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Top Rock climbings in New York, United States
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Reviews
Definitely the best climbing gym in Manhattan - spacious, fun problems, routes are updated frequently, and a wide range of training equipment.
Also, as a member, you get perks such as monthly guest pass and free climbing classes (non-members can take these classes as well). It's inclusive, too, with climbing classes from beginner to advanced. I've taken all of the climbing progression program classes (mostly taught by Ady - she's great!) and they taught me fundamental and advanced techniques and helped me develop my climbing skills.
Recently, I felt that I've plateaued so I signed up for the Train Like A Team Kid class with Jenna Tseng (Jenna is very chill and cool - motivates you without making you feel pressured or pushed). I've only attended two classes so far and I was able to send some problems that I was struggling with! This class is super informative and beneficial - you can ask questions about your projects and learn different drills to advance your climbing. The drills are making me more of an intentional climber and have made me more aware of my climbing habits. And the fitness session at the end of the class, will get you FIT!! Always humbling, but I love that it pushes me and I know that it will help me get stronger RAAWR.
Also, as a member, you get perks such as monthly guest pass and free climbing classes (non-members can take these classes as well). It's inclusive, too, with climbing classes from beginner to advanced. I've taken all of the climbing progression program classes (mostly taught by Ady - she's great!) and they taught me fundamental and advanced techniques and helped me develop my climbing skills.
Recently, I felt that I've plateaued so I signed up for the Train Like A Team Kid class with Jenna Tseng (Jenna is very chill and cool - motivates you without making you feel pressured or pushed). I've only attended two classes so far and I was able to send some problems that I was struggling with! This class is super informative and beneficial - you can ask questions about your projects and learn different drills to advance your climbing. The drills are making me more of an intentional climber and have made me more aware of my climbing habits. And the fitness session at the end of the class, will get you FIT!! Always humbling, but I love that it pushes me and I know that it will help me get stronger RAAWR.
My husband and I love climbing at Central Rock!! We have been climbing at this location (Riverside) since August 2019. The setting, programming, and facilities are all top notch. They offer classes for beginners that really helped me as an adult new to climbing. Now I regularly take Jenna's "Train Like a Team Kid" class - it's not only a lot of fun, but it's actually helping me break through my climbing plateaus. Love the community at this gym too!
My son loves climbing with Josh Hodge at Central Rock on West End! His climbing coach, Josh is amazingly patient and supportive in his teaching technique. Josh not only teaches climbing, but is a great resource for my 15 yr old to learn about strength training.
Through his lessons with Josh, my son's skills have greatly improved, as has his self-confidence and trust in his own abilities. His climbing time is a true stress relief from the all the pressures being a teenager brings.
Through his lessons with Josh, my son's skills have greatly improved, as has his self-confidence and trust in his own abilities. His climbing time is a true stress relief from the all the pressures being a teenager brings.
It wasn't my first time to enter a gym as a guest pass, but this was the first time for a receptionist to not know that they offered this option. They kept asking questions, then let us wait for the guy who showed us around, who also asked a couple of questions before doing so. Convenient place, but I didn't like the overall vibe of the staff.
The cafe is overpriced, the deck is an annoying selfie mall. I walked into a yoga studio to stretch only to find a dude in costume making his own music video. One quiet morning on the deck, some bro was narrating a YouTube clip for his channel without asking anyone if it was cool they were being filmed for the web what in the eff?. Also the pool, track, and deck too often farm part of their space to outside parties and random corporate events. Not worth the increase.
I have been a member at CPF for 1 year and I am cancelling my membership. It is a nice facility with a lovely roof deck and equipment, however it is not worth the price point and at times has been a very frustrating experience.
Feedback on my experience -
-The group fitness classes are meh, some are certainly better than others (I loved Juggy's classes and Shenika's) but I had some pretty bad experiences with their group fitness class (one instructor didn't make attempts to connect with regulars who came weekly, one didn't give modification options for exercises like running with a 30 pound bag and was rude to me when I tried to do something else, frequent mic issues, etc.)
-This is my biggest qualm - incredibly difficult to get a hold of people and book sessions. My initial complimentary personal training session they double booked me for, resulting in me starting 30 minutes late. Since then, I have tried to book additional sessions, and every time I call the "FitDesk" who books sessions for you they aren't there. Their process for booking sessions also makes no sense - instead of simply having a master calendar of the trainers' schedules and availability, there is a representative to connect you to the trainer, then you email back and forth with the trainer and the FitDesk representative to find a time (if they even get back to you which I have struggled with), and then it is "booked". To get a hold of the representative like I said is nearly impossible, and some of the trainers are also very difficult to get a hold of to schedule time with once you are connected to them.
-They recently brought in a vendor for food called Canteen, and it is horrible.
-The mobile app is also not great, there is limited functionality
-You get a credit when you join and no one has visibility into how much my credit is (can't find it on my app or in my initial signup email)
-The amenities in the locker room are all unbranded which leads me to believe they aren't very high quality.
-They raised their prices and even before then I was planning to cancel. Its a beautiful space, but does not hold up to the caliber it should for the price.
Feedback on my experience -
-The group fitness classes are meh, some are certainly better than others (I loved Juggy's classes and Shenika's) but I had some pretty bad experiences with their group fitness class (one instructor didn't make attempts to connect with regulars who came weekly, one didn't give modification options for exercises like running with a 30 pound bag and was rude to me when I tried to do something else, frequent mic issues, etc.)
-This is my biggest qualm - incredibly difficult to get a hold of people and book sessions. My initial complimentary personal training session they double booked me for, resulting in me starting 30 minutes late. Since then, I have tried to book additional sessions, and every time I call the "FitDesk" who books sessions for you they aren't there. Their process for booking sessions also makes no sense - instead of simply having a master calendar of the trainers' schedules and availability, there is a representative to connect you to the trainer, then you email back and forth with the trainer and the FitDesk representative to find a time (if they even get back to you which I have struggled with), and then it is "booked". To get a hold of the representative like I said is nearly impossible, and some of the trainers are also very difficult to get a hold of to schedule time with once you are connected to them.
-They recently brought in a vendor for food called Canteen, and it is horrible.
-The mobile app is also not great, there is limited functionality
-You get a credit when you join and no one has visibility into how much my credit is (can't find it on my app or in my initial signup email)
-The amenities in the locker room are all unbranded which leads me to believe they aren't very high quality.
-They raised their prices and even before then I was planning to cancel. Its a beautiful space, but does not hold up to the caliber it should for the price.
Fantastic gym - the space is so spacious, feels like a little getaway in the city. And top of the line instructors.
Not impressed at all, especially with the price increase and overall excessive greedy business model. Management here must think up new and consistent ways of fleecing the membership out of more money annually. For me the size of the facility seems excessive and wasted. The boxing area is very open and desolate. A few bags and a ring which seems pointless aside from the less than stellar classes. These fitness based classes are tiresome and really are not unique compared to less costly venues and gyms. Many of the trainers recycle through these and are often at the lower tier gyms. So the routines and exercises are the same. Way pay more? The place has a bit of a bourgeoise attitude, especially from staff at times.
The facility is in itself monstrous in comparison to other franchise based gyms. In this regard it inspires admiration. However, it terms of the daily protocols established by an inept and rapacious management, I will refrain from offering much praise. The increase is membership rates and charges is unwarranted. This is excessive and screams of predatory practices to increase the bottom line. The classes offered are a hit and miss. Coming from a combat background with extensive experience I have to say many fitness routines and instruction is less then desirable or optimal. For boxing, fitness is fine but this trend will hopefully decline as it is an contradictory to the sport. Go to a real boxing gym in the city for equal levels of fitness with realism and application as well as much needs competition. This drives your inner incentive to better oneself. Not doing mindless derivative exercises based on HIIT or pseudo contact drills. the lockers could use more upkeep. Numerous occasions I was unable to find suitably clean linen or towels. Also the hours of operation need to reflect the sleepless nature of which this city in accustomed. After all, I think the members are paying enough in fees.
By far the best gym I have ever been to in Manhattan! Immaculate facilities, tons of equipment, extraordinarily well-kept and fresh-looking locker room with an excellent sauna and steam room.
However, what sets this place apart from the rest is the atmosphere and environment in the gym. It’s light and airy, with high ceilings and windows that let in tons of natural light, looking out to the river. Since it’s on a pier, you can even see the Statue of Liberty down the bay. It motivates me to come back every day.
The sheer amount of activities here is mind-blowing, from the indoor track, boxing ring, volleyball, basketball, and pool. Even the stretching area is excellent, with the artificial turf.
The cafe seating area can double as a coworking space with Wi-Fi and views looking south down the river. The coffee in the cafe is even good!
They also offer a private locked bike storage area in the garage included in the membership.
I can not say enough good things about this gym.
However, what sets this place apart from the rest is the atmosphere and environment in the gym. It’s light and airy, with high ceilings and windows that let in tons of natural light, looking out to the river. Since it’s on a pier, you can even see the Statue of Liberty down the bay. It motivates me to come back every day.
The sheer amount of activities here is mind-blowing, from the indoor track, boxing ring, volleyball, basketball, and pool. Even the stretching area is excellent, with the artificial turf.
The cafe seating area can double as a coworking space with Wi-Fi and views looking south down the river. The coffee in the cafe is even good!
They also offer a private locked bike storage area in the garage included in the membership.
I can not say enough good things about this gym.
Excellent climbs! All of the staff are very nice! My girlfriend is a member and she takes me in on her guest pass once a month, perhaps when I have more time and don't have to travel for work so much I will join, myself.
Loved it!!! Great boulders, great walls, and great people!
The setting was superb and had a ton of variety with lots and lots of routes. Despite not being the biggest gym, the space was used perfectly and had so many different wall angles. Not only that, but there was great density of holds and routes which made the gym feel twice as big. Plenty of fun routes for beginners, some tricky slabs for the intermediate, and maxed out with a powerful v10 and a few v9s. Even had a tension board, dope campus board, and some chill sport routes. Everyone was super friendly, gave great beta, and I even managed to get a free sticker from the staff! Great place to visit, can’t wait to come back 🥳
The setting was superb and had a ton of variety with lots and lots of routes. Despite not being the biggest gym, the space was used perfectly and had so many different wall angles. Not only that, but there was great density of holds and routes which made the gym feel twice as big. Plenty of fun routes for beginners, some tricky slabs for the intermediate, and maxed out with a powerful v10 and a few v9s. Even had a tension board, dope campus board, and some chill sport routes. Everyone was super friendly, gave great beta, and I even managed to get a free sticker from the staff! Great place to visit, can’t wait to come back 🥳
Day pass (non-member)
Adult: $33 plus $8 gear and shoes
Kid: $25 gear and shoes included
One of the very few places offering climbing for kids under 5. The are 3 routes for auto belay and 10 for staff/partner belay. For beginners there are staff belay classes for kids on weekends. The website is informative and updated regularly.
The equipment and restrooms are spotless. The staff constantly clean and check out the environment. The staff was so friendly that you would feel like chatting with your friends. Highly recommend this place! Avoid the peak hours to enjoy the most of it.
Adult: $33 plus $8 gear and shoes
Kid: $25 gear and shoes included
One of the very few places offering climbing for kids under 5. The are 3 routes for auto belay and 10 for staff/partner belay. For beginners there are staff belay classes for kids on weekends. The website is informative and updated regularly.
The equipment and restrooms are spotless. The staff constantly clean and check out the environment. The staff was so friendly that you would feel like chatting with your friends. Highly recommend this place! Avoid the peak hours to enjoy the most of it.
Very good, clean bouldering gym.
DAY PASS COST: $33
FACILITIES
The main climbing area is below the lobby. There is one long top roping wall following the staircase and a much larger bouldering area. This bouldering area basically forms a circle with benches in the middle a and a small weightlifting area. There's no cardio equipment. Overall, the area is very clean. There are dedicated changing rooms but no showers. What's cool about this gym is that they have these chalk stations around the bouldering area. Everything is very clean and well maintained.
SETTING
In general the setting is moderately difficult. There is a V0/VB circuit that always has black holds. Otherwise, the routes are color coded but there is no association between color and difficulty. Each route is assigned a V grade which can be determined by looking at placards spaced around the gym. Each placard contains information about the three or four routes near to it. However, the closest placard to a route is not necessarily the one that has the routes information, so you sometimes need to hunt for it. In general I think this is a creative way to show route information and it's much cleaner than writing on some duct tape.
The holds are in great condition. There are few holds with excessive chalk or shoe rubber and it's always easy to tell what color each hold is. Moreover the staff is careful to make sure that routes of similar colors are not adjacent to each other.
The setting is pretty straightforward from V1 to V3 and I think that around V4 is where the more creative stuff like dynos are really thrown at you. There are about 80 routes in the gym by my estimate and the difficulties are skewed for V4 and below.
CONCLUSION
This is a great gym. It's expensive (maybe not for NYC) but very well maintained so you know the money is used well. I love it when a gym does more than the bare minimum to make the climbing gym a good experience. I'll definitely return here when I come back to NYC.
DAY PASS COST: $33
FACILITIES
The main climbing area is below the lobby. There is one long top roping wall following the staircase and a much larger bouldering area. This bouldering area basically forms a circle with benches in the middle a and a small weightlifting area. There's no cardio equipment. Overall, the area is very clean. There are dedicated changing rooms but no showers. What's cool about this gym is that they have these chalk stations around the bouldering area. Everything is very clean and well maintained.
SETTING
In general the setting is moderately difficult. There is a V0/VB circuit that always has black holds. Otherwise, the routes are color coded but there is no association between color and difficulty. Each route is assigned a V grade which can be determined by looking at placards spaced around the gym. Each placard contains information about the three or four routes near to it. However, the closest placard to a route is not necessarily the one that has the routes information, so you sometimes need to hunt for it. In general I think this is a creative way to show route information and it's much cleaner than writing on some duct tape.
The holds are in great condition. There are few holds with excessive chalk or shoe rubber and it's always easy to tell what color each hold is. Moreover the staff is careful to make sure that routes of similar colors are not adjacent to each other.
The setting is pretty straightforward from V1 to V3 and I think that around V4 is where the more creative stuff like dynos are really thrown at you. There are about 80 routes in the gym by my estimate and the difficulties are skewed for V4 and below.
CONCLUSION
This is a great gym. It's expensive (maybe not for NYC) but very well maintained so you know the money is used well. I love it when a gym does more than the bare minimum to make the climbing gym a good experience. I'll definitely return here when I come back to NYC.
I’ve climbed there a couple of times while visiting NYC. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Definitely a nice vibe with a good mix of boulderers across all talent levels. Setting is great with a lot of nice problems, again for all levels. Facility is nice and clean which seems to be part of the CRG brand. Really enjoyed myself.
Babysitting during the weekdays especially is unreliable. Came here for a class with expectations of babysitting being available and the babysitter wasn’t there despite me calling in advance. If this service is so unreliable, it shouldn’t even be offered. With all the rate increases, management should be better on this front.