Bouldering Project

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!

Great facility with very fun setting. The staff is very friendly and attentive.We went during morning hours so can’t speak to the crowds as there weren’t many people. The separation between the west and east sides of the building is a mild nuisance but nothing major. People need to learn to use their feet.One thing to be aware of is that routes are a little more low grade focused so if you find yourself in the v7+ range you may not have as many projects to work on, but again the setting was enjoyable.Overall great space and would be happy to call this my home gym if we moved to the DC area.

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!

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.

Nice location for people living within DC. Large facilities that are very modern. The long bouldering walk is very cool. However, the amount of actual bouldering space makes up a very small percentage of the gym, and the East and West sides are pretty far from each other. The potential is there, but it feels like the gym is focused more on marketing things like its workspace and saunas rather than the bouldering itself.As it is, the place is good for people living within the city who rely on biking/public transportation, but for most climbers the other local options offer a much better bang for your buck.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.