Always so good to visit here, especially with good friends! I haven't been here since last Summer, and truly enjoyed their new rock set up (renovated). I visited on Friday afternoon and it was quiet enough to try all my levels (of my level haha) without waiting so long. Staff were very friendly and knowledgeable too. Maybe I should visit here more often! read more

True North Climbing - Climbing Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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Great gym for bouldering toprpping and lead! Set very frequently. Day passes can be a bit pricey but monthly is worth it.

First time at True North. Came with friends who are members. Friendly staff, good COVID protocols, well ventilated with the garage sized door open, various levels of difficulties for climbers of all skill level. Equipment is clean and in good condition. Fun experience with friends or couples. Good full body work out! Plenty of parking. Would highly recommend. read more

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I've been coming to this climbing gym for a while now on and off. The facility is well managed and maintained. They sterilize and enforce every climber to have a mask on. They have a number of short and long walls for belaying, as well as a dedicated area for auto belay if you don't have a partner and bouldering for those who don't like to be on a harness. The prices for single day and membership is very reasonable and the staff are super friendly. If you're ever looking for a climbing gym to join, this would be a great one! read more

I found out about this place through a friend and joined him today to check it out First impressions - extremely friendly staff, very courteous and a huge space with lots of different climbing walls. The instructors were very thorough and I felt comfortable getting started For shoe and harness rental as well one day pass I paid just about $40 - they also have a student discount which is $37 for everything There were a lot of people there but everyone was doing their own thing and it felt like it was a judgement free zone - so when my arthritis started acting up or when I suddenly remembered I was terrified of heights, I felt like no one really cared or was judging me Overall- I think this is a great place to hang out (pun intended) and get a good workout in! I'll definitely be back! read more

My boyfriend loves rock climbing so I tag along with him to different climbing gyms. To be honest, I really suck in climbing (small hands, short limbs) plus I have fear of hights and don't enjoy getting scratches and bruises... oh well, I guess I am just a perfect girlfriend :) Anyway, I really like True North: nice people, color-coded routes, lots of space, and the best part is that it's almost empty mid day on weekdays, so I am not ashamed struggling on 5.6 and 5.7 routes :) read more

True North Climbing - Still empty at noon! - Climbing Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

If you're a beginner, I highly recommend doing the rock climbing here over bouldering. We started off at the bouldering section, because the instructions for the rock climbing only happened on the hour (e.g. 6pm, 7pm etc). On a weekday night around 6:15pm, it was not that crowded on the bouldering side, which was great. I find the rocks don't have as easy grips compared to The Hub (even at the VB/V0/V1 levels), so it might be discouraging for beginner's-level ppl like me. In terms of rock climbing, the instructions we received here were WAY better than any other places. By the end, you would feel very comfortable tying the knots on the ropes and would have mastered the basics of belaying. There is such a variety of levels to try out, and I would say an average person who has maybe done at least once or twice rock climbing could comfortably do a level 5.5 or 5.6 top-rope. If you're new to this facility, the one-month membership (includes one hour introductory lesson) is probably your best deal. read more

A good solid climbing gym with an area for autobelays as well as top rope and bouldering. Large parking lot, separate male and female changerooms, water fountain provided. The benefit of using the auto belaying system is that you can climb by yourself without having a partner. However, when you get tired on the auto belay, you can't just sit back and rest unlike the top rope method of climbing. Once you let go, you fall back to the ground. It's more exhausting this way since you have to scale the route in one go. Rock climbing is definitely something to enjoy every once in a while. My biceps and arms were so sore the day afterwards -- I definitely worked out those areas. read more

They finally removed their masks mandates I called on June 19 Finally time to get some good exercise without worrying that I'll pass out read more

So fun! I came here with some friends and we had never climbed before. We used auto-belays for route climbing and tried out bouldering too. Our instructor was super helpful. I didn't realize renting climbing shoes was optional so I had a tough time with my chunky Air Forces. Still climbed some big routes though! Pricing isn't too bad for 90 minutes and I also bought liquid chalk at the front desk. Be sure to fill out both the COVID and safety waivers before checking in. read more

Really fun experience! Love the challenge! Great instructors and we enjoyed that we can enjoy the time on our own post class! read more

Came here on a Friday night as a newbie with a couple of friends and I can say the experience was outstanding. I had my doubts about rock climbing as heights are definitely not my forte but safety is the primary emphasis during the lesson and training provided. We had training with the employee at front desk (forgot name) and it was an absolute pleasure to be under his watch during our learning stage. The lesson took approximately 45 minutes with high emphasis on how to use the equipment, general safety, technique. He was extremely patient with everyone in the group and we were truly greatly for the time put in to allow us to have the best experience there. Price: We paid $55/each which included the mandatory lesson and monthly pass for the membership. It would've been $40 for just the lesson and one day use but it made more sense to just pay for the month as we will be returning again. Location: It's located in Downsview Park behind the Scotiabank Pond and parking is definitely not an issue Facilities: Extremely spacious with a decent locker room/washroom area. Numerous amounts of different level climbing walls as well as bouldering walls. All in all. Give this place a try even if you are nervous for the first time; you'll definitely warm up to it. Everyone is super nice there and it seems like a small community of climbers within True North. Definitely worth the $55 for this experience. read more

I LOVE IT HERE! I came here exactly one month ago and I'm completely and utterly hooked on climbing. I did the intro course for $35 at the suggestion of a friend who also recently began climbing and is also hooked. As someone who's terrified of heights, I was very skeptical of the whole experience but decided to take the plunge for a lack of anything else to do that day (lol). I have no regrets!! The intro course was informative and I got a good idea of how to tie the knots, climb an easy route, and belay someone else (i.e. spot them with the rope as they climb up a route). The $35 includes rental fees for the shoes and harness, which you'll need and is a great deal in my opinion because the rentals alone will cost $10. After I did the intro course and fell in love, I decided to sign up for the one month intro membership, which is an extra $15 for the month. It should be noted that the one month intro starts from the day you do your intro course, so it's ideal to sign up as soon as you can so you can go as much as possible. The intro month also includes price for rentals so it's a VERY good deal. The facilities themselves are spacious with lots of different routes at various difficulty levels and at different heights (great for those days when you're extra scared of heights lol). There's even a huge stalactite like formation with routes on it that's great for building your endurance. There's also a pretty good bouldering area as well (from what I've been told - I don't boulder). There's clips that allow lead climbing for all the routes as well if you're into that. There's also lots of smaller areas with basic hand/foot holds, campus board, rings, hang boards, and weights, where you can practice your techniques or are taking a break from climbing. Not to mention 2 exercise bikes as well for warming up and 2 slack lines, again, for when you wanna take a break from climbing. Seriously, this place is better than a gym! They also change up the routes every few months to keep things fresh. The employees are also very nice. They're quick to flash you a smile as they walk by or correct any mistakes that they might see you doing (guilty!!). There's tons of parking. If you don't know where to go it's a bit hard to find. Just google map it and follow the route, that's probably the easiest way. It's right beside the go karts building that's next to the Scotia Pond (arena). read more

True North Climbing - Climbing Near Me - Toronto, Ontario

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I've only visited True North once, but I can't wait to return, because their walls are hella high. Built in a refurbished hangar, the gym has walls that reach 36 feet in the air. Awesome! The problem, of course, is that it is located in Siberia. LOCATION: 1/5 If you have a car, then this is no problem for you. If by TTC though, you can go to Downsview and walk, but it's a loooong walk. Or you can wait for a bus, but you have to take the specific one that goes through that weird industrial area - it's really in the middle of nowhere. In the summer, if you have a bike, my advice would be to go here on a weekend, bring your bike on the subway, and ride from Downsview to the gym. Or get a car. Lots of parking! But be forewarned - I'm an ex-York student. I know that neighbourhood well, and I got totally lost getting out of there. I was traveling south east and popped out on Keele Street. It was like in science fiction movies when the compass starts going crazy and spins around and the compass breaks and suddenly the heroes/rogue scientists/ragtag group of soldiers end up somewhere in time/on a different planet/travelling through an inter-dimensional portal to a world where up is down, left is right, dogs and cats living together, and hamburgers eat people. Bring a map. Bring two maps. Bring a Sherpa guide and road flares. CROWDEDNESS: 5/5 We went on a weekend and it was empty until a big class showed up. I imagine the location scares people off. SELECTION: 5/5 I've only been once, but there was a really good variety of routes - from one end of the gym to the other, the height increases from really low (short little mini-routes adjacent to the bouldering area) to outer space. The range of difficulty appeared pretty wide, with lots of options in each of beginner, novice and expert. ROUTES: 5/5 I don't remember any designs that disappointed me. The massively high walls were an absolute blast, and with that much wall to work with, there's lots of opportunity for different types of problems in a single route. The giant stalactite that hangs down in the middle of the room is the highlight - even the easier routes have challenging starts since there's a gap between the floor and your first foot-hold. BOULDERING: ? I didn't check it out at all. It seemed relatively small, but I don't think this is the kind of gym that people will flock to for boulder problems. PRICE: 5/5 It's 19 dollars, which is pricey indeed - but given the nature of the gym, I think it's clearly worth the value. STAFF: 5/5 Only spoke to one staff member during our belay test, but he was friendly. GENERAL FACILITIES: ? Hard to judge on one visit, since it's such a big space, so I won't. MUSIC: ? Don't recall hearing music, but I'm willing to bet it was 90s rock. read more

Great for top rope climbing. Bouldering wall is to cluttered and confusing. Climbs: 3/5 Fun but does not change frequently Busyness: 3/5 often busy on weeknights. Staff: 4/5 Friendly and helpful. Change room: 4/5 Clean and spacious. I had a month pass here for top rope climbing. This is a great place for groups. The staff are friendly. Climbers tend to keep to themselves compared to other climbing gyms. The routes are long and fun but don't change very frequently. The icicle climb right at the front is very fun and if you make it to the top be sure to look out the window and gloat about how you saw the CN Tower. Bouldering corner is small and very clustered. It's not easy mapping out problems. For this reason, this is more of a top rope/lead rope kind of place. The change rooms are surprisingly spacious with plenty of lockers. Showers are available. I would recommend this place for first timers if they are going with someone who has gone before. Also great for occasional drop-ins. Climbs don't alternate enough for me to justify monthly pass. read more

I'm not an expert climber... I'd rather say I'm a n00b at climbing. The staff and facility makes me feel incredibly welcomed there. The environment isn't snobby and it makes anyone new to climbing comfortable being there. There are tons of parking spots. During the times I've been here (I've been here about 4 times in a week so far), the facility has never been too jammed and crazy busy, unlike the ones downtown Toronto. Theres lots of space, room to breathe, and tons of areas to practice climbing. You usually don't have to wait in line to climb a particular wall. I accidently cut my finger while climbing, and the staff were helpful to give me two bandaids to make sure it stuck on for the remainder of the day. What's there... bouldering, high ceilings, low ceilings, tight ropes to practice your balance, still rings, and more. Free technique lessons every monday evening. This place is awesome. read more

True North Climbing opened yesterday. I went today. I am going to say right now that I am no expert, but I love this place. It is huge. It's in an old hangar at Downsview, so there is plenty of room to go up. The facilities are brand new and top of the line. I like their stance on being more environmentally friendly. The gym itself has tonnes of routes and all kinds of challenges, from top rope climbing to bouldering to lead climbing, and it is good for all levels. I am a beginner. I took my first lesson from one of the very knowledgeable and helpful staff and spent the rest of my time on the bouldering problems. The rates are a bit higher than other places, but the sheer scale and quality of the gym will justify this. I expect to update the review as I spend more time there. Hopefully, I'll learn enough so that more experienced climbers will get a better feel for the place from the reviews. Try it out. If nothing else, you'll leave with burning forearms, chapped hands and a smile in spite of the pain. read more

True north climbing is exactly that. It's up north, I actually think it's the closest gym north of the 401 (which is co-incidently perfect for me). If you're downtown, you have a plethora of climbing gyms to choose from but I guess you were kinda limited to the number of gyms up north... until now. Upon entering the gym, the first thing you'll see is a giant stalactite hanging from the ceiling. And true to it's name, it isn't touching the floor at all. Personally I think it's kinda gimmicky, but it is marvel to see and go up at least once or twice. Be aware when leading on it though cause you can ninja drop kick someone next to you if you fall and swing to the side (boo... that would suck). The gym is about 40-ish feat high I'm guessing (I may be off by a bit) and has features from slab, to overhangs to caves. Perfect for a little bit of this and that. Oh, and throw in a stalactite as well and you've got the whole cake. Most of the routes in the gym are roped and are equipped with non-fixed gri-gris (I really hate the ones that are fixed to the ground). There's also a kid's area with auto-belayers that they use for kids parties and classes (which is nice cause it's away from everything). The bouldering area is able to be topped out from corner to corner, but the best part about it is that they have moulded Asana mats that fit to the whole area. No ankle breaking gaps! Yay! Top that with a gym floor that can also take some impact force and you've got yourself a pretty safe landing if you bail out from the top (trust me... I've done it before and it sucks). Now the crippling part of almost every gym comes in two flavours. One... they don't change up the holds very often and leave up routes forever; not the case for this gym as problems and routes are reset every couple weeks or so (more often from bouldering problems). Two... they don't clean their holds; again, not the case as we're constantly spoiled by new holds and often see the staff in the "laundry room" with grip cleaner (hence the industrial non-hand-melting gloves). Oh and I forgot secret flavour number 3... The gym is actually clean! Ever go to a gym with chalk everywhere or smells of shoe everywhere? Ya... Febreeze doesn't fix everything. Now every gym has got it's downfalls or rather things they can improve on. I'd like to see more sustained roofs (or more intense for that matter). Actually if we're dreaming I'd love to see a crap load more free-standing boulders while they're at it =). Another thing that I notice every once and a while is that the tape in the bouldering cave gets kinda confusing (ie. blue tape problems that end up intersecting with blue tape problems...). After all that the most important part of a gym is it's culture and community. I think that the people at the gym are pretty cool. No one is really too busy or "good" to offer help, talk to or even to climb with. It's a pretty friendly place with a good formula for success. There's even free programs like yoga, technique classes and mental training they run to help you on your way to be the next pro climber. read more

Finally a climbing gym up north!!! Wooohooo!!! and such a great one! the facilities are brand new! the stuff is friendly! the routes vary from beginner level to challenging for all types of climbing (bouldering/top rope/lead climb)! the routes are also higher than in some other climbing gyms I been to and it makes climbing even more exciting! there is a big parking space in front of the gym which makes it super convenient for drivers. It is also easily reachable by TTC buses. One of the other favorite things is a slack rope they have in the gym and they're also offering different free workshops with the day pass (like parkour). read more

Great staff, great facilities and lots of fun. Open, spacious, great vibe and good music. This is where they separate the men from the boys and the women from the girls (because there's a height requirement for climbing). If you want to test yourself I dare you to do this with hands only, no feet. Then post the video. I will pay you 5 bucks if you can do it. I promise (and I'm real trustworthy). read more

This is my climbing gym and I think it's pretty rad. The facilities are relatively new (and as a result, clean). My only complaint is how busy the gym is getting. I'm not sure if this is a result of the Groupon that was available a few months ago, but waiting in line for climbs is getting ridiculous. Coupled with the large groups of children having parties on the weekends, its starting to get way too crowded. TNC would benefit from expanding. Not only would there be room for more climbers, but they could also consolidate all the exercise equipment into one area. Right now the Olympic rings and climbing ladder are on one side of the gym - while the chin-up/weights/general exercise area is on the other. Feels a little disjointed. But other than that, I love this little gem of a gym. read more

I'm extremely scared of heights, so I thought I would conquer my fears and give climbing a go. The staff are wonderful. They are helpful and encouraging. I will definitely be back. read more

This is one of the best climbing gym I've been to. The staff is very friendly and the lessons are excellent for beginners. If you're taking a lesson, be sure you're there just before the hour as all lessons start on the hour. They have a wide variety of routes for all skill levels for bouldering, top rope, and lead climbing. There is good circulation and AC at the bottom, but it does get super hot at the top. The slack lines are another nice feature of the gym. There is plenty of parking outside all the time :) read more

True North was an absolute pleasure to deal with in booking a birthday party for kids in their 20s. I had originally thought I should book a bday package but was informed that a group lesson would be more appropriate for our audience. They had proceeded to book off an entire time slot for us on a Saturday afternoon. Half of our party showed up 10 minutes late (I know, shame on us) and our instructor Neil was incredibly accommodating, as with the fact that I reserved for 7 and the final number was 9... In fact, he brought another instructor over to assist. Neil was patient in teaching everyone how to belay, how to tie in safely, how to do partner checks, and painstakingly monitored everyone through this process. Safety is a priority here! Lastly, we had an awesome time, there were a variety of paths fit for everyone, and one of the walls can overlook the CN Tower (if you can get up there). There is a training area with wall exercises, row machines, weights, and a bouldering area as well. You can spend as long as you want here under the day pass with introductory lesson ($35) but your arms will likely be too sore to do so. Highly recommend this experience! read more

I called to book an intro lesson for me and seven of my friends. I haven't climbed in years and definitely needed a lesson myself. The place looked very nice and situated smack in the middle of the sports complex in Downsview Park. Best to check the website to find out exactly where it is and how to get there. Not easy to access by bus, but you'll have no issues driving assuming you're competent with directions. We arrived a little early from our scheduled lesson and since we've all done the online waiver, there wasn't much to do but wait until the lesson started. The staff who conducted our lesson was very helpful and took time to help every single one of us to make sure we were doing things right. She made sure that no one fell behind during the lesson. She also took us for a quick tour of the facility and explained some of the basics of climbing and the climbing facility itself. The cost of the intro lesson is $35 with an option to sign up for a one month pass for an additional $15. The one month pass included harness and shoes rental which is definitely great for anyone who is contemplating taking up the sport. I felt that this was a good move on them as it allows new climbers to really get into the sport without having to spend too much on renting the equipment or investing prematurely on equipment for themselves. I came back a few days later to do the belay test while it was still fresh in my mind. The staff that tested us was relaxed about it and didn't mind that I kept messing up the knot. She was patient enough to let me figure it out (3 tries later), and that was that. Overall I definitely recommend this place for anyone who wants to get into the sport. It's a friendly atmosphere and not in downtown Toronto, which is great since you won't have to pay for parking or put up with the chaos that is downtown. read more

The staff here are incredibly nice and joke around with the regulars. They are pretty relaxed about the belay tests here as well. I've never met the owner but he seems like generous person. A storm last year had caused a lot of people to lose power and the owner posted on Facebook offering up the gym for people to stay. The community here is great too. Everyone is friendly to each other and I've met tons of great people at this gym. It gets really busy at night. Just be aware that parking might be hard to find. read more

Perfect place to start climbing!!! Polite and helpful customer service. Does not break a bank and very convenient location with large free parking lot. read more

This is an amazing gym... First off True North is the tallest gym in Toronto( maybe even Ontario) offering walls up to 36 feet(11m). This can offer quite a challenge especially in the lead climbing area. As well this gym is sooo clean, i've been going here for the past 2.5 years and never once have i walked into a dirty change room or washroom. The staff are also very friendly and are always willing to offer advise. TN has some very interesting angles and walls. Right when you walk in you are greeted with amazing stalactite which is one of the tallest walls in the gym (and as you might imaging it doesn't touch the ground). As well they have an arch behind that that you can walk right under. As well they have an amazing lead cave... this is only for lead climbing and has a move aggressive angle that can be quite difficult and requires lots of endurance. Along with top roping and lead climbing they also offer bouldering. This is climbing on shorter walls(up to 15 ft) without ropes. The bouldering wall is nice and big and you can top out on all parts of the wall. As well by the bouldering wall are two slack lines (too pratice your balance), two ladders and gymnastic rings for training. As well they have a whole slue of training equipment. This gym is great for everyone from beginners to experts to children. They offer walls from 5.5 to 5.12+. This is a destination for any climber who wants to climb in a world class gym and have a great environment to learn in. The only down side is that it is hard to get to using public transit. I live in Etobicoke and for me to use the TTC to get there it would take 1.5 hours, but to drive it takes 30min. But if you do decide to drive there is always plenty of space to part, seeing as TN is in an old plane hangar. I would consider this a must do for any avid climber or someone whos just starting out! read more

A very good place, its clean and its new! ; the teaching staff is mostly good, we however did encounter a trainer (who was training other group), occupied the whole 10-12 climbing lanes for 30 -45 mins, causing frustration for others who were waiting to use them .. he was rude to one of my friends as well, which ended up in a argument; the harsh encounter later ended up, with the trainer coming back to us with an apology. Other than this inconvenient experience, the overall time spent here was worth the money. I surely recommend this place. read more

Love this place. Staff are friendly and the atmosphere is relaxed. What I love the most about this place is that you see all sorts of people here. I may not look the fittest but I love bouldering (thanks to my brother). So it's nice to know that everyone is to climb here. read more

Lots of fun! Heard about this place from a friend. They have a great deal for people just starting out. Can get a lesson on the basics (incl belaying) and rental for shoes and harness for ~$35, and you get a day pass (stay there as long as you want!). The "permission" to belay only lasts for that first day though. When I went back a second time, they just did a quick test to see if I remember, then I got a laminated card with my name saying so, so that I didn't have to do the test every time. So much fun, and a good workout for your arms and legs. I found it best to group into threes, so while one person is climbing, the belayer has someone to keep company with. Plus, depending how long you're there, your arms might start to get tired lol so it's good to trade off on the climbing and belaying bit. The rocks have coloured tape. You're supposed to climb only on one colour to test your level - they different levels. They also have bouldering and walls without the rope attached to the ceiling (sorry, I don't know the lingo). Great for kids and adults. If you're planning on taking the lesson, call in advance to save your spot since it gets really busy sometimes! read more

Great place to work on those upper body strengths. I came here with 4 other friends and had a good 9verall experience. The workers are friendly and have a sense of humour. I'd highs l'y suggest to avoid coming here on a holiday or during March break etc because it can get quite pact where you'll have to wait a bit for your turn to climb. They have a good variety of different difficulty levels with many walls to choose from. My top favorite would probably the big pillar hanging right behind the service desk. Prices are decent. If it is your first them, you have the option to pay $40 with a belaying lesson which then allows you to add an extra $15 for a month pass. Other than that, if you are a student, you can talk about student pricing which is decent as well. It has been my sixth time now and I don't think I can get sick of it unless hours pass and my forearms give in. Can't wait to go back soon! read more

Went here for during the Doors open weekend. To find the place was a bit confusing just like the name "Downsview park" which implies that its a Park..but its actually a big area filled with buildings and fields.. Anyways took me a few minutes to find True North.. I dont think there was even a signboard or anything to say this was the entrace. Once inside the wall climbing for me was quite fun. Staff seemed quite cool...All in all good place looks like a fun place with quite a few walls to do rock climbing. read more

I've been climbing here for 4 years and continue to love it. The atmosphere is really friendly; not just the staff but the crowd of regulars as well. Weekday evenings - particularly between 6-8pm - can get a bit crowded. But that's how you know people are happy here! They keep coming back on a regular basis! Weekends are a great time to come in as they are generally less busy. Though I highly recommend calling ahead to ensure no special events are happening. Because True North is very active in the climbing community, supporting the growth of the sport. Hosting competitions, Reel Rock Film Tour, charity events, and also birthday parties! If you don't have a car, the gym is not as accessible as you might like. Sadly, TTC does not adequately service into Downsview Park. But I know many people that make the walk in from the park entrance. So again, let that be testament that this place is worth it! This gym strikes a good balance between offering a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for beginners, and challenging more advanced climbers. I have brought many first timers here, and they've all had great times. read more

I've rock climbed only a couple of times, but this place is great - awesome walls, great staff! Love this place:)

This is one of the better climbing gyms I've been to. The space is clean, air circulation is good, and the washrooms/changerooms are in decent condition.The walls are made of a nice, realistic-feeling material (rather than plywood), with a solid variety of routes ranging in difficulty from beginner to advanced. True North has a little something for everyone -- lead climbing, bouldering, top-roping, and slacklining. The bouldering section is not the strongest now that other gyms like The Hub have popped up, so if you are exclusively into bouldering, that's something to consider. I like that there's a neat training area with weights and campus boards. The staff here are all generally pretty cool and don't mind offering a pointer or two when you're struggling with a route or technique. read more

Great gym. I have been climbing there for a few years, and they always update the walls. Very helpful and friendly staff. Clean.

Great lesson/ intro. Went during the daytime and there was lots of space to climb. Awesome gym with an uplifting atmosphere. Going again next week!!! read more

Pros: Great facility with lots of cool features (e.g. stalactite, slackline, realistic boulder), high walls, spacious, clean change rooms Cons: Lack of bouldering options, mediocre setting, located in the middle of buttfucknowhere, douchey staff and members. Seriously, Mr. Stinky Feet McGee (you know who you are!), do you REALLY need to claim that 5.6 when you're sitting 10 feet away and haven't even put on your gear? read more

This is one of the best gyms in the city and would be my home gym if I lived a lot closer (I don't)! It's a very big gym with varied, high walls and climbing, and not too crowded like a certain gym downtown. Not that easy via TTC (still a long walk from the subway) but lots of free parking for cars. There is a bouldering area that I'm not a fan of because the mats are not cushy and thick enough to feel great falling on, and I don't love the route setting for the bouldering. The gym's holds are a bit on the polished side unfortunately (from age?), so it would be nice if they somehow kept them cleaner to make them less brutal (more frequent washing?). They also tend to grade on the stiffer side of things - I've heard it's to accommodate the comp climbers, which is kinda crappy since most of the gym's users are not comp climbers! I also wish they would use the standard Yosemite system with numbers and letters (rather than +/-) but this is a minor complaint. Staff are friendly enough and they have useful free technique clinics for newbies. You can lead belay with a tube device if you pass the test (no other gym allows this)! I also appreciate the discounted day pass price to members of other gyms (more gyms need to do this!). Excellent training areas as well. read more