Coincidentally, my first time at a climbing gym was the day Alex Honnold, the renowned American free solo climber, successfully scaled the 508-meter (1,667-foot) Taipei 101. Obviously, the only similarity in both events is the word "climb" and the similarity ends there. I needed a instructor to walk through the basics. Once I did a couple of test runs and got past the initial butterflies, I got more comfortable and had a blast. It is a workout as well. I got to a level 5.9 and hope to be back and get higher. The staff were great...Kenneth in particular was great. read more

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The Studio Climbing offers a variety of challenging routes for top rope as well as bouldering. The bottom floor has top rope climbing and the upper floor is for bouldering. Pretty cool that the climbing gym is built inside an old school theater. I came here with a group of Scouts to have them trained for top rope climbing, and the experience was epic. Two instructors taught our group to become self sufficient in tying in and belaying one another. By the end.of the session, our scouts were climbing independently. My youngest son and I tried the bouldering wall, and it was a good time. The routes were plenty with challenges for every skill level. The environment was chill too with friendly fellow climbers chatting it up and offering tips. read more

The Studio Climbing - Bouldering - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

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Be careful with the membership policies here. I was injured early in the month after only attending 3 times and couldn't return. Despite that, they would not prorate or adjust the membership in a meaningful way. Their system apparently doesn't allow mid-month freezes, which left me paying for most of a month I couldn't use. After pushing, they increased my credit to $42, but only after initially offering a much lower amount. They also based their calculation on a $30 day rate, even though members typically pay closer to $20 per visit. Even more frustrating, they only offered account credit instead of a refund--so if you don't plan on continuing, you're essentially stuck. Nice studio, but very rigid policies and not much flexibility when real-life situations come up. There are other climbing gyms in the area that may offer more flexibility, so I'd recommend looking into those before signing up here. read more

This climbing gym was converted from an old theater in downtown San Jose. Very cool! You can find small details remaining from the previous theater. Smaller location, but we enjoyed coming here very much. They do have the top roping here, a huge plus. Street parking only, but we had no issues parking on the same block the two times we went. We look forward to visiting again in the future when we are in the Bay Area! read more

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This review is only for the *fitness* portion of "The Studio," not the climbing portion. I've visited nine of Touchstone's fourteen climbing gyms around the state, and while The Studio definitely embodies many of Touchstone's great qualities, it also falls short in some respects. Unlike many of Touchstone's other gyms, the fitness section at The Studio definitely feels like an afterthought. There's definitely enough here to get a workout in, but there's also many things that you won't be able to do. The Studio has a full range of dumbells, two squat racks, multiple benches, barbells, a few kettlebells, a few cable machines, and some cardio machines. The most glaring omissions are bumper plates (they have a couple 10lb bumper plates, but don't expect to be able to deadlift or olympic lift here), as well as a lifting platform. The space is also fairly small and I can see it getting really crowded during nights and weekends. Around the rest of the gym, there's clean bathrooms with lockers and showers, all the drinks and snacks you would expect to find at a gym like this, and a helpful staff. read more

The Studio Climbing - Squat racks...minimal bumper plates. - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

Great facility. There are so many options for top roping. They also have a gym. And their bouldering section was great too. Their labeling is very easy to understand. They also have shoes and chalk bags for rent. Their restrooms have showers and lockers which is also so helpful. Beautiful climbing gym overall. read more

The Studio Climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

My first time visiting the Studio because I go to Movement, and don't live close by, and don't want to go through the hassle of finding parking around the area. But the gym itself is cute and clean and all around really enjoyable. I went on a weekday morning, and it was not crowded at all. Just a couple of people climbing, and route setters were working on the roof area, which is likely a third of the boulders available, but not a problem for me as I hate roofs. Lol. Route settings are interesting, even for some V2s they made it fun to do. They list out the muscle group that you will use when climbing a problem, such as biceps, which is super informative. I see a worker vacuums the mat, and I never seen this happened at Movement gyms. Not sure if it's just the timing of cleaning. Note that the walls here are low friction walls! I was surprised by it, getting used to the sand paper like walls at Movement. It's all personal preference and it's interesting to read online about the two different types of walls and how people like them. I personally like sand paper walls, but I can tolerate low friction walls if that helps me with my footwork. Workers are very friendly. Front desk guy made me feel like home as we share the same birth month and day. read more

The Studio Climbing - Walls here are slippery, no frictions heh - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

A great spot for climbing nestled into the heart of DTSJ -- this spot has a fun marquee at the entrance, and the space is set up in a really cool way! It had been a while since I'd been bouldering, but I came by and ended up having a really fun Sunday morning. The day pass and rental together came out at just shy of $35, so it was a fair price given that we stayed for a few hours. Parking here could be a bit of a headache, given that it's downtown, but we were able to find a spot right in front since we got there early in the day. The have a fair number of bouldering walls and the routes are varied with different types of climbs and marketing by difficulty. I wish they were sorted by color, but they were still super easy to identify on the walls. It wasn't crazy busy on a Sunday, which meant that I got to try a lot more of the routes. The real star of the show was the top rope walls! We got too tired before we switched over, but will definitely be returning to try those out. They have all of the harness and belay equipment, as well. There are so many to try, and I'll be back next time I'm in SJ! read more

The Studio Climbing - Entrance - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

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Best climbing studio in the area. I made the move to the light side from movement. Certified me on the spot. The receptionist made me feel super welcome when I told him I was coming from movement. The restorative yoga class was Ariana was a knowledgeable, gentle, and mindful teacher. The vibe here is super chill and inviting unlike some elitists I seen at the other joint. Highly recommend. Individual and family memeberships available (place is super kid friendly). read more

Took time off to spend time w/ Gavin during his spring break. It's his last year in grade school so I wanted to expose him to other activities other than the things he's comfortable w/. I brought this place up because he enjoyed "rock climbing" at The Plex. Street parking wasn't issue, but we came on a Thursday morning. It's metered parking so be prepared to whip out your change or card. Everyone that walk through the doors need to fill out a waiver - iPad next to the entrance/exit. It's $29 for a day pass. I don't remember if there was a fee to rent the shoes. The restrooms are in the front w/ hand sanitizer available. The bathrooms are clean. They sell beverages like sodas, protein shakes, juice.. and snacks like candy at the front. Because he's new and I'm not belaying, we went straight to the boulder area. No harnesses needed and plenty of rock-climbing obstacles to satisfy your problem-solving skills. A small gym area if you want to lift weights or do some cardio. We were both new and had a great time there. read more

have visited it once for an introduction class and some practice afterwards, and loved it a lot! I've never done climbing before but the people who work there are very helpful. the gear is included in the price of the ticket but you can bring your own if you have it. also don't forget chalk! read more

The Studio Climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

This gym is my go-to because they offer Medi-Cal and SJSU student discounts. Located in downtown San Jose, parking is a struggle if you're going after 6:30PM on weekdays. This gym's belay and rope walls are one of its highlights. It is very generous. The bouldering area upstairs offers a good amount of problems. Although the bouldering area is smaller than other climbing gyms. The staff is great. The climbers are friendly and I love coming here. Medi-Cal/EBT day passes are $10 with free rental gear. Regular day passes are $25 with additional rental gear costs. read more

I just wanted to give an updated review for The Studio. After almost three years since my initial review, The Studio still remains 5/5 stars :) They have made renovations to the flooring, added great classes, and continue to have great staff. I come about 1-3x/week, usually once on the weekend and 1-2 times during the week after work. Workday evenings continue to be the busiest but everyone is so friendly and everyone has great climbing manners. I prefer climbing on the weekends since it is a little emptier in the bouldering area. The Studio changes their climbing routes at a perfect frequency, giving us long enough time to work on projects while preventing us from getting bored from the same routes. I primarily boulder but occasionally top rope. Both areas have new squishy flooring which is fantastic and a good variety of routes to challenge the new climbers as well as the seasoned ones. The staff is great, always greeting us when we enter and leave. They give great tips if they happen to be walking around the bouldering section while we are stuck on something. They also validate 2 hours of parking at the Convention Center garage:) read more

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Local places they have climbing walls for beginners and advance between 25 to 45 feet high I have yoga studios I have a ton of workout equipment so not only can you do your climbing but you could also go to work out and relaxation meditation. They offer guides and they also offer group sessions if you want to do teambuilding read more

The Studio Climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

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It's convenient for those that live in the area, and it's fun to climb in this setting due the facility originally being a theater. note it's on the smaller side. My biggest issue with the location, is that the etiquette for bouldering is tossed to the side, groups will congregate under routes and act put out that you asked them to move. While this isn't an everyday occurrence, it does get on your nerves after a while. read more

I went with my friend to take an intro to climbing class on a Saturday morning. Our instructor, Ryan, was excellent at teaching my the basics to our small group clearly, concisely, and patiently. I appreciated the support given with every step in the process of belaying and climbing. The facility itself was quite spacious, clean, and exiting to explore as a new climber. I'd recommend this place for sure (: read more

Nothing stands out from this gym. This gym is just mid. There is nothing special about their bouldering or top rope. The route setting here is okay, not too many crazy routes or boulders. The look of the gym is okay. I think for a gym that has enough space for bouldering and top rope, they think their amount of space is enough to counter their lack of creative routes. I think they can do better with the route setting. It's good if you just need to get some climbing in but not the best if you wanna experience different climbs. The price of a one day pass is the most over priced in the Bay Area that I've been too and honestly is not worth it. The members here are not the most approachable, nor the staff. For a gym that has everything, they lack in exemplifying anything specific, which makes everything in this gym mediocre. read more

I gave it a three stars because the size and the capacity they can only hold. I think it's time for a bigger location to accommodate to the members in the South Bay, the sport is getting more popular so the demand of a bigger location hopefully is in the works. For the price of membership, I'd like to use my money's worth, So it's always packed here, I can't concentrate, also everyone loves to butt in and tell you how to do your route, that's how packed it is. read more

The gym itself was pretty nice, with friendly staff. The issue we've had was how filthy the mats were. We were one of the first ones in so it means those aren't cleaned overnight. We stayed for a few hours and saw the employee attempt to vacuum the mat during the working hours, however the mat still looked extremely dirty afterwards. I wish I could give the gym a higher rating, all the other touchstone gyms didn't have this issue. read more

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Really solid climbing gym in the heart of San Jose. I like how the top roping and bouldering sections are completely separate from each other. There are group classes and workout machines as well (treadmills, stairs, elliptical, etc). The bouldering area where we spent most of our time is a little small, but very worthwhile. For a beginner like myself I really appreciated the volume of V0s and V1s. We spent 2 hours trying to conquer their boulders. It's $25 for drop in and an additional $4 for shoe rental. Parking is really difficult in this area, in which we ended up paying $6/hour for the parking lot behind the gym. read more

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Love them. Just love them, everything is changing in a great way. To be honest the new staff is also killing it with greeting & making this place more into a community. read more

Pretty solid gym located in downtown San Jose. They validate parking that's located on 2nd and San Carlos. If you don't have climb shoes then it's $4 for rentals. They have a pretty decent variety of levels and the V0/1 is spread around evenly for beginners. read more

Great climbing gym located in the heart of San Jose. I was visiting for a week, and got a chance to go climbing here. The check in process is fairly quick, all I had to do is fill out a waiver form with my basic information, and I was good to go. The gym is huge and has appropriately labeled routes. There are multiple routes in each difficulty level, so I always felt challenged and never bored. There's also a room where they teach different classes throughout the week, and I was able to hop into a power yoga class! read more

In my humble opinion, The Studio Climbing in downtown San Jose is absolutely astounding, and let me tell you why! I started climbing outdoors about a year back and upon climbing indoors at this location I've only felt constant improvement. The routes are great for people starting with their basics all the way to advanced techniques! It's felt great watching me, my girlfriend, and my sister slowly improve and tackle harder and higher graded routes. People are so friendly in both bouldering and top rope areas, proving that learning in a passionate community is key to growth. Coming in wanting to top rope but don't have a partner? Just ask around! Everybody has been more than helpful in making us feel accommodated. For a long time, I was very self conscious to go to the gym so this was the perfect workaround. I'm more focused on not falling then how people perceive me As for the staff, I gotta couple favorites that deserve shout-outs. Zac is always in the front, and if you get talking with him he'll give you beta while making his way around the walls. He's definitely a dude you NEED to climb with. The guy climbs walls with just his arms. Kris is super welcoming with giving a smile and a "Hello!" to everyone who walks through the door. Jason is a great dude who is always open to a conversation. Abdullah is hands down one of the best people I have had the joy of meeting, absolutely mastering the ways of customer service. He's the type of worker that puts a smile on your face, let it be through arm wrestling against the little ones (and letting them beat him haha!) or just being a super cool guy. It's vital to have people out on the walls like Zac and Abdullah, that way people can feel a lot more at home and comfortable with what they're doing, in a big brother saying he's proud of you kinda way. Kessler and Claire are amazing route setters, and I always try to catch them setting so I can watch from a distance and pick-up some beta. Parking is a breeze, being able to either find parking on the street or get validated in a legitimate San Jose parking lot. read more

The Studio Climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

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My kids LOVE coming here! They enjoy the different puzzles of the bouldering wall and figuring them out. Each time we would stay for about 2 hrs. The parking isn't bad as well if you gO in a weekday afternoon. The big kids want to try the Belaying next time. Looks super high to me but exciting to them! Oh, I want to add that they have nail clippers too because some of the kiddos had long nails! I was going to drive out to a cvs but they saved me a trip. They also have fountain water and clean bathrooms! read more

I essentially live here. I need to cut back so they don't start charging me rent. When they first closed down during the pandemic, I found myself listening to "James Blunt - Goodbye My Lover" on repeat just to cope with the pain. If they shut down again, I might check myself into a mental institution. Jokes aside, here's the nitty-gritty. Overall good climbing gym located in downtown SJ with free street parking after 6PM. There's a rope climbing area, bouldering area, exercise equipment area, and hang board training room. The Studio is smaller than other climbing gyms I've been to, but it has everything I need. Also, smaller size = tighter community (if you into the social aspect of climbing). The staff is pretty chill and the other members are friendly. The THICC booty wall on the south side of the bouldering area...it's just meh. That horizontal lip at the top is kinda annoying. Would like some consistency with the rest of the walls. read more

OMG my poor hands got F'ed up! I don't care if it's cheating, I'm bringing gloves next time! My friends and I showed up for the Drop-In Intro class on Saturday morning at 11:30 AM. It was about $30 for the whole thing - gear rental, an hour of instruction and we got to use the facility for the entire day. Henry taught us how to tie in as a climber and how to belay for our partner. It was a lot of fun and such a great workout! I was sore for days. There is parking on the street or you can park in the Convention Center garage around the corner. The Studio will validate your parking for 2 hours, so if you're in/out pretty quick, parking is free. It was my first time climbing, so I was a bit nervous at first, but I totally got the hang of it over the course of 4 hours. The walls are 40 feet high and range in difficulty to 5.2 to 5.13. Thankfully there weren't any other people using the climbing walls in the morning and early afternoon, so we had the whole place to ourselves. My suggestion is to get there early since it can get busy later in the day and all the "Easy" walls are taken. The staff was super cool and helpful, the restrooms were clean, there's a yummy cafe across the street for snacks, I had a great workout and it was a lot of fun! Class times: M-F 4:30pm, 6pm, 7:30pm Sat/Sun 11:30am, 1pm, 3pm read more

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I'm definitely a fan of the touchstone gyms. This one will really kick your butt too. The bouldering area has plenty of interesting features that'll make you sweat. I feel like I improved just by trying to figure out how to hang on the steep overhangs and the hemispherical protrusions in the wall. Nice locker rooms. And there's also a sauna! Win! read more

The Studio Climbing - Entrance on first st. EBPC #43/100 - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

Bouldering review. No opinion on ropes or the fitness area. Thought I'd give this place a try on my days off. The convention center parking isn't too far and you get a 2 hours validation with it. I turned out to be just the right about of time for me BUT 1) the bouldering area was empty 2) I wasn't in full try hard mode. I can see it not being enough time for a real good session, but to each their own. The first thing I noticed was the space. In terms of climbing wall area, its comparable to PG Belmont (eyeball estimation). In practical terms, however, it is much less. They tried to maximize the area by having an 'island' wall that gets really close to the outer wall, meaning (if you want to be safe) you have to be aware/wait for someone on the opposing wall to finish before you can get on. A bonus is that it makes you a more cautious and static climber: if you were to do more dynamic movements, you could blow off into the other wall/railing. Yay? The floor/padding also made me more cautious. The floor is pretty stiff, with a little give, but something you don't want to fall on. Around the walls are wide mats, but lacking in cushion. You'll have to drag a pad to your project, and be aware that you weren't taking it from someone else who needed it. I haven't had to consider this in years, but to each their own. Summary: I came during off hours and had the whole bouldering area to myself. Within two hours, I was able to do all of the V5s and a few 6s. The most challenging problem was an 8 (or 9) so advanced climbers may finish the set within a few days, if not one. Not sure about peak hours, but it doesn't seem set up for a lot of traffic. The grades are comparable to other gyms, but seem to focus on dynamic moves, rather than technical/balance-y problems as the grade goes up. read more

The Studio Climbing - You have to do a V0 to get out of the bathroom, FYI - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

This small charming gym in downtown is good for a climbing workout. It's in an old movie theater so it has historical charm and interest. The upstairs bouldering sets are challenging and the downstairs ropes are high. read more

Went here with a couple climbing friends and was blown away. This place is great. The large wall looks awesome

As another part of resuming life after the great covid shutdown, I'm once again climbing at The Studio. It's been great to see some familiar faces in the workers, climbers, and routesetters. That's one thing I like about the Studio. Some people might not like how small the studio is, but that's also a benefit depending on how you view it, because you get to know the people there. I've always enjoyed the great routes that challenges me and forces me to consider new body positions and develop mentally as well. The gym hasn't gotten too crowded yet probably because of the lack of validation for parking but you can always pay a couple dollars at a parking garage if staying past the free 90 minute period. read more

There's validated parking at the SJ Convention Center for two hours! Make sure to inquire the front desk about the validated tickets. I came here on a free pass, which I got from a friend who is a member. You can rent shoes here for $4. Rock climbing shoes hurt pretty badly surprisingly! I felt like a struggling concubine with binded feet trying to painfully navigate my way around... There's bouldering and rock climbing with harnesses, but I'm a weenie and just opted for beginning bouldering. It's sort of like a gym in here, and surely it smells like feet! Wish they had better ventilation, but I had a pretty decent time here. read more

Today was my sons first time there/ first time climbing in a legit place, not the community park lol. Friendly staff. Front desk guy was very helpful. My sons belayer was super friendly, patient and nice. Thank You, definitely coming back soon! read more

The Studio Climbing - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

As the premiere Touchstone climbing gym in the South Bay, I typically frequent The Studio because it has a good balance of top-roping and bouldering, and is not super crowded either. From the outside, it looks like a run-down theater, but when you step inside, there are tall walls, a couple workout areas, and bouldering on the second floor. This gym also has a sauna, which is pretty neat. Check the calendar for different events like headlamp climbing, climbing video game night, and competitions - there are a few events each month as well as classes you can partake in including yoga, conditioning, and more. Beginning in 2017, prices were raised to $25/day during certain peak hours, so there is value in becoming a Touchstone member - not the cheapest of hobbies, but exciting nevertheless. Parking can be difficult around downtown San Jose, but they do provide validation for 2 hours in certain garages, which is very helpful. Overall, a nice community of climbers, and glad to have a gym like this in South Bay! read more

The Studio is my home climbing gym. While the gym is pretty small to most other gyms that we have been to, I think the most friendly people are at this one. Parking is validated at the nearby parking garages and street parking is free after 6pm. The Studio has a good amount of top rope but the bouldering area is a little smaller; however, unlike planet granite in Sunnyvale, the people who climb at the studio, know how to take turns. Thumbs up for good climbing etiquette. read more

Clean little gym with a great community! The bouldering area is small but there are a lot of routes and they update the routes frequently.

Outside looking in, you are entering a theatre of your choosing? You are the movie star in a style of climbing of your choice. I typically boulder and don't let the compact second floor fool you. So much awesome climbing of every skill level. Pads are soft so if you have good wipe out like I do quite frequently-you'll be ok. Fitness area is great and if you want to watch top rope and lead-great vantage point. Staff are awesome and so happy to make great climbing experience. I moved up here from So Cal Touchstone gyms and team of setters, staff and everything are there to help you have fun. read more

The Studio Climbing - Pitch of main iceberg in middle. - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

Ive been a touchstone member for 7 years, moved to the area and went to the studio. the bald guy at the front desk was insanely rude. I really wanted to ask about their classes but decided not to since their staff is so unfriendly. The bouldering area is pretty unsafe with people standing underneath you as you climb as well as people sitting and leaning on the wall.. their weight lifting area is tiny. this was the last straw for me as a customer and I plan to cancel since its pointless to even try to come here during the day read more

The Studio Climbing - only one stair master and out of order for weeks - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

My first experience with this place was great! I walked in with zero knowledge, Pete was super welcoming and gave me a quick tour of the facility, and Kris helped me with my membership. Today the experience was not so pleasant. I walked in with my friend who also has no experience, the guy at the front desk didn't even greet us, or smiled, he actually seemed like he was bothered we were there. He had my friend sign a waiver and directed him to the rental shoes. Again, not a thank you, nothing. His face expression only made me assume he hates his job or existence entirely. Shortly after, a girl walked in who he happened to know, and his demeanor changed completely. Apparently you have to know the guy personally in order to get a welcoming greeting. My friend was thinking of getting a membership before we walked in the door but based on the treatment he received from the staff, he decided not to. That was definitely not the way you should treat new potential members, especially if they are new to this and might already be intimidated about trying something they haven't done before. Before we left, my friend asked him if he had seen his water bottle, he had left it on the counter as he was signing the waiver before we walked in and all this star employee said was "I don't know, everyone has those around here". Amazing. read more