Futurist Climbing Sells Flooring Division PRESS RELEASE

Editor’s note: this was sent from the business below and posted verbatim without edit or fact-check.
October 14, 2020 – Albuquerque, NM Effective July 23, 2020 – Futurist Climbing Consultants, Inc. has sold its subsidiary climbing safety flooring division, Futurist Climbing Flooring & Mats, Inc. As a result, Futurist Climbing has discontinued supplying climbing flooring safety products and related services to the climbing gym industry. For mutually acknowledged reasons pertaining to personal health and work life balance in the context of business growth, the respective ownership interests of Futurist Climbing Consultants, Inc. and Futurist Climbing Flooring & Mats, Inc. have been transfered between the companies’ sole co-founding owners, Timy Fairfield (originally President of both companies) and Ernest Coletta (originally Vice President of both companies). As part of the terms of ownership transfer of the two previously co-owned and jointly operated entities, Mr. Coletta has resigned as Vice President from Futurist Climbing Consultants, Inc. and Mr. Fairfield has resigned as President from Futurist Climbing Flooring & Mats, Inc. Futurist Climbing products and services were initially researched and developed by Mr. Fairfield for 2 years prior to inviting Mr. Coletta to launch the companies in 2010. Futurist Climbing Flooring & Mats, Inc. has been rebranded as Strati Climbing (dba) which will operate under the management of Mr. Coletta (sole owner). Strati Climbing shall be responsible for servicing product warranties and extended service plans for all existing Futurist Climbing branded climbing safety flooring and accessory products currently in the field. For all inquiries related to product warranty claims, extended service plans and new flooring sales contact www.straticlimbing.com Futurist Climbing Consultants, Inc. will continue operating as its namesake, Futurist Climbing, under the management of Mr. Fairfield (presiding President and sole owner), who has retained exclusive ownership of the Futurist Climbing brand, name and likeness as well as all related intellectual property including copyrighted climbing gym designs and the Art Of Falling instructional video. Futurist Climbing Consultants, Inc. will continue offering start-up project development consulting and independent climbing gym design services as well as distribution of Camfil air filtration technology to the climbing gym industry. Visit: www.futuristclimbing.com Press release published by Futurist Climbing Consultants, Inc. For information regarding the content of this message please contact info@futuristclimbing.com.
This press release was written by the sponsor and does not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

Climbing and Rock and Ice to Merge

Climbing and Rock and Ice to merge
Gym Climber was launched two years ago by Big Stone Publishing and will reportedly remain “an especially important property for [Pocket Outdoor Media] in 2021.” Photo courtesy of Big Stone Publishing
It was recently announced that Pocket Outdoor Media, the publisher of Climbing magazine, has acquired Big Stone Publishing—the publisher of Rock and Ice, Gym Climber, and other popular titles.  
Elevate Climbing Walls
  Upon this announcement, Robin Thurston, CEO of Pocket Outdoor Media, indicated that Rock and Ice and Climbing magazine—the two leading print titles for climbing content in the United States—will soon be combining to form a single title. “By merging Rock and Ice into Climbing, we’ll be better positioned to deliver exceptional content and cover all of the sport’s disciplines—trad, sport, gym, and alpine climbing—in ways not possible before,” Thurston said in a press release. In the press release, Thurston gave no indication if or how Gym Climber—which first launched in 2018—would be impacted by the merger. However, a report on newsnet.com by Andrew Weaver stated, “Gym Climber, the leading publication catering to the bouldering community and indoor climbers, will be an especially important property for [Pocket Outdoor Media] in 2021, company leaders said, as gym climbing makes its debut at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.” Additionally, Weaver noted confirmation from Thurston that all staff from Rock and Ice and Gym Climber will be offered positions at Pocket Outdoor Media. Pocket Outdoor Media’s diverse array of “lifestyle content” spans various media forms and now includes magazines such as Backpacker, Trail Runner, Triathlete, Yoga Journal, SKI, and many others—in addition to the aforementioned climbing titles.

Fall Releases: CHNR September Grips Wrap

CHNR September Grips Wrap Welcome to the fifth monthly wrap in cooperation with Climbing Hold News Reviews (CHNR), where we bring you the latest climbing holds, macros and volumes releases each month. September saw more encouraging signs for gyms in the latest CWA reopening survey, and climbing hold companies continued to release new shapes as we head into Fall. Without further ado, here is your CHNR September Grips Wrap. We hope you love this as much as we do!
OnSite
 

// New Developments //

Menagerie's Font Pinches by Andy Raether

Menagerie

Menagerie Climbing has been releasing a ton of new lines recently, all shaped by owner Andy Raether. This month sees the beginning release of the Font series. Long ago Menagerie had a different font style, but this release sees a huge expansion and re-imagination of the original shapes. The Font set is being released as the Font Slopers, which contain 30 bulbous holds of different sizes, profiles and positivity, as well as the Font Pinches, which contain 20 holds ranging from medium to 2XL to start. We heard there are also extremely large macros in development―up to 7XL in these styles―so stay tuned for a whole lot more. https://menagerieclimb.com Various grips from Formik Holds

Formik

Formik Holds is a brand-new sister hold company from shaper Andy Raether of Menagerie Climbing, who is partnering with professional climber Daniel Woods. Previously we featured their complex wooden volume shapes, as well as hints of the interesting star Destroyer and Mothership macros to come. This month they released the beginning of their polyurethane series, which features mostly dual-texture holds. The largest line by far is the Tensors, which are angular, blocky and directional geometrical holds. Other lines feature the Broadswoards and the Smooth Criminals, which are low profile dual-texture screw-on-only holds designed for volumes and competition climbing.  And we can’t forget about the Edges, which are foundational, dual-texture bolt-on holds, as well as the technical dual-texture pinches of the Chicklets and Slick Shoes. Formik also released the screw-on small Patches, which are full-texture and very low-profile screw-on feet.  Formik is poured by Vertical Solutions / Proxy. https://menagerieclimb.com Multiple series from Toe Jam Holds

Toe Jam

Toe Jam Holds has been around for a long time, but now Christopher Neal of Capital Climbing is re-launching the brand with six new comprehensive lines planned to range from colossal to small in size. First up will be the Cobbles (shown in red), which are round sloping spheres of varying positivity; the Fluffy series (purple), which are a series of positive jugs; the Plush and Simp lines (both in blue), which will be a series of pinches and crimps; the Flush series (orange), which feature low-profile edges and rails; as well as the Homage series (shows in green), which is a series of screw-on rails. And stay tuned, because more releases are coming soon. The brand will be poured by Proxy / Vertical Solutions. https://toejamholds.com So iLL's Innies Expansion by Jason Kehl

So iLL

So iLL is releasing an expansion to the Innies, the spherical sloper set shaped by Jason Kehl. The original Innies have been seen in climbing gyms all over, and the new sets will give routesetters and climbers even more options. https://soill.com Decoy's Rollie sets by Dan Yagmin

Decoy

Decoy Holds dropped three new sets shaped by Dan Yagmin, which are expansions of the existing Rollie family. The new releases feature the 2XL and 3XL positive-lipped Rollie Rails and the Rollie Scoop B.  More Rollie sets as well as other new lines are planned for release soon. https://decoyholds.com Jurassic Jugs from Friction Holds

Friction

Friction Holds is a Canadian-based company that is manufactured and distributed by the Escape Climbing family. September saw the release of the new Jurassic Jug series, created by an anonymous well-known shaper. This line features jugs ranging in size from small to mega and currently is comprised of 36 holds. https://frictionclimbing.com Unleashed's Eclips Series by Will Watkins

Unleashed

Unleashed Climbing owner and shaper Will Watkins has had an interesting Covid-19 experience. He is actually stranded in Europe away from his home in Australia at this very moment. He appears to be making the best of it though, as his brand recently unveiled a brand-new website featuring four flagship lines. Released this month is the Eclipse series, which features a series of Moon-like slopers and edges, with associated blocker sets. These blockers create interesting seams and variable depth edges for thought-provoking climbing. https://unleashedclimbing.com 3D printed grips from Mimic Holds

Mimic

Mimic Holds is owned and operated by Clayton and Cole Hardacre and uses 3D scanning and 3D printing to replicate outdoor rock climbs. The two brothers founded the company in 2018 and have developed technologies that use the 3D printing approach to meet the quality standards of modern climbing holds. Recently they released several new sets, including classics from Joe’s Valley boulders such as Slasher, Gurkha Knife Pinch, Area 51, Zoolander and several jugs and aretes from the area. They also released a series of 10 crimps scanned from Red River Gorge classic Pure Imagination (5.14c). https://mimicholds.com Dual Tex Dunes from Agripp

Agripp

Agripp is a European-based climbing hold company based out of Belgium. Recently they released their Dune Full Texture and Dual Texture series, which feature a comprehensive line of holds of just about every size and type. Agripp holds are distributed by Holdtopia in the United States. https://agripp.com Gatowalls' Banana pinches

Gatowalls

Gatowalls is an up-and-coming climbing hold / macro / volume / training equipment and climbing wall producer out of Poland. Recently they released many new holds, macros and volumes which featured in previous CHNR Monthly Grips Wraps. This month they release the Bananas, which are a series of sleek screw-on / bolt-on pinches varying in positivity. https://gatowalls.com Bats from Delta Volumes

Delta

Delta Volumes is a newer brand which is releasing plywood climbing volumes as well as polyurethane macros. They recently released the puzzle-piece-like Bats series, which features angular wood volumes with a complementary blocker piece. The combinations are virtually endless, so they can be used to create jugs, crimps, pinches, seams, bathangs, etc. Check them out on Instagram or Facebook at @deltavolumes. A website is forthcoming. Be sure to visit climbingholdnewsreviews.com for even more updates and new releases on a weekly basis. Thanks for joining us!  We’ll see you next month!

Half Moon Bouldering Owners Feel They’ve Found a “Perfect Location”

Rendering of Half Moon Bouldering
Coming to the heart of North Seattle, the owners of Half Moon Bouldering envision the gym to be “a neighborhood hangout for people to exercise, relax, and socialize with friends and family.” All photos courtesy of Half Moon Bouldering

Half Moon Bouldering Seattle, WA

Specs: Family-owned 11,000-square-foot facility will include a MoonBoard, campus board, and kids’ area (with a “one-of-a-kind climbing castle”), in addition to various bouldering walls. The gym will also feature a yoga studio, a workout area, a social space, and a retail section with gear.
Trango Holds Pardners
  Walls: Vertical Solutions Flooring: Habit CRM Software: Rock Gym Pro Website: halfmoonbouldering.com Instagram: @halfmoonbouldering In Their Words: “As North Seattle residents and new parents, we realized we were climbing indoors less and less. We simply didn’t have the time for the long commute to any of Seattle’s climbing gyms. When we did go, we typically found them packed. Our experience was becoming the norm among Seattle climbers. Seattle prides itself with the first indoor climbing gym in the USA, yet [Seattle] is lacking the venues to accommodate the sport’s growing popularity. We had to do something about that.
Artwork of Half Moon Bouldering walls
Half Moon Bouldering will feature walls by Vertical Solutions and flooring by Habit. In total, the gym will offer 5,000 square feet of climbable surface.
More than three years ago, we started researching the market and the industry. We met business owners, toured facilities, and consulted industry experts. The support we received throughout this process was humbling. Our biggest challenge turned out to be the hunt for an appropriate space in the extremely competitive real estate market. But we persevered and found the perfect location for bringing our vision to reality: a neighborhood hangout for people to exercise, relax, and socialize with friends and family. Our long-term plan is to build a welcoming and inclusive community vested in education and outdoor stewardship. We can’t wait to develop programming and strategic partnerships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits. It truly takes a village…we’re thrilled to put ours on the map.” —Gloria Man, Co-Owner

HWOW 25 – A Pergola Design in Pacoima, CA

Three walls, one pergola, and a Moonboard make up Paul Gotaco’s backyard bouldering space in Pacoima, CA. Despite a few slip-ups and some heavy lifting, Paul is in the process of curating his ideal training venue. Check out past HWOW here. CBJ Homewall of the Week

When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?

I’ve had my moonboard for 4 years now. The 15° and 3.5° are my Covid babies.

How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?

5 months all by myself putting in an hour or two on weekdays and more on weekends. It’s not 100% complete yet. I’m hiring a roofing contractor for the roof then I’ll panel the sides.
OnSite

Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there? Most/Least expensive part?

Approximately 3K. The pergola is not included; that’s a separate 3K. I hired a contractor to build this to a certain spec and I used it as the main frame.

What are you doing for padding?

Using multiple Madrock tri-fold pads. I bought them at a discounted price and I’m buying their gym pads soon. CBJ Homewall of the Week

What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?

I wanted a moonboard and came up with the pergola design for future expansion, which I recently completed.

What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?

Drilling the wholes for T-Nuts. I messed up so many exit holes and had to repair them with putty and sanding. Putting up 4×8 panels are hard to do alone. I had to use a pulley system with a gri-gri to hoist it up.
Trango Holds Pardners

What would you do differently?

Recently, I found a better bit. In the future, I’d find someone to help.

Did you make any mistakes along the way or choose to re-do any aspects? If so, what?

Yes. A lot of mistakes. Simple ones were repaired with putty and sanding. I made mistakes like putting the T-nuts on the wrong side and had to remove and put them back on the correct side. Then I had to putty the screw holes, sand, and touch up paint. Tedious process. I also learned during the process to be patient and wait a few weeks before bolting holds if you painted your wall. I ended up with holds stuck to paint. CBJ Homewall of the Week

What is your favorite aspect?

Slapping holds on a fresh wall and coming up with problems.

How often do you use the wall? Do you think you’ll still use it as much when all of the gyms open back up?

I train on my wall 4 to 5 times a week for 1 to 1.5 hr sessions. I haven’t been going to gyms pre Covid after I got my first wall. I just go to the gym occasionally to hangout with friends.

Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?

Building your own wall can be quite expensive. Build one you would really use.
Want us to consider your woodie for a future Homewall of the Week? Submit your homewall here to be considered. If yours is chosen you’ll win a prize like this (prizes vary each week): CBJ Homewall of the Week

Strati Climbing Home Wall Survey

Strati Climbing Home Wall Survey Home climbing walls have always been popular with dedicated climbers, and the current Covid-19 pandemic has only increased that popularity. We would like to learn more about this growing industry niche, and share with you what we find out. So we’ve teamed up with Strati Climbing for this survey, and will report on the findings afterward.

www.climbingbusinessjournal.com/homewallsurvey

You can take the survey anonymously, but we’ve also got some great prizes to make it worth your time (prize details below):
  1. STRATI CLIMBING flooring package – win up to $2500 credit towards a brand spanking new custom floor for your home wall, enough for a basic 12’x12′ floor
  2. ATOMIK holds package – win their Steep Wall 90 Pack valued over $600
  3. STOKED volumes package – win volume pack to fit your needs valued over $200
  4. KILTER holds set – win online giftcard valued $150
  5. CHALK CARTEL pack – win a Kilo of chalk and a baller valued over $70

CLICK HERE: STRATI CLIMBING HOME WALL SURVEY


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
  • Climbers of all skills and professions that own homewalls are encouraged to participate.
  • Giveaway winners will be chosen randomly from those who complete the survey by the deadline.
  • One submission per household, defined as a single residential address where the homewall exists within the address property boundaries.
  • It must be a home climbing wall. No walls in the woods, on public lands or someone else’s property, or a boulder on the side of the road. No commercial or non-profit facilities, recreation centers, schools, co-ops or other kinds of businesses or organizations. No past or present Futurist Climbing or Strati Climbing employees or family members are eligible.
  • Strati prize additional details: $2500 credit for homewall padding that includes shipping, enough for a basic 12’x12′ floor, that can be applied to a larger system. If the winner’s total system (padding and shipping) exceeds $2500 then the extra amount must be paid prior to executing the order. Minimum thickness is 8″. Past or current homewall flooring customers of Futurist are welcome to participate. If you are chosen as the winner you will either receive a refund up to the prize amount, or more homewall padding. No past or present Futurist Climbing or Strati Climbing employees or family members are eligible.

Ask a Lawyer: Hiring in the Age of COVID

Ask A Lawyer is a recurring column where attorney Jason Pill answers questions submitted by people who work in the climbing industry. For this edition, Pill dives into the question of what gyms should consider when hiring in the age of COVID. Got a legal question that you’d like him to tackle about your gym, your employees, or anything else in the wide world of climbing? Submit your legal question here. Hiring in the Age of COVID

QUESTION: As a gym owner and manager, I am wondering whether the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic changes the hiring process at all. Specifically, are there any issues or concerns that I should be addressing with potential hires (such as during the interview process) that I would not have addressed, say, six months ago or so?

PILL: Like many things during this period, COVID-19 has changed hiring for companies as well. Most commentary on this issue has focused on the evolving labor market and how job seekers may change their preferences—perhaps eschewing pricey (and cramped) cosmopolitan living in favor of less expensive (and more spacious) living in smaller cities. Such articles, though, presuppose that workers can perform their job remotely and, thus, can choose where they want to be located while they’re working. For climbing gyms, that luxury usually does not exist, as very few workers can perform their job duties remotely—and the overwhelming majority of workers need to be physically present at the gym to perform their job (e.g., front desk staff, belay instructors/monitors, routesetters). So, while most climbing gyms aren’t expecting to see a variance in their applicant pool or workforce composition, COVID-19 still has had a significant impact on hiring. The logistics of the hiring process have changed, and new considerations present themselves, while many old issues remain, but are easy to overlook.
OnSite
 

The Process for Conducting Interviews Has Changed.

The most prominent change for climbing gyms is that the majority of interviews are transitioning to a remote process (i.e., Zoom and Skype) that facilitates social distancing. Obviously, remote interviews can save some time and streamline the process, but remote interviews might not be ideal for all interviews, especially those requiring demonstration of a specific skill (such as tying knots, belaying, etc.) or for more critical roles within the gym. A common pitfall with remote interviews—and also with remote work, for that matter—is the assumption that legal obligations or company policies are lessened because of the more casual format. Gyms must remember that hiring formalities—and all the accompanying legal obligations—apply with equal force whether the interview is conducted in-person, over the telephone, through text messages, via Zoom, and so forth. This is critical because job applicants, even those who you do not select, can bring a lawsuit against the gym. Litigation is not confined to current and former employees. The logistics, though, are not the only element of hiring that has changed. COVID-19 considerations now permeate gyms’ daily, if not hourly, decision–making process, and may have a role during hiring. However, certain interview questions can be problematic and potentially expose a gym to legal risks, even if asked with the best of intentions.

Rockwerx

 

Can I Ask COVID-19-Related Questions During an Interview?

The short answer: Yes, but at your own peril. Generally speaking, gyms face numerous restrictions on obtaining information about applicants during the pre-employment process. When dealing with COVID-19 during an interview, the most likely areas of concern would be questions that run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) by soliciting improper information that suggests ulterior motives. In terms of the ADA, improper questions would include questions that solicit information about an applicant’s disability, actual or perceived, and whether that disability may impact the applicant’s ability to perform the job (because the ADA provides coverage for “perceived disabilities,” gyms must be especially cautious about assuming that an applicant has a disability based on information from the applicant’s resume or some visual cue). If not asked correctly, questions that implicate an applicant’s disability can appear to be a nefarious tool used to filter out applicants with a disability. This clearly would violate the ADA, which is why discussions about disabilities should generally be avoided to prevent any confusion between the gym and the applicant. Improper questions include:
  • Are you disabled?
  • What is the nature of your disability?
  • Are you taking any prescriptions?
  • Have you filed any workers’ compensation claims?
A proper question, instead, would be to ask if the applicant is able to perform the essential functions of the job. The applicant’s response may be very similar, and perhaps identical, to the response that would be given to some of the improper questions identified above, but the focus is on the essential functions of the job—and the gym is not soliciting information about the applicant’s disability. There is a difference between information that a gym solicits and information that an applicant volunteers without prompting. More specific to COVID-19, some gyms may be tempted to ask applicants about their willingness to work under certain safety conditions in the gym, based on the reality that the gym cannot eradicate all risks of contracting COVID-19. While most safety standards issued by state and federal agencies are permissive guidance, as opposed to mandatory requirements for gyms, asking about safety issues can be dicey because certain questions could make it appear as though the gym is trying to screen out potential whistleblowers or otherwise skirt its obligations to provide its employees with a workplace free of serious recognized hazards. Safety concerns certainly are not an unlawful topic, per se, but an area that warrants caution given the numerous rights that employees have under OSHA and the National Labor Relations Act (which protects employees who engage in concerted activities regarding workplace conditions—e.g., complaining about an unsafe work environment). Additionally, in March, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Among other things, the FFCRA provides paid leave benefits for employees who contract COVID-19 and employees who need to stay home to care for a child whose daycare or school is closed to COVID-19. As part of the FFCRA, companies cannot retaliate against employees who may seek these paid leave benefits. That protection from retaliation extends to job applicants, so gyms will need to avoid any questions that could come off as the gym’s attempt to determine whether the applicant would need FFCRA leave; this is because a denied applicant could allege that the gym did not hire him or her once the gym learned that the applicant may be eligible for FFCRA benefits, all in an effort to avoid the gym’s FFCRA obligations to provide paid leave.

 

What Best Practices Should I Consider During Interviews?

Generally, focus on the necessary qualifications and let the job requirements guide the interview. I’ve mentioned a number of questions to avoid, which may leave some gyms wondering what questions are acceptable to ask. To stay out of murky legal waters, gyms should ensure that information obtained and requested through the pre-employment process, including job applications and interviews, is limited to the information essential for determining an applicant’s qualifications for the position. It may sound like an obvious point, but the questions need to be geared towards an applicant’s ability to perform the essential functions of the job. A number of pre-employment inquiries can expose a gym to liability if not conducted properly or for business-related reasons (e.g., improper questions that suggest a discriminatory motive is being used to filter candidates—such as a reluctance to hire older workers based on an assumption that older workers cannot keep up with modern technology or avoid workers of certain faiths because of potential scheduling complications). Questions asking about the applicant’s personal life, medical history, age, faith, etc., often have no benefit to the job hiring process, and can improperly lead an applicant to believe those criteria are being used to select an applicant for the open position. Gyms can decline applicants for a good reason or a bad reason—it just cannot be a discriminatory reason. That said, the focus of the interview should be the job requirements and necessary qualifications, skills and characteristics, and the job description often will serve as a helpful roadmap. Gyms should try to standardize the interview to avoid excessive latitude that could veer toward unlawful questions, and focus on objective and job-related information only. As noted above, instead of asking whether an applicant has any disabilities that would compromise his or her ability to perform the job, show the applicant the job description and ask whether he or she would be able to perform the essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation. This may seem like a small change, but it alters the optics of the situation and prevents a gym from being in a position where it appears to be soliciting protected information that could be used for discriminatory purposes. Small tweaks like that can go a long way during the hiring process to better insulate gyms for legal exposure. Along those lines, whether conducting an in-person or virtual interview, the gym should only make notes of job-related information. Notes from an interview can become evidence in a lawsuit one day if an applicant challenges a hiring decision and brings a lawsuit. So, if you are taking notes, make sure you would be comfortable with producing them in discovery one day to the applicant-turned-plaintiff. If you aren’t comfortable, don’t take notes. The legal standards applicable to hiring do not change during a pandemic, but it’s all too easy to overlook these obligations when conducting a remote interview (perhaps from your own living room) or trying to navigate these unprecedented COVID-19 issues. As gyms continue reopening, they inevitably will bring back laid off employees and slowly begin hiring new ones. COVID-19 has changed the hiring process in many ways, but the legal obligations remain the same, and in fact, are heightened in some instances. Remain vigilant and don’t be tempted to treat Zoom interviews as something less formal or otherwise lacking all of the usual legal obligations. Best of luck to all gyms reopening and bringing back staff.  
Note: This column offers general advice and is not intended to be used as direct legal counsel. Gym owners should consult a lawyer for their facility’s specific legal matters. Pill can be contacted directly here.

New Big-City Brooklyn Boulders Gym Aims to Foster a Loyal Community

Outside the new big-city Brooklyn Boulders gym in Chicago
The newest Brooklyn Boulders facility is located at 2131 North Wayne Ave, in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. All photos courtesy of Brooklyn Boulders Lincoln Park

Brooklyn Boulders Lincoln Park (Chicago), Illinois

Specs: The 43,000-square-foot new big-city Brooklyn Boulders gym features “best in class bouldering and adventurous fitness programming,” according to the gym’s website. For climbing, this includes freestanding boulders, a symmetrical traverse wall, a campus training wall, and several auto-belays. Other offerings include yoga, HIIT, Bootcamp, and additional group fitness classes, weightlifting and cardio equipment, youth programming, and co-working spaces.
Trango Holds Pardners
  A press release for the facility’s opening states, “Staying true to the company’s mission of creating a strong sense of community, Brooklyn Boulders’ new gym will bring together Chicago residents of all ages and help them to achieve their fitness goals on and off the wall.” Early-bird membership rates for the gym run through October 15th and, for a limited time, will also include three-month access to the nearby BKB West Loop facility.
Climbing at Brooklyn Boulders Lincoln Park
In addition to a variety of climbing walls, the gym is outfitted with treadmills, bikes, rigs, racks and battle ropes. “Whether you’re a climber or someone who prefers a purely fitness-focused approach, the gym will offer something for everyone,” notes the aforementioned press release.
Walls and Flooring: Vertical Solutions CRM Software: Mindbody Website: brooklynboulders.com/locations/lincoln-park/ In Their Words: “We’re excited to be the first climbing gym to open in Lincoln Park and give Chicagoans more boulders to climb, spaces to train and ways to recover. We understand the challenges that come with finding the right gym, but Brooklyn Boulders believes people shouldn’t have to compromise their standards. We provide members both a comprehensive, industry-leading climbing and fitness experience coupled with an aesthetically appealing, cleaning environment. These elements, along with fostering a loyal community, is at the foundation of our company. We provide members with an unmatched experience they won’t find anywhere else and, since opening Brooklyn Boulders in the city’s West Loop in 2014, Chicago has been home to one of our most vibrant communities.” —Claire Bao, General Manager, Brooklyn Boulders Lincoln Park.

HWOW 24 – 100 Year Old Bouldering Barn

Over the course of 11 years, Joe S. has made 5 separate remodels to his bouldering barn in Springfield, OR. A campus board, ring setup, and multi-angle structure make this once dilapidated barn the ultimate, rustic training dojo. Check out past HWOW here. CBJ Homewall of the Week

When did you build your wall? Was it a COVID baby?

The wall began in 2009, over the years it has seen 5 remodels/additions. I couldn’t resist missing out on all the Covid walls, so the Boulder Barn got an extra 7 sheets of plywood in August of this year.

How long did it take you to build and what did that time look like?

The initial wall did not take long no more than a few days. It was a pretty simple design using approximately 8 sheets of plywood. Early on I made every $ count and my wall design was more about using every Square foot of plywood. Each additional remodel saw more interesting terrain and thus more plywood scrap. The more complex the terrain the longer the building process took.
Routesetter Bundle from Chalk Cartel

Not including holds and padding, how much did it cost you to build? Any surprises there? Most/Least expensive part?

I don’t think I have spent more than $500 initially and each remodel after that could not have cost any more than that. I think the most surprising thing is the increase in plywood cost. In 2009 ¾” ACX plywood cost $20 a sheet now its near $40 a sheet. To date the wall cost is no more than $2500.

What are you doing for padding?

We have installed a foam floor over the majority of the fall zones, fortunately our local bouldering gym had some leftover foam that they kindly offered up to the local home wall community. CBJ Homewall of the Week

What was your primary incentive for the wall? Did anything in particular inspire your wall design?

The primary incentive was for training and a place to hang out with friends. The entire wall design in each of its stages was inspired by existing gym walls, each remodel was an attempt to add terrain that inspired movement that the previous terrain did not offer. Most recently I have been inspired by the t-nut-less walls. This wall is in a temperate climate where the wood shrinks and swells on a daily basis and subsequently end up with spinners frequently, so transitioning to a majority of screw on holds seems to be the logical thing to do.

What was the most difficult aspect of the design and build?

The most difficult aspect was that I built the wall in a dilapidated 100-year-old barn that was literally on its last few legs. In 2015 we had a small earthquake that shifted the poorly supported barn into a precarious leaning position. The only thing keeping the barn from falling over was the climbing wall inside. At that point we had to make the decision to either tear the barn and wall down or save it. We chose to save the old barn and replaced its post and beam foundation with a concrete one.
Elevate Climbing Walls

What would you do differently?

Every few years there would be a list of things to do differently and then the wall would get a remodel. We just finished the fifth Major remodel, so it seems perfect now! Ask me in a few years and there will be a do different list again.

Did you make any mistakes along the way or choose to re-do any aspects? If so, what?

The one design mistake that I made was when I built a cave in the third remodel that when climbing out from the bottom went over a 3-foot-ledge that if someone had taken a fall would have badly injured themselves. It turned into a waste of space because we would only climb easy routes over the potential fall hazard which was completely opposite of the terrains intended use. CBJ Homewall of the Week

What is your favorite aspect?

My favorite aspect is the overall feel of the space. Lots of good lighting and keeping the walls unpainted along with some rough carpentry makes it feel raw and more like a traditional woody.

How often do you use the wall? Do you think you’ll still use it as much when all of the gyms open back up?

The wall has seen a lot of ups and downs over the last 10 years. It always saw lots of excitement after each remodel, and then it also saw several years of downtime due to injury. The wall gets almost daily use when we are home and has always been a great warmup tool before heading to the local gym.

Any words of wisdom to aspiring homewallers?

Start now! Creating a space for fun and self-improvement is good for your health.
Want us to consider your woodie for a future Homewall of the Week? Submit your homewall here to be considered. If yours is chosen you’ll win a prize like this (prizes vary each week): CBJ Homewall of the Week

Bringing a Dream to Life in Israel: Behind the Desk with Yuval Hamburg

Behind the Deskis an ongoing series that profiles people influencing and advancing the climbing gym industry around the world. This year, CBJ has (virtually) traveled to South America, Canada, Australia and elsewhere to speak to gym owners and managers. And for this Behind the Desk edition, we reached out to Yuval Hamburg, owner of Performance Rock in Israel, to talk about the climbing scene there, the birth of Israel’s bouldering culture, and the opening of a brand new facility.
Yuval Hamburg, profiled in this Behind the Desk
Yuval Hamburg was first introduced to climbing via a television program. He was instantly hooked. It became his passion and it eventually morphed into a dream of opening his own gym. All photos courtesy of Yuval Hamburg
Name: Yuval Hamburg Title: Owner, Performance Rock Location: Tel Aviv, Israel Gym Instagram: @performancerock

CBJ: I do not know much about the history of indoor climbing in Israel. Can you tell me a little bit about climbing gym history in the country?

HAMBURG: Outdoor climbing started in Israel in the 1970s. The first climbing wall was built around 1988. During the 90s a few climbing walls opened and a new era started with climbing competitions and more climbers on the cliffs over the weekend. In 2006 there were about six climbing gyms with mostly sport climbing terrain and small bouldering areas. 2007 was the year [Performance Rock] opened the first bouldering gym in the country. Today there are more than 25 gyms across the country—with most of them being bouldering-dedicated gyms. In the Israeli climbing organization there are over 10,000 members today.
CWA Summit Pre-Conferences
 

CBJ: And how did you, personally, become interested in climbing?

HAMBURG: I started climbing as a teenager in the early 1990s. One afternoon in May, I saw a piece on TV about teens climbing. It took me a few months to find out that one of the two gyms in the country was close to the kibbutz I grew up on—and used to cycle about an hour each way to the gym. From the first time I tried climbing, I knew I had found my passion. Later, I did some competition (was never very good) and climbed a lot outdoors. After my army service, I started managing the gym I grew up in and started coaching the Israeli national team. In 2005 I moved to the US and managed Portland Rock Gym in Portland, Oregon, for a year. I opened Performance Rock in Tel Aviv in 2007 after a year of searching for the right property. As long as I can remember, climbing has always been the center of my life.
Steep bouldering at Performance Rock, Yuval Hamburg's gym.
Performance Rock, Hamburg’s gym, played a key role in introducing—and popularizing—bouldering in Israel.

CBJ: That original Performance Rock—opened in 2007—was Israel’s first bouldering gym. But was there already some degree of “bouldering culture” in Israel at the time, or did the culture emerge as a result of the gym?

HAMBURG: When we opened in 2007, climbers did not understand the concept of a bouldering gym. Most climbers did not get the idea and were not very receptive to the gym. It was only after six month of operating that we sold our first membership. After that, many came too. Two years later, in 2009, the second bouldering gym opened and today there are around 20 bouldering gyms across the country.
 

CBJ: Please tell me about the new Performance Rock gym—Midtown. I read that a group of movie art designers built the walls because the Blocz people could not travel to Israel (due to COVID). That seems like some very unique design improvisation.

HAMBURG: Opening a “real” gym was our dream for a few years. Tel Aviv is one of the most expensive cities in the world and we were looking for 15,000 square feet of prime real estate… And looking at more than 30 properties in the last five years, we did not always believe we’d find a space. A Lot of the buildings we looked at were old and on the way to becoming an office tower; others did not have the height or were in a bad neighborhood. In mid-2019, we found Midtown and after a few months we signed. We planned the gym with Blocz. Three days before the installment team from Blocz was scheduled to arrive, Israel closed its air traffic. Hearing crazy COVID-19 stories, I heard of a company that started making parts for CPR machines instead of car parts. That got me thinking: Who can build the climbing walls instead of Blocz? One phone call to a friend got me in touch with Eyal Elhadad, who on a regular day builds movie sets. Eyel did not know what climbing was—and definitely did not have any idea what a bouldering gym was. At this point I knew I had my solution! Blocz were great as always and started working with Eyel and the team in Zoom meetings on the gym plans. Two weeks later we started the build. This was the most amazing experience we could wish for in special times like these to bring our dream to life.
Performance Rock's impressive lounge area.
The new Midtown facility features 15,000 square feet of climbing and training space. But, frankly, the lounge area is equally impressive.

CBJ: The Midtown gym just opened. How has the customer response been so far—and are people in Israel adjusting to the realities of climbing in a COVID world?

HAMBURG: I believe that our community knows that they are climbing in the best gym we could build for them. Climbers and non-climbers that come into the gym are super excited to see the size of the gym, the walls, the holds, the art, and all the small details that we spent many hours thinking of. The gym location brings in many non-climbers and it’s great to see their response to bouldering so close to their fingertips. The feeling they have is that this is something they want and can be part of; it is exciting for us. COVID-19 changed who and how you get in the gym. To schedule a session, you need to sign up as a member of the Israeli climbing organization and then choose the date and time—and order a place like at a restaurant; sometimes you’ll need to schedule a week in advance.
Rockwerx
 

CBJ: So, how do you see Israel’s climbing community evolving in the future?

HAMBURG: I’m positive. Climbing is at its early stages in Israel. In the next few years we’ll see more money being invested in the industry by the government and by investors. As climbing gyms become more popular, more kids, teens and adults will take part in the community. Israeli athletes will be on podiums in international competitions, and Israel will become a great outdoor climbing destination for climbers looking for good weather during the European winter.
A slab wall at Performance Rock.
Hamburg says the new Midtown location in Tel Aviv draws a lot of climbers as well as non-climbers; the gym will introduce a lot of people to their first-ever climbing experience.

Share your story

Are you leading a climbing gym or brand through this unprecedented period? Or, do you work in the industry and have a story that others could benefit from hearing? If so, please contact us and tell us about it.