{"id":11367,"date":"2023-01-18T13:05:51","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T13:05:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ultimatehealthreport.com\/5-best-san-francisco-climbing-gyms-bay-area-local-adventurer\/"},"modified":"2023-01-18T13:05:51","modified_gmt":"2023-01-18T13:05:51","slug":"5-best-san-francisco-climbing-gyms-bay-area-local-adventurer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ultimatehealthreport.com\/5-best-san-francisco-climbing-gyms-bay-area-local-adventurer\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Best San Francisco Climbing Gyms + Bay Area \u00bb Local Adventurer"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Looking for the best San Francisco climbing gyms? Start here.<\/em><\/p>\n

San Francisco is one of our favorite cities, but it wasn\u2019t until recently that we started adding climbing gyms as part of our travel itinerary. Luckily, some of our local friends pointed us toward the best climbing gyms in SF bay area. With so many options, we put together this list to help you decide which gym to go to whether you\u2019re visiting or want to become a member.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been to over 25 gyms all over the US, and San Francisco has some of our favorite gyms in the nation. Here\u2019s what we learned.<\/p>\n

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This post may contain affiliate links, where we receive a small commission on sales of the products that are linked at no additional cost to you. All opinions are always our own. Read our full disclosure\u00a0for more info. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Local Adventurer possible.<\/em><\/p>\n

Last Updated: <\/em>January 17, 2023<\/p>\n

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Things to Keep in Mind<\/u><\/h2>\n
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  • The climbing scene will continue to change.<\/strong> When we revisit, we\u2019ll continually update this post. Over the pandemic, we noticed many gyms closing or getting bought out by larger gyms.<\/li>\n
  • Corporate vs. Independent Gyms <\/strong>\u2013 If they hire a new setter, the setting can vary and is usually more drastic at smaller, independent gyms vs. corporate ones.<\/li>\n
  • Gym climbing has evolved <\/strong>and has become its own sport. Some gyms cater toward training for outdoor climbing, while others want to create a climbing experience only for gym climbers. I\u2019ve noticed my outdoor friends like gyms with lots of \u2018tensiony\u2019 moves that train them for the outdoors, but many of our indoor-only climbing friends are looking for something entirely different (i.e., comp-style).<\/li>\n
  • Setting<\/strong> \u2013 The setting includes how fun the climbs are and the variety of holds. Although there are exceptions, typically, we\u2019ve found that when they invest more in hold variety, they also invest in setters.<\/li>\n
  • Grading<\/strong> \u2013 We\u2019re primarily looking at interesting and fun movement over how they grade their problems. Some climbers prefer a grade range, while others prefer them broken up. Some gyms are stiffer than others, and some grades are all over the place, which can be frustrating, so we note it.<\/li>\n
  • Community <\/strong>\u2013 This is always hard to compare on one-off visits. We got some insight from friends, but instead of rating the community, we included notes on whether a gym was beginner-friendly. Some gyms can feel more intimidating than others if you\u2019re new.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    The Best Rock Climbing Gyms in San Francisco Bay Area<\/span><\/h2>\n

    1. Benchmark Climbing \u2013 Best Setting and Best Overall\u3164\u2192<\/h3>\n

    1414 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109, map<\/em><\/p>\n

    Setting:<\/strong>\u00a05\/5
    Facility:<\/strong>\u00a04.5\/5
    Rates:<\/strong> $30 Day Pass | Memberships Starting at $107.54\/month
    Setting Routine:\u00a0<\/strong>1-3 Days Per Set. Resets start on Mondays.
    Types of Climbing:<\/strong>\u00a0Bouldering
    Busiest Times:<\/strong>\u00a0Weekdays after Work
    Training Boards:<\/strong>\u00a0Moon Board, Campus Board
    Other Locations:<\/strong>\u00a0North Berkeley<\/p>\n

    Walking into Benchmark Climbing, we immediately noticed all the natural light and wood tones. We appreciated their clean, modern aesthetics. But at the end of the day, the setting determines how long we want to climb or if we want to come back.<\/p>\n

    Our other climber friends also mentioned that this gym had the best setting. Once we started climbing, we saw how thoughtfully they set each problem. Even the lower grades were interesting and fun, which is often an afterthought for setters, especially at independent gyms that don\u2019t have a huge budget. When we asked them how long they spend on a set, they told us 1-3 days per set. What a dream!<\/p>\n

    We had only planned to stay a couple of hours but stayed much longer. Since visiting, they opened a much larger gym in North Berkeley that we will be checking out on our next visit.<\/p>\n

    Room to Improve: <\/mark><\/strong>They don\u2019t have a huge workout section, and the area fits maybe 1-2 people comfortably.<\/p>\n

    Local Tip:<\/strong><\/span> Street parking is cheaper, but if you can\u2019t find any, there are a few parking decks nearby. The setting can be a little stiff compared to the other gyms in the area but will get you stronger. And there\u2019s ample seating and wifi if you want to work remotely \u2013 Paulina<\/p>\n

    See Related \u2013 The Ultimate SF Bucket List<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    2. Pacific Pipe (Touchstone) \u2013 Best Facilities\u3164\u2192<\/h3>\n

    2140 Mandela Parkway, Oakland, CA 94607, map<\/em><\/p>\n

    Setting:<\/strong>\u00a04\/5
    Facility:<\/strong>\u00a04.5\/5
    Rates:<\/strong> $30 Day Pass | Memberships Starting at $87.08\/month
    Setting Routine:\u00a0<\/strong>5 Week Turn Around
    Types of Climbing:<\/strong>\u00a0Top Rope, Lead, and Bouldering
    Square Footage of the Facilities:<\/strong> 46,000 sq ft
    Square Footage of Climbing Walls:<\/strong> 33,000 sq ft (13,000 sq ft of bouldering)
    Busiest Times:<\/strong>\u00a0Weekdays after Work, Weekends
    Training Boards:<\/strong>\u00a0Moon Board, Tension Board, Kilter Board, Campus Board<\/p>\n

    Pacific Pipe, one of the newest Touchstone gyms, is the largest climbing gym in the US as of 2023. It is a massive facility with 55-foot-high lead walls and a huge bouldering area that spans two floors. It has almost everything you could ask for in a climbing gym. I haven\u2019t seen any other gym with all three: Moon, Tension, and Kilter boards.<\/p>\n

    We visited after they had a citizens comp, so there were many more comp problems. The gym felt more inviting to new climbers compared to other gyms.<\/p>\n

    Room for Improvement: <\/mark><\/strong>They lacked a hangboard area (it\u2019s in the works). Also, if you don\u2019t like busy gyms, you may want to consider another gym.<\/p>\n

    Local Tip:<\/strong><\/span> There is free parking around the building.<\/p>\n

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    3. Dogpatch Boulders (Touchstone) \u2013 The Largest Bouldering Gym\u3164\u2192<\/h3>\n

    2573 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94107, map<\/em><\/p>\n

    Setting:<\/strong>\u00a03.5\/5
    Facility:<\/strong>\u00a03.5\/5
    Rates:<\/strong> $30 Day Pass | Memberships Starting at $107.54\/month
    Setting Routine:\u00a0<\/strong>1-2 Times a Week
    Types of Climbing:<\/strong>\u00a0Bouldering
    Busiest Times:<\/strong>\u00a0Weekdays after Work
    Training Boards:<\/strong>\u00a0Kilter Board, Spray Wall, Campus Board<\/p>\n

    This is another gym owned by Touchstone, so you can access it if you are a Touchstone member. It\u2019s SF\u2019s first bouldering-only gym and is huge (the largest in California). They have some tall walls and top-outs. The Touchstone gyms also share setters, so you\u2019ll find a similar setting style here.<\/p>\n

    We went right when they opened, so there were few people there, but our friends told us during peak hours, it gets crowded.<\/p>\n

    Room to Improve:<\/strong><\/span> The gym is older, so it feels grungy, and the holds are gross. Grades are all over the board, and they keep raising membership prices without improving the facilities \u2013 Paulina.<\/p>\n

    Local Tip:<\/strong><\/span> It\u2019s easy to access from CalTrain \u2013 Paulina<\/p>\n

    See Related \u2013 25 Free Things to Do in San Francisco California<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    4. Movement Sunnyvale\u3164\u2192<\/h3>\n

    815 Stewart Dr, Sunnyvale, CA 94085, map<\/em><\/p>\n

    Setting:<\/strong>\u00a04\/5
    Facility:<\/strong>\u00a03\/5
    Rates:<\/strong> $30 Day Pass | Memberships Starting at $91\/month
    Types of Climbing:<\/strong>\u00a0Bouldering, Top Rope, Lead
    Square Footage of Climbing Walls:<\/strong> 28,000 sq ft
    Number of Problems Up:<\/strong> 120+ Problems \/ 150+ Routes
    Other Locations:<\/strong> Belmont + San Francisco<\/p>\n

    We went to the Sunnyvale Location in 2016 and had a lot of fun climbing back then, but had Paulina help us with how it has been since then. Although the facilities are older, they\u2019ve been doing work to upgrade them. The staff is friendly.<\/p>\n

    Room to Improve: <\/strong>The wifi is bad, which makes it hard to work from \u2013 Paulina<\/p>\n

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    These were the four gyms we visited in the past, and we\u2019ll let our friends, Paulina and Austin, give you insight into the other gyms below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    5. Mission Cliffs (Touchstone)\u3164\u2192<\/h3>\n

    2295 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94110, map<\/em><\/p>\n

    Setting:<\/strong>\u00a03\/5
    Facility:<\/strong>\u00a02\/5
    Rates:<\/strong> $30 Day Pass | Memberships Starting at $107.54\/month
    Types of Climbing:<\/strong>\u00a0Top Rope, Lead, and Bouldering
    Square Footage of the Facilities:<\/strong> 23,000 sq ft
    Square Footage of Climbing Walls:<\/strong> 23,000 sq ft (2,000 sq ft of bouldering)
    Number of Problems Up<\/strong>: 160+ Routes
    Busiest Times:<\/strong>\u00a0Weekdays after Work
    Training Boards:<\/strong>\u00a0Campus Board<\/p>\n

    Mission Cliffs is San Francisco\u2019s oldest climbing gym, and although they\u2019ve gone through renovations and updates, the age shows. The roped area is much bigger, with 50-foot lead walls, so it\u2019s great for rope climbers. The bouldering area is small, but they have bouldering top-outs. Our friend Austin still goes here to work out, mainly out of convenience.<\/p>\n

    Room to Improve:<\/strong> Grades are all over the place, holds and walls are gross, it\u2019s crowded during peak hours, and they have terrible customer service. Their employees take forever to acknowledge you exist. \u2013 Paulina<\/p>\n

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    OTHER Walls and Rock Climbing Gyms in San Francisco Bay Area<\/u><\/h2>\n
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    • Berkeley Ironworks<\/strong> (Touchstone) \u2013 45-foot-high lead walls and a big bouldering area. The facilities are older, though.<\/li>\n
    • Bladium\u2019s Rock Wall and Bouldering Gym<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • ClubSport Pleasanton<\/strong><\/li>\n
    • Diablo Rock Gym <\/strong>(Touchstone)<\/li>\n
    • Glen Park Recreation Center<\/strong> \u2013 has a climbing wall.<\/li>\n
    • Great Western Power Co (<\/strong>Touchstone) \u2013 48-foot-high lead walls and 1,500 sq feet of bouldering. It\u2019s located in Uptown Oakland and convenient if you live in the area.<\/li>\n
    • Movement San Francisco <\/strong>\u2013 this location is right in the heart of the Presidio by the Golden Gate Bridge. They have 40-foot climbing walls, plenty of space, and beautiful views.<\/li>\n
    • Movement Belmont <\/strong>\u2013 This was the original Planet Granite gym, now Movement Belmont. It\u2019s small, and the wall angles aren\u2019t great. It\u2019s not a destination gym, and it\u2019s only nice if you\u2019ve climbed everywhere else or it\u2019s the most convenient location. It also gets crowded, especially on bouldering league nights.<\/li>\n
    • Session Climbing<\/strong> \u2013 There\u2019s so much hype around Kevin Jorgensen\u2019s new gym in Santa Rosa. It was much smaller than I expected, but the facilities were nice, with seating and eating spaces (5\/5). The setting was all over the place (3.5\/5), and the bouldering area was sparse.<\/li>\n
    • The Studio Climbing, South Bay <\/strong>(Touchstone) \u2013 avoid at all costs. The facilities are a 1\/5. Even Belmont is small, but this one feels even smaller. The setting is just okay, the bouldering area is not enjoyable, and some walls are set up in a little hallway. You feel like you can\u2019t climb without falling on someone else.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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      In Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n

      As visitors, we will most likely check out all the gyms we haven\u2019t been to before returning to the ones above, but I know we\u2019ll be back at Benchmark. If it were up to us and we lived in the Bay area, we would get a membership at Touchstone to enjoy the benefits across all the gyms in norcal (Mission Cliffs, Berkeley Ironworks, Diablo Rock Gym, Pacific Pipe, Dogpatch Boulders, Great Western Power Co) and SoCal and then get a punch pass at Benchmark.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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      Map of Climbing Gyms in San Francisco Bay Area<\/u><\/h2>\n