What do I need for my first bouldering session?
Socks, and clothes you can move in. That is genuinely the whole list. Climbing shoes and chalk are here to hire, so there is no gear to buy before you find out whether you like it. Fill in the waiver online before you arrive and you will skip the queue at the desk. Everything else - the induction, the walls, the staff showing you how to fall - happens here.
What should I wear bouldering?
Anything you would wear to the gym, as long as you can lift a knee to your chest in it. Shorts or leggings and a t-shirt is what most people climb in. Avoid anything so loose it catches on a foothold, and take rings off before you start.
- Bring a towel if you want to use the training area or shower afterwards.
- There is an accessible toilet and shower on site.
Do I need my own climbing shoes?
No. Climbing shoes are here to hire in adult and kids sizes, and almost everyone hires for their first few visits. Bring socks - they are worn with hire shoes. Buying your own is something to think about once you know you are coming back, not before.
- Chalk is also available to hire if you want it, though you do not need it on day one.
- Hire prices are on thehold.studio/pricing.
Do I need to sign anything?
Yes, a waiver, and it takes two minutes online at thehold.studio/waivers-code-of-conduct. Doing it before you arrive means you walk straight in. Anyone under 18 needs a parent or guardian to sign theirs.
- First-timers also sign an induction form in the gym after the safety run-through. That is separate from the online waiver and cannot be done in advance.
- Supervising adults who are not climbing do not pay entry, but a guardian still signs for any under-18 they bring.
Do I need to book?
Not as an individual, a couple or a small group - walk in any time we are open. Groups of 10 or more do need to book ahead, by email to the gym. There is no beginner session to wait for and no minimum number of people.
- Open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9am to 9pm.
- Email hello@thehold.studio for a group of 10 or more.
How fit do I need to be?
Fit enough to climb a ladder. Bouldering builds the strength it needs as you do it, and the easiest problems are set for people with no climbing background at all. You will use your legs far more than your arms once somebody shows you how.
- Expect your forearms to be tired before anything else is.
- Our walls are 3 to 4 metres high over deep padded flooring, so there is no height endurance involved - you are never far off the mat.
What actually happens when I arrive?
You check in at the desk, hire shoes if you need them, and a staff member runs you through the safety induction - how to fall, where not to stand, and how the colour grades work. Then you climb. The induction is included and takes a few minutes.
- There are 2 auto-belays if you want to try something taller, free with entry.
- The cafe seating area is open to everyone, climbing or not.
First visit? Walk straight in.
No booking needed for you and a few mates. Fill in your waiver online, wear something comfortable, bring socks if you are hiring shoes. We will take it from there.