Boulderdash Indoor Rock Climbing — Attraction in Thousand Oaks

I would not recommend visiting this climbing gym on the basis of terrible customer service.

My family was visiting and we had 4 kids with us. We wanted to keep them busy and show them a good time and discovered this place online. Upon entrance, we were greeted by a gentleman that was cold and unfriendly. We got a weird vibe from him that should have tipped us off of what was to come but we brushed it off in good spirits.

Everyone was requested to fill out a basic liability waiver, was handed a harness, and then he explained that the belayers must complete an “exam”. Everything felt perfectly fair and reasonable thus far.

Mind you, we are not professionals. We are a simply a family trying let our kids have a good time, within safety limits. The belayers had belayed plenty of times before — it really doesn’t take a genius to do it — but it’s been a while so we struggled to remember how to tie the knot properly. We asked the gentleman if he could kindly show us. He said no and we need to do it on our own. So we went to watch a YouTube tutorial video as a refresher on knot tying. The guy chimed in saying that he can’t have us watching a video, we need to do it on our own. At this point we explained to him that we feel perfectly comfortable belaying the kids and would never want to cause them any harm. We just need a little assistance with the knot. He was headstrong and unwilling to budge with a rude and strict attitude. It was unpleasant and unreasonable.

According to him, the reason he couldn’t correct our knot was due to liability reasons. However, we just signed a liability waiver upon entering that releases them in case of an accident. This isn’t a matter of liability, this is a matter of stubbornness and small mindedness. This guy was in a bad mood and set in his ways. We could have just as easily sat in the parking lot and googled how to tie the knot before entering had we known he was going to be such a pain.

We ended up promptly leaving with no apologies from the guy for the uncomfortable situation. The kids were so upset. Not only did they miss out on our business, but will also lose out on many more customers down the road with this attitude. What a shame!

On our way out we saw a poster that they charge $50 for a belaying class. Now I see why he was...

Update: recently got a membership when they changed their pricing structure, increased daily rates, and reduced savings from 10-day passes. This is a plus among many minuses.

My main qualm is SAFETY: On my most recent visit, there were a bunch of teenagers in a big group. I don’t really have a problem with this, but I do have a problem with a crowd of people around a wall when I’m on the wall. I don’t want to get hurt or hurt somebody else if I fell off the wall.

Another thing during this same session was this pair of adult men trying to learn how to do a backflip for the entirety of my session, about an HOUR. They were taking up a lot of space on the pads, not checking behind them for people before flipping, and nearly kicking me and my friends in the face several times. There was a guy egging the other guy on to keep trying and then doing a whole double back hand spring across the entire length of the bouldering mats. I don’t go to a parkour gym or a gymnastics gym. I go to a climbing gym where people climb. I’m not trying to get body slammed by some reckless, childish actions.

Later, one of the teenagers was inspired to also do backflips and then they just kept on going.

Staff members saw this going on and did absolutely nothing. NOTE TO BOULDERDASH: I WILL CANCEL MY MEMBERSHIP IF THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR IS SEEN ANYTIME IN THE NEXT MONTH. I think it is ridiculously irresponsible of the staff to allow crowding around the wall with no spotters, reckless climbing, and unchecked gymnastics routines. I get they sign the liability waiver, but it really seemed like they were going to break a wrist or land on their neck...

Mediocre gym with some pretty soft setting. Boulder area is very small with pads you have to move around under you. Staff says someone breaks their ankle every week in there. Maybe change something (add some pads?) if that’s the case? Just a thought. There is a pull up bar and gymnastics rings that span over a walkway between two bouldering walls, so you constantly have to walk around due to people using the bar. Top rope walls are very short with uninspired setting. Also odd belay testing rules unlike ones I’ve seen before. Can’t test with a grigri, have to do the test as soon as you get there, no practicing beforehand, etc. Forcing inexperienced belayers to use a tubular style device is just asking for trouble. I understand forcing people to learn proper belay techniques by not having the crutch of an assisted belay device, but it’s a commercial climbing gym not an AMGA class. Watched someone almost deck due to a belayer on a day pass not pulling his break hand to his hip when the climber fell. Climber took a lead fall on top rope...