While the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Houston clearly isn’t rock climbing gyms, they are surely all over the place – practically at every corner of the city. However, with so many options on the table, it can be a hassle for your average climber to be able to pinpoint which is the best climbing gym in Houston. Depending on your skill level, certain gyms can work at a higher level than others, and more importantly, specific gyms may be more of a learning and fun experience than the rest. With all that considered, to split it up into simplified categories we are going to be picking our overall favorite gym in Houston, our top picks, the runner ups, and lastly – the value pick gym. We ensure there is going to be a perfect gym for you!
Looking for another major city? Check out our reviews of other cities’ climbing gyms here.
Our Favorite for the Best Overall Indoor Climbing Gym in Houston
Stone Moves
Overview:
Being owned and opened by rock climbers for rock climbers, the Stone Moves Gym provides services for a very cheap price & just emits positivity at all corners. Its interior boasts bright colors, sharp lights, and friendly staff that people just can’t seem to stop talking about. Simply put, it couldn’t be much easier to get started at this gym considering how nice the staff is, being eager to give all their newcomers an extensive tour of the gym’s premise.
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A post shared by Stone Moves (@stonemoves) on Mar 10, 2019 at 3:19pm PDT
What Makes Stone Moves Unique:
- Stone Moves also offers overnight lock-ins which most gyms don’t even consider offering to their customers. If you’re up for a unique experience that you seriously can’t really find at other gyms, the lock-in is an 8-hour timeframe where you can bond with your group and learn things you never even could’ve imagined about climbing.
Why Choose Stone Moves:
- Their workers continue to get praise from practically anyone which just happens to make the overall gym just that much better. For example, one person writes, “Clean, awesome people working there, and family-friendly! As someone who is new to climbing, the staff is very encouraging and helpful. I highly suggest climbing here!”
Additional Services:
Besides the basic climbing that can be found at all of these gyms, Stone Moves offers private lessons that can be taken solo or with a group you feel comfortable with. These sessions range from beginner, intermediate, advanced, yoga, and sport – each increasing in price with beginner lessons costing $25. Another cool and notable service would be the inclusion of parties, as you get the entire facility to yourself for your scheduled time packed with your party members.
Pricing:
With one of the cheapest day passes you will ever find, the gym’s climbing pass is only $14. That low price is also reflected in the gear price at this gym, with it being one of the lowest prices we have ever seen in a long time, being $7 and including all the gear needed. And if you’re a more serious and involved climber, the individual month membership is going to ring you in at a $70, which is really a steal for everything you get.
Our Top Pick for the Best Houston Bouldering Gyms
Climb 59
Overview:
Being open from 9 am – 1 am (a shocking 16 hours) through the weekdays, and opening yet another hour earlier on Saturday and Sunday, the Climb 59 gym is a 3,400 sq. foot facility that’s great for all ages & all skill levels. Looking into the reviews that fill the internet, it’s easy to get an understanding of how loved Climb 59 is, “We had a great time in Climb 59… There are many different routes, some suitable for beginners and others for experienced climbers. We are planning to go back soon because it was a good and fun workout.“
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A post shared by Jonathan Garcia (@thatguy_rizzzz) on Dec 31, 2017 at 2:47pm PST
What Makes Climb 59 Unique:
- Besides the humongous climbing section of this gym, there’s a multitude of other goings-on that always takes place in the gym. That being two large turf fields where soccer takes place, group-class rooms, and a fun and bright bar section. So, after your long day of climbing or if you’re just in the mood for something else, it’s always an option to go and check out the vast other sections of this gym.
Why Choose Climb 59:
- Every single route and spot of their climbing gym is frequently updated. If you just happen to be a casual visitor, every time you visit the gym you’ll be sure to see many changes and things keeping it fresh for their customer’s satisfaction.
Additional Services:
Moreover, they additionally offer lessons for those in need, or learning new skills or perfecting those harder to do climbing techniques and safety. On top of that, birthday parties at the facility are also an option, for kids and adults of course. Another service happens to be private and group classes that you can take with your climbing buddies or with potential acquaintances you can make. The variety is just coming out of the wazoo with Climb 59, and their services should be plentiful for all.
Pricing:
At Climb 59 they offer simplified packages, with there only being a handful of different types of memberships you can take. With most options requiring a $40 sign-up fee, the monthly membership is only $59 after that one-time fee. On the other hand, they also have a day pass (being $18) for those looking to test the waters. And luckily, there’s a very generous Combo Gear Pack that is a small $10 that comes with shoes, harness, and a chalk bag – which is a great price to rent all that gear in one.
Our Runner Ups for the Best Houston Climbing Gyms
InSPIRE Rock Climbing Gym
Overview:
Delving deep into the runner ups, InSPIRE Rock Climbing has two gym locations in Cypress and Spring Texas (being over 42,000 square feet in total). Any skill level or age is welcome to come and try out this gym as they’ve got sections and trainers to aide all demographics imaginable. In particular, they offer seven different programs for its climbers which will surely be able to work for even people who have never climbed once in their life.
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A post shared by inSPIRE Rock (@inspirerocktx) on Aug 2, 2019 at 12:11pm PDT
What Makes InSPIRE Rock Climbing Gym Unique:
- There’s actually a fully-fledged cafe located in the gym that’s surprisingly won awards giving it 5 stars. The 5 Ate Cafe frequently has a crowd of people coming just for the food and later getting interested in the climbing gym. As for the menu, it’s inspired by food all around the globe, featuring a wide array of pizza, burgers, pasta, and much more. On top of all that, you get a perfect view of people climbing in the indoor gym.
Why Choose InSPIRE Rock Climbing Gym:
- Its scale is one that makes it a seriously big attraction for all that lay eyes on it, if you do in fact choose the InSPIRE Rock Climbing Gym as one of your stops you surely won’t regret it. Kids, teens, and adults all enjoy this gym the same, and we’re positive you’ll love it too.
Additional Services:
- InSPIRE already is one of the most content-packed gyms in the USA, but they have even more services we have yet to discuss. With some of those being a Kid Cave where kids can explore easier terrain and feel safer, and even supported programs for boy scouts. Although for the more hardcore climbers, they offer competitive teams to see who can climb the fastest and a variety of other services.
Pricing:
This gym’s individual membership comes in at $68 a month and allows you access to a plethora of the massive gym’s features. An all-day climbing pass is just only $20 for an adult, and 6 dollars less for kids 4-10. Of course, with most gyms, they offer gear rentals – only $10 for shoes, harness, and chalk.
Momentum Indoor Climbing
Overview:
Momentum Indoor Climbing offers a 43,000 square foot facility, which is actually the single largest gym on today’s list. This trait causes the gym’s facility to almost always feel fresh and offer something new every time you choose to visit. By taking a glance at the interior of the gym, it’s apparent that the creators tried to mimic the actual outdoors to make the climbing experience as accurate as humanly possible. If you’d like to take a good look at the very visually appealing interior to the gym, watch this video.
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A post shared by MomentumClimbingTexas (@momentumclimbingtexas) on Jul 22, 2019 at 6:13pm PDT
What Makes Momentum Indoor Climbing Unique:
- Mainly, the takeaway from this very gym is just the huge scale on everything. And even that this gym is only closed 2 days of the year, on Thanksgiving and Christmas, meaning it’s clearly got a lot of thought and effort being put into it year-round.
Why Choose Momentum Indoor Climbing:
- The Momentum Indoor Gym is by far, one of the most popular climbing gyms in all existence with over 1,000 reviews and a multitude of online support at all corners. Surprisingly enough, out of the extremely large list of reviews, all of them are either 3 stars or higher, leaving it with an average 4.9/5 stars which is simply put – very impressive. One example of reviews would be, “Really impressive sized bouldering gym. Absorbs loads of people. Great for ages 2 to 102. There are kid-friendly areas, there are adult-only areas and there are tons of routes to choose from. Staff are attentive and efficient at getting you up to speed.“
Additional Services:
There’s always events going on and even charities that the guys at the gym offer, with at times half of their profits being sent away to support the local community in Houston. Piled on top of that, they also offer several active competitions during the week, with some of the most recent examples being the Dyno Competition and the Moonboard Competition.
Pricing:
Adult day passes are $20 which is exactly the same price as InSPIRE, while Momentum’s 12 and under day passes are only $14. However, the more serious monthly memberships are on the higher end, being $74. And they offer climbing shoe rentals for $6, which again is slightly more pricey than the other gym’s rates.
The Value Gym for Houston Climbing Gyms
Space City Rock Climbing
Overview:
Surprisingly, the Space City Rock Climbing is actually the largest indoor climbing gym in Houston’s Bay Area according to their site. Specifically, this gym is a massive 5,000 square feet and their staff is sure to watch over all of their climbers to help ensure safety and provide help if necessary. Their number one mission appears to be promising the safety to their clients and even the other climbers in the local community. Everyone at this gym shares our passion for climbing and just want to provide a fun learning experience at the end of the day.
What Makes Space City Rock Climbing Unique:
- It’s a fairly quiet gym – one that’s perfect for your first climbing gym experience or just a good choice if you’re looking for more of a relaxed gym to spend a couple of hours. Overall, it offers a good amount of services and space for the prices at hand which just so happened to make it qualify for our value pick.
Why Choose Space City Rock Climbing:
- One solid reason as to why to choose this large gym would be the customer satisfaction found in reviews. As taking account what other people have to say about a gym helps us get a better understanding of a wide view of its satisfaction levels, “Harder than we thought it would be but the instructor taught us well. Not packed which was nice.”
Additional Services:
Even though the Space City Rock Climbing Gym has a huge amount of services and space to climb, there’s also camp events, parties, training, and group sessions offered to its members as well. In particular, every week during the summer is dedicated to camp events where climbers can schedule a time for four days a week to help get trained to be a better climber. And those group sessions we mentioned are for 12+ that comes with 2 hours of climbing, gear, and training for a small price of $120.
Pricing:
With an honest price of $65 for a single person membership per month, you’d be getting a good amount of services for this fair price. As for the day passes, the guys at Space City Rock Climbing offer two different types – a $15 climbing day pass as well as a $10 bouldering day pass. And of course, if you are in need of gear rentals, it’s a very simple process here. If you want all the gear needed, that’ll cost you $11, or you can purchase shoes, harness, and chalk bucket individually as well.
Summary of the Best Climbing Gyms in Houston
Out of the massive list of gyms Houston is full of, the overall favorite is easily handed over to Stone Moves. Their customer support and staff quality is unmatched as well. With the best overall prices on today’s list of gyms, Stone Moves offers more than enough.
And then our best-rated bouldering gym in Houston, that title belongs to the Climb 59 Gym. The owners over at this gym heavily value safety and providing the best possible experience for their customers. You’ll be able to find some very helpful people here at Climb 59 and will be able to take just about any lesson or learn anything needed from beginner to master skill levels.
As for the runner ups, we wanted to make sure to pick one that maintains a quality that rivals the other, with inSPIRE Rock Climbing Gym fitting that criteria to a T. InSPIRE is just behind our favorite gym, with it having by far the most space out of all the gyms and offering a cafe, kids sections, and much more.
Lastly of course, for those climbers who may be on a budget or happen to want a highly packed gym of content for the money you are paying, you’ll find all you need at the Space City Rock Climbing gym for our value pick. Its day pass is a very small $15 and is great for those testing the waters.
When the day draws to an end, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast amount of climbing gyms out there across the states. But luckily, today’s Houston gyms are some of the highest caliber ones as well as being universally loved by locals and occasional casual visitors. As we hope to have proved to you, Texas contains a huge variety of gyms suited to whatever you’re searching for. Most importantly, we hope you have a great, learning packed, and most importantly fun experience on your next venture to a gym. We guarantee any of today’s list of gyms will be able to suit your needs.
Did you enjoy this guide? Check out our reviews of other cities’ climbing gyms here.
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