Make sure if you don't know how to rope a knot, that you attend the class and get there as early as possible in the day. They don't do later classes on knot tying. We did the smaller wall instead, it was alright. I'm way out of shape. I probably would have done better though on the large walls. I will likely try again once I can find time to go early enough and maybe after I lose some weight (lol). read more

I took my 6-year-old here for the Weekend Kids Belay ($20 per hour for children to climb, which includes harness rental and belaying by a staff member). The facility was nice and clean, and the staff was great with the children. They were very friendly and helpful! My only suggestion is that maybe there could be another staff member to help belay the children. At one point, there were four children and only one staff member to belay (max would be five children), so there was a lot of waiting for the children not climbing. My daughter still had a lot of fun, and we will be definitely be back. read more

We chose to come here instead of Planet Granite, because it's a bit cheaper. We're just in town for a couple of weeks, so we're not going to get memberships. I immediately brushed off the fact that the gym is smaller (especially the bouldering) and doesn't have free parking, because I wanted to be positive. The gym validates your parking for up to two hours, and you pay the difference. No big deal! I feel extremely insulted by my experience at the gym. We passed the top rope test easily and were told we could take the lead test in an hour when more staff arrived. We thought that was fine and went to the top rope area. After an hour, a different staff person handled our request, and he seemed skeptical of us right off the bat. "Do you even have a rope?" "Do you know how to lead climb?" "Have you lead climbed before?" "Do you need to practice more?" We politely answered his questions without bothering to mention that we've been leading for years, have passed several lead tests elsewhere, and just ended a 6 month outdoor climbing trip. He explained that the test is very rigorous, and he's seeking perfection. We do the test, and while neither of us z-clipped, back-clipped, put our leg behind the rope, struggled, lost control while catching the person, short-roped, announced our fall, or skipped a clip, he still failed us. WTF. He criticized my partner for high clipping at the end, and he criticized me for not standing far enough to the side when my partner was going to the first clip. But my partner was high clipping on easy terrain and was in complete control, and I did stand to the side, but it wasn't super exaggerated. I later looked up their criteria online, and it states: Belayer must belay immediately underneath the first clip until climber has clipped at least the 4th quickdraw. Lead climbers must clip between their waist and head level, or higher if safe and in control. So you DON'T want us to stand to the side? And high clipping IS acceptable if in control? Basically, the staff person ignored the fact that we were clearly competent and climbing safely. He decided to make us compete for Olympic Lead Test Gold and fail us for subjective style points. This was extremely insulting and a waste of money. We later watched other people lead climbing, and one girl was clearly uncomfortable and skipped a clip. Was she passed on the same standards? He explained we could take the test again in a few days. Forget that, we're going to Planet Granite next time. read more

What a fun experience at a well maintained climbing gym. My 6 and 14year old had a blast. The staff were very friendly and helpful. Overall awesome experience. read more

it was fun to try something new! the parking is pretty bad, but its downtown san jose what do you expect? so make sure to bring plenty of quarters. its $12 to boulder (no intro class required) and $4 for rock climbing shoes, definitely worth it. you have to take an intro class to be able to rock climb, which makes sense, after all you don't want to hurt someone else or yourself. i forget the rates for the classes but it ain't much. overall the bouldering was still fun. the only issue i had was that when you first start they have all these rules like you have to wear shoes, shirts, makes sense to me. They don't enforce the rules i saw a few dudes with no shirts on and some barefoot, pretty nasty. other than that its definitely a cool place to check out and try! read more

As a novice, I love rock climbing here! I am not a member but have 2 friends who are. Members are allowed 1 guest pass every 30 days so we utilize their guest passes! Which free is a lot cheaper than having to pay $20-25 for a day pass, plus another $5 for equipment fee. The bouldering section is really spacious as well as their top rop space. No matter how crowded it is, there's always a spot for you. Amenities include showers, bathrooms, sauna room, yoga classes, and some cardio machines. I'd suggest finding a friend/random stranger and making use of their guest pass if you're not wanting to commit to a monthly membership. read more

Had a lot of fun. The guy at the desk was a quiet talker and seemed annoyed when we couldn't hear him and asked to repeat what he said. He seemed really put out. We didn't know where to go or how we were supposed to get our stuff and sort of stood there waiting for the instructor until he told us several minutes later where we should wait. That was out first impression. Then the instructor Andrew came and was a delight. He was kind and patient so we were back to be excited about climbing. The routes have varying levels of difficulty but not sure the ranking numbers really helped. It was fun nonetheless and will probably do it again. We made it to the top of a few but I'm short and some of the pegs were too high for me to even start. read more

Great new gym that just opened up in San Jose. I've been visiting here for the bouldering wall. The routes and holds are brand new, so the grips are very good. The staff are friendly as well. They have a variety of projects, and crash pads to move around as well as a padded floor, so you don't have to worry about falling though it does help to work with a partner. They add new routes regularly. Morning/noon on weekdays is a good time to go, as the gym is empty so there's plenty of space to climb. There's a sauna and a locker room to put your clothes. There's also a shower room with soap and shampoo for cleaning off the chalk dust after your climb. read more

Opening night here was awesome. It is always fun watching others climb 5.11-5.13, which is what I'm working up to. There are a couple of great staff members, and then ones not so great. Christian + Joshua are the awesome ones. Super knowledgeable, honest, and easy to talk to. Always willing to stop and answer questions or help out with problems. These two guys get me excited about climbing in general. Joshua taught my Intro. to Climbing class in March and I passed my belay test successfully on my second visit! He's really good at teaching newcomers to climbing and I'd recommend attending his class! My encounters with Henry and Matt have not been as good, and unfortunately, several of my friends will not return with me to this gym in particular because of them. -2 stars because of Henry and Matt. -1 star for crash pad hogs in the bouldering section. On the second level, there is an exercise area (ellipticals, treadmills, weights) and a bouldering section. The locker room / shower area is generally clean. They have locks available if you need. I usually have to search a bit if I want to find parking after work. Earlier in the day, it's a bit easier. Before 8 or 9am, it's also pretty easy. read more

Validated parking $20 For bouldering with shoes $30 For highrope with classes at 4pm and 6pm From what I remember, those were the prices. They change the climbing paths pretty often so it's always different. Your forearms will be tired, but it's all good fun read more

Great climbing environment with challenging walls. I just wish they had a spin class. And I wish they could've done something different with the bubble wall. The climbers here are very friendly and social. Henry, Art, Diane, and Ian are awesome. read more

Fantastic place for a older kids birthday party. The staff was very friendly and did a great job organizing the kids to keep them busy. There was a nice room to use for the birthday cake celebration. Be aware if you book the 10am-12pm Saturday time, you can't use the room until 11am because of a yoga class. They do validate parking, but only for 2 hours, so if you go for a 2 hour party, be prepared to pay a bit over that time period. Also, one thing I didn't think of is that not all kids are comfortable or confident to do the rock climbing. We had a party of 15 kids and 2 of them were too afraid to try it. read more

Great new climbing gym!! I'm excited there's a new space in San Jose to climb at! Came here over the weekend with my sister, who is new to climbing but very much enjoyed her time here too! She took the top-rope for beginners class, taught by Matt. He was super attentive and patient, and thankfully did a great job teaching her the ropes because I was her practice belay partner and she didn't drop me! The whole facility was really spacious and had plenty of variety on the walls & climbs. I saw at least two cracks on the far left wall, too. The upstairs bouldering section was pretty sweet, too, though not very tall. Christian at the front desk was also super nice and helpful. My main gripe was that a lot of the holds higher up on the top rope walls had hella debris in the pockets!! I'm guessing it's from recent construction or whatever clean up they're still doing, but it's disconcerting when you reach for a hold and grab loose gravelly stuff. Maybe they're goin' for the real-outdoors feel, though? Regardless, I'll be back again next time I'm in the area! Loved the "cave" and hope I can make it to one of their movie nights. :) read more

Free parking vouchers for the parking facility off 1st. (Ask the front desk). 10% discount at Sports Basement and in-house pro shop. Access to all Touchstone gyms. Discounted group lessons. Private lessons available. All sorts of fitness classes every day at convenient times. Discounts for students. New routes set regularly. Friendly and knowledgeable staff who care about your safety (maybe more than you want). Friendly crowd! Just be nice, lol! Climbing is the best. The Studio will help you train. Sorrynotsorry but the negative reviewers dont know what they're talking about. read more

Been coming here for the last month, and the best thing this place has going for it is the friendliness of the members. It's very easy to speak to anyone bouldering or belaying! Additionally, today I bumped into a long-time friend from college. I knew she had been working in the area (downtown), but never knew she rock-climbed. And to have seen each other at the same time, quite coincidental! I'm still new to bouldering, but definitely feel that I have improved in strength and endurance for climbing. However, I need to keep going! On top of the climbing, they have multiple yoga classes throughout the week, core classes, a TRX class (I just learned about this!), a sauna room, and weights (bars, free, kettle, bikes)! Literally a plethora of things to do, for just $100 this month. read more

Most supercalifragilistic place to break a sweat in San Jose, or anywhere in the bay area in my humble opinion. I loved this place from Day#1, with a cordial, knowledgeable staff, open atmosphere, and great memebership percs, there has never been even a glimmer of dissappointment in all my time here. The bouldering area is able to accomodate alot of people, and it will get busy diuring the eveneing (open until 11 pm WOW) there is ample top roping routes, and even a HIDDEN SECRET CAVE!!! (spooky) TRX, Yoga, Weight racks, punching bag, and finger boards all have their own rooms/areas as well, making this gym a super well rounded, exceptional place to get down and sweaty. Check it out for yourself, dont take my word for it! (climbing is addictive.) read more

I don't know almost anything about climbing but the two guys at the front are pretty cool. This is based 95% on them. We showed up and went for bouldering then the rope-pull-not-clipping wall and began doing that. Soon the 5'8ish worker who wears the 5 panel hat came by and asked if we had cards that allowed us to climb these walls. Nope. So he took us back up front and put us through a safety test and turned us lose again. He was helpful, professional, and not too much of a stickler to ruin a good time. The other tallish redhead guy is just chill. Not as much joking as the shorter one, but both of them made me comfortable. Hazzah. read more

Like stated before, this place used to be a movie theater in downtown San Jose, so the walls run up pretty high, I think about 40-50 feet for the belaying section. They also set a nice bouldering section, but it's a bit smaller than the old Touchstone that used to be just down the street, which was strictly all bouldering. The walls for bouldering go up to about 15 feet high and there's a pretty big diversity of routes ranging from V0 to V14. Aside from just the climbing aspect, they're currently setting up their yoga and fitness programs, which are going to be free for members. Touchstone offers monthly and annual memberships, which you can get a discount on if you happen to be a student. There's also a sauna, although I haven't tried to use it yet. Lastly, they also have nice bathrooms with showers and a mini locker room which you can lock your stuff up in if you want. read more

Try yin yoga with Serenity on Mondays and Wednesdays 6:45-8:15. She is amazing. Om!

It was my first time here..had great service from Henry! Thanks again! I appreciate the help and service read more

Great birthday party here. You can bring your own food. Big thanks to belayer Eddie, who was super awesome and patient with my rambunctious turning nine year old and his friends. The gym wasn't crowded and each kid got a turn mastering a climb so they felt confident and successful. read more

The Studio Climbing - His second climb to the top! - Rock Climbing Near Me - San Jose, California

I haven't been indoor climbing in a long time and signed up for the Intro to Climbing Class. The class is $35 and includes harness and shoe rental and one hour of instruction. After, you are free to climb or boulder as much as you want. This location is cool because it's in an old movie theater. I learned a lot and really enjoyed the class. The instruction was very good. This gym is missing 2 things: a friendly person who works at the reception desk (all the other staff are very nice and friendly) and a clear explanation of all the classes/memberships/rental fees at the gym. A posted list or handout at the front desk would be helpful. The best place to park is in the convention center parking lot and the gym offers parking validation but you have to ask for it. read more

I love this gym! They often change the climbing routes. The staff is very nice and I loooooove to take the Monday night yoga class. read more

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

This is the place that got me climbing. The staff is chill, the community is chill, and what they offer is great. People are always happy to see you and help out to boot. Bouldering and workout equipment upstairs, yoga/workout/bday studio at stair-level, top-roping and slack-lining at ground level. Plus they have a sauna and some "secret" workout areas. Only complaint I'd have is parking, since typically you won't be able to park right outside. Typical parking spots are the Convention Center Parking Garage and/or San Carlos parking lot. read more

Good coaching. My friends and I had a great time. It was our first time. The instructor was very helpful and patient. Wonderful climbing experience read more

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

Small but has great routes, awesome staff and a kickass layout. I'll be back here and will definitely recommend

I came here as a guest; its a pretty nice climbing gym. There's also some weights and treadmills.

Overall I had a good time but I'm giving 3 stars for service. After filling out the waivers, I mentioned to the guy up front that this was my first time. Looking somewhat disinterested, he asked "First time at Touchstone?" I clarified that I have never bouldered before. He proceeded to just give us the shoes and told us to go down the hallway and up the stairs. I wish we got at least some sort of brief explanation or introduction. It could have even been just at the desk. Luckily, I asked a fellow climber and he helped us out a bit. Basically the levels aren't color coded but labeled "V0, V1, V2, etc". After a few minutes, we got the hang of it and a good workout in! read more

Came here awhile ago with friends for our 1st time climbing. Signed up for the Intro to Climbing for $35 and we all loved it. An instructor will teach you what you need to know, have you demonstrate understanding and than your free to climb with a partner for the rest of the day. read more

First off, I've been climbing indoors and out since 2001, I've been lead and belay certified at other gyms in Utah, Ohio, and DC. With that said, I was shocked at the ratings on the routes in Studio. The ratings are all over the place, a beginner could do any of the 5.10a routes as a warm up. The 5.10a routes are more like 5.8s and the overhung ones are more like 5.9s with multiple jugs and footholds to choose from. I'm giving them a poor rating because as a climbing gym they should follow the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). I fear for the beginner climber that attempts an outdoor 5.10 after having their ego inflated at Studio. My first time lead climbing was outdoor (Thailand) and after speaking with climbing friends I found out I wasn't alone. If you are a studio climber and considering an outdoor lead, please be cautious and adjust your skill rating downward. The other downfall of the gym is the lack of skill building climbs, it doesn't take much skill to complete a 5.10, just strength. The 5.11 climbs may have a trick or two and the 5.12s weed out the strong from the skilled. So far the route setting has been predictable and humorous; I have checked my opinion against other members in the gym have agreed. As for the rest of the gym, they have equipment, which is a perk in a climbing gym and the yoga classes are a great plus. I've heard Planet Granite rates their climbs better, but haven't tried them out yet... read more

I discovered the Studio last spring and quickly became addicted. Biking or walking to the corner of South First Street to climb is incredibly convenient as an SJSU student looking for a fun way to relieve stress and hang around. If you're just starting to climb I recommend taking a technique clinic with Alex Miller or an intro class with one of the staff members. Also, try yoga with Serenity. Btw if you drive downtown, park in the Convention Center parking garage and the Studio validates your parking for two hours. read more

Lot's of fun! Kind of pricey, but seems like for an avid climber, it'd be worth it. I took the beginner plus class, the guy was a great teacher, got me trained and up a few walls and bouldering in no time! Left me feeling confident, even though I wasn't as strong a climber as I would have liked. Did a couple 5.9's on my first visit though... Not bad I think lol, Definitely worth a try if you want to get into climbing or think you might like too. They also have other workout equipment and tons of other classes and stuff too! read more

First Yelp review ever. Had to do it for Kendra at The Studio. Management, if you're reading- give the girl a raise woooooop Climbing's been on my bucket list for years. Why did I wait so long? Why do we always procrastinate? Anyway, I'm the kind of stubborn person who insists on doing everything on my own BUT I had no idea where to start. I figured, why not sign up for the Intro to Climbing Plus class and get it all done in one go? Not down to go alone, I dragged my sister and her best friend along with me. It was super easy to make a reservation online and we only made ours a couple days in advance. We got to The Studio 15 minutes early, filled out a quick waiver, got our gear, and started our class with Kendra. Class began with learning how to tie knots. These are important for, you know, keeping people alive and stuff. Pretty casual. All jokes aside, we got a little knotty, learned how to belay, and got up on the walls. Kendra started us off on a 5.5, which was a good climb to begin on. We each got a chance to climb and belay, focusing more on the belaying- safety first, kids. The second half of our "Plus" class featured a lot more focus on climbing technique, learning which way to lean/hold your body weight on different types of rocks, strategic ways to get to the top, etc. After seeing us get up the 5.5 earlier, Kendra took us around to look at more "unusual" climbs throughout the gym. We stopped at a 5.10a and she asked if we wanted to try it out. Well then. Not one to say no to a challenge, I regretted it almost immediately when I found myself 20 ft up in the air with each leg on a different wall and sweat trickling down my back (out of exertion? fear? not sure which). I honestly have no idea how it happened, but a combination of reckless Tarzan-like body swinging and Kendra's coaching resulted in finally reaching the top. No more regrets, finished a 5.10a on my second climb ever. I Googled it afterwards and it sounds like a pretty good thing so I'm bragging to my friends because my ego's been needing a little boost lately. All in all, I was super comfortable learning something entirely new, everyone in the gym was kind and welcoming, lessons were efficient and well worth the investment, our instructor didn't hesitate to push us towards challenges, and I've discovered something awesome. I'm already making plans to come back. Boom. Oh and there are cute guys there so that's cool too. read more

Awesome facilities. Super friendly staff. AND it's not just a climbing studio - they also have weights and other gym equipment as well as a studio for yoga, pilates and other classes! read more

Been a member for a few years. Big fan of this gym and the community as a whole. It truly has become a 'third place' for me. With that being said, this gym needs an update. The TRX and hangboard rooms need some more light and a fresh coat of paint. This is a tall order but I would like if they found a place in the gym for a moon board, kilter board or tension board. They really are a fantastic tool for training for outdoor climbing. I think it would be worth losing a few top-ropes to make room for it, maybe over by the "strawberry" and "blueberry". With the new PG gym close by I think the studio will need to update some things to stay competitive. read more

Great venue, lots of climbing routes up for all levels. We had our kid's birthday party and the guides were super-friendly. Fantastic experience, highly recommended. read more

I've since become a member. I've gotten my ass kicked by Jack (Crossfit-style circuit class). I've had my guts busted by Serenity, only to be relaxed and stretched by her immediately following (Core&More, Vinyasa). Linda is also good for yoga on Saturdays. I can never remember who teaches on weekdays, and the website doesn't help with that. The desk people are all friendly and helpful, so I just call and ask. The sauna has been my favorite discovery! Top-roping and bouldering are great, but nothing quite gets me out of my freezing apartment like the promise of a sauna toasting my buns ;) read more

i'm not a member yet, but my bro took me here on a guest pass he had. according to him, the venue was a former night club turned into this fitness utopia that opened up earlier this year. i'm a big bouldering fan (didn't say i was good) + so we bouldered for an hour or so. i'm glad the clientele around us using the walls were nice + patient enough too. i'm a big fan of courteous boulder peeps who don't act like snobs because i can't complete a route that is above V4. the main level has all the top rope + is also the location of the yoga/crossfit (non-smelly) classroom. the boulder section, cardio + free weight areas are on the upper level. walk up the stairs + try not to get bewildered by the huge + unused fish tank beside you. though the free weight, machine + cardio area is smaller than its sister establishment in oakland, i definitely enjoyed the bouldering area here better. the front desk people are extra nice + greeted us promptly when we arrived + when we left. being just a few miles from where we call home, i think i'm going to get us a family membership here. it is a bit pricey ($128/month for individual + family member or $69/month for individual only) w/ initiation fee ($50-$100 depending on type: individ, senior, junior, etc.); but that includes all classes, bouldering + top rope, a free gratis guest pass every month + the workout area. i think i'm that close to be sold on it. can't wait to come back! read more

Great place. My kiddo had a week long summer camp here. He had a blast and came home happy and tired every day. David was great with the kids and did a great job teaching! Thank you soo much! Can't wait to come back again soon. read more

This place is pretty awesome. I haven't done the ropes courses yet, but I've done bouldering and it rocks (pun not intended). There's a fairly large space for bouldering with a multitude of paths with different difficulties. If you go on a weekday before 3pm, it's $12 for an all day pass. They also have a gym there if you want to work out. read more