The Refuge Climbing and Fitness

Pros: 1. Grading is closer to outdoor grades than most gyms. The grades will feel stiff compared to most climbing gyms. 2. The staff are friendly and supportive. 3. Open until 10pm. 4. This is the closest climbing gym to the strip if you are one of the many people visiting Vegas on business, and you just need to get some reps in while you're away from home. 5. There is a small workout area including a moon board, tension board and some weights. There are also 3 auto belay stations if you bring a harness, but this is primarily a bouldering gym, so I would consider these more of a training perk. Cons: 1. Chalk is everywhere. I've climbed in gyms all over the US, and I've never seen a gym with a chalk problem this bad. The first thing I noticed when I walked inside was the chalk cloud in the air. This will undoubtedly cause many regulars to have chronic lung issues later in life. This place would really benefit from 2-3 chalk eaters. Also, chalk is layered so thick on some of the holds that it is sometimes hard to tell if you're on route if an adjacent problem is a similar color. These should be thoroughly cleaned on a more regular basis. 2. Layers of paint on the walls. It's peeling off in many places and scrapes off under your fingernails. It's clearly old and time for a renovation. 3. Unaware crowds. Like most busy gyms this place gets crowded. Unfortunately, people here just sit in crowds under overhanging walls limiting the useful climbing space.

I'm from Seattle and our are almost double the cost but they are also twice as large or greater. I really didn't like that people here also sit on the mats blocking wall space. I didn't climb much because of that and people left their water bottles pushed up against the mat which is an ankle breaking hazard. The ping pong table was ridiculous, having to dodge the ball and people at a climbing gym. It was in the direct walkway and right in front of the bathroom. I really would have liked to enjoy my time instead of leaving after 20 minutes because everything was blocked.

This is a GREAT gym. I felt every grade actually increased in difficulty, and as a V6 V7 climber the pinks were really fun and the yellows were challenging but totally attainable in 1 or 2 sessions. The climbs here are really long, and the holds seem old but still feel really good. Overall it had an old school feel and the staff, setters, and climbers were all really friendly. The bouldering area is a little cramped so you have to get out of the way when other people are climbing.

Visited when in town and feels very much like my local home gym vibe. I appreciate the tougher "outdoor" grade and found it does translate fairly well with tougher gyms and crags. The boulder problems were fun and the training area well equipped. It's not your "modern city gym" feel but rather the grungy garage vibe (and I love it!)

I wish there was less dust at the entrance, but I guess it comes with the territory. The day pass+rental gear was $23. Boulders were fun