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bev
Dec 29, 2004, 8:28 PM
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I am setting up a kid's gym and want to include a beginner traversing wall and a more advanced wall including real rock-like textures and holds.
Does anyone have any experience with companies who put together walls? I am looking at 2 now - Extreme Engineering in California and Entreprise in Seattle, WA. I live in Las Vegas, NV.
Fiberglass formed systems seem to be $20/sf cheaper, but will they last without a lot of maintenance?
Thanks.
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he-man
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Dec 29, 2004, 8:40 PM
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You should check out NICROS. They are out of St Paul, MN. They have a really cool "real" rock system. Thier holds are great too.
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coldclimb
Dec 29, 2004, 10:38 PM
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coldclimb moved this thread from General to Indoor Gyms.
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dynosontrad
Dec 29, 2004, 11:26 PM
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check out climb it holds
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climbhoser
Dec 29, 2004, 11:45 PM
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Eldo Walls
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neuroshock
Dec 29, 2004, 11:57 PM
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In reply to: I am setting up a kid's gym and want to include a beginner traversing wall and a more advanced wall including real rock-like textures and holds. Does anyone have any experience with companies who put together walls? I am looking at 2 now - Extreme Engineering in California and Entreprise in Seattle, WA. I live in Las Vegas, NV. Fiberglass formed systems seem to be $20/sf cheaper, but will they last without a lot of maintenance? Thanks.
when you say "kid's gym" do you mean kids as in K-6 or K-12? what purpose does the gym hold? Fiberglass systems are $20/sf cheaper than what alternative? what do you consider to be "a lot of maintenance"? how large of a facility are you aiming for?
some of my thoughts, without the above information factored in:
the appearance of heavily featured rock, like the EP Custom Rock and Nicros A.R.T. wall, are eye catching. if the idea is to get kids into the activity, sure. if you're aiming to train kids improve, to go to World's, etc you should, IMO, rethink the texture. if they're too textured, once they get 'strong enough' and suss out all the features it'll be difficult (except to good & skilled routesetters) to present a challenge without stating something ridiculous like "features are OFF route."
features too small for use as handholds are good for working on footwork, but even that much limits options. here in chicago there is a gym with featured panels. as a routesetter, it's nearly impossible to force any move, there are almost always enough features to find alternate foot beta and, thusly, body positioning. and that's a good thing, except when you're trying to expose people to new engrams.
the spacing of holds can get annoying too, as it's hard to create a difficult move without having to use reach as a primary factor, which i hate doing. (when you're limited on bolt holes, you need to put up good holds for the beginners, which limits options for the more advanced...unless you're going to designate a whole wall exclusively for the advanced.)
-mike
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pianomahnn
Dec 30, 2004, 2:22 AM
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In reply to: the appearance of heavily featured rock, like the EP Custom Rock and Nicros A.R.T. wall, are eye catching. if the idea is to get kids into the activity, sure. if you're aiming to train kids improve, to go to World's, etc you should, IMO, rethink the texture. if they're too textured, once they get 'strong enough' and suss out all the features it'll be difficult (except to good & skilled routesetters) to present a challenge without stating something ridiculous like "features are OFF route." features too small for use as handholds are good for working on footwork, but even that much limits options. here in chicago there is a gym with featured panels. as a routesetter, it's nearly impossible to force any move, there are almost always enough features to find alternate foot beta and, thusly, body positioning. and that's a good thing, except when you're trying to expose people to new engrams. the spacing of holds can get annoying too, as it's hard to create a difficult move without having to use reach as a primary factor, which i hate doing. (when you're limited on bolt holes, you need to put up good holds for the beginners, which limits options for the more advanced...unless you're going to designate a whole wall exclusively for the advanced.) -mike
He he he. You beat me to it!!
Reiterating a few points mentioned above...
I'm an experienced gym rat and will tell you that "rock like" paneling is not worth the money or space. While they certainly look appealing, and may in fact draw attention, their functionality tends to cease after those benefits. They are very limited in providing a multitude of possible routes. Also, because the features are permenant, they will recieve a lot of traffic and tend to become very worn down and glassy.
I feel you'll benefit from utilizing regular flat paneled systems with a diverse selection of holds. This way you can regularly change the routes and keep the climbers excited.
Finally, not a day goes by when climbing at my home gym where I don't wish they had just done flat panels instead of that damned rock wall. As a climber and a routesetter, it's just so annoying.
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