Boulders Climbing Gym

Bolders is a fine place to go climbing with interesting routes, but has a few drawbacks. First, which other reviewers have mentioned, is the air quality. It is pretty chalky/​stinky, and the place would benefit from better cleaning and a better air purification system. Second (and this may just have been the time I visited, as others have commented on the great staff), the gentleman who gave us our tour/​first-​timer class was awesome, but the other two people working that night seemed to spend the entire night at the front desk looking at their phones, even leaving customers waiting as they were sitting there. It was very unprofessional. Finally, while they have a system to clip in to the walls for beginning climbers, they do not have an auto-​belay system. If you’re a family visiting with children (as we were), this means that the adults will spend most of their time belaying for the kids, and will not get much time to climb themselves. Personally, I’d rather make the drive to one of the other climbing gyms outside of our area that have auto-​belays, allowing the parents to climb once they see that the children are safely clipped in.

So much cheaper than the climbing gyms I’m used to in CA! But also a lot smaller, a looot smaller! The top rope walls are about half as high and you have to go thru a belaying lesson before they even let you use their ropes (which is weird because almost every rope I saw had a grigri). One of my friends was new to climbing and we said we would show her how to belay and they said it wasn’t allowed to even teach her in their facility unless we’re actual climbing instructors. I’m sure it’s just one of their safety policies but I have never been to a gym like that. Sooo we were limited to only bouldering, not a big deal, but it would have been nice to know that beforehand. But anywho, the routes were pretty fun and the crowd was friendly. I went back a few times during my stay in Wisconsin and even met a few new friends. Would def go back on my next trip to Madison!

First time here last weekend. I found the price for the daily pass and rental of harness with a first-​time orientation very reasonable at around $ 14 – 18 (check their website for latest prices).
Even though the place got crowded (with a lot of kids) there were Plenty of walls always available to try at all levels, and the adults there were laid back. Place was chill and I didn’t feel intimidated to try everything. They have a high level «bouldering» section away from all the kiddos; which is nice.
The only thing I noticed when I first walked in, was the barefoot smell Lol reminded me of playgrounds growing up; and it gets pretty hot in there during the summer. They do have fans in there but– it doesn’t help much. I was expecting those two things though, so whatever.
I had a lot of fun and I highly recommend going with a friend to help you with the ropes and harness if it’s your first time.

At the time of this review I’ll have been going to Boulders about twice a week for 5 months or so. For the most part, I like it a lot.
I started by taking the climbing 101 class (a great deal by the way) which was really fun. My instructor was knowledgable and encouraging, and I’d definitely recommend the class as a great way to learn climbing basics and meet people near your skill level.
Other positive observations:
— The staff is helpful and courteous, and has always responded quickly when I’ve pointed out something like a loose hold.
— The people that frequent the gym are friendly, at least all the ones I’ve interacted with.
— The routes are wide ranging in difficulty from simple to very difficult, so almost anyone can get involved.
— Both the bouldering and rope routes are interesting and challenging, more so than I’ve seen at other gyms.
— The routes change often enough that even going twice a week I don’t have to wait long for something new to try.
That said, here’s why I’m not going with a full 5 stars.
Not always, but sometimes the chalk in the air is quite thick. They have an air filter for the chalk, but it always looks overwhelmed. So I wonder if the air quality wouldn’t benefit from either changing the air filters more often or getting a companion filter on the other side of the building.
When I was trying to buy my first pair of climbing shoes I decided to give Boulders the business. I wear size a size 13 and wasn’t surprised when they didn’t have any in stock. I was initially told that my shoes would probably arrive in a couple weeks, but after waiting three weeks and checking in with the staff, I learned that they hadn’t even been ordered yet. I got them elsewhere and it was fine, but I feel like certain aspects of the business might be a little disorganized for something like that to happen.
Or maybe it was a fluke. Either way if you like climbing or want to start liking it you should give Boulders a go.

Phewwwwww the smell of stinky feet hit me before I was even through the door. I’m not sure what Boulders does differently from other climbing gyms that makes it so much more assaulting to the olfactory system… they even have a change-​in policy which requires climbers to have shoes on at all times in the climbing area, so what’s the deal?!
Otherwise, Boulders looks like any other well-​kept climbing gym. It is a little on the small side, but I like that bouldering is pretty much allowed anywhere in the gym as long as you are cognizant about how high you go. The crowd seems really low-​key and laid-​back, which makes climbing — for a clumsy novice like me — a little less nerve-​wracking. I believe that they also update the routes every 6 weeks (something that I overheard while climbing on a Sunday morning — which is apparently when they do most of their updating), which is awesome for the regulars!
Groupon has a couple of great options if you are new to climbing and just want to get your feet wet. I just recently redeemed the 5-​day punch card which I got for $ 24, and if I am correct, all punches include a pair of shoes and chalk if you need. :)
Now to not look like a clumsy baby panda attempting to scale a wall…

Boulders is a great place to climb whether you’re beginner or expert, serious or casual. There are a variety of routes, and they change them up often, so there’s always a new challenge. There are plenty of top rope, lead, and bouldering options for all skill levels.
The atmosphere is always fun and upbeat, with good tunes playing and friendly, helpful staff. The shop can hook you up with gear, I got a great deal on some shoes during one of their sales.
Whether you’re already a climber, looking to get into the sport, or just want a fun way to get some exercise, Boulders is great!

Good climbing gym with lockers, reasonable rates, and friendly instructors.
They have many different levels for everyone. We saw little kids and older people trying different walls.
We went because they had a BOGO deal in the Bucky book. But after our experience, we’ll definitely go back again.

My child is a natural climber. I have zero experience with the sport of climbing, but we dropped in to try it out, and now we are hooked! The environment is supportive, friendly, positive, and welcoming. The instructors always make us feel like we can take on new challenges, and freely share their knowledge. My child is non-​competitive by nature, but now enjoys climbing competitively, because the atmosphere at the gym is always so positive — she competes against herself, and always manages to feel good about just trying her best. I feel confident about the safety of the facility and classes — all the staff we have dealt with have always seemed competent and focused. We have visited larger /​fancier climbing gyms, but still love Boulders — they have everything we need, and are still expanding. The pricing of membership and what you get seem very much worth it — I have never felt pressured to buy any equipment, or that my level of skill or commitment are are under scrutiny. We always get a great workout, have fun, and feel good about the time, money and effort we spend at Boulders.

Very relaxed atmosphere. Its a great place to go when you are first learning how to climb but gets frustrating when you want to advance and get more involved. The courses are shorter and there are few lead routes. In the summer it gets pretty hot and can also get pretty crowded if you go anytime between 5 pm and 8 pm.
However, the best option in the area to climb, The Sett at Union South has only one wall and there is always a long wait to climb.

Having lived in many different parts of the country, I have to say, this is probably one of my least favorite climbing gyms.
A few things:
1. It’s short. And I know, everybody tells me that it’s about the bouldering. But the bouldering cave is still probably the worst/​smallest bouldering cave I’ve seen.
2. It’s really dirty. It’s gross to walk barefoot anywhere, and let’s be honest, at a climbing gym, there are times you need to walk barefoot. The holds could use a cleaning too.
3. It’s small. There really aren’t that many routes/​problems. Furthermore, because of the design of the bouldering cave, anybody on a problem blocks people on all the problems remotely near them. This is somewhat unavoidable in any gym, but this is by far the worst design I have seen for this.
4. All the bouldering is overhanging with very few exceptions. This is fine, but there is a lot of techniques, and cool problems that could be worked on/​created not upside down. Plus, when I was recouping a shoulder injury, that basically meant no bouldering at boulders for me.
5. $$$$ Dear god. $ 14 for a day at a dark, dingy, small gym. Ugh. That price is comparable to the best gyms I have climbed at. And being a student gets you a discount. Barely.
6. So freaking busy. Unless you go in the middle of the day, it’s way too packed. Makes me grumpy for having spent $ 14 to stand around waiting to get on the wall.
7. The staff is very «meh.» And further, while there, my friend sprained his thumb really bad. They do not have any ice packs or ice in the building. It’s not as if we were looking for medical care. Just ice. What climbing gym doesn’t have ice?
So why not one star? Because it is climbable.
Basically, because boulders is the only option in Madison, I have essentially stopped climbing since I moved here. Climbing is now something that only happens when I can get away to Devil’s Lake or Governor Dodge for the day. Bummer.

We like Boulder’s.
The staff is relaxed, courtesy (they speak to us when we see them out in the community too), and knowledgable without being snooty. 4 stars
The process is simple enough. 4 stars
The training that the staff provides isn’t overbearing and quite pleasant even when there’s other folks in the class. 4 stars
The kiddie class is smart & time length appropiate. 5 stars
The a/​c is minimal and it’s been a hot summer. 2 stars
The locker area and layout is simple/​easy/​and purposeful. 4 stars
The course options/​difficulty/​design/​aesthetics/​flow tape to designate a path option in level of difficulty — all of these things are smart. 5 stars
The side equipment to work on your abs & pull ups. 4 stars
The bell at the top of the 1^st run = 5 stars. Not just kids need motivation but it’s nice to hear the bell ring to show you’ve accomplised something.
The kid DID NOT like the fact that you have to clip in when climbing the single knotted rope, but I understand it’s a liability issue — yet in gymnastics its there so we need the practice. No rating for the kid~ Get a kid Unilocal =)
Great location in regards to the gym is nearby. So we leave one & practice at the other. 5 stars
The low adirondack chairs could go but that’s about it.
The music is hit or miss. The staff knows good music but the crowd dictates what stays & plays. The cut old school R&B saying it was too slow then flipped to NORAH JONES. WTH~ Did I miss something?
The lot gets full after traditional work hours but other than that if you bike in you’ll get the BIKE BENEFITS hook up.
Oh yeah~ Went with a Group On and staying loyal. But the staff isn’t all, «Eww.Groupon. How did you get this? Or «sheessh I hate these.» Nope~ Easy breezy. Yoga classes included in membership. Nice message board for sharing everything. It’s like an old school gym from what I remember going with my sister. You know before everyone got a tv on each individual piece of equipment (which I love) but this place is social in a nice way. Nothing over the top but each person shares a common interest and conversation is just sparked. OR at least everytime we came through.
P. S. When it rains or when the rain is coming and the doors are open — it’s like the best smell and feeling because they have an aluminum roof and a screen so it reminds me of Southern Living… sitting on the porch or in the swing smelling fresh rain on the horizon staring out feeling the cool breeze. It’s amazing what triggers the memory (e.g. Snorah Jones will do it to you too, lol. Maybe it was my singing along that got the music pulled.)

Love it. I learned about this through Groupon and fell in love. It’s a great place to go after work to let loose and use some muscles.

Excellent bouldering gym. The membership is a fantastic deal (especially if you’re a student). Routes and boulder problems are set by experienced setters who keep things interesting and like to put style into their work. Problems change on a regular basis to keep things interesting but not too quickly. Top ropes are set up along with draws for sport climbing.

I am a decent climber but don’t really have a good place to go when the weather turns sour. I didn’t know about this place until about a year ago when some friends turned me on to it.
The atmosphere is really laid back. There are quite a few employees that are there to help and they are always friendly. The other climbers often times will also help you out with techniques or if you are having difficulty with a certain route. Opinions are always welcome.
Although Tuesday nights are often times busy, Sundays and Thursdays aren’t bad at all. I was there very recently and had no trouble at all getting at the routes (both bouldering and belay) that i wanted to do.
There is definitely a diverse set of climbs there. There are 5.6−5.10d and bouldering routes up to v5 (I think I saw a v6 at one point). The routes are changing quite often too, so its good to try new ones. The only problem with this is that if you are trying to master a route, it might be gone the next time that you are there. C’est la vie.
The only gripe I have with this place is price. It is kind of costly if you aren’t a student and can’t make it very often. I bought a month pass, but i found a deal for it. That is the only way that I found it to be worth it because I just don’t climb enough to have it average below the per time cost.
Overall, 4 stars for being a good experience and a great atmosphere.

i’m not awesome at being athletic, but i recently got into climbing through some friends of mine.
i’ve been to boulder’s only a few times, but i found it nice, clean and friendly. there are a good number of climbing walls, equipment to rent and instructors to help.
tuesday night is college night so it’s only 8 $ for belay-​certified climbers and boulder-​ers. also, another option for cheap climbing is to go an hour and a half before close (also 8 $).
in addition, there are classes, party opportunities and a climbing team.
*note* the last time i went on college night it was fairly crowded and hard to find a wall (although part of that is because i’m picky about what paths to climb). i don’t think this is always the case but it was a little daunting for a beginner-​climber.