Bloclab — Local services in Providencia

This bouldering gym is small but mighty – or perhaps "small but relentlessly overhanging" is more accurate. If you're looking for gentle slabs and easy climbs, you've come to the wrong place. This gym is basically a training ground for aspiring ninjas, specializing in routes that will test your grip strength, your core stability, and your tolerance for being upside down. The gym itself is cozy, comfortably accommodating about 10-15 boulderers at a time. Any more than that, and you might start bumping into each other mid-dyno. Thankfully, they have a concept board (hallelujah!), which is crucial in any bouldering gym.

The changing rooms are sufficient and include showers (a post-climb necessity after battling all those overhangs). There are no lockers, though, so you'll have to bring your belongings into the climbing area. Just try not to leave your water bottle under a climber attempting a particularly dramatic move. The routes are generally on the harder side, with almost everything being an overhang. There's one lone vertical wall, probably for people who accidentally wandered in looking for a relaxing stroll. The rest is a relentless assault on your forearms. But here's the thing: some of the routes are genuinely brilliant, forcing you to engage muscles you didn't even know you had and offering excellent practice for various bouldering techniques. It's like a painful but rewarding workout for your entire body.

They've recently expanded, and the new area is clean and spacious. Plenty of fans keep the air circulating, which is much appreciated when you're hanging upside down and sweating profusely. The staff is super friendly and genuinely cares about everyone having a good time (even while struggling on those overhangs).

And the best part? They have a cafe with gooood coffee. Because after battling gravity for an hour, you deserve a proper caffeine reward. They also have a store selling climbing gear and a rental service for climbing shoes.

Verdict: This bouldering gym is perfect for experienced climbers looking for a challenge. Beginners might find it a bit intimidating, but the friendly staff and the excellent coffee make it worth a visit. Just be prepared for a lot of overhangs. Four out of five chalk bags (one less for the lack of variety in wall angles).

Update: two months later - new routes: harder, better,...

Cool modern facility with nice routesetting, but not an enjoyable experience. To start, I wasn’t allowed to use the hangboards to warm up because the pads on the floor were being moved around and cleaned. Once I started climbing, I was continually forced to move between sections of the wall so that they could clean the same section of the pads that they had already cleaned 10 minutes prior. It’s incredibly frustrating being asked to move every 5-10 minutes, while in the middle of projecting a climb - how can you expect your customers to improve if they can’t spend more than 10 minutes projecting a climb before being forced to move?? Probably the worst experience I’ve had at a climbing gym and I’ve climbed in gyms all...

Me encanta bloclab porque se nota que hay detrás gran dedicación en todo.

Buenas presas, buenos boulder, ordenado, casi siempre limpio (a los baños les falta un retoque de vez en cuando)

PERO, fui hace poco y la chica de la recepción era muy poco amable, pichibags(?.

Tuvo siempre una actitud a la defensiva media rara (por nada). Me pidió que la espere para atenderme y después llegó un tipo y lo atendió primero.

Entre a escalar y luego fui a comprar algo fuera del gym (avise al chico del gimnasio trasero) y cuando quise volver a entrar me pidió mi voucher (el cual nunca me dió) de una forma muy poco amable e innecesariamente desagradable (como si yo me hubiera estado haciendo la loca con pagar).Literal le había pagado hace poco y ella misma me pidió disculpas por no darme voucher :s En fin, algunos son super amables (los hombres sobre todo, y una chica joven que trabaja en el de atrás, casi siempre en las tardes) pero esta chica siempre tiene una actitud media desagradable. Por otro lado, menos mal que al parecer despidieron a una chica que había antes (gianina creo(? ) oh!!! Sin exagerar, en mi VIDA habían sido tan poco amables conmigo (muchas veces fui y estaba ella, demasiado desagradable).

Los dueños siempre un 7.0 amables, cordiales, el dueño muy buena onda y la chica también, creo que tienen un muy buen lugar pero deberían ser mas atentos con las personas a las que contratan y buscar gente más humana y agradable (está llenoo).

No dejaré de ir porque me encanta, pero sentí necesario contar esta mala...