21 New Climbing Products and Services for Fall 2023

Climbing Business Journal
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21 New Climbing Products and Services for Fall 2023
Buyers Guide 2023 Fall Fall is here, which for many climbers means cooler temperatures. It’s not too late to update your gym’s retail space for send season. The new arrivals below can help gyms and climbers up their game in the short-run and long-run, from new gear—crash pads, packs, harnesses, ropes and helmets—to complete training plans, help with training room buildouts, an IFSC-approved bouldering comp wall, and more. BRANDS INCLUDED BELOW: – Asana – Capitan – Dynamite Starfish – Eldorado Climbing – EP Climbing – Flashed – Kaya – Kilter Grips – Petzl – PhysiVantage – Rise Above Consulting – So iLL – Sterling Rope – Strati Climbing – The Power Company –  Wild Country – SEE OTHER BUYER GUIDES HERE
Eldorado Climbing

Asana

Asana recently launched two new backpacks; both are 20L in size, have high-visibility neon green interior, and include their BYOB buckle which also opens bottles. The Session Pack ($60) has an extra-large main zippered opening, a zippered front stretch pocket, carry handles on both sides, and a separate external shoe pouch for airing out the kicks. The Circuit Pack ($99) has a padded sleeve pocket for a tablet or laptop, a draw string closure, and zip pockets on both the front and upper lid. Asana also added their Lashing Carry Strap ($14.95, or 2 for $24.99), 12 feet of 1-inch webbing with a metal cam buckle.

Capitan

Capitan has released a suite of new features making it easier for their customers to manage waitlists for events. Various new tools are available now, including options to handle tasks automatically or manually, custom questions for participants, and flexible deadlines and time limits. Capitan

Dynamite Starfish

Dynamite Starfish products are now available to gym retail shops. Their stickers ($5.25) are outdoor-rated and made with thick vinyl. Their t-shirts ($29.50-$38.00) are locally printed on eco-friendly 50/50 cotton/poly blends made in the USA. Low minimums, approximately 50% margins.

Eldorado Climbing

Eldorado Climbing has added the new modular Square Set panels to their line of DIY climbing wall products. Each 42″x42″ panel is either flat or 3D, has four frame options, and has ten color options. They are engineered to attach to wood or metal studs, grouted CMU, and concrete walls, with finishes for both indoor and outdoor locations. $219 to $699 each.

EP Climbing

The new Titan Boulder was developed by EP Climbing in partnership with the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). The 1400 sqft registered design is intended to provide an extensive range for routesetting and optimized viewing angles, catering to both international competitions and climbing gyms. Starting at $54,000 which does not include shipping or installation.

Flashed

Flashed released two new accessory crash pads, both featuring 1680 ballistic nylon bases and 1000d nylon tops in five colors. The single-layer hinged 36″x50″x0.75″ Rambler (CAD $150) is designed to cover seams when laid over smaller pads, to cover rocks, or for low starts. The two-layer 25″x36″x4.25″ Shield (CAD $165) is a single non-folding pad for extra coverage.

Kilter Grips

Kilter is now offering full training room packages that include flooring alongside their walls and board systems. The flooring options do not require an installation fee – the modular systems are designed to be installed by the customer. Custom covers enclose the foam cores with zippers, military grade Velcro seals the seams, and a top sheet is stretched over the entire area. Kilter also now offers adjustable -10° to 40° slab walls up to 24′ wide as part of these packages. Contact holds@kiltergrips.com for quotes.

PhysiVāntage

PhysiVāntage recently introduced two new flavors to their flagship product Supercharged Collagen. Pomegranate Berry and Honey Lemon Tea complement their other four flavors, all of which contain no sugar, no artificial flavors and no artificial sweeteners. $44.95 for 16oz. PhysiVantage

Rise Above Consulting

Gavin Heverly with Rise Above Consulting is now offering customized strategic plans and facilitated planning sessions starting at $5,000. The process starts with your company’s goals and aligns resources to achieve them, and delivery includes process and recommended tools to carry the planning forward. Gavin has been leading CBJ’s webinars; the Make Next Year Your Best Ever webinar overviews his planning process. Ask about the CBJ seminar discount. Rise Above Consulting

So iLL 

So iLL has recently added several new products to its line. The large 17.5 gallon Setter Bucket ($139) is a fully enclosed liner (bucket not included) and has two large flat packable side pockets, multiple interior pockets and gear loops, and two clear zippered interior pockets. The Tyvek Rolldown Chalk Bucket ($45) is water resistant, has a reinforced top velcro closure with a buckle, brush loop and zippered accessories pocket, and comes in three colors. The hold-shaped Campers Choice™ ($9) was developed with 8 essential oils known to mask CO² to repel insects and also provides gentle exfoliation.

Strati Climbing

Strati Climbing is now offering carpet seam closures as an option for their bouldering flooring systems. The 6″-wide hook Velcro carpet material is slightly lighter weight than the main cover, so the seam stays flexible and not too thick. The cost is the same as their traditional vinyl-covered closures.

Kaya

Kaya recently launched web-based search functionality to complement their app. Users can now search their database of climbs and videos from their desktop. Kaya

Petzl

Petzl’s new Boreo helmet is designed for climbing, mountaineering, canyoning and caving. It features both top and side impact protection with a thick ABS shell, a dual EPP and EPS foam liner for durability, ventilation holes, and headlamp clips. $64.95 Petzl

Sterling Rope

Sterling Rope recently launched the VR96 9.6mm Limited Edition Kenya Rope in partnership with Global Climbing Initiative, with colors inspired by the Kenyan flag. The rope features a middle mark and core fibers treated with DryCore to prevent yarn-on-yarn abrasion and moisture absorption. Proceeds benefit GCI. 40M for $129.99, 60M for $199.99, 70M for $229.99. Sterling Rope

The Power Company

The Power Company is now offering Trip Prep Plans tailored for 5.11, 5.12 or 5.13 climbers. Each plan provides training that is focused on area-specific skills and strengths, developed by coaches with extensive experience in the area. Available for Wild Iris and Ten Sleep, with other areas coming. $100 The Power Company

Wild Country

Wild Country’s new Flow 2.0 harness is designed for comfort, with four 3D gear lops, a rear haul loop, slots for ice screw/tool holders, fixed leg loops, and an integrated wear indicator on the lower tie-in point. The women’s model is specifically designed to fit the female anatomy, to reduce pressure and provide back support. $84.95 Wild Country

Want to include your products and services?

Each season we publish a Buyer’s Guide featuring recently released products and services for climbing facilities and insiders. Contact us to be included in the future.

The Biggest Mistake You’ve Already Made Next Year (and How Rise Above Consulting Can Help)

Rise Above Consulting
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The Biggest Mistake You’ve Already Made Next Year (and How Rise Above Consulting Can Help)
Authored by Gavin Heverly Do you have a Strategic Plan for your business for next year? If not, now is the time to get started. Because next year is about to happen to you whether you are ready or not. Heading into Q4 is the time to put in effort to be prepared and make next year your best ever. In climbing, planning is critical to success, whether you’re on an expedition to a remote mountain, researching your approach, or handling pitches and rappel stations on a trad route. As climbers we understand that pausing to do the upfront work of planning out the moves on a sport climb, or looking at a competition boulder problem with intention and figuring out the beta before an attempt, dramatically increases the likelihood of success and, importantly, reduces risk. We leverage all kinds of tools throughout these preparations in order to maximize the likelihood of summiting: mountain project and beta videos on the internet, books, trip reports, conversations with friends, and anything else we can get our hands on. We spend hours training in the gym, sometimes even setting replica climbs to be best prepared for the nuances of the challenge ahead. Whatever the approach to planning out your climb, very few of us are just winging it when we know we are going to be on the sharp end and onsighting something with real consequences. We make sure we have the right training, the right tools and the best plan possible. In our professional lives in the climbing gym industry, why don’t we apply the same level of enthusiasm for setting ourselves (and our colleagues) up for the best chance at success? At Rise Above Consulting, I’ve spent years helping teams in the industry to develop a low-lift strategic planning process that does just that. Running climbing gyms, like climbing itself, is complicated and can be a healthy mixture of fun and horrifying. I mean that in the best way. I’ve been operating gyms for over two decades. I know what it’s like to wake up every day attempting to onsight all the challenges that come with running gyms: staff, customer service, cash flow, route setting, and on and on. With all of the constantly competing priorities and needs, how do you keep everything organized? How do you achieve your goals and focus on the most important stuff? And how do you keep an entire company aligned through it all? You have to have a plan, and it needs to be a good one. So, what makes a good plan? It’s collaborative, it’s adaptable, and the whole team is aligned to its outcomes.
Rise Above leading a strategic planning session
Rise Above Consulting in action leading a large team through an annual strategic planning process.

Collaborative

Collaborative strategic planning means the plan is co-created and built by a diverse team from various parts of the organization. Stakeholders from marketing, sales, operations, front lines, finance, programming, etc., should all be included in the process of identifying organizational goals and how to achieve them. The fact is: you don’t have all the info. No one person does. Therefore, a collaborative process including multiple perspectives and robust conversation is the best practice for building a holistic plan for success. Buy-in and alignment to a plan is one of the most critical (and trickiest) things to achieve in any planning process. A great way to reduce obstacles to this teamwork is to have team members build the plan themselves. Collective group effort creates immediate ownership over a plan and its outcomes, which drives accountability.

Adaptable

Whatever your plan, the likelihood of it being 100% right is pretty slim. There are almost never–ending permutations of X factors which can affect your plan: market conditions, the economy, consumer behavior, staffing problems, and more. As such, the team’s plan and the people managing and executing it have to be willing and able to adapt. Without the ability to be agile, a company will not be able to respond appropriately to inbound inputs and stimulus, which can equal chaos and manifest in a multitude of real problems for you and your colleagues. The best way to achieve this adaptability:
  1. Ensure the plan and priorities that drive it are transparent to the company, and ensure that you and your coworkers are reviewing and revising the plan on a regular basis.
  2. The plan has to be a living document that coincides with a series of meetings designed to drive accountability and surface changing requirements and roadblocks early and often.
A strategic framework leading up to the organization imperative
An example of a framework where the team’s work and projects build up to the objectives, key results and “imperatives” of the company. Creating this through-line ladder from the day-to-day to the most important stuff is key to driving alignment.

Aligned

A plan without buy-in is nearly impossible to execute. A plan where only a few leaders at the top have the context and understanding of the “why” is likely to fail. JFK famously visited NASA in the late 60s when the USA was in a race to get to the moon. When the president asked the guy mopping the floors what his job was, he replied, “To put a man on the moon, sir!” That’s what alignment looks like. Everyone, regardless of their title or job function, understands what the goals of the organization are and how their day-to-day work connects to it. You can achieve this alignment by:
  1. Including the right people in the planning process.
  2. Making the goals of the organization, the why and the how clear and transparent to everyone. AND I MEAN EVERYONE. This transparency drives accountability to deliver at the highest level of the organization, builds trust, and helps everyone understand the context behind which priorities matter most and why.
  3. Regularly reviewing the plan company-wide. Go over results to date, and revisit how things may need to change.
A workflow toward for a strategic plan and follow-up
An example of a workflow and meeting cadence that creates buy-in and involves regular check-ins on your strategic plan to identify early and often if you are on track or off track.
Strategic planning is a high–value way to level up your success and align everyone toward the collective goals of the company. Much like climbing, building and executing on a plan takes upfront effort to maximize the likelihood of success. And if you’ve ever completed a long climbing project, you know how much that planning was worth the effort. Just like in climbing, all of the time and energy you put into planning your company’s strategy can pay off. I’ve seen strategic planning result in:
  • 46% less time spent on planning and meetings.
  • Successfully navigating a post-2020 economy to return a business to profitability in record time.
  • Increased gym membership base by ~3X, achieving the best sales months ever in company history.
  • Improved employee morale.
  • And more.
But don’t take my word for it. Here are what some clients have had to say about implementing strategic planning to help grow success with their climbing gym businesses: “Gavin has a unique ability to align stakeholders so that realistic goals can be identified and obtained through effective prioritization. In addition to leading teams to these results, he is able to develop resources within the client team so that they can continue to forge ahead long after the engagement is over.” “Gavin brought extensive knowledge about, decades of experience in, and a tangible passion for the climbing industry to the table during the time our team spent with him. His leadership and guidance over the course of two intensive sessions spent defining company core values and an annual strategic plan inspired pivotal internal structural changes that we were able to implement quickly. These changes, combined with tools and strategy for setting relevant goals and tracking success in a measurable, data-driven way, have put us on a cleaner trajectory toward success moving forward. The rapidly growing climbing industry is fortunate to have such a passionate human, climber, and seasoned executive at our disposal to help bring long–term vision into greater alignment with actionable, measurable steps toward reality.” Want to learn more? Join Rise Above Consulting and CBJ for a seminar on Strategic Planning on September 21st at 10:45am MST. Make Next Year Your Best Ever - Webinar

About the Author

Gavin HeverlyGavin Heverly is an avid climber and mountain rescue technician with 25+ years of experience in the climbing gym and outdoor industries. He has spent most of his life pursuing his passion for growth, climbing, fitness and adventure. This journey has allowed him to apply a unique set of skills and experiences in leadership, operations, the development of teams, and scaling culture and strategy to a variety of real-world challenges and opportunities. When not working with clients or training for his next mountain adventure, he is hanging with his dog listening to loud music and eating vegan doughnuts.  
This story was paid for by the sponsor and does not necessarily represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

Climb Insider: Koper and a few things for managers

Climbing Business Journal
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Climb Insider: Koper and a few things for managers
janja climbing in competition

Just a few thoughts

As World Cup season winds down it’s nice to consider how far comp climbing has come in it’s relatively short history. Livestreams, modern routesetting, and professional staging has really elevated our sport – Andrew nails that in his essay below. Another aspect of industry growth is reflected in more recent union organizing, also below. And then a few things for gym managers, including a great planning webinar next week. See The Freshest Job Posts Here

Community & Culture

OnSite

Koper World Cup

Comp Scene

For Gym Managers

Training Tips

Manage Customer Experience with Mesa Rim – Climbing Jobs Weekly 2023 September 14

Climbing Business Journal
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Manage Customer Experience with Mesa Rim – Climbing Jobs Weekly 2023 September 14
mesa rim header image CBJ hosts the most active job board for climbing businesses and organizations. Below are the latest posts from this past week…
  Customer Experience Manager Mesa Rim Austin, TX “As the Customer Experience Manager, you are a leader and customer service expert who is passionate about delivering remarkable experiences for the community. You oversee customer-facing (front-end) operations for your site, ensuring customer service standards are upheld at all times. You demonstrate professionalism and harness your skills and experience to guide, inspire, and develop your team members to be their very best in support of the shared vision. You are assertive, composed, self-motivated, personable, and enjoy building relationships with the community. As the Customer Experience Manager, you exemplify our core values and positively represent Mesa Rim.”
Elevate Climbing Walls

JOB SEEKER TIPS:

Definition of a Cognitive Interview and Tips for Acing One By Glassdoor Team “A cognitive interview is a type of interview in which the interviewer asks questions regarding a specific event. The interviewer is focused primarily on the candidate’s ability to recall memories, as well as provide insights into each one. An interviewer will often draw on each of their senses to accurately remember details related to the event.” Read the full article here

LATEST JOB OPENINGS

See all current jobs // Post your job FT = full time PT = part time
RECENT/TOP JOB POSTS AT CBJ LOCATION TYPE
Assistant Manager at High Point Huntsville, AL FT – manager
Head Coach at Alta Gilbert, AZ FT – coach
Floor Manager at Gripstone Colorado Springs, CO FT – manager
Gym Director at Movement Golden, CO FT – manager
Routesetter at Climbing Collective Longmont, Loveland, and Greely, CO FT – routesetter
Elite Team Coach at The Spot Louisville, CO PT – coach
Coach at Rock Climb Fairfield Fairfield, CT PT – coach
Senior Setter and Team Instructor at Hive Winnipeg, MB FT – other, routesetter
Head Setter/Assistant Coach at Gravity Vault Chatham, NJ FT – manager, routesetter
Head Setter at Gravity Vault Hoboken, NJ FT – manager, routesetter
Head Setter/Assistant Coach at Gravity Vault Montclair, NJ FT – manager, routesetter
Head Routesetter at Bend Rock Gym Bend, OR FT – manager, routesetter
Gym Supervisor at Multnomah Athletic Club Portland, OR FT – other
Women’s Instructor at Multnomah Athletic Club Portland, OR PT – instructor
General Manager at ASCEND Erie, PA FT – manager
Customer Experience Manager at Mesa Rim Austin, TX FT – manager

Career Centers of Climbing Industry

NAMETYPELOCATION
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/access-fund.pngAccess Fundhttps://www.accessfund.org/about/careersorganizationUSA - CO
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http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ca-alpine.pngAlpine Climbing Adventure Fitnesshttps://climbatalpine.com/about/careers/facilityUSA - CA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/american-alpine-club.pngAmerican Alpine Clubhttps://americanalpineclub.org/jobsorganizationUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/pa-ascend.pngASCEND Climbinghttps://www.ascendclimbing.com/ascend-jobsfacilityUSA - OH, PA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/co-ascent-studio.pngAscent Studiohttps://ascentstudio.com/employment/facilityUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/bouldering-project-1.pngBouldering Project (pick location)https://boulderingproject.com/facilityUSA - MN, TX, UT, WA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ab-calgary-climbing-centre.jpgCalgary Climbing Centrehttps://calgaryclimbing.com/employment/facilityCanada - AB
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/central-rock-gym-1.pngCentral Rock Gymhttps://centralrockgym.com/careers/facilityUSA - CT, FL, MA, NY, RI
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/eldorado-wall-company.pngEldorado Climbinghttps://eldowalls.com/pages/careersproductUSA - CO - Louisville
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/entre-prises.pngEP Climbinghttps://epclimbing.com/na/en/ep-usa-careersproductUSA - OR - Bend
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/everlast.pngEverlast / Kumiki / Groperz / eXpressionhttps://everlastclimbing.com/pages/careersproductUSA - MN
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/il-first-ascent.pngFA Climbinghttps://faclimbing.com/careers/facilityUSA - IL, PA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/on-guelph-grotto.pngGuelph Grottohttps://www.guelphgrotto.com/careersfacilityCanada - ON - Guelph
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/head-rush.pngHead Rush Technologies // TRUBLUEhttps://trublueclimbing.com/about/careersproductUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/tn-high-point.pngHigh Point Climbing & Fitnesshttps://www.highpointclimbing.com/employmentfacilityUSA - AL, TN
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/impact.pngIMPACThttps://impactclimbing.com/careers/productCanada - ON - Milton
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/on-junction.pngJunction Climbing Centrehttps://www.junctionclimbing.com/employment-opportunitiesfacilityCanada - ON - London
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ma-metrorock.pngMetroRockhttps://metrorock.com/facilityUSA - MA, NY, VT
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/momentum-1.pngMomentumhttps://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/All/df699b76-9e67-4daa-9236-27d597e75dbf/Momentum-LLCfacilityUSA - TX, UT, WA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/movement-1.pngMovement Gymshttps://movementgyms.com/careers/facilityUSA - CA, CO, IL, MD, OR, TX, VA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/olc-architecture.pngOLC Architecturehttps://www.olcdesigns.com/about-us/#teammemberserviceUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/onsite.pngOnSitehttps://www.theonsite.com/careersproductCanada - QC
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/organic.pngOrganic Climbinghttps://organicclimbing.com/pages/employment-opportunitiesproductUSA - PA - Philipsburg
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/va-peak-experiences.pngPeak Experienceshttps://www.peakexperiences.com/employmentfacilityUSA - VA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/salon-de-lescalade.pngSalon de l'Escaladehttps://www.salon-escalade.com/vertical-jobs/recruteurs/organizationFrance
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/nm-stone-age.pngStone Agehttps://climbstoneage.com/employment-staff/facilityUSA - NM - Albuquerque
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ut-the-front.pngThe Fronthttps://thefrontclimbingclub.com/careers/facilityUSA - UT
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/the-gravity-vault.pngThe Gravity Vaulthttps://gravityvault.com/careersfacilityUSA - CA, NJ, NY, PA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ca-the-pad.pngThe Padhttps://www.thepadclimbing.org/employment/facilityUSA - CA, NV
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/co-the-spot.pngThe Spothttps://www.thespotgym.com/careersfacilitiesUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/trango.pngTrango // Tenayahttps://trango.com/pages/careersproductUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/treadwall-fitness.pngTreadwallhttps://treadwallfitness.com/careers/productUSA - MA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/nc-triangle-rock-club.pngTriangle Rock Club (choose location)https://www.trianglerockclub.com/morrisville/about/employment/facilityUSA - NC, VA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/co-ubergrippen.pngUbergrippenhttps://ugclimbing.com/jobs/facilityUSA - CO
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/UK-Climbing.pngUKC (jobs in UK)https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/job_finder/organizationUnited Kingdom
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/vertical-solutions.jpgVertical Solutions // Habit // Proxy // Pebblehttps://vsclimbinggyms.com/company/careersproductUSA - UT
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/wa-vertical-world.pngVertical Worldhttps://verticalworld.com/facilityUSA - WA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ca-vital.pngVitalhttps://www.vitalclimbinggym.com/careersfacilityUSA - CA, NY, WA
http://climbsesh2024.flywheelsites.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/walltopia.pngWalltopiahttps://careers.walltopia.com/productsBulgaria

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Sportrock Plans Return to Maryland With New Full-Service Gym

Climbing Business Journal
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Sportrock Plans Return to Maryland With New Full-Service Gym
Construction of the new Sportrock full-service gym
Sportrock Climbing Centers is working on a new mixed-discipline gym expected to open this fall near the gym’s original DMV location that closed 17 years ago. (All images courtesy of Sportrock Climbing Centers)

Sportrock Climbing Centers Gaithersburg, Maryland

Specs: Sportrock Climbing Centers, a DC-Maryland-Virginia (DMV) area climbing gym operator, recently announced a planned expansion into Gaithersburg, Maryland. According to Jeffrey Shor, the Director of Marketing at Sportrock, the founders of Sportrock met while training at one of the original indoor climbing walls in the U.S., affectionately known as Zich’s Garage. Zich’s parents allowed their son Steve to talk them into letting him and his friends cover their detached garage in Chevy Chase with plywood and glue-on rocks to create a low-tech climbing wall for training during the damp D.C.-area winters. Eventually the glue was replaced with t-nuts, the rocks with early climbing holds, and the climbers started establishing first ascents at the New River Gorge and other nearby crags. “The demand outgrew the space,” Sportrock’s website details, leading to the opening of the first Sportrock location in Rockville, Maryland, in 1994. Although expansion wasn’t the operators’ original goal, Sportrock eventually opened additional gyms in the neighboring Virginia suburbs of Alexandria and Sterling, and those facilities have both been expanded multiple times. In 2006, the original Rockville location closed when Sportrock lost the lease. Since the closure, the business has been looking for a suitable Maryland location. With a planned opening of the Gaithersburg location at the end of 2023, the owners see coming back to Maryland “as a full circle moment,” Shor said.
Eldorado Climbing
The 50,000-square-foot Gaithersburg facility will be mixed-discipline, like the Sterling and Alexandria facilities, and will feature 55-foot roped walls and 15,000 square feet of bouldering surface. Built in the Rio Lakefront Shopping Center, the gym will be retrofitted to a former sports hall. A training board, fitness equipment and climbing options will be built over former basketball and racquetball courts, and some of the boulders will be built inside a drained Olympic swimming pool. “It’s such a cool thing to walk into a space knowing it used to be something else and that the climbing has been seamlessly integrated into the space while still referencing what it used to be,” Shor said. “We’re leaving up some of the old pool tiles, and we’ll play on some of the ‘no diving’ signage. These elements that allude to what the place used to be and build upon the story is something we’re really excited about.”
The new bouldering walls within the drained swimming pool
Some of the boulders at the Sportrock gym will be built within a drained Olympic-size swimming pool, with the ability to top out on one of the features.
Moving forward since the COVID-related closures, Shor described Sportrock as committed to opening a new location, and the Rio Lakefront Shopping Center—a mixed-use retail space that has natural foot traffic and ample parking—fit the bill. “Sportrock has an active pipeline for new locations, and we are incredibly focused on solidifying our footprint in the DC-Maryland-Virginia area,” Shor stated. “It’s where we want to stay and build a strong position to set the company up to sustain itself for the long term. And we have an active pipeline for new locations beyond Rio.”
Trango Holds Pardners
Shor said Sportrock’s nearly 30 years of operation has been guided by the company’s four pillars they call its “R.O.C.K”—routesetting, originality, community and knowledge—and a big part of the first pillar has been investing in the gym’s routesetting team. Vice President of Facilities & Routesetting Jeremy Hardin, for example, is a USAC L5 setter with experience setting national and international championship events, and he recently chiefed a 2023 Open Bouldering Nationals event. The gym also just signed Jeremy Ho to their setting team, another renowned L5 routesetter. “All of the decision making in the company comes back to those cornerstones,” Shor summarized. He encouraged gym owners, especially those newer to the industry, to “decide what their values are, move towards those values, and use those values to inform decision making.”
Some of the new roped walls overlooking the lakefront
In addition to the bouldering, the new Sportrock location will have 55-foot roped walls overlooking the Rio lakefront, as well as a variety of fitness and training amenities.
Walls: Walltopia Flooring: Strati CRM Software: RGP Website: www.sportrock.com/rio Instagram: @sportrock In Their Words: “Since I became President in 2005, Sportrock has not deviated from who we are: climbing gyms For Climbers, By Climbers. We stay true to who we are—the local climbing gym focused on great routesetting, authenticity, a community orientation, and a place for climbers to practice, train and develop their skills as rock climbers—and we always will. We’re active members in our communities, we climb at our gyms, and it’s a palpable sense that you get walking through the facilities and being part of the communities.” – Lillian Chao-Quinlan, Executive Chairperson of Sportrock’s Board of Directors

It’s Bold Climbing Q1 Preordering time!

CBJ Press Release Service
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It’s Bold Climbing Q1 Preordering time!

It’s Q1 preorder time!

image of climber in Bern world championships Get all the shapes in your favorite colors. Order by September 27th.

The NEW Bold website is here!

And it’s a lovely one! To place a preorder just order what you want — no need to limit yourself to what’s in stock. You can choose any shape, from any brand, in any color. Make sure to create a wholesale account to get gym discounts. And don’t forget to get that order in by September 27. www.boldclimbing.com What’s this Q1 Preorder thing? Each quarter we bring in big stock shipments from our brands. Place your order before September 27th and it will get a free ride over the Atlantic! You will receive these shapes in Q1 2024 (January – March). Choose ANY of your favorite macros, volumes, colors, and textures. It doesn’t matter what we have in stock. Timelines: 360 produced shapes should arrive to you by December (at the latest March). Blocz produced shapes should arrive to you in January (at the latest March). * If you have a certain deadline contact us for more details. How to order? Order any shape on our website and we will take care of the rest. You will receive these shapes in Q1 2024 (January – March). On the website shopping cart you can choose to have all your shapes/products shipped together or seperately when available. Email info@boldclimbing.com for more info. Deadline September 27th! Order Now
CBJ press releases are written by the sponsor and do not represent the views of the Climbing Business Journal editorial team.

Workers Unionizing at Vertical Endeavors

Climbing Business Journal
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Workers Unionizing at Vertical Endeavors
The workers outside Vertical Endeavors
Workers at Vertical Endeavors climbing gyms in Minnesota as well as Nicros are the latest climbing industry workers to pursue unionization, which has become an evolving trend in the industry. (Photo courtesy of the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 663)
A press release dated August 25 announced that workers at Vertical Endeavors are forming a union. The press release specified that the workers “signed and submitted cards to the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the United Food and Commercial Workers.” The stated areas of focus in the unionization effort are “livable wages, better working conditions, and…a seat at the table to be able to turn these ideas into reality.” Vertical Endeavors, as a brand, spans seven entities—six climbing gyms (five in Minnesota, one in Illinois) and wall and hold manufacturer Nicros. At the time of the press release, Vertical Endeavors had yet to officially recognize the union.
Elevate Climbing Walls
Increased unionization has been a noticeable trend in the climbing and outdoor industries in recent years, and union activity in general has been on the rise nationwide, with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) reporting a substantial uptick in union representation petitions in 2022 and the first half of 2023. In the climbing gym industry, specifically, workers at Movement Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, made headlines last year by forming the first-ever climbing gym union in the United States; since then, workers at several other gyms have followed suit with similar efforts, including workers at VITAL gyms in Manhattan and Brooklyn, New York, who saw their unions certified by the NLRB in November and July. Stay tuned to CBJ for more updates regarding unionization in the climbing industry.

Make Next Year Your Best Ever

Climbing Business Journal
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Make Next Year Your Best Ever
Make Next Year Your Best Ever - Webinar

Annually revisiting planning and budgets for the coming year is an essential step to creating a sustainable business.

Make next year your best year ever by building a plan with your colleagues that will bring clarity and alignment to the team’s work as well as empower everyone’s performance. In this session we will cover how to collectively build an annual roadmap that will keep your organization aligned to what matters most. Ready to learn more? Join us Thursday, September 21st at 11:00am MDT for “Make Next Year Your Best Ever”. This is the latest webinar in our Climbing Gym Management Series with host Gavin Heverly of Rise Above Consulting. CBJ Members: RSVP Here For Free Access** Not a Member? Purchase Access Here for $59
Atomik Climbing Holds

Miss our previous webinars?

No, you didn’t! Recordings of our earlier sessions are accessible 24/7 with a Plus or Premium membership or individual purchases of $59. Here’s what some attendees said: “There were definitely a lot of takeaways, which we are already implementing into our processes.” Andrew Kozak, Vice President, Sportrock “Fantastic webinar! We’re going to share with other staff who couldn’t attend.” Patrick Bodnar, Marketing Manager, The Spot “Really well done and put together nicely!” “Dense with information.” More webinar excerpts here **Live webinars are offered as a FREE member benefit to staff of CBJ member businesses at the Biz level and above. Each staff member must RSVP, although managers can RSVP for multiple staff. The on-demand video recordings are available to staff at Plus or Premium member businesses and individual purchasers. Questions about accessing these recordings? Email us at info@climbingbusinessjournal.com. Not a member yet? No problem, RSVP and be sure to enroll 48hrs before each webinar:

Previous webinars

Build Programs Your Customers Will Love Sales Strategies To Launch Strong And Keep Growing Building Loyalty Through Customer Service Design Hiring and Retaining Your All-Star Team Setting Your Culture Up For Success Launching Your First Climbing Gym

Climb Insider: setter podcasts and innovative products

Climbing Business Journal
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Climb Insider: setter podcasts and innovative products
image of routesetter putting hold on wall

Just a few thoughts

An interesting mix of new stuff this week. Great links for setters – podcasts, a video, a photo contest, new shapes. A deep dive on neuroplasticity. CEC kicks off it’s season. And two very cool Kickstarters that met their goal but it’s not too late to support. See The Freshest Job Posts Here

Community & Culture

Atomik Climbing Holds

Comp Scene

For Routesetters

Training Tips

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