cozier than other climbing gyms, but they pack in a lot of problems in that space. The walls and holds are all new and grippy, and there are lots of interesting problems to climb. The grades might be a bit steep for first-timers, but there's still enough beginner problems to provide a doable and interesting challenge for many. The $27 day pass was a bit high, but overall it's still worth it to come back when I'm in the area.

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★ 5

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★ 1

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★ 3

Tl:dr go to the gym a few times before you buy a membership

Firstly I would like to say the staff and members are friendly. The gym and the bathrooms are clean, the kilter board is cool, the coffee is good, the holds are brand new.

I was really really excited to get up early on a weekend, go get some coffee then boulder then walk to the chipotle or cfa after because of the location. The gym doesn't even open till 10 at the earliest, and 11 on Sundays currently, the fitness area is VERY bare bones. Even just a sets of bands and gymnastic rings would go pretty far and they don’t have those (2 ellipticals and no rowers). I bought too much into hype and ended up wasting lots of money on the founding membership and now I have to pay the idiots fee for canceling a contact because I assumed too much about the gym. Don’t get locked into the contract lik I did go 2-3 times before you decide to buy in. The day pass is 27 dollars, and I really don’t think the gym is worth that.

Source: Google

★ 4

Cool gym, would consider getting membership but not going to do a 1 year commitment when sportsrock let's you cancel any month.

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★ 5

Enter gym through cafe, head to the stair, gym is on upper floor, bouldering only. Nice to have a TV, bathroom stall goes to ceiling and floor allowing more privacy, cute bag hangers, no shower. There is an air filter unit, good to keep away from strong shoe smell. Training board is cool. Good amount of bouldering problems considering the space is pretty compact. $27 day pass. Plenty of parking, accessible thru metro.

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★ 5

Fun bouldering gym with a ton of different routes to try. The staff are also very friendly and knowledgeable.

With a membership, you can also visit their Manassas location that has more bouldering problems and has rope climbing as well.

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★ 5

awesome gym! Such a large variety of bouldering problems, length, grades. Highly recommended. Entrance was a little discreet but otherwise top notch facility

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★ 5

This place is awesome! From the staff to the owners this place makes you want to try harder and support other climbers. Amazing way to get a workout!

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★ 5

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★ 5

I went to the Tyson's location recently because I knew it was opening for "Founding Members" being a member of the climbing gym located in Manassas. I had heard a ton about this location so I was excited to see it. When I arrived I was excited to see all the great problems everything felt so different. The holds are insanely grippy and sharp but that is expected from a new gym. I especially love the employees who are always happy to help if you are in dire need of help for a climbing problem. The gym amenities are also really nice and the inclusion of a Kilterboard allows for almost infinite problems of any difficulty. While I don't live especially close so I can't come here often I will definitely come again to experience this gym for the bouldering and the environment.

Source: Google

★ 5

The gym just opened for "Founding Members" this weekend and I got to check it out for a few hours. The gym staff is super engaged and the amenities are small but new and efficient. The holds are new (super grippy) and the walls (from IMPACT?) are good but not great. Biggest disappointment is the height of the walls but they have some long features (overhang) to make longer climbs. Grading is consistent within the gym so that's a plus. I totally recommend for those in the Tyson/Vienna area because it is super accessible.

In case you didn't know/realize, this gym only offers bouldering.

Source: Google

★ 5

Amazing gym. Would go again

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★ 5

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