I love exploring climbing gyms when I visit new cities. I've now been to multiple gyms in SF, Oakland and of course LA. SBP is average when it comes to climbing gyms, but lots of space (including upstairs "study space" and friendly staff bring it a little above average. Why do I say average? I'm spoiled by my Walltopia walls and I found SBP's routesetting a bit uninspired compared to stuff by Touchstone setters. Still, SBP is a good venue (and one of the few indoor options) for Seattle. read more

Bouldering Project - Poplar - Yoga Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I love this place and here's why. Note that my friend and I spent a good few weeks trying to find the best gym in term of location and price. It's close. Practically a 5 minute drive if you live on Beacon Hill. The staff is awesome. They're so nice and extremely friendly. The equipment is pretty clean for the most part and aren't beat up. The weight room is way better than the YMCA, 24 fitness or any other gym in the area. LA fitness was a bit too far for me to drive. There's a clean sauna where you can pour water on the rocks. (Some places either don't have that or won't allow you to). And the best part? The rock climbing is fun! They constantly change up the routes and there are so many challenges you can do. read more

Great climbing gym! A little too busy at peak times for my beginner comfort, but everyone has been nice and encouraging. The gear shop, coffee, and snacks have come in handy! Jess was especially helpful to my bf selecting and trying on new shoes. read more

Seattle Bouldering project is by far the best bouldering gym in Seattle. I go here 2 to 3 times a week. The place has got routes for all difficulty levels. Besides bouldering routes the gym has a yoga studio with yoga classes for various levels all through the week; a weights room with a weights for dead lifts, benchpreses, free weights; a cardio room with ellipticals, treadmills, rowing machines, steppers, bikes; a lounge area for your to relax and read if you are not climbing; functional wifi; showers and changing rooms, and a sauna. The gym has frequent events and social nights to welcome folks new to climbing where they have beer and discounted rates for adult passes. The gym has a decent selection of snacks if you are hungry post climbing and also good options to buy climbing gear shoes, chalk, chalk bags. You can also rent out bouldering pads from the gym if you are planning on going bouldering outdoors. The staff at the gym are friendly and are always open with climbing tips and answer any questions you have. They have regular classes for folks interested in picking up climbing. read more

I really love SBP... I live just a few minutes away (literally a 4 or 5 minute walk) which is super convenient. The monthly membership is pretty cheap considering they have two floors of bouldering, a gym downstairs, and even fitness and yoga classes included in your membership. I attend the yoga classes all the time and those alone are worth paying the fee for. You also get two free guest passes a month! (The guests you invite can only get in for free if they've never been to SBP before, though.) The locker rooms are clean, too. There's even a sauna in both female and male locker rooms. The yoga instructors are all super nice as are the people working at the front desk. They sell juice and snacks near the register as well as climbing shoes and other gear. Only cons: The parking situation is rough. Luckily I live in walking distance, but I used to drive here and it was always a challenge trying to find somewhere to park. It also tends to get very crowded on a pretty regular basis. Come in the early morning or in the middle of the day. read more

Love this place! It's so nice not being tethered and having a harness on! Thermos water fountain sucked last year. I pray it's better now. But the gym is flipping awesome. Great place to hangout with friends. Bouldering is "where it's at." read more

Great variety of bouldering problems that they change regularly, and having the thick mats all over the floor is convenient and makes it feel incredibly safe. SBP is undoubtedly the best place to boulder in Seattle. They just installed some big ass fans from the Big Ass Fan Company and they do a great job reducing the ventilation problem on hot days. Also, the $5 Fridays they throw about once a month - complete with dj - are super fun. read more

I came here to climb for the first time, my colleague was telling me good things about this place. It was pretty packed during the time I came, which was a Saturday, but getting on the wall was not a problem since most people were sitting on the floor. People here are friendly to talk to, so I'm looking forward to make some friends here in the future. read more

Pros: - Lots of walls and routes to climb. - Cardio machines all functioning correctly. - Price isn't the worst. - Saunas in the locker rooms. - There's a café that serves alcohol and other tasty looking things. - Super close to the 7 stop. Cons: - Customer service is pretty much non-existent. - They have what appears to be a tenuously legal waiver of all liability you must sign before using the equipment however provide no training or orientation. - Often over crowded. - Many patrons very clearly have not been educated on gym safety or etiquette. - Music is playing at a volume that exceeds my iPhone headphones by a significant measure. - There's a café directly in the path of the weights and cardio equipment, rife with the scent of toasting bagels. - Not a good block to be on after dark. read more

Love this place! Great for people of all levels. You'll see kids to expert climbers here and complete noobs like me. The restroom/changing areas have free lockers (no locks needed), so it's super convenient as well. Parking spaces are very limited, and the place is pretty crowded on weekends, so you might have to circle around for many minutes before finding a spot. Started coming here to start a fun workout, and it is so fun and an awesome upper arm and leg workout!! I'm terrified of heights, and the unintended benefit of coming to this place is it's forcing me to face my crazy fear of heights and pushing me to try to overcome it. It really is all mental. So if you're a complete beginner and fear heights, give this place and/or bouldering overall a try! It's not easy but it feels so good once you've "solved a problem," as climbers say. Especially if you're a beginner, it helps a lot to come with friends who can provide mental support or friends with more climbing experience who can provide advice on which rock(?) to grab or step on next. I just wish the place was closer to downtown read more

My friends and I decided to try out bouldering for the first time, and we had a ton of fun! It was our first time and the employees were very informative about how we should climb, why our shoes the way they are, how to fall, etc. They provided extra chalk and bags if you don't have one. They also have bandages, tape, and a nail clipper if you ever need to use them. I mostly followed the gray and yellow paths, but there are a variety of places around the building you can climb. I also like how they have a cafe when you get hungry. I would definitely recommend this place to those interested in bouldering, even if you are a beginner like my friends and me! read more

Went bouldering for my first time beginning of this year and came back for my third time last weekend. I love this place!! More than just bouldering, the music they play sets the right mood to climb and helps you push to the top!! Just getting to do new challenges every time I come is a blast. I believe they change the colored bouldering widgets every month (not quite sure). A lot of different people come here and you get to meet new people - there are always people willing to give pointers and show you how to boulder a route which is nice. There are also free classes at SBP if you purchase a day pass or hold membership. Plenty of parking around the place as well. First time I went they were very helpful. One employee gave us the tour and told us the dos and don'ts. Also if you're a student they have discounts, so make sure you bring your student id if you have one! Shoes are free for the first time, but afterwards you have to pay $4.00 (so if you plan to go a lot I recommend investing in some bouldering shoes). read more

I went for the first time yesterday with some friends and we had an awesome time! I've never climbed before so I was tentative at first, but the problems are easily marked with difficulty level and I stuck with V0 and V1's for the most part. There are a TON of walls with variations in height and slope so there was plenty for our group of different experience levels to do. I got in as a free guest and free shoe rental (for first timers) so it was a pretty sweet intro to climbing. We spent a few hours there and let me tell you - I was beat! My hands were sore and my arms were burning, but I am definitely going back for more. I'm giving this place 4 stars and not 5 because of the prices. I plan to buy my own shoes soon so I don't care about their shoe rental costs (only $4 anyway). I'm fine with a $60 membership, but I don't know why there's a $40 first time setup fee. Aren't they just doing an automatic payment every month? Why do I have to pay $40 for that? Besides that darn setup fee, the $60 is a pretty slick deal. Hours are really good - open 6am-11pm M-F and 9am-10pm on the weekends. I think I can find time in my day to come by for an hour or two during those times! They also offer tons of yoga classes and have free weights and ellipticals for use. And since this is a climbing building, the gym is typically pretty empty (I hear). I'll be checking that out next time I go. Would definitely recommend. Make sure you go with a member first so you can check it out for free and see if it's your thing. read more

I love rock climbing but don't do it often enough, so I always need to re-learn to belay. This is not a problem at SBP as it's all bouldering! No harnesses no re-learning, just a quick orientation to how the gym is laid out so nobody falls on you. There's a huge fear of dropping but the crash mats cushion the impact really nicely that it reminds me of my childhood trampolining on my own bed. The courses are mostly quite difficult but there are some fun green and yellow routes and everybody will find a few paths that will give them a good sense of accomplishment. Plenty of parking just outside of Chinatown that you can chow down on noodles after a good satisfying workout! read more

Wonderfully large bouldering gym. It can get a little hot in the summer. Overall it is very well managed and I had a great time here. Big dedicated free surface lot for easy parking. read more

It's a playground for all! For just under $18 you get a day pass to indoor fun, especially great for those rainy Seattle weekends. Shoe rentals are available although I'm not sure if they charge for that. They have large locker rooms and cubby storage boxes for your gear. No experience necessary and there are no ropes or helmets required. The floor mats are like walking on a huge air cushion. Just be prepared for the stench of sweaty climbing shoes and FEET to inundate your olfactory bulbs. This place definitely could use some febreezin, it smells just as bad as a hockey locker room- and that's (cough, cough) bad. read more

Bouldering Project - Poplar - Open those doors up! Fun in, foot odour out! @ SeattleBoulderingProject - Yoga Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I had been bouldering for about a year and a half at Stone Gardens when I heard from a friend about a new gym. I went and checked out SBP while it was under construction, as soon as I walked in I asked where do I sign up. I have not been disappointed. I have been going 3-5 times a week since they have opened. I absolutely love this place. I have been very impressed with the frequency of route setting, friendliness of the staff, and all the other amenities they offer. The fact that you don't need crash pads is rad! Almost all of the routes go up high enough to scare you. I have been taking the freestyle suspension training class for a little longer than a month now and I am hooked. I THOUGHT I was in decent shape! After every class I leave humbled but I can't wait for the next class. The instructor Amber rocks, very personable and friendly. She also is very good at tending to individual needs in the class. I love that you can adjust the difficulty to suit your level throughout the different exercises. Oh and you get to learn Kung Fu poses!!! Bottom line - Check it out you will not be disappointed. read more

Great experience! Color coded paths are easy to see and especially helpful for new boulderers! You can rent shoes there for $4 in addition to your day pass or membership. Super cool place for a unique workout! We went on a Sunday morning and there was plenty of room. read more

This place is so awesome. Great routes, great community vibes, great space! Don't forget to check out the basement floor for more routes. This gym is bigger than it looks with tons of room for lots of routes. They have a little cafe too, serving cheap comfort foods like grilled cheese and pizza. Perfect for the hungry climber! There's even a sauna in the bathroom! Whaaaat. read more

Y'know, SBP is really pretty darn great. I have a few little gripes, but overall I'm a fan. It's certainly the most extensive bouldering I've ever seen in a gym format, and they have a wide variety of routes from beginner through "basically impossible". The space is vast and the staff are friendly. Great hours, too. I've only been a handful of times, but they seem to refresh their routes pretty regularly. I'm a huge fan of all the traverse-style bouldering routes, as they really help me build my confidence and strength without being terrified of taking a fall from the top. The downsides: - Given how much space they have, the routes are pretty sparse in parts of the gym. I'd love to see more slab routes especially. - The waiver process is laborious. Luckily you only have to do it once. - The ratings are a bit soft in the V0-V3 range (I can't speak to harder than that, personally) - It can get very crowded, making walking around a challenge (though I've rarely had to wait long for a particular problem) Great stuff! Hoping to make this part of my weekly climbing routine. read more

I love it here! The staff and crowd are super friendly. There change the routes enough so you never get board. And its good for people from begginiers to advance. Its a tough work out, but totally worth it! read more

Amazing bouldering gym with the added bonus of fitness classes all for a reasonable price. Better than what we have in Denver (heresy, I know). Really like the intuitive color coded rating system. Makes finding and following routes a lot easier. HUGE with a crazy variety of routes to try. I thought the technique training part downstairs was a nice touch. Also loved the yoga class I caught. I imagine the parking and climbing can be a bummer when crowded, so try to go on the off times, very late or early, or on weekend late nights. read more

This is my third place. Routes are changed in a rotation several times a week. There's always something new to try, but any given route will stay up for several weeks so there's definitely time to work on those harder problems. They redesigned the route leveling several months ago; I find I can tackle a wider range of routes than I could on the older system. There's a cafe downstairs that is wonderful as well. I was not expecting this at all, but they have the best vanilla latte's I've had in Seattle. There's none of that sickly sweet syrupy flavor. The atmosphere is great too, I feel like I can get a lot of reading/work done there with few distractions early in the day. Sometimes they put International Bouldering competitions up on a big projector, I can guarantee you won't find that at other cafes ;) read more

What a pain in the ass to get a refund when you've been double-charged! Still, the ppl that work there, although they seem to know nothing about admin., they're pretty nice. The girl with the glasses can get a little snooty, but other than that... Anyway, go climb there. Take the kids. read more

This is one of the best gyms I've been to. They have an awesome color coded rating system! There is a lot of bright open space, and it's clean! The bathrooms are great, you get a free towel to use and there are showers and a steam sauna. There is a kids area (would totally take my future kids there!). The stretching/yoga/work out area has open space and good equipment. read more

Great Bouldering gym. Unfortunately they lack management leadership and the staff needs direction and the business and it's clients suffer from this. From lack of cleanliness to no heat being on in the building, this place has potential to be an excellent gym but unfortunately like so many great gyms throughout country, mismanagement takes away too much to give it more than three stars. read more

I love coming here! They have an amazing gym to workout and Boulder. A sauna to recover in after your session. Would recommend coming here with friends who have never been bouldering. Easy place to start and even better to become more advanced. You also have plenty of people to give you solid advice, who are more better/experienced then you and can give you advice that doesn't come off as "egotistical" or "putting you down" but more of a "hey man I see your stuck on this move, could I give you a little advice?" I will say such a popular place does come with a lot of people. I recommend planning out a day/time to come. It can get pretty busy and packed, but I still love coming here. Great everything! read more

Gets busy in the evening, but what good gym doesn't? I recommend trying the circuit classes and don't neglect the saunas! West Wall is a great place for trip planning; they have most of the local guide books just to the left of the entrance. read more

Bouldering Project - Poplar - Bare feet at the bar in West Wall - Yoga Near Me - Seattle, Washington

the facility itself is great. lots of routes for intermediate to strong climbers. the gym downstairs is small and lacking in leg equipment but it's primarily a climbing gym so that is totally understandable. clean facilities, staff is always super pleasant. Food at the cafe is amazing! the issue is the patrons. people will constantly camp on the only red route in the area playing HORSE and make you interject for a turn and then continue ignoring you and hogging the route as soon as your turn is up, sometimes for hours. people have climbed under me while I was ten feet up on the wall making me terrified to fall and get hurt or hurt them. people set up circuits in the gym area and stare you down if you use a machine they are reserving. All this is against the rules posted all over the gym but it is not enforced so people blatantly ignore it. Twice now someone has put their things on top of my purse in the cubbies, and I had to stop myself from throwing their shit on the ground. There needs to be some sort of enforcement or accountability or else the rules are a joke. Like maybe someone could watch the securities cameras and go reprimand or remind people who are breaking them. This has all made me uncomfortable to work out there and stolen some of my enthusiasm in general. the worst kind of people in the fitness community all seem to have ended up at this gym. read more

I've been a member here for 7 months and come a few times every week. There is a fantastic variety of routes, many beginner friendly but also some that look like what you'd find in bouldering competitions. The food is a little expensive for what you get, the drinks/coffee less so. Haven't personally taken any classes but they're available if you want some guidance starting out! It does get crazy busy on weekday afternoons but I personally enjoy meeting other people and figuring out a problem together. 100% recommend this gym :) read more

This is the coolest gym I've ever been to! I had never done bouldering before my boyfriend convinced me to try it, but I immediately loved it! There are routes for every level and each time I go I feel challenged not to mention I have a lot of fun! I kept waiting to get bored of it but eventually I realized that I better just get a membership already. I have never been much into working out. I get bored and have never gained very much muscle for lack of consistency, but in a few weeks at SBP I have more muscle than I've maybe ever had from just lifting weights. read more

Bouldering Project - Poplar - Psychedelic Corner- oh so much fun! - Yoga Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Fair disclosure, I worked at Seattle Bouldering Project (SBP) for a year. This might mean I'm biased, but really, who gives their place of employment five stars?!?! I won't review this place as an employee (this is Yelp, not Glassdoor!) but I truly do love this place. It caters to all levels of fitness, all ages, and all breeds. Whether you're a Seattle native or a transplant, there will come a time where you'll try rock climbing. It's become a practical rite of passage as a Seattleite, along with buying a North Face rain jacket, stocking up on Lululemon leggings and Birkenstocks, growing facial hair, buying a bike, and drinking coffee like it's water. Seattle Bouldering Project is the first "bouldering project" in America. Since their initiation, they've opened one more sister gym (Austin Bouldering Project) and are in the process of building a third (Minneapolis Bouldering Project). Chris Potts and Andy Wyatt are the owners of this gym. They had a vision, and it's safe to say that it's become a success beyond what they could have ever imagined. SBP was my first introduction to climbing and bouldering, and I would say it's the best place for beginners and professional climbers alike. Because it's a bouldering only gym (no ropes! no belays!), you can go there without any equipment or training, as they have beginner shoes you can rent. It is the only place in town where I've seen 3 year olds climbing on rocks in the same room as professional climbers (Alex Honnold has come here before) scaling V9's. The staff is very friendly, and does a great job of answering any questions you might have about bouldering. Things they offer: * Color coded routes from V00-V9+. This is truly a gym for all levels of fitness. * Two top-out boulders, a "roof" boulder wall, and 4 other walls besides that * Yoga and fitness classes included with a membership or day pass * A new "set" of problems every Tuesday and Thursday * Locker rooms with showers, saunas, and towel service * A gym downstairs with free weights (no machines besides some options for cardio), squat racks, and "crossfit" style fitness minus the crossfit classes or mentality * A full climbing training area with moonboard and two treadwalls (new as of mid-2016) * A BAR (yes, you heard me right) with local pours, coffee, espresso, pizzas, sandwiches, etc. * A kids climbing area with birthday party packages I have only three complaints about this place. 1. Parking. It's a nightmare during peak hours (weekends after 11AM, weekdays from 5-8PM). Break-ins are also common in this area of town, so don't leave anything in your car. I actually got free glass coverage on my car insurance as a supplement to my SBP membership. 2. It can be a little intimidating for beginners or people who aren't of the climbing "type." This happens at every climbing gym or fitness institution. I have some friends who are very strong climbers but feel that they have to prove themselves because they are not the typical lanky, 160 lb, 5 foot 10 climber with facial hair and Arcteryx pants. 3. It gets crowded. It speaks to the success of this gym that they never have to advertise (they don't even have a sign because they can't afford to gain too more members), This is a huge space, they've built it out TWICE in the 6-7 years that they've been in business, and it's still way too crowded. I'd recommend coming in the daytime during the week or late at night. Prices are as follows, from what I can remember from working there. They are very reasonable for the unlimited climbing, fitness,and yoga. * Day pass: $12 for students, $17 for adults. * EFT memberships: $56 + tax for students/youth, $68 + tax for adults. * Adult 10 punch: $130 * Youth/Student 10 punch: $100 * Adult single month: $82 * Student/Youth single month: 72 * Shoe rentals are free your first time and $4 after that * Free first time visit with a paying member. read more

Super nice, helpful, and not an arrogant staff! ...which is so different than most climbing gyms. Don't change! Only downside with this place is that ratings are SUPER soft. read more

I love the Seattle bouldering project, there are lots of different places to climb. Theres easier ones for beginners and more challenging ones for people who are more experienced. The routes go from V0 to V10. And to add on to that, theres yoga here and kids areas to climb. Overall, this place deserves 5 stars. read more

Bouldering Project - Poplar - Yoga Near Me - Seattle, Washington

SBP is a great climbing gym. It has a ton of routes with new ones being put in weekly. Even when it's really crowded (weeknights) there's enough room to spread out and not be waiting all of the time. Some people think that they may rate routes a little easier than other gyms, but you can always find a fun route to work on in your skill level. The employees are super nice. You won't have the typical scammy-ness associated with canceling your gym contract, being overcharged, etc that you may find with normal fitness gyms. I fell and tore a ligament and tendon in my ankle climbing here. I called them, and they refunded me for the month I paid for but couldn't climb because of the injury, and put my membership on hold so I wouldn't be charged until I was healed and ready to climb again. Great staff, great routes, huge gym, and free parking in Seattle. read more

Great place to boulder but administratively not all that. The good: Plenty of variety with regularly changing routes, and a fair amount to do for climbers of all skills. Take me nephews here and they have a blast. The bad: very frustrated that when I set up a ONE MONTH PREPAY they somehow automatically started charging me like a regular. I got two bills in one week! After luckily noticing it in my bank statement I called the gym and they admitted to the error. You think they would have some alert in their system saying "we can't charge a person to be BOTH a monthly member and a regular member". Could have gone unnoticed and I would have been charged monthly when I specifically bought a single month prepay. Anyway, they sorted it out and were helpful, but this was just incompetent SBP! read more

Kids area has good amount of space for kids to climb. Nice that there's an adult wall in same area so can check it out. Was first time trying bouldering & enjoyed. Also the building is located near large homeless camp. No problem just know it's there when getting dropped off by Uber. Place has small restaurant w/drinks. Soup wasn't good though. Tomato bisque that had no tomato, just coconut & carrot flavor. read more

Great bouldering gym, with a cafe, and a regular workout gym, all for a reasonable price. Staff is very friendly. Patrons also are friendly. I do wish they had a tall "rock climbing" wall though, not just "bouldering" walls. read more

SBP is a great gym! Of course there's tons and tons of space with climbers everywhere. The people watching is fantastic :) I think the music can be too loud and intense. My brother had a hard time distinguishing holds because he's colorblind. Not a big deal but a tad annoying for him! read more

This is a really nice bouldering gym. It has a full service cafe and bar in the lower level, and it's not a bad place to hang out on Friday nights. Lots of interesting problems, grades are quite soft ("gym grades") but there are challenges to be had. Huge traditional gym equipment section as well, with four treadmills, several squat racks. Parking is dreadful, though there's an abandoned warehouse on Norman street that usually has spaces. The crowd definitely trends younger. At 32, I feel a bit geriatric coming here. read more