All over America, there are hundreds of climbing gyms, everyone knows that – but here in Seattle, Washington there are so many… leading us to decide to help you narrow down the best of the best in our eyes. Most climbers want a gym that suits their needs and one that accounts for every service a climber may want to partake in, all of today’s gyms will be able to achieve that very thing for you. With that said, we are going to split our favorite gyms into 4 categories, those being our overall favorite, our top picks, a runner up, and lastly, a value pick for climbers who want to go a little on the cheap side but also get a rocking gym. Let’s wait no further, lay your eyes on the best climbing gyms in all of Seattle!
If you’re looking for another city, check out our other climbing gym reviews here.
Our Favorite for the Best Overall Indoor Climbing Gym In Seattle
Our Favorite for the Best Overall Indoor Climbing Gym In Seattle Momentum Indoor Climbing
Overview:
With an impressive 19,000 square feet, Momentum Indoor Climbing opens at 6 in the morning and closes at 11 in the night Monday through Friday. Their lovely gym is designed to accommodate all skill levels and all ages. Depending on which section you embark on in this gym you get yourself a new experience each time. Considering that the walls are regularly updated just as well as their services are, Momentum Indoor Climbing is quite obviously a gym to pay attention to in our eyes.
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What Makes Momentum Indoor Climbing Unique:
- The memberships found here include shoe rentals, lockers, and classes of multiple types, yoga, and even cardio. This provides access to an open yoga studio with equipment included, access to gym equipment and a cardio room. If you’re looking for a big, and of course clean gym with room to grow as a climber, good rates and an awesome staff, then this is the perfect place for you.
Why Choose Momentum Indoor Climbing:
- Taking a look at what the vast and varied community of climbers think about whichever gym is in question always helps us to get a better grasp of what the general public loves and doesn’t love about a gym. So by taking a look at the reviews for Momentum Indoor Climbing our high and mighty thoughts about the gym were just solidified, “Amazing place! The staff is incredibly helpful and friendly! Jeremy helped me out and was absolutely wonderful! I was greeted with a smile, a warm welcome and a great atmosphere. On top of that, he was very knowledgeable and took the time to give me some awesome tips and pointers. As far as the gym itself goes, it is outstanding. The rates are exceptional for everything they offer.”
Additional Services:
Momentum’s services range from the usual, but they uniquely have frequent events that typically go on every week and draw in a huge crowd. Their prices are also simply put fantastic considering the sheer amount of stuff you get for them. If you happen to be an individual who is going to be heading to climbing gyms with kids – they will be just as happy as you with a only $14 day pass for those 11 and under. If you’re in need of gear rentals they’ve of course got you covered, with their shoe rentals only costing a small $6.
Pricing:
Here at Momentum Indoor Climbing, for only $68 a month, you can become a member with a huge surplus of benefits and regularly updated perks. And then for the small price of $20 you can acquire a day pass that’s sure to get you sold on this fantastic gym.
Our Top Picks for the Best Bouldering Gyms In Seattle
Our Top Picks for the Best Bouldering Gyms In SeattleSeattle Bouldering Project
Overview:
Seattle Bouldering Project is a gym that you really need to pay attention to, they have got just about anything you may want. They really do value the customer’s opinions of their services as it does shine through with the classes. Youth classes are also heavily valued and taken seriously at this gym, they want everyone to love climbing just as much as this place’s founders! Even more important, this place is cheap, which is surprising given how nice it is; students can get a day pass for $13.
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What Makes Seattle Bouldering Project Unique:
- We’re proud to tell you that the Seattle Bouldering Project is loved by practically all its customers and continues to be highly rated by the years. Take a look, “This place is huge and has a great diversity of routes, both in skill level and types of holds at each skill level. Progressing to harder routes feels more fluid here than at other gyms that I’ve been to – since there are so many routes, if you get stuck on one route, there are plenty of similar difficulty routes for you to try.”
Why Choose Seattle Bouldering Project:
- Simply put, you should consider coming to visit Seattle Bouldering Project just because of their hugely beneficial membership options. Their adult monthly memberships are also an exceptional price while still being slightly more expensive than Momentum Indoor Climbing coming in at $75. But that’s not all if you only want a one time month membership at this facility they’ve got you covered as well just for $95.
Additional Services:
While a fair amount of gyms already offer a lot of fitness and yoga classes, Seattle Bouldering Project really has some special ones. Their fitness classes come in a variety of levels and groups that are meant to be for those young and those old.
Pricing:
Seattle Bouldering Project is well known for their fantastic prices and even more high-quality services. Speaking of prices, you can get an adult day for simply $18 – and then $4 off that price if you qualify for their student or kid discount. Even more so, rental shoes are free for your first-time visit which we consider a completely kind welcome gift to newcomers. And then after your first time, if you are still in need of shoes you can rent them for only $4.
Island Rock Gym
Overview:
Being open 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays, Island Rock Gym welcomes you and will aide you in every way possible to help you to become the best climber you possibly can. Every new climber they have to enter their gym get to watch their orientation video which was designed to be a friendly greeting to the facility to make everyone feel welcome, and at home.
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What Makes Island Rock Gym Unique:
- Their staff are certainly some of the friendliest, and the people behind the creation of the gym wanted to make a gym by climbers for climbers. It’s a great community-based gym that would make for a great first gym for those in need of one.
Why Choose Island Rock Gym:
- You’re wondering why you should choose our second top pick and rightfully so aren’t you? Well, the reviews certainly speak for themselves, just take a peak, “This is an awesome climbing gym. Clean, bright, and great staff. We just visited another climbing gym and north of Seattle and didn’t even know how lucky we are on little Bainbridge with such a fabulous place to climb!”
Additional Services:
- Their services range from yoga, group training, to even parties for kids and of course adults. But, if you are looking for something more serious, memberships are always the most committed service these climbing gyms offer. Luckily, it’s $67 per month for the membership and even $52 per month for the youth. Other discounts and offers apply if you contact their lovely staff, you’ll surely be satisfied!
Pricing:
Coming in at a reasonable $18, the adult day passes at Island Rock Gym just might be the perfect buy for you. On the other hand, their gear comes in a really straight forward package which is always refreshing to see. They offer an unlimited gear package per month for $30, or a harness, chalk bag, shoes, and rental package individually for a variety of prices.
Our Runner Up for the Best Climbing Gym In Seattle
Our Runner Up for the Best Climbing Gym In SeattleVertical World
Overview:
Vertical World is designed to strengthen your body, be a fun location for climbers alike, and to build a huge community of climbers to talk about anything they want. Just take a look at what they want you to understand and take away from this spectacular facility, “Today, with more advanced facilities, Vertical World not only accommodates a variety of programs to learn how to rock climb, but also provides performance and educational programs in fitness and yoga, birthday parties, school or church groups, corporate events, private parties, and youth camps!”
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What Makes Vertical World Unique:
- They actual opened the very first rock climbing gym in all of America back in 1987 right here in Seattle. Back then things were a lot more simple and gyms weren’t nearly as complicated and advanced as they are now, the guys at Vertical World know this and have very much grown with the times and have perfected the overall indoor climbing gym experience. You can’t really beat the originals, now can you.
Why Choose Vertical World:
- Here in Seattle, any place you go in the climbing community you’ll’ hear about Vertical World, “This place was all that and a bag of chalk! Super fun set of rock climbing patterns set up for different levels of difficulty! I got to experience this place with my best friend today and I feel like I’m hooked for life! I want to make rock climbing a part of my weekly work our regimen! My butt got kicked in ways I did not think it would!
Additional Services:
Vertical World is filled to the brim of additional services, but one of them specifically takes the cake – that being their annual Summer Slam. 2019 is the 17th annual Summer Slam which put simply it is a local climbing competition where the community all comes together leaving the competition with prizes, laughs, and times they will remember forever. However, the services do not stop there, they have yoga, personal training, fitness, group climbing, and many more. In conclusion, they have camps and parties for kids, while on the other hand for those older, they have adult instruction and clinic.
Pricing:
If you are only interested in a brief stay at Vertical World, their $19 day passes should be right for you. Their gear even comes in at $8 ($5 for shoes & $3 for a harness). Interestingly enough, there are also lots of in-between services such as punch cards, monthly passes and so on. But, we will lastly focus on their membership – which comes in at $69 per month. You’ll be gratified to be granted access to the entire facility whenever you happen to want to stop by.
Our Value Pick for the Best Climbing Gym In Seattle
Our Value Pick for the Best Climbing Gym In SeattleStone Gardens
Overview:
With over 17,500 square feet, Stone Gardens aims to be the best climbing gym in all of Seattle and YOUR favorite one to stop by for. They never close a day of the year, which some may say as too much but you have to admire just the sheer dedication to give their customers the freedom of literally coming any day of the year. They are open for 14 hours or more every single day of the week. Once you leave this gym on your first visit, you’ll be sure to be grateful for their wonderful and friendly staff and the sheer amount of content to be found at this location.
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What Makes Stone Gardens Unique:
- Uniquely they have a lot of smaller services to be found within the gym which include a campus board, showering locations, a pro-ship, and much more. And on top of all that, they are really loved on the review side of things, “Excellent climbing/bouldering gym with awesome, friendly and helpful staff. Great variety of problems/routes for all skill levels, including an upper level for more challenging bouldering routes. Love this place.”
Why Choose Stone Gardens:
- Their prices are so great. And of course we didn’t forget about gear, and neither did the guys at Stone Gardens because they offer it in the most consumer-friendly way possible. They offer a $13 package that includes a huge array of things those being, shoes, harness, belay device, and a chalk bag. But then again those are all sold individually as well to ensure you are only paying for exactly what you need.
Additional Services:
A smart climbing gym offers services for those young and those old, Stone Gardens is no exception to this concept. They offer an array of adult instruction as well as youth instruction for those in need of some help or those needing to improve each and every one of their skills. If you happen to stop by Stone Gardens on the average Saturday evening you may just happen to see a party going on because they just so happen to offer parties for those interested. The love and feel of a happy community is also a vibe emitted from this location as they even offer group climbing sessions.
Pricing:
If you want a membership that is sure to give you everything you could possibly ever dream for, their all-access membership which is $72 a month. Since this is our wonderful value pick, you can expect a huge variety of benefits and perks that come bundled with this membership – such as 10% off their merchandise and even bringing a guest in for free each month. Their day passes are also pretty reasonable always offering deals to people who are kids or qualify for student discounts, but typically it costs $19.
Summary of the Best Climbing Gyms In Seattle
At the end of the day, we view Momentum Indoor Climbing as the most superior gym found throughout Seattle. Their vast services are enough to keep any person coming back for years on end.
In second place if you will, with their friendly staff our top pick reins in with Seattle Bouldering Project. They continue to be loved by the majority of their climbers and their staff are among some of the best out there.
As for our runner ups, Vertical World clocks in as a great overall gym. They have refined their excellent gym over the years and it truly shows in every way.
Lastly, we know not everyone has the money or is exactly willing to cough out an arm and a leg just for a gym membership – our value pick obviously has to be Stone Gardens. No matter if you are young or old, you’ll find something here for you.
Overall, we are pretty positive that whoever you are and whatever you want in a gym, you’ll be able to find one out of the 5 gyms on today’s list as your home. The best climbing gyms in Seattle do in fact depend on a per person basis but Seattle truly does have a gym for everyone. So on that note, get out there and make sure to have fun.
If you found this guide helpful and want to find out more about another city’s best climbing gyms, check out our guides here.
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