Santa Barbara Rock Gym

I climbed here passing through on my way to the airport. Awesome setting and great vibes. I forgot my climbing shoes at the gym and emailed the owner. He was super chill and mailed them to me across the country. Absolute legend.

I've climbed here a couple of times and the routes are good enough for me, as a beginner. It is a bit on the dusty and smelly side, but what annoyed me was their attitude towards my dog. We asked if it was ok to bring him in, to which they said absolutely. He barked a few times, nothing excessive and one of the staff members came over to tell us that they'd ask us to leave if he barks again. I didn't know (and I wasn't informed) this was a rule in this gym, or I would have made sure he doesn't bark in the first place. And ofc, he didn't bark again, but not sure why they made an issue out of it. Left a bad taste in my mouth.

Bottom line: if you’ve ever been a member at another climbing gym, SBRG will be a disappointment, but at least it’s there. Ownership seems reluctant to make improvements to the business. If you’re just popping in, it’ll be a fun diversion.As someone who has climbed here on average 2 days per week for the better part of 5 years, I can confidently say this is a 2/5 star gym. As others have mentioned, the pads are basically held together by duct tape and hope, and ownership has been made aware of this to no avail. Poor investment in new holds over the years, even pre-Covid, has made setting somewhat stale (setters mostly do a pretty good job with what they’re given though). It took years of nagging for any kind of fitness equipment to show up (there was no pull-up bar for years… at a climbing gym!) and when it did it was just a pull-up bar/dips/leg raises rack which basically the cheapest thing you could buy and not suitable for commercial use in the slightest. The grips have completely fallen apart in the months since it first appeared. There are now dumbbells to 30 lbs, which is something.Temperature control is severely lacking, with busy week nights being especially bad. Air quality is often abysmal, what with so many people chalking up with inadequate air handling and filtration. A few roof vents would go a long way, but again, ownership is reluctant to do such improvements. SBRG is also perhaps the last climbing gym in the United States that doesn’t Wi-Fi for customers.

Legendary gym. Been coming 3ish times per week for last year and never run out of fun climbs. Bouldering gets super packed weekday evenings but the vibes and music are always on point, so its still fun. Top rope is never busy so if bouldering is too crazy you can always do that (though wall is a little short they make it work). Couple of neat travers-y lead routes near bouldering section. The top rope and lead classes are also super solid.-Anders

Small place but it’s structured and optimized so you still have a good amount of boulder, only 2 non-kid autobelays

First time... we went on a rainy day so a bit crowded but kids had a great time. Other folks and kids were super nice on taking turns. We spent 1.5 hours. Just about right

Great small rock gym that efficiently uses space, however their crash pads NEED a modern update.I sprained my ankle three months ago very badly, and am still undergoing physical therapy to get it back up to what it used to be.This is a great gym, just make sure to land in the middle of the pad!

Small gym that makes good use of its limited space. It has both top roping (with some auto-belay options) as well as bouldering. Staff are friendly and helpful. This spot is a hub of community and I never go without running into friends. If you are a local, get the annual membership!

Great atmosphere and very friendly staff! I was happy to see a lot of climbs ranging from simple and beginner friendly to harder more technical climbs. The gym was very organized and had a huge variety of wall terrain, including a moon board, I’d definitely recommend visiting!

A good little gym with plenty of bouldering and some top rope including a few autobelays. $17 day pass. The settings and ratings are pretty good and accurate relative to many of the Bay Area gyms. The top rope walls aren’t too tall, but the space is utilized well. I spent over 2 hours here and wasn’t bored.I got in soon after it opened on a Saturday and the bouldering area filled up quick but it wasn’t crazy. Friendly folks of varying skill. Both staff and climbers were all friendly and chill.This is a good gym for Santa Barbara. I would sign up for a membership if I lived out here.It would be cool if they expand into a bigger place one day!