The Hive Bouldering Gym: Energetic atmosphere, supportive staff, and routes for climbers of all levels.
Located at 520 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, The Hive Bouldering Gym offers a lively space with ample climbing area and gear at a reasonable price. Reviews praise friendly staff, helpful tips, and a wide range of routes for beginners to advanced climbers, plus self-paced, belay-free bouldering. One review notes mixed experiences with staff interactions.
520 Industrial Ave, Vancouver, BC V6A 2P3, Canada
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Access to extensive climbing walls with routes for all skill levels, updated regularly to keep challenges fresh.
Comprehensive safety and technique tutorials for first-time climbers, including proper falling methods.
High-quality climbing shoes and gear available for rent to ensure a safe and comfortable experience.
Friendly and knowledgeable instructors offering tips and support to help solve boulder problems and improve skills.
Easy self-booking system for sessions, with digital waivers for quick registration and convenience.
Energetic atmosphere with music and climber encouragement, fostering a supportive and adventurous community.
Overall rating
Matthew Arslan LBCC Student Since 2020
I visited The Hive Bouldering Gym with someone and it was such a unique experience. The atmosphere was energetic and focused with climbers encouraging each other and music playing softly in the background. Teenagers would love how supportive and adventurous it feels because everyone is trying something new together. The staff were friendly and gave helpful tips which made the service feel personal and motivating. The value was great because you get access to a lot of climbing space and gear for a reasonable price. The quality of the climbing walls and safety equipment was excellent and everything felt thoughtfully designed. The selection of climbing routes was impressive with options for beginners and advanced climbers. I only visited once before writing this review but it stood out as one of the most active and teen friendly places I have been to. Teenagers would love it because it is empowering adventurous and fun.
C Lim
We brought the kids to The Hive Bouldering gym for the first time after hearing many great things about it. We called beforehand to book the spot for the kids before arriving. Once arrived, we lined up for a good 15 mins before being told I need to fill up the online waiver for all family members. We did that, the staff took some time to register, brought the kids their shoes and gave us an orientation before the climb. Halfway through, my wife noticed the three staffs standing on the counter were staring at us and gossiping amongst themselves and continued staring. She was feeling slightly uncomfortable being watched but decided to just brush it off. After a while, one of the staff told me that she didn’t notice the baby I was strapping on my body. Since my wife and I were already supervising our two kids, the staff said with the added baby, it would exceed the supervisor ratio required. I politely told her that the baby was strapped to my body the whole time but the staff argued that technically she was “on the mat”, thus counted as an extra “kid”. The matter of the fact is we didn’t try to “hide” the baby. She was there with us from the moment we stepped in Hive. She was strapped on my body throughout the registration and orientation. The baby didnt cry, didnt make a sound, never came off my body, never touch “the mat” per se. On addition, both the kids we were supervising never make any trouble and followed every single rule as well. And halfway through the session, you are telling me this? It’s unfortunate that my kids first climbing session has to be end on a sour note. When we were leaving, my wife asked me “does that mean we cant climb here anymore?” I told her may be we wait a couple of years until our kids get older, may be. Well, may be not.
Cole Davis
It was my first time bouldering and I thought this was a great experience. Yes, the gym may be located in a bit of a sketchy area if you walk on the opposite side of the road you'll be okay. If you're driving of course then this is not an issue. Okay, the gym experience itself is great. There are one or two instructors floating around that you can ask about certain climbs, they are really helpful and supportive. The price is okay, it's about $10 per hour ($22 for two I believe.) As some others have mentioned, the upper body strength required to boulder is no joke. Perhaps due to my poor posture or using the wrong muscles, I was sore for a good 3 days. Make sure you have the strength to not only hold but pull yourself up as well. I'd say the amount of climbs you can do is entirely dependent on your own strength, there really isn't any other factor at play here- but flexibility also helps. I didn't find the gym to be too hot despite having over 20 climbers, it was a moderate temperature. The self booking online process was easy to complete, and I found the tutorial at the start helpful for learning how to fall properly- but I would've liked if they also taught the correct climbing form so you know what muscles to use and engage instead of letting you do whatever you want. Staff were overall friendly. Overall, 4/5. I would come back here again, with more shoulder and bicep strength!
Nathan Cima
Very nice gym, especially for advance climbers. Even if the gym is quite dark, due to the lack of windows, the atmosphere here is very warm and welcoming. Regulars are friendly and keen to help you to solve any boulder problems. The route setting is nice and change quite regularly. I highly recommend
Bradley Jones
Here’s a great way to stay active and dry on a rainy day: check out The Hive Bouldering. No belay certification is needed since it’s all about bouldering at your own pace. It’s a fantastic spot to sharpen your climbing skills or simply get a solid workout.
