It's been over 2 years since my original review of BIW & it's time for a review update. So, what has changed between then & now that would prompt an update? With the gym itself, not much. The facilities are still pretty much the same now as 2 years ago. The thing that changed is my impression of BIW. I got some perspective. In addition to keeping this gym membership, I also added a 24 Hour Fitness membership this year. 24 Hour Fitness gyms get crowded, really crowded. 1 particular 24 location gets so crowded that I stopped going because I would always spend significantly more time waiting for equipment than actually working out. That never happens at BIW. At least, I haven't encountered it. If I jog here from work & only have 10 minutes to lift weights before I have to jog back to work, I lift weights for that entire 10 minutes. No waiting for equipment. Even at gym prime time (evenings, after work), I usually don't wait for cardio or weight equipment. I get in, work out & get out. Yeah, BIW is a lot more $$$ than 24, but my time is worth it. Besides, I'm still getting a discount & 50% reimbursement from my work. That helps to close the gap. BIW is also the closest gym to my work, so there's still the convenience factor. BIW is a decent gym even if you don't climb at all. The biggest negative is that parking sucks sometimes. Aside from that, I'm a fan of working out more & waiting less. That makes me a fan of BIW. read more

I really enjoyed the cardio boxing class with Victor Damian. He was so nice especially when I had no idea what I was doing (boxing part), and he also yelled at me encouragingly to get me to finish those sit-ups and other exercises. This was a really good beginners class to get a taste of what boxing's about, but I can see if you want to attend this class regularly, it could get stagnant. My friends who had previously gone, said the routine was the same. Well it was my first time, and it kicked my ass. What a good workout! The rest of the gym looked cool, and the rock walls are high! I liked that it wasn't crowded (unlike Bridges in El Cerrito). read more

Always a great gym. Touchstone runs an amazing set of gyms. I would recommend to anyone looking to try out climbing

Decent climbing gym. The setters here tend to set harder than the other Touchstone gyms. The ratings seem to be more in line with outdoor climbing. No top out bouldering here. The top rope routes are not particularly long but some of them are pretty inventive. The workout area has older machines and looks kind of dirty. I don't think I would come to this gym to workout, only to climb. You are going to end up sucking up a lot of chalk dust anyway from the climbing. The towel service and wi-fi (plus public computer) is a nice touch. read more

BIW is a very good size gym -- they have plenty of challenging routes at a lot of different levels. The route setters are pretty good at mixing up the routes in different areas so that there are pitches of different levels going over overhangs or arretes or other features. More than any of the other gyms -- BIW has a lot of kids here, especially on weekends. They host birthday parties, esp on the back wall. Early mornings are better times at most of the gyms. BIW is often not very clean. It would be great if the holds were given a little TLC before put back on the wall for new routes, but this is pretty typical across most climbing gyms I've visited. The cleanliness is more of an issue for an indoor gym that doesn't get direct sunlight or rain or other elements to kill the nasties carried around by grubby fingers that wipe away snot or are not washed properly after using the toilets. I'd love to see this improvement at all the Touchstone gyms. Overall, Touchstone offers a pretty good value -- I like being able to go to the different climbing gyms to get a variety of different routes, and it's fun to learn the style of the different route setters. read more

Of all the Touchstone gyms I have visited, this is probably my least favorite one so far. The ladies at the front desk were super nice, but the gym just seemed dingier and dirtier, from the locker rooms to the general climbing areas. I like that there are lockers instead of just cubbies in the middle of the gym to prevent thefts. There is also a family-friendly space since lots of kids come here. I don't like that the bouldering and top rope areas are so close to each other (even overlapping) but perhaps that's just an issue of poor planning when building this place. There is much more square footage alloted to the workout equipment, which I have not seen at other Touchstone gyms. The best way to get here is by car (whether driving or Uber) because public transportation is kind of a pain, especially if you are coming from San Francisco like me. I would probably not go out of my way to come back to this Touchstone gym specifically, but I'm glad I could finally check it off my list! read more

Im no rock climbing expert. I've still gone so few times I need help putting my gear on. Yes, I'm that guy who gets laughed at fumbling around with this gear and who eventually gets rescued by a girl there willing to help me put all those straps around my what not properly. This place makes sense for a person into fitness and fun. It combines a rock climbing area and a gym all in one neat little package. The interior walls look really high once you get in. In fact I hear one of my friends went all the way to the top and didnt come down like a cat stuck in a tree. Once you get to the top you just let go and trust your friend down below. Yup that guy has trust issues. Too bad I want there to see it. Look out for deals where you dont have to pay the initial fee to register rather just the monthly fee. They were on Facebook once in a while back a couple years ago. read more

This is my favorite of the Touchstone Climbing facilities. The variety of bouldering problems on their massive walls means that there are at least a dozen of every difficulty level. This permits me to stay within my range of challenge and have a very long workout, or try multiple new problems that I may be able to accomplish at a difficulty beyond my skill. It is also more spacious than the other climbing facilities permitting me to actually find an unoccupied portion of wall more frequently than Mission Cliffs. The Sauna and locker rooms are very clean. The yoga studio has punching/kicking bags. There are ample running machines and weight machines. read more

Such a nice bouldering area, though I'm hoping Dogpatch Boulders is on a whole other plane of awesome when it opens up in 2013. There's a big underhang cave, an arch, and a whole series of walls of different planes, and the route setters here definitely set interesting routes that aren't just dyno or pinch-fests. There's a lot of body weight shifting, interesting footholds, etc. The toproping here has a ton of the shelves that Mission Cliffs is missing, and a great weight machine and free weight area. Even during the evening frenzy, it just has so much more real estate than the other Touchstone gyms that it's barely noticeable. read more

I took Rebecca's 10:45 am Saturday yoga class. I always enjoy it. She is really good at what she does. The class is a challenge but isn't hard if you do yoga regularly. It's very spiritual and always has a new theme and flow. She organizes all of those pieces together with beautiful music. My heart is in this class love it! Make sure you book it a day prior on the website! See you there!! read more

A great place to get a few solid routes in. I've never had a problem finding someone to belay. The yoga room upstairs is really nice as well. read more

Convenient location, near the 80/880 freeway. I went a lot during the day time when I was still a student and that pretty much avoided all of the crazy congestions that people are talking about. Schadenfreude. Not my problem! It's fairly economical for students since there are some good discounts on membership. So if you are a student, you should definitely check it out. read more

I am brand new to rock climbing and have wanted to try to years now. Our office did a team building event and I suggested rock climbing and we did it today! A group of about 12 of us had a great time today. We scaled walls with ropes, even free rock climbing without ropes. Sorry I don't know the technical jargon. They do parties here for kids and adults. They don't do much corporate outings, so I highly recommend it. The place wasn't very crowded. The staff was AWESOME! They showed us how to tie the knots, gave us pointers, encouraged us to climb more, and cheered us when we were done. This place is good for kids and families - I will return with my kids who want to climb, too. Thanks, Ironworks! You rock! read more

Stellar facility and very reasonable monthly membership fees. I love that there's a sauna!

When I signed up the guy helping me told me that I'd be paying month to month, which was good because I was only in town for two months. What he didn't tell me was that I'd automatically be charged month to month, which I found out a few months later. Despite being misinformed by the staff when I signed up, they wouldn't give me a refund or even credit to climb when I was next in town. Combined with being very expensive this gym is clearly about profits over customer satisfaction. They lost my business and now I'm a happy member at Bridges. read more

My partner and I have had a membership for about 17 months, and Berkeley Ironworks was initially one of my favorite places to spend a free evening or Sunday. The staff are friendly, there's a lot of routes to climb, the yoga is great. I love the sauna. It's also worth noting that my partner and I feel very welcomed as a queer couple here. This is one of the only businesses we interact with where people seem to know that we're partners and not sisters. Thank you for that, BIW! All that being said, I've lately started to dread going to BIW and am considering cancelling my membership. It's gotten so crowded that it's hard to top rope or boulder without falling on top of people and doing a LOT of waiting for routes (I've noticed a significant change even in the short time I've been climbing here, and no it's not a seasonal change, but rather a linear increase over time). Further, with more people seems to come an uptick in condescending attitudes. While people are waiting around for routes, there's plenty or time for chit-chat about what's going on around them. I HATE hearing strangers talk to each other about how I'm climbing a top rope route while I'm actively on it. Especially when it's men doing the talking, which it usually is ("she'll really need to get over on the right wall up there" or "oh I climbed that one yesterday, it was a piece of cake, I just had to mantle on the crux and then pull up the weight of my cis-male ego using that right-hand crimp."). Which brings me to my final complaint. Where are the women and/or non-binary route setters? They used to have short setter bios on their website, and I don't see the page there anymore. Maybe it's changed since then, but last time I looked, the setters were almost all people I read to be men (except for maybe one person?). It shows in the climbs and their ratings. 5.9s and 5.10s can sometimes actually be pretty hard for me due to primarily drawing on arm strength, while the 5.11s and 5.12s, which are supposed to be harder than 5.10s, seem to pull more on flexibility and balance and less on pure brute arm strength. I feel so confused when a 5.11c is way easier for me than than a 5.10b, which I can't even finish. I can't trust the scale to help me pick routes that will be within my ability. Maybe this is just an issue for me. I'm willing to accept that possibility. Another possibility is that the system is based on what's easier or harder, generally speaking, for men (who are doing the large bulk of the route-setting). Granted, this is a criticism that could apply to the climbing world at large and I don't think the problem is specific to BIW. Still, they could do better. Due to these crowd and environment issues, the membership is starting to feel like it's not worth the (increasing) cost. read more

BIW is my primary & favorite gym... I am here at least three times a week. They have everything a powerlifter, rock climber, runner, yoga enthusiast, and everyone in between could need. My primary complaints are just the hours (could you be open a little later in the evening given the high volumes of people during the weekday) and the singular power rack on the ground floor. It can get quite crowded during peak hours, leaving one waiting for space to safely execute their workout routine. Otherwise, I highly recommend this gym and hope to take advantage of the community-like setting! read more

This gym has everything...from bouldering, to belay climbing, to rings, to weight lifting, to cardio, to weight machines, and locker rooms. There is also a lot of open space! Easily spent 3 hours there and had a great time. All their equipments are fairly new. Parking is not a problem. It is a bit on the pricier side but I think it is worth it because you have so many options! You can either get a membership or pay for a day pass. Definitely give this place a try! read more

Berkeley Ironworks has become my home to strengthen my temple. Pros: They offer a versatile of classes at good spread out times (yoga, cycling, CrossFit, boxing etc) on top of the typical gym machines and of course, climbing walls (which they update routes at a nice frequency), they open/close at good times to catch a workout early morning before work or later at night, towel service, gym is of decent space and employees are always friendly. Cons: The parking situation which isn't really within their control. One thing they can work on is updating their restrooms and showers. All in all, I would recommend checking out Touchstone climbing gyms! Happy climbing! read more

This gym has some strong pros and strong cons. Pros: -friendly staff -way more parking then GWPC -huge weight room -dedicated spot for water bottles when climbing Cons: -bouldering area is tiny, with basically no slab available -bouldering grading felt hard and routesetting was fairly basic - all crimps or slopers; very few mantles, balance, aretes; and definitely no World Cup style setting -it's super, super crowded which can lead to safety issues in the fall zones -there's a general feeling of dinginess If you're primarily a boulderer, go to Dogpatch! If you're here for the weights/fitness, this gym is a solid option. read more

A few years ago I started a Sunday school lesson at my church by saying "A lot of people think that the intellectual center of the city of Berkeley is the University, but it's actually the sauna at my gym, Berkeley Ironworks" and I think everyone laughed because they knew what I was talking about. There were a lot of university students in my class. I don't know if it's still the same after 2020, but if I was new to Berkeley then I would check out Berkeley Ironworks. read more

Terrible. I've been getting charged the FULL PRICE of my membership fee since March 2020. I don't even live in California anymore. I've requested cancellations through their website repeatedly to no avail. There is no phone number to contact anyone. No one responds to emails. Shame on you, Berkeley Ironworks, for your shoddy handling of this pandemic. read more

Admittedly, sometimes my only form of exercise is in the bedroom. When it comes to movement I just don't have the discipline for mindless repetition. This gym provides just the dynamic recreation necessary to get me off my lazy ass. Check out this fitness wonderland with rock climbing, freeweights, spinning and a range of classes from yoga to boxing! It's typically pretty uncrowded, so you'll have access to your choice of activity with little wait. For those who like to ascend, the top roping though sandbaggy below 5.10 has some fun, varied climbs with interesting features and hidden routes. The general style tends to be overhanging with big holds, but there's a few nice slabby ones in the upper 5.10 range. The highest walls have some sweet looking leads, too. If you want to mix it up with some bouldering this is just the facility to do so. They've got an excellent expanse at all levels of vertical and skill. It certainly works muscles and builds technique in different ways than going straight up does. A sign at the entrance currently reads that "due to a rash of recent accidents" all climbers must tie a double loop knot over their rewoven figure eight. Awesome! Now that's instilling some confidence in your patrons, eh? read more

I took a couple drop-in classes at Ironworks, hoping I'd like it enough to join. The monthly membership is only $73, cheap compared to the $100+ pricetags at other gyms. I'm not a climber, so this review is for classes only. If you're into climbing culture, Ironworks has all the rocks, mats, harnesses, and strongly-scented bodies to make you feel at home. I took a TRX class which was really intense (and fun!), but the room was quite small and tough to do all the movements without running into a neighbor or a wall (even though they limit capacity to 10 people per class). That said, sign up on the paper list outside the classroom door as soon as you arrive. Nobody at the front desk told me I needed to do this, so I the class filled up while I was standing around waiting for it to begin. Rookie mistake. Next I tried a spin class. If you're used to fancy spin studios like RIDE or CorePower, Ironworks spin is a different animal. The bikes seem older, and less comfortable. The class is held in an attic-like room on the 2nd floor, with no A/C. The instructor I had was clearly very athletic, but not terribly engaging or energetic. It was a VERY long hour. Clearly, the classes here are meant to supplement the climbing aspect of the gym, which seems like the main selling point for members. I should have known I'm too into the "boutique" workout studios, with nicely polished floors and spa-like amenties to appreciate Ironworks' casual vibe. On the other hand, I've been nagging my husband to check the place out since he is all about the low-key gym scene. Different strokes! read more

If dangling from precarious heights, taking part in body shattering group classes, and rubbing elbows with some fiercely attractive climber girls, Ironworks is the gym for you. Also of note, the men are also nice and pretty to look at, but that's not my rope bag, if you catch my drift. Part of me wants to give Ironworks 4 stars, because the desk staff could at least pretend to be a little less disinterested in their customers, but the class instructors make up for that. They make up for it with a kind merry, ruthless, bubbly kind of sadism that says, "I hope your getting more fit, but I really enjoy hurting you." Which, to be honest, is an attitude more instructors need these days. This hyper-supportive bullshit is turning us into the human equivalents of doilies, both physically and emotionally. I like instructors that kick your ass and laugh about it. Their yoga staff is more benign. The kind of people that exude a sense of well-being from every deodorant-crystal-covered-pore on their bodies. Their yoga classes range from the bendy stretchy slowy kind to the fast in your face breathe-stretch-ow-holdit-holdit kind. I don't know what they call it. Vindiesel and Kowabunga or something. They also have spinning classes. But I'm not that much of a masochist, so fuck that. Besides the great classes. They have tons of walls are routes, with lots of topography. A solid bouldering section for people to check other out under the auspices of adventure sports, and great roped route for people actually there to climb ;) They have an impressive cardio area, a solid weight section, and even the floor space for Olympic lifts and machines. In the great words of that creepy guy from Robocop, "I'd buy that for a dollar." Or more accurately, $70 a month. Which is awesome when consider that you get access to ALL of the gyms in their network, which includes a bouldering-only gym in the Dogpatch and Mission Cliffs. And here is something SUPER dope. If you get an Ironworks membership, you can take crossfit classes at their Great Western Power Company gym in Oakland. As many of you may not know, Crossfit is actually a very important physical fitness standard you will need to adhere to if you ever hope to survive life in Oakland. True story. Besides that, you can rent an IPad for free, they have locks at the desk in return for collateral, and they have a bloody sauna. This place is pretty much ideal. So just get a membership and stop screwing about... Actually when you get into climbing shape you'll want to screw about a lot more so you have that to look forward to as well. Cheers. read more

This place is as close to an adult playground as it gets. You can do belay climbing with a partner or bouldering alone on a large wall that spans the entire one side of the gym. I see both serious climbers and beginners who are trying it for the first time. There are often little kids who are better at bouldering than me. There is a tightrope where you can test out your balance or do circus acts if you are talented. You can take yoga or weight classes and they even have a personal trainer on site one day of the week. They have decent regular gym stuff for cardio, free weights, and weight machines (nothing fancy, and no tvs). Here is my confession. I am not a rock climber. I have a fear of heights. Still I like having an access to a gym where I can come do my workouts on weekends and do some bouldering, which is far more interesting and exciting than straight situps or curls. Membership is not cheap ($160 for 10 passes, rentals for the equipment are extra), but umm, did I mention that there are a lot of cute guys and gals here so that makes up for it?? (My BF, who IS a climber says, the QUALITY of the wall and the workout facility make up for it, but that's just him). read more

So I joined Ironworks because it was close to my house but was never really a climber. I decided to use my free climbing lesson and actually enjoyed my lesson a lot. I got in to climbing a little bit but not really hardcore, I really joined it for the gym portion. Which was a bad idea. The equipment is pretty ancient. And also the area where the gym equipment is, is not well maintained. It is often very dusty and I observed the people who clean the gym, and they don't pay attention to detail. For $65 a month, it was way too expensive to use just for the gym and I did not climb enough for it to be worth it for the climbing. If you are going to use it just for climbing then it may be worth it, otherwise save your money because you can find a much better value for your money somewhere else. read more

Boo loves this place. But he's more.... understanding that I am. Great place to boulder. Lots of different levels and variety. BUT... 1) Place is crowded as shit. You have to wait a lot. Especially if people are trying to analyze the shit out of their route to the top. Jesus. Just get on the wall. This isn't rocket science. 2) People smell. Yeah yeah it's a gym but these people probably smell even when they're not at the gym. Helllllo hippies and hipsters. Expect to see lots of dreads, bare feet and hairy armpits (And I'm not talkin about the men...). 3) Towels are GREY. Bleach em. I dunno. Do something. Side note: All that aside, there's lots of equipment if you want to work out. Free weights, kettle bells, cardio shit, weight machines, etc. So not a bad place. I just don't like the stinkiness. =| read more

So I finally tried climbing for the first time! I am wondering why I waited so long. Although the strength I have built up in my regular workouts at Ironworks, has proved absolutely essential. As part of a basic membership, a general belay class is available for free. It was awesome - I learned the basics of the knots, belaying, and climbing. I had a very patient instructor who helped me get use to the essentials and encouraged me to make it to the top of the wall (granted a very easy route). But I really got a feel of the walls and how awesome their facility is, when an experienced climbing friend came with me for a second attempt today. We took the belay safety test and tried several routes, and watched many others for a couple hours. I am totally hooked - enough to go out and buy my own pair of shoes (the rentals are nice, but there is just something about sharing shoes). And try to sweet-talk more people into being my climbing partner or belay-slave. I will be theirs in return. And it is really cool that I can bring a guest on my membership twice a month for free, as climbing is something that you don't want to do alone. read more

This is the only fitness establishment that has gotten me WANTING to go to the gym. Despite the fact that Ironworks is basically a converted warehouse with no central heat or air, despite the fact that it constantly smells like feet, and despite the fact that sometimes it's just crawling with climbers after work, I love it. The only thing I wish was that routes were changed more frequently. They usually show updated sections on a whiteboard near the lockers; if I were to guess, I'd say there's a new section every 2-3 weeks. I love that Ironworks has... ...dedicated recycling bins for granola bar wrappers. I have no idea what they'll become, but I love they exist, therefore I love them. ...lotion. Oh my goodness, my dry chalky hands LOVE that there is lotion. ...band aids. You don't think you can bleed from climbing on blunt objects? You're not climbing hard enough. Or maybe you're just more graceful. ...friendly staff. I love that they help you find a belay/top-rope partner on the days you find yourself there without a partner. ...a variety of magazines for your perusal. Rock & Ice, Outdoors, InShape, People, Ebony - your local dentist's office ain't got nothin' on the selection here! ...you can rent a lock from the front desk, so you can stash your stuff safely. But the people who frequent BIW are so awesome that your stuff is at 0% risk of being stolen anyway. Note - I haven't even partaken in any yoga classes, sauna sessions, or other special events. Given that I've only utilized about half of the amenities at this fine establishment, you can surmise that my review would be 10 stars if I actually used everything. read more

Initiation fee - 100$ Monthly membership - 69$ An unusually large proportion of egotistic and arrogant members and staff? ...priceless. If you are someone who thinks paying 100$ for a gym to type your name into the computer is a good investment, then I strongly suggest checking this gym out; you will not be disappointed. read more

The Planet Granite in SF is sooooo much better. Is it me or do the people at this gym smell worse than those of any other gym? Aside from that It's always crowded and that's annoying because it means your climbing right next to someone or waiting for someone to finish. I hate the staff here. There is one person in particular who, no matter what I do, won't let me pass their stupid belay test- every friggin time i go, which is usually a few times a week, i have to take his stupid test and he never gives me a permanent card, even though I do everything correctly (I've been climbing for a long time)- one time he denyed me simply because i asked if this gym requires the second knot, he said yes, i showed him that i knew how to do it, then he failed me becuase i had to ask (well, some places don't require it so i was just checking!) - patronizing jerk. I canceled my membership. There is a new climbing gym opening this month in El Cerrito / Albany called Bridges Rock Gym- and its $15/month cheaper. read more

Great climbing gym. The routes are greasy because it gets a lot of traffic but there are so many bouldering problems its easy to overlook this issue. They also have a great workout area and the staff is friendly. read more

Ironworks really has a lot to offer. Bouldering, top rope, lead climbing, tons of equipment and machines, classes,a gear shop, A SAUNA. Oh my gosh, I love sitting in the sauna after a good climb/workout. Yea, it gets crowded for sure, but it's never been debilitating for me. When climbing, it's usually a good idea to let your arms rest for a few minutes before getting on the wall again, so it's never been a major issue if I've had to wait between climbs. Also, because there is so much variety I feel like I can always find SOMETHING to do. If anything, I appreciate when it's busy because I get to chat with people, and I get to watch how other people climb, which ultimately helps me become a better climber. I also appreciate how frequently they update the climbing routes - not so often that I can't see my progress, but often enough to keep things interesting and challenging. If you're really concerned about how busy it gets, avoid coming on weekday nights, and instead try to go in in the early morning (before work or school) because it's empty. It's also way less busy on weekends. I've also seen people complain about the clientele being stinky. Yea, sure. But it's a gym, people get stinky, and there is nothing BIW can do to control it. Grow up, sometimes things are stinky, like cheese, or babies. read more

Corporate owners; high prices; hard-ass employees who never remember your name; routes that are too hard or overhung to be any use to the random folks who join thinking they'll somehow segue from chin ups to overhangs in a few weeks. They end up just gawking at the climbers, which makes it extra fun when I'm sketching on a route, trying to impress somebody but failing.. All this gym needs is mandatory grigris and to sacrifice even more of the potential climbing area to non-climbing to be one of the worst (potentially good) rock gyms anywhere. read more

Fun. Thrilling. Humbling. Tackle your fear of heights. Okay, tackle my fear of heights. Which is crazy 'cuz I love doing the trapeze. But get me on a rope climbing to the top of a tall, tall, tall wall. My first run - I freak. Back down. Tackle it again I must. I did. I jammed up those walls. I'm not sure that I'm in love with rock climbing - okay wall climbing. I definitely want to do it again. Try the more difficult walls. But it's not a love of mine. I won't be buying a membership. But it is a fun time. It's affordable too. An entire day. As long as you want to tempt your fate. $26. Come on, that's a deal. A deal worth climbing for. ;) read more

Breakdown of stars: Bouldering wall: 4 Fitness Gym: 4 Overall climbing options: 3 Outdoor lead climbing training: 2 Things I love about this rock climbing gym: - The staff are always friendly and helpful, even at 6am. - Good variety of climbs with some good long climbs. - Great bouldering with changes frequent enough to keep you interested but not so frequent that you can't finish a bouldering puzzle. - Other climbers are encouraging, respectful and helpful. - The locker room, sauna, and showers are consistently clean and relaxing. - Classes are offered for strength training, flexibility, and cardio. - Relaxation area where I've seen kids doing homework while their parents are climbing. - Enough gym equipment that I've never had to wait, or not wait long. - Membership in one is membership in all the sister gyms, which allows for some variety when or if you are in other parts of the Bay Area. - Reasonable climbing routes for kids both in the bouldering and top-rope climbing areas. Where this rock climbing gym falls short: - No lead climbing below a 5.10b. Really?!? But there are so many climbs outdoors that are far below a 5.10. Other climbing gyms have indoor routes for 5.8s, for example, which allows lead climbers to practice clipping in, falling, managing the rope and having a second follow before heading outdoors. - Overhang obsession. A huge percentage of the rock climbing wall is continuous overhang. BIW seems to equate 5.10+ with overhang and they tend to have few interesting 5.10+ puzzles elsewhere in the gym. For years, I climbed at a gym near my work in the south bay rather than at BIW because of this. - Bouldering bottleneck. The bouldering area can get rather squishy, especially near the U-shaped area. - Outdoor etiquette lacking. Those of us who have climbed frequently outdoors would never dream of walking underneath someone's active rope because it is not considered to be safe, even when top-roping. But BIW is quite relaxed and does not teach or even suggest such etiquette. - Class options can seem stale. When we joined BIW, they offered Pilates mat classes locally and Zumba at the downtown Oakland sister gym, Great Western Power Company. Within two months those classes were gone and they went back to very basic strength training. We were very, very disappointed. Overall, I'm happy with Berkeley Ironworks. Not thrilled, but generally satisfied. read more

I've climbed in gyms all over the states - WA, OR, CO - for over 15 years. Berkeley Ironworks has got to be one of the worst gyms I've ever been to. It's always crowded and full of testosterone filled boulderers who think they are God's gift to the climbing world. But that doesn't compete with the stuck up attitude that the staff gives off everytime I'm there. God forbid you have a comment on a route - they'll look at you like you're from Mars and not worth the gum under their shoes. They are the most unfriendly gym staff I have ever met! Especially this one woman who walks around with her arms crossed like some disapproving mother waiting for someone to screw up on their knots or belaying. Puh-lease! You could be so much more effective if you were friendly! As for the routes - eh - there are so many better route setters out there then the ones they scrounged up. There is only one route setter I like - KY - please keep her! She rocks! As for the others I can do without. Uncreative and boring unless they are setting hard routes. Hey! Don't forget us little folk who like to climb 5.10's! The only good thing I can say about Ironworks is at least they have other gyms to go to! My vote is make the trek out to Diablo Rock Gym in Concord. Friendly staff and worth the drive. read more

I love awkward situations more than almost anyone. A few weeks ago I was working out and IW basically turned into an epicenter of awkward encounters...A love hexagon if you will. "You and your friends need to start dating outside of their circle...And by that I mean not at the climbing gym." --Anna K. Best.Gym.Ever. read more

In the last year or so, the overall experience at Ironworks has dropped slightly. This is an updated review. I still really like the staff, mellow vibe, and open space that Ironworks has. However, a few things could still be improved. 1) I don't know if the gym advertises that it provides free WiFi to its members but if it does, then something needs to be done to improve the connection, which I have found to be horrendous. Trying to use the iPads (available for check out at front desk) just becomes an exercise in futility. 2) The exercise bikes are really hurting and could be updated. Many of the fasteners for the pedals are shot and the bottom brackets on many bikes are loose. I suck it up because I realize cardio is not the focus of the gym, but still, those that use the bikes would really appreciate an upgrade. read more