Friendliest, people, yet for this holiday season for me. They definitely win the award for best attitude towards customers hands down. The receptionist even noticed my domo keychain and made small talk about it which I thought was really cool since not many people know about domo! This place is absolutely hugigantic, one of the biggest of these rock climbing facilities I've seen. They have a gym attached to it and some yoga rooms as well. The rates seem pretty reasonable for the amount of equipment they have in-house and they have climbing walls from easy to difficult to please all types of climbers. The only complaint I have about this place is that they really need some better ventilation ... it smells ... terribly so! read more

This is a perfect spot for a first date. I've been here once, but I have been wanting to go back. I'm thinking about taking a belay lesson with a few people some day. If you want to boulder and rock climb, I would suggest rock climbing first. Bouldering takes a lot of energy and you might be too exhausted to rock climb after. Anyhow, make sure to use chalk for your sweaty hands when you climb so you don't slip. You'll body will probably be sore the next day so be prepared. read more

I climbed for the first time EVER, and I'm glad I got to do it at Planet Granite! Climbing has always been something I really wanted to try out, so my friends and I finally decided to check out PG. We came around 3pm on a Monday and were able to get the the student price ($18), which didn't include shoe rentals (an additional $4). My group primarily stuck to bouldering and didn't do the top ropes. Although it was my first time climbing, I didn't feel intimidated by the crowd at all. Many of the people who came were actually extremely helpful when I was working out different paths and different levels during my time there. The staff was also extremely friendly - whenever I had a question, they were always ready to answer my questions! Couple of downsides that I observed: - Some of the holds were faded, so I had a hard time distinguishing between colors, especially when I was mid-climb trying to figure out where to go next. (My mantra for the day was if you can't tell up close... it's whatever color you believe it to be! Hahaha, oops!) - As the night continued on, it got more and more crowded so there was sometimes a wait to do a route, but I guess the bright side is that they're open pretty late (11pm). Overall, I think this was such a fun experience, and I would love to go again very soon! read more

Movement - Sunnyvale - Climbing Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Wow.. this place was so cool! I have coworkers that are super into rock climbing weather indoor or outdoor and they come here every week- its their gym! They invited me to come and was nice enough to let me use their accrued guest pass so I can do some climbing for free! Went on a Tuesday night at 8pm and it was packed! Its pretty overwhelming walking in and seeing all the high high climbing walls and people everywhere. I can see how this can be addicting for sure. Its also a gym so there are machines, free weights, and I hear good yoga classes as well. So with the free pass all I had to do was rent climbing shoes and a harness so that put me back a whopping 6 bucks! Awesome! I learned so much about climbing with all the terminology being thrown at me. I did some bouldering which I thought was way hard and maybe ascended once on the V0 level. The boulder problems are pretty hard! When you're up there the stickers should be more prominent! I enjoyed the roping a lot more. Like I mentioned I had two experienced rock climbers with me so they belayed for me but I want to become certified soon as well. Even though the wall is super high I felt totally safe with the harness on. I started on the 5'3 level and went as high at 5'8 which apparently is good! It was hard though and I felt out of breath a fourth way up. I have no upper body strength and find my arms still sore even though I went two days ago. This place is sick though and makes me curious about how much it is to come on a semi-regular basis. I guess I'll have to find out.. the guest passed done worked on me! read more

This place is SOLID. The staff is really friendly and responsible. I didn't bring my minor liability waiver but they let me fax it from home and were polite about it. I came with a friend in the morning, when each pass is $15. Seems pricey but it's worth it once you start exploring the gym. The walls go up to 60 feet and vary from slab climbing to crack climbing to lead climbing to normal, fun top-roping. You can belay each other as long as you get tested near the entrance. Awesome arete problems.....awesome holds.....(I love how most of the routes are color-coded by hold, not tape.) This place is so big and beautiful that I thought I died and went to heaven. Planet Granite also has extensive bouldering areas indoors and in a semi-outdoors area. Didn't boulder as much as I toproped but the boulder routes I did try seemed reasonably rated and creatively set. I'm grateful that the whole ground of the bouldering area was padded...no shifting of crash pads necessary! Just hop on to the wall with a spotter I love the gym equipment/yoga rooms. Plenty of treadmills, monkey bars, and even a rope attached to the roof. And the music was awesome. Mumford and Sons, the XX....good tastes, bud. ^__^ My only complaint: there's a lot of friction while belaying with the topropes. Might be because of the anchors. It's a shame that my house is 27 minutes away from here. But if I could live here, I would. read more

I'm taking the Beginner Rock Climbing Class with a friend, and so far it's been pretty good. Our instructor Amy is pretty chill, but informative and amiable. It is, however, really packed during the class time (I'm in the 7pm class), so it can be kind of difficult to find a spot for me to climb, since I'm still stuck doing somewhat low numbers. (I am the confirmed climbing dunce of my class.) My friend has an easier time since she can tackle higher numbers, and there are understandably few routes below a 5.5 for awful climbers like me. It seems like everyone rockets out to 5.7 or higher after their first week... except in short bus special cases like me, LOL. Overall, the place is really, really expensive. This may simply be coming from someone who doesn't do gym memberships because she typically can't stand the overpowering smell of the cleaners used in many of them (not a problem here, it smells more like old leather shoes all the time, almost certainly because of all the rental climbing shoes). I also make a pittance compared to the average Silicon Valley resident, so there is that as well. Take it with a grain of salt, as what I consider expensive may be quite reasonably priced for you. They do try to be an all-in-one gym with the rock climbing at the forefront and a bunch of cardio equipment and some free weights in the back. I haven't tried any of the classes yet, but I hear they're not bad. Also, it is REALLY COLD in there in the evenings, at least during February. I'm originally from Hawaii, but even my East Coast-born friend finds it a little cool for her tastes. There's a sauna in the bathroom, but I haven't tried it yet--I keep meaning to, but end up leaving too late in the evening. I'll probably be back, although I suppose I can't afford to do it too often after this. My work schedule would make coming here regularly enough to justify the membership tough, because I am frequently stuck working overtime on projects that probably should not have been planned out by folks two levels above the actual grunts, but I would like to at least make it back a couple of times a month. Climbing is a fun sport, if tiring. If you haven't tried it, I suggest you give it a shot! read more

This was awesome! The walls are super high!!! and they have varying levels of difficulties (from 5.6 to 5.11) so noobs and pros alike can enjoy themselves. Belaying test - FREE You pass the test if you intend to belay a friend. They give them out in colors of white and red. White = approved for belaying for just that day Red = approved for belaying forever? I think. *Belaying classes are also provided at $28. I think it's a 1 hour session? But it's really not rocket science. I think it's one of those things you can just pick up from a friend. ***Note: They are super strict about no peer-to-peer teaching at their center so do it discretely if you must. Otherwise, coach at home? Learn to tie 1) figure of 8, 2) check harness, 3) belay commands and you are set to go more or less. Price - $26 The day pass costs $20 + additional $6 for rental of shoe and harness. I would strongly recommend going in pairs. Preferably if both people can belay otherwise it won't be much fun for one person. read more

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OMG I LOVE THIS ROCK GYM. The one and only negative I can point out is that there are no auto-belay devices, so you must have a partner belay you. Other than that, let me get into a list of reasons why this place is awesome: 1. The walls are tall- most routes are probably at least 40 feet 2. The routes are incredibly easy to follow. They're organized by the colors of the holds, rather than colored tape that branch from the holds. 3. Many routes are very creatively set. Some have you zigzag a lot while others require the use of the naturals on the wall itself. (I uploaded a picture of my favorite route- it makes you climb up one side of an arch, grab holds at the high point of the arch, and literally swing so your momentum can allow your feet to reach a ledge on the other side of the arch- and then you continue climbing upwards. It was so challenging and creative!) 4. Many sections have "crack-only" ascents if you're into that. 5. There are many bouldering options and a bouldering "lap wall". 6. There's gym equipment and miscellaneous stuff like a slack line and monkey bars- ones that have you change directions 90 degrees during the traverse. If I had a robot as a belay partner, I don't think I would ever leave this place. read more

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Had a class with Kevin. That man is a class act and I'm super grateful for his lessons and stories, a great teacher that one. The culture of this place bleeds "classic climbing gym" read more

Pretty much the Rock Climber's heaven! Planet Granite is famous around the Bay Area/Peninsula as one of the two major gym chains for rock climbing. With multiple locations in SF, Belmont, Sunnyvale, PDX, Planet Granite is slowly expanding its reach to all rock climbers. (Other chain in Touchstone which monopolizes the market down in SoCal and East Bay) For the nitty gritty logistics, PG Sunnyvale is the best rock climbing gym in the Bay Area. Hands up! The staff who run this gym are top notch and their coaches/teams are immensely impressive. The routes/trails are changed every month (at least) and the boulder areas span 4 wall areas, 2 in front and 2 in back. The top rope area is right in between and even when the gym is packed, people can still find time to climb in. Busiest times are of course weeknights starting 7PM. Best times to go are early mornings, late weeknights, or weekends! Weekends are pretty tame and most people who come are non-members/families. Besides rock climbing, PG offers FREE fitness classes and yoga every day! Rock climbing classes are extra $$ but I've heard it was fairly worth it. Expect to always see at least 1 guy topless-- you've been warned. Everyone is super friendly and more than happy to give pointers! I've made some good friends here and the love of the sport really brings the best out of people :) My friend, Ashley invited me to come along January 2nd of this year and her friend, Mark, guest'd me in-- after that I was hooked. PG had everything I was dying for- plenty of boulder and top rope routes, amazing amicable people (being around my age is bonus), nice (free) lockers and accommodations (showers, steam room, etc.), and a hefty area of weights and cardio machines for me to run off my boba. Luckily in January, they have a promotion where the initiation fee of $45 was waived and I signed up for the direct deposit of $95/monthly. Yes my wallet had an initial shock but I quietly whispered to it that it was going to be worth it. Now my New Years resolution of staying fit and healthy is still going strong. I go at least 3-4 times a week to PG to rock climb and cardio/weights. I have yet to top rope and take a class, but I will make a conscious effort to do so ASAP! My standards for a rock climbing gym are skyrocket high. Thanks Planet Granite for being my second home and a slice of heaven. read more

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Rude assistant. Bad service. Kept you waiting while they chat on the phone. Not recommend

I am not a fan of climbing indoors, but having climbed for over 10 years, and being friends with tons of gym owners, I've been exposed to my share of climbing gyms around the country (probably 20 or so). Last month I found myself practically living in the Bay Area, with no outdoor climbing in sight. So when Gregg told me that I needed to climb at Planet Granite, I obliged. Gregg has owned and designed nearly all of the top 10 gyms in the country... so I knew he wouldn't steer me wrong, but when I walked into PG, I was just floored. I practically declared my undying love right on the spot without having climbed a single route. For starters, the wall height is one of the great distinguishing features. The only other gym I've ever been in that even comes close is Carabiners in Massachusetts. The gym was apparently designed from the ground up and features abundant space for hundreds of routes (although on a crowded weeknight, you definitely get traffic jams on every convergence point on the walls). The ratings are sugar-bagged and nearly all holds below 10D's are super juggy, but who couldn't use a little encouragement? And there are yoga classes, a full gym and outdoor bouldering - seriously?? Beat that Boston, Seattle, San Diego, Austin, Houston and Philly! I'm sooo in love it's not even funny - but not enough to want to move to the Bay (much to the chagrin of my employer) - outdoor climbing will always be better in So. Cal. and I wouldn't trade that for a thousand Planet Granites. Still... mad props to the PG! read more

A new kind of workout! This was crazy fun... and fear inducing at first. It was pretty packed on a Thursday night (and they were open until 11pm) but there were still enough ropes to go around, all at various levels. The best way to do this is probably to go to a class or with a friend who knows what she is doing... but it's easy to learn the basics and kind of addictive. read more

A bit crowded, but that's because they have a good gym with lots of equipment and many climbing routes. A very good spot for climbers.

Very nice gym with lots of space, very courteous staff, made visiting from the east coast a fun time.

Yeah sure, it gets crowded during peak times, but that's like most gyms. So what if you have to wait for a rope for your next climb? You're bound to be waiting amongst positive people that are staring down their next challenge (5.10c anyone?). That's the kind of culture you can expect here; everyone is nice and challenging themselves. Speaking of nice people, the staff here is great, too. And you can tell it's not a front or let-me-be-nice-until-my-shift-ends. The staff are really there to help you out if you need anything. So if you're the type to have lots of questions and tend to start off with "this may be a stupid question, but...", leave off that part and ask away! Planet Granite also offers cross fit, cycling, abs & core, and yoga classes. I got a chance to try out cycling with Max and yoga with Melody. Cycling with Max was interesting in that I never had an instructor that closed his eyes for most of the course. Power yoga with Melody was amazing and left me feeling refreshed -- I highly recommend! Now as for membership costs... it's quite steep. It's very much understandable why, though... because any cheaper, we wouldn't be able to waddle through during peak times haha. You are paying for value! If you can afford it, by all means give it a try. If you are considering the full year membership, I would give Planet Granite a monthly membership trial unless you could dedicate 4 days out of the week with a one-week membership. With all that said, climb on! And... namaste (seriously, power yoga with Melody is worth every one of those 90 minutes!). read more

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Too crowded and too much registration, waivers, instruction and cost. This place is for hardcore climbers read more

Movement - Sunnyvale - Front - Climbing Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

My first time trying out rock-climbing. I'm not a pro, but it was easier than I expected. Then again, I stuck mostly to the 5.5-5.7 walls and climbed up any way I wanted instead of following a strict color so that probably eased the difficulty. It is definitely more fun to come with a friend or groups of friends since you get tired pretty fast from climbing and it'll be good to take breaks and let others have a go. There seems to be a gym area with cardio equipments, but I didnt check out the area. The day pass costs $20 + additional $6 for rental of shoe and harness. I felt that it was a little expensive, considering that a monthly membership is only $55. I'd probably consider coming back again if I have friends who want to do regular visits so we can get the monthly membership instead of the day pass. read more

This place is amazing!!! I've been going to mostly rock climbing gyms in southern california which are only 1/4 the size of planet granite. This place is HUGE!!! About 4x the size of climbing gyms i am used to. There are tons of top ropes, lead climbs, and bouldering routes. The walls are very tall, which builds great stamina. Its great that not all the walls are 50-60 feet tall which is great for beginners and people who tire out. Honestly, i only had about a couple big wall climbs in me. Routes are really well thought out and have a lot of creativity in them. The variety in the top roping walls in amazing! I couldnt climb all the routes in a day if i tried. I have to say the ratings on the wall are a bit easier than i am used to, a 5.10a at a climbing gym in socal is somewhat difficult, but here I felt like the 5.10s were equivalent to some 5.8s at other gyms.. or maybe i'm getting stronger? The bouldering area is a really good place to bring beginner friends. The routes are challenging, yet very doable. I love that the floors are made of up really soft mats across the entire bouldering area, which makes it feel extra safe. The area is plenty big so it doesnt get too crowded. The gym area is an actual gym, tons of treadmills and weights. I can totally see this doubling as a climbing gym/regular gym. Everything was clean and there didnt seem to be a huge wait for any of the machines. The shower/locker room area is really big, and clean, there were showers and a sauna! Overall the facility is great, i only give it four stars as the staff was rather off putting. When i came in, there was only one person in line, and i had to wait about 20 minutes as the three people behind the desk, seemed to be pre-occupied. When i did finally get serviced the staff was rather rude when requesting that i take a belay test, they told me to tie in, and then wave them over, easier said than done, they were ignoring me. During the belay test, they seemed to come in doubting my belay abilities (i've climbed consistently at other gyms i know how to belay). Rude staff aside, i had a great time at the facility and i would definitely come back again when i am in the Bay Area read more

One of my buddies is a member here so he invited me to climb one day. I had fun the first day and so he signed me and my fiancé up for a baley class. The following weekend we had Reinhard as our baley instructor. He was super awesome! After our lesson we were able to climb on our own, even up up to 5.6 and 5.7. We bought the 5 day passes for $55. We came back this past weekend to climb again. We had to take the test for a temporary card, and we couldn't remember what to do. Thank goodness they didn't give us a permanent card because it's good to refresh our memories. Safety is the number one thing here! Luckily one of the girls was nice enough to go over it with us! We have 4 more passes to use before October so we are looking forward to getting some climbs in before they expire. It's such a good work out! It's a fun sport that we can do and try together. Since neither of us have done this before it's kinda cool that we can start on the same level and grow together. It's also good for relationship or team building because learning to baley and climb is built upon trust! You have to trust each other, be able to communicate effectively and safely, and help each other make it to the top! You also have to encourage and help one another if you see him/her struggling. It's a perfect sport for couples and would be fun for dates. If you're single, there's always someone looking for a partner. It's connected with the Crossfit Sunnyvale so I'm sure you would meet lots of people working out here! read more

Movement - Sunnyvale - Just hanging out!!! - Climbing Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

We had an amazing day at Movement climbing gym! I stumbled upon a Groupon for introduction to rope climbing class with a free week of climbing. We got there ten minutes before the class. We had already filled the waiver form online so the check in process was really quick. We had never tried rope climbing before. The instructor was really nice and helpful. After the class, we climbed on our own for a while. The front desk told us about the membership options. We wanted to try out climbing a couple of more times and decide if we were going to be members. They showed us how we can use our Groupon free week and weren't pushy at all. I have had previous experiences at other gyms where they pressure you into signing up for memberships so I was expecting the same here but I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and understanding the front desk was. The climbing gym was quite crowded but there were still plenty of climbing paths to try. Overall a very nice experience with a nice facility and friendly staff. read more

I work out here more often than climb. Although the climbing facility is awesome! Don't get me wrong, if you want to get a membership to climb anywhere, it's gonna have to be Planet Granite facilities. There are tons of different paths and a boulder section. There are hours with lots of people towards the evenings when people get off work, so expect quite a few folks. The GYM facilities and yoga are legit. Lots of machines, lots of ways to work out, and it's even got a Cross Fit group working in the back. Not bad at all P.G. Even the Instructors are welcoming and pretty good at what they do. The front desk STAFF has a mix of friendly people, to a few cocky ones. It's a hit or miss if they will answer your questions in a helpful way, rather than the obvious 'yes-no'. It's easier to pay and then ask a fellow climber, everyone is pretty chill. Overall, if you like climbing or working out. It's worth it. (Bring a friend) read more

I have always wanted to try rock climbing and bouldering. I went with my friend during the middle of the day and it was perfect, not busy and a lot of open space. The $20 entrance fee was a little steep and the shoe rental was around $5-$6? Which was still a little high. Bring your own socks as they do not have any for you to borrow. hehe. The staff is really friendly. I tried bouldering and I tell you it was so fun and what a workout. Im not as light as others who were there, I have a good amount of muscle on me so it was a good workout! Rock climbing is as tough as it looks. But I am proud to say I made it all the way to the top of the boulder during my first day after my first 4 tries. :) The gym inside is simple but they do have treadmills if you just want to do cardio. I am definitely hooked and my goal is to start bouldering the more advanced routes and then top roping. Be sure to bring chalk or borrow some from a buddy. :) read more

Excellent gym! This is my 2nd time being at PG as I do not have a membership. There are plenty of space for rock climbing/bouldering and different level spread throughout. The rock wall does change about ~4-6 weeks so I thought that was a cool thing PG did to keep it different. Planet Granite is on the more expensive side at $100 monthly pass or $30 daily pass. I usually go with a friend who has a pass since they have one guest pass per month. read more

Excellent gym with plenty to do: nice bouldering area, nice training area and nice ropes section. Though I didn't use it, the weight/cardio area is huge and looks nice. This is my go to stop when in the area and need a climb. Great community of climbers! They should open one up in Long Beach!! Please! read more

As soon as I got my latest cholesterol reading, I bit the bullet and finally joined PG after dabbling here and there. Sure there is weight equipment, a spinning room, and yoga, but just about everyone is here to climb. Weekdays are really busy. Tues and Thurs are days favored by those that like to climb outdoors on the weekend. The real hardcore 0 body fat types. Our group usually climbs on Wed just cos it breaks up the week. The outdoor climbing is still not open apparently because the City of Sunnyale hasn't approved the safety features yet. When it does, it will be awesome tho, because none of the climbing gyms in the bay area have an outdoor climbing area. My only complaint is that the rock surface is new and subsequently still really gritty. I constantly get scraped up after a climb. Some friends of mine came across an owl when they reached the top. It would be nice if they served beer. read more

Overcrowding is a problem here. The evenings are esp. bad. Either you want to get here early or show up really late. Another complaint I have is the grigris tend to stick to the ropes (either that or some ropes are just sticky). I favor the ATC over grigris though the autolocking is a nice safety feature. Other than those, it's a great facility. Good gym and a number of trendmills to keep you busy when you are not picking at fake plastic rocks. read more

Only been here once but it was loads of fun. I'm no rock climbing regular. I don't go every week or every month but I always have an urge to climb if I see a wall. PG is a really relaxed and chill place to be as long as you respect others and don't get in peoples way [common courtesy]. I used the indoor and outdoor short walls [didn't belay] and used the fitness equipment as well. They have different difficulty levelsAs I said, I'm no regular climber and it was my first time climbing at PG and the 0 and 1's were somewhat easy but the 2's were kickin my butt. The indoor walls were great and had nice pads to fall onto. The outside walls were great too BUT the pads outside were worn out and not so fun to fall on [So I climbed back down instead of jumping down]. I love that they have a peg board there, it's one of my favorite things to do although I only get up a few holes before having to drop. The fitness equipment was pretty good, it's not 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport [my gym]. But I got a good workout after climbing and felt very satisfied by the end of my experience. I got to go in with a friend who has a membership and only had to pay for the shoes but I see $18 as not too bad of a price to pay if you only will go every once and awhile. And as someone else said, as a crossfit gym, even the membership price doesn't sound that bad especially if you don't have a gym membership already. read more

My poor fingerrrsss! I had so much fun climbing, only to realize afterward that I can't even carry a drink because my arms were super beat!! My partner in crime and I love coming here to climbing as a team and cheering for eachother compared to other/regular workouts. They have plenty of available gym equipment, sauna, yoga, and even trapezing! ITS A MUST go if you never safely fallen from 50ft high or went bouldering before.. read more

Movement - Sunnyvale - Climbing Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

Short Story: This place is a playground for Spider-man! Long Story: I've been here several times the past few years and it's been a good experience. There are lots of people there every day. The instructors and all knowledgeable and mostly friendly. Sometimes it gets really crowded and you have to wait your turn to climb the particular course you want. read more

I've been to a lot of gyms and this is a personal favorite. Of the PGs around the Bay Area it seems like the biggest. However, this means that sometimes, it's the busiest. It can be packed some nights, full of climbers, but there are always lots of routes to choose and the gym does a great job keeping it fresh and changing routes up. The front desk staff are knowledgeable and pretty speedy. The coaching staff are tough and push you confidently out of your zone. A great place. read more

Movement - Sunnyvale - Running! - Climbing Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

My friends and I came here a couple times now, and we definitely love Planet Granite. The place itself is very big, and it's a great place to come for fun and for a good workout. The place itself can get crowded, but we didn't have a problem finding a place to climb or boulder at. I love that they not only have areas to climb and to boulder, but they also have a full gym with weights and other machines. They also have yoga classes and cross fit classes that had me interested. They have monthly and annual passes with student discounts and other plans, so definitely worth checking out. We took the belaying class with Kevin. He is an awesome instructor and definitely encouraged me to not back out (didn't realize I was slightly afraid of heights until I got up there). He showed us tricks to remember for all the important things to know as a climber and a belayer. We all passed our belay text the week after, so I definitely recommend taking the class with him! (4 for 4 Kevin!) Overall, most of the staff was very welcoming, helpful, and professional. Customer service is key for me, and Kevin and the other employee that tested us the week after were great. My only con was from one of the front desk employee, Evan, that checked us in. I don't think it's necessary to be rude to your customers, no matter how busy you are. Also, giving me the wrong shoe size and telling me that one full shoe size won't make a difference didn't seem necessary as well. Other than that experience, Planet Granite definitely topped my expectations. What was supposed to be a place to just "try out" turned out to be the place we will definitely be regulars at. read more

Movement - Sunnyvale - Climbing Near Me - Sunnyvale, California

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I thought the facilities are great for climbers and gym users. I particularly enjoy their brand of fitness classes (F10, tbf, alpine etc) Thus far, I've particularly enjoyed classes with Heather, Aaron, Hillary, Rueben and Melissa. For yoga - I recommend the morning classes over the evening ones. read more

I take my 7 year old here and we both just love it. We first took the belaying lesson which was a lot of fun. And then I enrolled my daughter in 2 consecutive winter camps. The place is fun, the staff is patient and knowledgeable and the facilities while packed always seem to have some open climbing spaces - never have to queue up for too long. The parking is a bit painful and I wish that there was a bit more heating in the winter, but those are fairly minor nits in the large scheme of things. read more

I've been here on one other occasion to boulder, and my experience with the staff was far from friendly. So when I came here for a belay lesson with two other friends, I was not expecting a lot. Little did I know I was going to experience my best belay class ever! I've had maybe 4 belay lessons in my life spread out over my entire lifetime and I keep forgetting how to do it, so I did another class as a refresher. The instructor, JJ, was extremely clear, fun and friendly! The class took about an hour to an hour 15 min to complete with 4 people. I highly recommend taking a belay class here! At the end, they even give you a little cheat sheet of notes to keep in mind for taking the belay test when you come back. The cheat sheet also came with a couple coupons for 50% your next visit! SO AWESOME. Not only that, the instructor also gave us a length of rope so we can practice at home. TALK ABOUT GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND. This place is excellent and has a wide assortment of climbing and bouldering areas that'll definitely keep you entertained. I recommend going as early as possible, especially on the weekends. From 9-11am it was manageable to do climbs, but once it hit 11am-1pm, it was REALLY CROWDED. To the point where you had to wait for people to climb up and down before going up because a lot of the climbs are close together and zigzag with other ones. The only other downside is the price. For a day drop in pass, it's $28 NOT including the harness. That's another $5. Shoes are another $5. I believe chalk is $1. So if you don't have your own harness, shoes and chalk, you're looking at about $39 for a day pass. I live too far from here to get a membership, which is a little bit more than $1000/year. I'd probably come here every now and then to climb for a day pass price, especially because they have a rope with no knots to practice on hanging from the ceiling, which I've only seen at ClimbWorks in Berkeley and no other gyms I've gone to in the area (perfect for Spartan Race training!). read more

Pretty solid rock climbing gym that caters to all types of climbers; bouldering, top rope, lead, there's even a whole section devoted to crack climbing! The campus is so massive there are plenty of routes and problems of all sorts of difficulties to accommodate everyone. The other amenities are great too; a full on workout area with cardio machines, strength training machines, weights, hang boards and moon board, all pretty great tools to keep your workouts well rounded. There are even saunas! The store is pretty well stocked with pretty much anything anyone could need to get off the ground at an indoor gym, not to mention snacks and drinks. The staff is friendly and quick to help you with whatever you need. For example, looking for a belay partner? They'll hop on the PA system and let the patrons of the gym know that someone's looking for a belay buddy. The entire facility is also well kept and tidy. Grigris are equipped on all the ropes, so it's pretty much tie in and climb! All this being said, it's important to note that this gym is on the pricier end and does NOT have auto-belays. Not a single one. Kind of a big bummer. There's also the issue of the weekend times. Oddly enough, the gym closes EARLIER than they usually do during the weekdays. Keep that mind mind when you come here. Tonight, I came in with a bunch of first-timer friends, so obviously no one else besides myself was belay certified. We did some bouldering, but I prefer big wall and endurance climbs to bouldering. I spent almost the whole time there belaying for my friends. They suggested to get one of those belay buddy announcements, but then that would mean I would kinda have to leave them on their own and climb with a stranger. There's nothing wrong with that, especially in such a great community that climbing has, but I'm obviously not going to have someone belay me then peace out on them and not return the favor and give them a chance to climb. So, I didn't climb; I belayed. If the gym had auto belays, I could have gotten some climbing in without having to worry about finding someone to belay me, or my friends even for that matter. Pretty lame that I blew $28 on a day pass to do just 5 bouldering problems and not climb on the tall walls. Overall, come here if 1) you like bouldering, 2) have a friend who can belay you, or 3) come alone so the staff can help you find another loner and you don't have to ditch your friends to climb. read more

I've had good experiences at this Planet Granite. I used to have a membership but wasn't using it enough to keep it up. The gym area is big and thoughtfully laid out which makes it feel even bigger. The climbing areas are cool with a variety of levels. They offer a variety of classes and I haven't had an issue getting a spot as long as i come about 15 minutes early. I don't remember having issues with areas being closed off unless they were repairing the pads or preparing for a competition. Even then, there were plenty of other places to climb. One of my surprisingly favorite parts of the gym is the clean locker room and showers. Very friendly and personable staff, too. I dinged one star for crowdedness. I often had to wait for routes to become available. I would also occasionally see unsupervised children running amok (probably more of a parent issue than PG's issue). The kids in the climbing classes / on climbing teams are super respectful and they are well supervised by the PG staff. To be fair, Planet Granite is addressing the crowdedness issue by opening up a new gym in Santa Clara. Can't wait to start up a membership again once that gym opens! read more

Happiest place ever, if you love climbing or yoga. I can stay there for so many hours. I love the routes, especially the ones with very few but huge holds, where you need to jump or do some challenging balance exercise. I love that the members are friendly and helpful. They can give you useful tips because everyone loves learning and improving. Of course, the people who work there are very helpful too. I love it that if you don't have a belay partner, they'll always call for one, and most of the times someone will show up. Finally, I love to see people of all ages climbing, as well as families at the gym. We don't have kids yet, but when we have them we'll teach them how to climb at Planet Granite. Some people even bring their toddlers at the gym and that makes the gym an even happier place. Thank you, Planet Granite, for being flexible on that! read more

This is a good gym but way too crowded and I feel like any issue that comes up would be brushed off as "peak times," or "busy." My main gripe is the lack of climbing etiquette and how that can actually be really dangerous. I top roped here for a few hours and on multiple occasions I saw people being really unaware in their lowering or swing off the wall and people not timing the routes correctly in the climbs. This place is so crowded that there was a lot of route crossing. One of the routes I liked best in the session I had to take a mandatory rest for 5 minutes because there was a guy crossing it and taking forever to send. So you will have oblivious climbers with bad manners here. When I tried to give feedback I didn't feel like I was understood, and the guy said, "Well we can't stop people from climbing," which totally wasn't what I was getting at. I was more curious as to the route setting strategy. I really wish gyms would do more to step in when bad etiquette occurs and actively educate guests. I don't recall seeing any staff on the floor observing. I am used to climbing at a small gym that I am so grateful for. The routes at PG will challenge you and I had multiple regulars tell me the grades are being set at higher difficulty levels lately. Possible reasoning I heard was to help acclimate people to outdoor grades. There was an awesome 5.9 set with long reaches and required a lot of use of the slab. There are also ladderish 5.8s and 5.9s and good routes that require balance work. It all depends. But if you go when it is busy you kind of have to take what you can get which is frustrating if you are looking for a specific grade and certain type of set. The saving grace here is the gym area and locker room. For you $28 day pass you get all access. Gym equipment is clean, lots of organized weights, multiple sets of rings, two moon boards, people are self-aware in the spaces they are using. The locker room has excellent showers and a nice sauna. Towels are provided. And unfortunately although there is signage a lot of people walk around the locker room and bathrooms in their climbing shoes, so fingers crossed you don't get pink eye on the holds. Another plus to this facility is the events. Friendly staff, easy belay cert if you know what you are doing and can communicate it well. I'll probably go back but wouldn't do so regularly and I doubt the cost of membership would be worth what you would have to deal with in terms of how busy this place is all the time. read more

Disappointing. The staff comes in super late on Mondays. Usually a large group of people waiting to get in because staff is 30 minutes late.