VITAL Climbing Gym - Brooklyn

It was just amazing experience. The best climbing gym ever. I never have done lead climbing or natural rock climbing so basically never have experienced the feeling of climbing outdoor. You can experience the feeling in the safe and pleasant environment... they have attractive bouldering walls outside, on the second floor. I really wish to have a home gym like this!

This gym is epic. The day I went they had a citizens comp that morning. They had reset 3/4 of the gym with compstyle boulders labeled 1 to about 45. The higher the number the harder the bolder. They had really good quality comp style problems in the v3 to v6 range, which is incredibly rare to find. All of the popular movements and styles were represented. I was able to climb up to about number 30, which felt around v7. The other part of the gym with the more traditional boulders was also excellent. The quality of the route setting in this gym is just about the best I've ever seen in over 50+ gym visits. It's a modern climbing style, not like the stuff you would find out west, but really high quality gym style climbing with the latest and greatest holds, the largest and most exotic assortment of volumes I have ever seen, stacked and inverted and doing all kinds of crazy stuff. There's a rooftop open-air bouldering area which is insane, but I went in November and you could only really climb in the middle of the day. However at night they had a huge fire pit blasting away and you could sit and look at the city. For architecture and amenities this gym was outstanding. Unfortunately the bathrooms were dirty, and the gym seems understaffed. The day pass is $35 but because of the citizens comp I only paid $20. It seems expensive but if you love climbing and have the chance to check out this gym, it'll be a legendary experience.

Great bouldering-only climbing gym that has an expansive selection of bouldering routes on the first floor and outdoor climbing on the rooftop as well. They also hold classes for yoga, cycling, and general fitness, and have a long picnic style table for people to get some work done by the entryway. A few pros and cons below: Pros: - Very large area of bouldering walls offering varying difficulties and terrain. - Outdoor climbing on the roof with great views. - Communal workspace. - 24/7 access for members. - You don’t need to bring a lock (combination lock lockers are available in the hallway that are free for everyone to use). - Super friendly staff. Cons: - There’s no designated changing areas. Instead, there are a 3 single stall bathrooms (with no bench inside, making changing difficult) and 4 bathroom/shower single stalls with benches. In both instances the floors can be wet and there can be a long wait to get an available stall. It’s manageable, but would be nice if there was a designated space just to quickly change clothes. (Side Note: I’d just quickly change in the hallway by the lockers which I’d be totally fine with, but I was told by staff that that would be frowned upon lol.) - There’s no designated room/space for bike and e-scooter parking. Would be nice if they opened up a storage closet or something to put e-scooters in since they’ll just get stolen when locked up on the sidewalk. Overall, I really like this climbing gym and I’m looking forward to membership here. If they fixed the 2 issues above, this climbing gym would be easily 5-stars.

If you love bouldering then this is the gym for you! I was told by all my climbing friends over the years that this was one of the must visit gyms and they were not kidding! It’s amazing. It’s modern, clean and spacious for a city gym! There’s plenty of routes to challenge yourself with at any level and between the floor and the roof you’ll get a great session in! I was really elated with my visit here and would recommend anyone at any level check it out. They’re COVID protocols have been great during my visit too. There’s a bunch of lockers, a yoga studio, and a spin class room too! When Ariel Yoga is in session a portion of the floor is sectioned on. They also have the most spacious fitness area I’ve seen in a Rock Gym which is super nice for conditioning after a good climbing session. What ever you need short of a swim, they have! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable too. Easily one of the best gyms on the east coast and in NYC! Come on in and have a great time! You’ll see what I’m talking about 😎 💪🏼 🧗🏻‍♂️

Vital climbing gym’s roof climb is very fun! On sunny days the view of the city and fresh air makes this a top climbing spot for me. Indoor climbing, sauna / shower, and classes give a great full experience. Day pass for $35 plus a fee if you’d like to get shoes and chalk. Friendly staff and room to work make this space inviting and I can’t wait to come again.

Fantastic bouldering gym with tons of routes and faces to choose from. Interesting rating system that gives additional range of route difficulty for you to challenge yourself with. The most unique feature and the best feature has to be the outdoor climbing wall on the roof. There's a top out boulder there that offers you views of all of Brooklyn with the Manhattan skyline in the background which is absolutely stunning.

This gym is great. Good vibes, friendly and respectful atmosphere. Rooftop climb is a view of a lifetime. Amenities with membership look good (I’m not a member yet, but definitely going to join soon). Only downside so far is that it’s not the cheapest option, but I can tell why. They seem to put a lot of care into how it’s operated.