Returned again with a Livingsocial deal, $14 for an intro to rock-climbing package (a $32 value which included an adult day pass, rental harness, shoes, belay device, and the safety lesson), this time with the bf. Nice that Yelp also has the similar offer for $15. Came in midday on a Thursday so it was pretty quiet and not busy at all. Waiver was easy to fill out on the iPads, clean bathrooms, lockers for member and cubbies to stash your personals as well by the weights and system wall. Props to staff member Chris who gave us the belay lesson (auto/self belay and with partners). Remember, P-BUS! This time I even tried more than just toprope -- actual bouldering and even really made it to the top (was it really 20 feet high?) of three different routes, ranging from class 5-6. Attempted a 7, but didn't make it all the way up, even rainbowing. Much improved once I put faith in the rope and got the idea out of my head that I had to climb back all the way down. Also had to remember to use my legs more than my arms. I also learned that I am not the best belay partner for the bf -- even with a 50-lb sandbag attached to my harness, I still got lifted off the ground when lowering him back down to the ground, haha. Maybe I needed a second 50-lb sandbag! Overall it was a very fun several hours that afternoon with only about 5 or 6 other climbers using the gym. I definitely was sore for a few days afterward but would love to try climbing again soon! read more

Rocknasium - Gyms Near Me - Davis, California

I am 20 years old and I am (slightly) afraid of heights. So maybe coming here wasn't such a great idea... but I fell under college-level peer pressure and succumbed to my friends' goading. Let me tell you... I was shaking and sweating and freaking out when I was just barely 2 feet off the ground. But honestly, all of the employees there really do a great job instructing you and encouraging you, no matter what age you are. My fear reduced me to a whimpering 5 year old but with their reassurance and thorough guidance, I felt much more at ease. I still think I'm not quite made out for this kind of stuff... but I think it's a pretty fun and interesting experience! I wish though, that their premises was a little cleaner and more organized, and maybe not as expensive, but otherwise it was fun. I think I'll go again if I can find a really nice groupon deal or something. read more

We did the yelp deal here about last month, and it came with a short lesson on how to rock climb and how to use equipment. The staff were very informative and willing to help if needed! There are about 10-14 places around the rock climbing areas to start your climb, where 3 of them are ones where you do not need a partner to hold your rope! It was $30 for both of us, which fit our tight budget as poor undergrads. :) The only glitch here was the location, but thank goodness, I made my boyfriend ride my bike to look for the place, which was in a location where it was a bit difficult to find. Anyway, very cool place to start if you have not tried rock climbing. My boyfriend came up north to visit me from socal and wanted to try something interesting, so I suggested rock climbing since he's never tried it. He was so exhausted after participating, lol. read more

I give this place 5 stars because they were basically one of the original climbing places, and they have been providing a good (even if small by todays standards) experience for decades. I first climbed here in about 1992, and really enjoyed it. They inspired me to take it outdoors, and do more than rock scrambling. I still enjoy a trip back here now and then. Great vibe. read more

I love this place and I would definitely come back. Its not super crowded and it have plenty of places to climb. Some you can climb without a rope, of course its not that tall but you get to climb upside down. What I really enjoyed about this place is that it is friendly to new climbers as well as experienced climbers. The walls can be as easy or as difficult as you want them to be as long as you follow the color tape, which indicates which route is the hardest. The place is clean and well ventilated. Two huge points when you have sweaty people climbing rocks. They have a small gym (which they let me and my friends use and mess around with), a water fountain, and some benches (which seems they would use if there were a small birthday party present). read more

Went here for the first time with my friend. And her son and let me tell you, it is hidden in some scary looking area in Davis. Okay granted I went when it was the evening and it was pouring rain and luckily my friend had gone before but this place is nestled in the back section of buildings and honestly, I would have never found it. So walking in, all you see are walls of wonderful sections of rock climbing. They even have a small work out area I guess to prep yourself? Any ways, my friend and I got a literal 5minute lesson on how to belay each other. Seemed pretty easy but also nerve wracking because your partner has to trust that you don't make a mistake and drop you on your head. So I got to go first, and for my first time I was nervous and thinking it would be terribly hard. Nope...got up that wall in 1min. All of them were pretty super easy. I didn't try the slanted wall because although I can lift myself up with my arm strength with a parallel wall, lifting my entire weight with my arms were NEVER going to happen. I also tried the belay rope that you use on your own. Basically you let go of the wall and it catches your weight and lowers you. Have to say I lost a few years of my life on that thing. So when you get to the top, you are suppose to trust the rope and just drop. Well I tugged a bit and it did not take my weight. So as a newb, I panicked. I got about most of the way down and then tried, lol. Second try, climbed down again. Finally my third, I let go, seriously lost the ability to breathe for a second out of pure fear that it was going to malfunction and drop me completely. Overall experience, excellent. Also make sure to wear work out clothes. I just got off work and was completely out of place in jeans and a nice sweater. Lol read more

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Loooooove this place. I didn't realize how much I appreciated Rocknasium and it's staff until I moved away from Davis. I know that padded floors are more expensive and harder to maintain, but my local gym now has rocks down and it really sucks have to fight over pads while bouldering. The staff are very nice and informative, Boz and Jay were especially awesome, reteaching us how to use an ATC when we went back up for Picnic Day (my current gym is all grigris). And the open environment gives you a nice relaxed feel. I would sleep there when I visit if they would let me. read more

I went to Rocknasium on a Saturday afternoon for the very first time and it was amaaaaazing! Pros: -Incredibly friendly, informative, and helpful staff! I never got the name of the guy who helped me and my pal out, but he was super patient with us and made sure we understood how everything worked. -Wonderfully squishy floor that was really fun to walk on. I felt pretty darn safe jumping off the walls. -Fun, non-crowded routes! As a wee beginner, I found the beginning bouldering problems kinda difficult, but they were really enjoyable- it was basically a puzzle you have to solve with your body. -Sweet spot to people watch: it was really motivating to watch other patrons do all sorts of neat tricks while resting up Cons: Literally none that I can think of. It smelled vaguely of feet upon walking in, but it's not a big deal at all. My only regret is that I never came here as an undergrad and missed out! 10/10, would climb again. read more

The staff here is great. They have Tuesday night potlucks! They also have a unique route system that is structured to give you a great workout. read more

I heard of a lot of good things about this place, but I was a little bit disappointed. My friend and I waited for a good 5-10 minutes to be helped when we first got there.. when there was only like 5 people climbing in the gym that day, the staff members were just talking to themselves. The ratings are a lot different from other gyms I have been too, which made it harder for me to solve bouldering problems. BUT that can also be a good thing, so it makes you try any of them! I just wasn't really into it that much because I prefer to know what level I'm at. Oh yeah and the routes aren't as tall as other gyms. read more

Our family has been coming to the gym for years, and I must begin this review my saying how exceptional and supportive the staff has always been, especially to the kids. We've attended birthday parties, saw the summer camps in action, and watched the junior and youth teams train and I knew early on that I'd love to have my kids grow up in that environment. I consider myself an avid climber, and here is where I got my start. There is a wide selection of routes and relatively steady rotation in of new ones. It is smaller than some of the more recent gyms to crop up in the area, so some boulder problems will cross the lead and top-rope areas to make the best use of space. At some places this would be a huge drawback, but you will not find as large a population of friendly, helpful climbers as you will here. The regulars here will be happy to hold off while you start your climb, and I've never felt uncomfortable asking the person working the same problem as me for a little beta. BBQs most Tuesday nights, an awesome series of comps near the end of the year, and as family-friendly as you're going to get in town: the place can't be beat! read more

Having been climbing at the Rock for a year or so now, I can say it's a fantastic climbing gym with a familial atmosphere! There is a real sense of community at this gym, which is no surprise since the owners Carter & Marko are regularly around, especially on Tuesday night pot-luck nights! Did I mention they have a BRAND NEW GYM?! Seriously. Fantastic look, HUGE boulder wall, and some ridiculous lead climbing! They also hold Climbing Competitions - The Crankin' Series - every year and have summer camps and other group programs available. Prices are incredibly reasonable -- $34/month for students -- or come on Wednesdays for $5 Aggie nights. There are now Yoga classes offered in the Yoga studio on site, too! I cannot say enough good things about this place. Love! Love! Love! read more

Nice place to get some good, fun exercise in a cool setting. My kids loved it. I really only recommend for those kids over 6 years old. The workers were helpful but a bit idiomatic. A little on the unclean side. Cool place but can get very busy so call ahead. read more

Love this place. It's fairly compact as rock climbing gyms go, but there are enough routes to keep you busy for a good three hours. On nice days, they'll open up the big warehouse door so you can climb in natural lighting. Do beware the mosquitoes, though. On weekends, multiple kids' birthday parties can make the space pretty crowded. And very loud. Don't forget to bring your student IDs (UC Davis or not) to get some nice discounts. Aggies climb for $5 on Wednesdays and Fridays! Also: the water fountain is hidden in a corner behind the bouldering wall. Very cold and refreshing. read more

Nice spot in convenient location, but unfortunately they rarely reset and there's always a bunch of kids running around because of after school camps. Reasonable price, but very confusing process to cancel a membership. Nice space to have a gym but poor organization read more

This was the gym I learned to climb in. I was a member for about 6 months before I graduated and moved back to the bay. My boyfriend and I went to this gym 4-5 times a week just to hang out. We were both 5th years and most of our friends had graduated. Rocknasium had become our new family. The Tuesday potlucks were more about eating and chatting than climbing. It was a great way to build the community. The regulars are all really nice and a couple of them took us under their wing. We were still newbies so watching people climb the ceiling was awe inspiring. Yes, the gym is small and the walls are short, but I think they make do with what they have very well. Their routes are challenging and interesting. I'm a member at PG now and I find that a lot of the routes are ladder routes and I miss some of the complexity that Rocknasium puts in on the easier routes. Also, I find that the routes at Rocknasium are rated harder than PG, but that varies gym to gym. I really miss Rocknasium now that I've left. It was really my family away from home. If you join, I would definitely introduce yourself to the staff and the regulars. It'll be worth it. read more

This place is a really fun alternative to working out in a regular gym. They do provide weights, yoga equipment, and one of the managers told me they're expanding soon to have some workout machines. But the real magic of course is the walls! And the super squishy foam floor. They change the routes pretty regularly so you won't get bored. Also- free massage on Tuesday nights during their weekly potluck! read more

Great first time climbing experience and deal. I recommend this place. To avoid damn filter I also would like to add that the belay instruction was detailed and set us up for a great climbing experience. read more

Had a Groupon for this place so I got a great deal. It included a Beginner Belay class, shoes, and harness. Boz was super nice and explained how to belay and climbing etiquette very clearly. He was very approachable and was very encouraging to my friend who was kind of scared of climbing. Definitely will return. read more

So many good things to the gym including: Friendly staff They make 3 bouldering circuits that encompass the gym every few weeks Free sunday workshops Tuesday potlucks rock random dance parties/dodgeball games The only reason I don't give it 5 stars is due to it's size. It's a bit on the small size and doesn't have as large of a bouldering 'cave' as I'd like. read more

This was my first visit to RN I had a great time , the staff was friendly and on point. Be prepared to workout lol read more

It was our very first time at a rock climbing gym and man was it a great experience here at Rocknasium! We were very pleased with the help we received from the staff. Very clean and safe gym, the staff is always walking around watching and answering any questions anyone had. Major props to the guy that helped us from the beginning! (I'm sorry I forgot your name!!) read more

Rocknasium - So much to challenge yourself with!! - Gyms Near Me - Davis, California

Rocknasium has some of the best culture I have seen at any business. While it is a fantastic place to climb and get in shape, it is the atmosphere that keeps me coming back for more. Rocknasium offers it's members a friendly environment with plenty of extra social events. The rating system tends to be tough (sandbagged), so you will 'crush' when you go to other gyms. Also, membership is super-cheap especially for students so you may even save money vs a regular gym. read more

I've been here 3 times now, and am a beginner at climbing. The prices are very reasonable. The staff here is always friendly and so willing to help. It took me awhile to figure out the right shoe size for me because I was between sizes. The employee was patient and even gave me different brands to try to see if the fit was better. I paid the $10 for a belay class and it wasn't busy so I actually got a 1-on-1 lesson. The only downside is that UCD Climbing Club comes there mon/wed/thurs at 8pm so if you are there during that time, it's almost impossible finding a place to climb without waiting 15+ mins for a space. Other than that, it's a great place to climb! read more

I used to go here as a kid, and it's always been fantastic this was one of the first if not the first climbing gyms in Cali, and it's a staple of Davis life read more

Great local rock gym! The Staff is very helpful and friendly. Everyone that climbs here is willing to give a quick spot on the bouldering wall or jump on your belay. Definitely a community vibe here, and you will start to recognize the people who climb regularly. Come on Tuesdays for the potluck! read more

Of course it's nothing compared to bay area gyms like Planet Granite, but Rocknasium has a bit of charm. The routes are reasonably good and pretty fun, and the four autobelays are really nice. They have a weird rating system for their topropes, but even the YDS isn't the most objective of ratings, so it doesn't really matter. Overall the climbing is pretty good given the size of the gym. The employees are very friendly as well. The reason I am giving it two stars is because of the kids. I have been three times, and two of these times, little kids were running around unsupervised everywhere. I understand that Davis is a family town and that a gym like this needs to be family friendly, but it's distracting trying to boulder and having to look underneath you to make sure you're not going to fall on any little kids. While this can mostly be attributed to bad parenting, the employees need to enforce and implement a policy for dealing with all these kids - maybe make each kid have an over 18 supervisor. If parents want to take their kids to a place to run around, let them go to a playground. This is a gym for a sport that can be really dangerous if the proper precautions are taken. Bottom line, this place is 4 stars without kids but 1 star when there's a bday party or summer camp - not a fun place to climb if you're a serious climber. I hope the employees here become stricter with children or someone is going to get seriously hurt. read more

I go here sometimes on Aggie Wednesdays, where UCD students only have to pay $5. It's a SUUUUPER chill rock climbing gym. They don't make you take belay tests to let you climb, although I'd advise you know how to LOL. I think they might actually let you lead climb without any kind of test either... My friend says that it's more of a small community gym where everyone looks out for each other, that's why they're not so strict. The walls aren't too high like some bigger gyms. They also have auto belay devices so you can climb without having a partner. read more

My friend and I bought the Yelp deal that only applies to new customers ($15 for a Day Pass, Rental Equipment, and Belay Safety Class). When we entered the place, we were immediately greeted by a staff member named Boz. After verifying our vouchers, Boz was quick to provide the waivers and equipment. While we were reading and filling out the waiver, another staff member came to greet us. He was very enthusiastic to know that we were first-timers (unfortunately forgot his name, so I'll just address him here as "the enthusiastic greeter" xP). Once we had the gear on, we went right into our belay safety class with Boz. With the enthusiastic greeter observing the class (made up of just my friend and me), Boz provided clear and concise demonstrations on the basics. I was impressed that he even remembered and used our names, as he helped us out. Before we knew it, we were ready to go. Despite climbing for only about two hours, I had a great time and definitely got a workout out of it. The only things that I would be nit-picky about is the slight difficulty of finding the place, and how it would've been awesome if it were more spacious with more walls. Like I said, that's only me being nit-picky and it actually isn't that big of a deal overall. With the staff making us feel comfortable being in a new environment, providing personal assistance, and consistently making sure we were doing fine even after the safety class, the minor cons are overridden. That is why I ultimately rate Rocknasium five stars. read more

So I paid for a day pass so I could boulder and then was told from the manager that I'm not allowed to boulder due to the competition. I said I want interested in any competition and he accused me of trying to "game the system" and cheat for the comp. Then another chick said I would grease up their holds. WTF. read more

Not liking the new management. Rocknasium used to let my 4-year-old climb at a reduced rate, but the new management starting charging her like an adult. Cancelling her membership was difficult. They had me come in, in person, 5 days before the end of the month I wanted to cancel. Three months later I realized they were still charging me. They insisted that I had never actually cancelled my membership. They asked me three times if I was sure I filled out the form. They refused to refund me my $162. They offered me a credit which is funny because A) I was cancelling my membership B) I am moving out of the area. My daughter is a little monkey with amazing upper body strength to size ratio. In other words, she is a great climber. I bet lots of little kids are. The problem is, Rocknasium doesn't have classes for kids her age (older kids like 6 -year-olds are fine, I think), so I have to take her climbing, but I can't climb while I am belaying/watching her, so a family membership isn't really appropriate. read more

Hey! Rocknasium is awesome. I've definitely only been here as a supervisor with the family I nanny with, but the girls always have so much fun and the employees are super helpful and patient when it comes to explaining safety and proper etiquette to the kids. I'm not much a climber myself... (Although I wish I was I'm a little nervous to just show up on my lonesome) But I'd almost get over that to climb here. It's has a small community feel and you see lots of people helping each other out. Definitely a good place to go if you're looking for a different workout. read more

Staff was very accomodating, I brought with me a party of 5 which included 1 clingy baby and 1 emo child. They were able to help with everything. read more

Rocknasium is a cubicle in comparison to Planet Granite and City Beach. Nevertheless, I had a blast bouldering here! This place also offers a great deal on belay lessons. I went with a friend using the deal and found the instructor to be very friendly and supportive. The staff was very helpful as well. Be on the lookout for this place though because it's real easy to pass by if you're driving. Could easily miss it if you're not careful! I think they also remodeled the place so I'm looking forward to coming back real soon! read more

It was my first time rock climbing and was honestly a little scared. Lol we got the $15 deal and the instructor was awesome! Made everything clear and funny. Once we were set... On we climbed! I must say... Rock climbing was pretty fun although I came out of it looking/ feeling like a t-Rex... Lol there are constantly new routes on the walls if you want a challenge. Great place to chill and have fun! read more

The rating system for this place is an eye sore and I feel in consistent. There's so many different routes that it can be pretty confusing trying to stay on your own. A little on the pricey side for a rock climbing gym. In my opinion. The belaying mounting system isnt my favorite. They use a single loop, which provides somewhat of a rough decent. But. Overall a pretty fun place. read more

I go in just about every day. The staff here is super friendly and always willing to dish out advice on the routes.

Awesome place had fun but AC may be having issues here , on hot day door was open for ventilation as overwise it would have been even stuffier. Dusty surfaces a bit, also, away from areas where chalk is around. read more

Rocknasium rocks! The owners are great, the walls pose various levels of challenge for people of various levels of skill, the equipment is plentiful and in good condition, the pricing is reasonable, the hours are long, and the people are friendly. I'm not a dedicated climber, so maybe other climbing gyms are better, but this place does it for me. read more

I really enjoyed my time here. Got a screaming deal through Yelp and decided to take a date here. The staff was super helpful and patient. It isn't the biggest rock climbing gym, but I thought it was challenging enough. read more