The Gravity Vault - Chatham, NJ — Local services in Chatham

Short version: Best place to climb if you're in the area!

Long Version: I've been climbing here almost since I got my first pair of la sportivas (about 4 months) and I have to say, I love it there. The people, staff and the gym itself are great.

Upon entering the driveway you'll notice that you're starting at a tennis facility. They actually share a building with them, but you don't hear or notice it at all. If you want the best spots closest to the gym entrance, you need to drive straight back. Sometimes that lot gets full, so you can park in the tennis area. You can walk through the tennis gym to gravity vault. Just be mindful of the tennis facility hours when you leave (i.e. they don't have the same hours as gravity vault).

In the lobby you'll find very friendly, helpful, and HAPPY staff (seriously...so cheerful!), a place to try on climbing shoes, should you decide to do so, a large room for parties/events. After you grab all your gear, sign your waiver(s) you're free to climb/learn how to climb.

If you're unsure how to get started that friendly staff member will show you how to climb, what routes are best for you depending on if you're a bouldering or top rope gal/guy and more. They do have drinks, snacks, and climbing essentials like salve (if you need that/run out while you're there). If you're more experienced, you can rent/bring your own gear, get a belay check and you're on your way. If you're curious to what you should start climbing, there are guides on most walls to help you out.

They also have technique and lead climbing classes if you'd like to up your climbing game with very wonderful and knowledgeable instructors.

Price is very reasonable. You can purchase daily, monthly, or 3 month membership passes. Certain days of the week you can get a discount (they have BOGO, Ladies Night-Friday, Student Night etc.) on your daily pass. Rentals, which isn't included in the day pass, is decent as well.

I love this place, and while I dont like sharing my wonderful finds, I had to this time. Chris, Dave, Ryan, Dorian, and everyone else at Gravity Vault Chatham- y'all are the best. See y'all...

Stopped by on Presidents’ Day so there were some children camps going on - to be expected.

Staff managing these camps was not attentive and ignored safe climbing practices. Multiple kids on a single wall at once or kids would start climbing even if there are other climbers already on the wall that could fall on top of them; the staff member “watching” them didn’t do anything to manage this. Obviously, not the kids’ fault for being excited about climbing but staff need to give more instruction so people don’t get hurt.

Additionally, during someone else’s staff belay during my time there, one of the climbers was using my chalk and spilling it on the floor (maybe I’m just “not chill” but it was weird). The staff member supervising the climbers just laughed it off despite knowing it wasn’t their stuff they were rummaging through. Really inconsiderate.

Unfortunate because this is a nice facility - fun walls, cool routes, and clean work out section. But terrible experience due to some staff members - just didn’t seem to care about safety or general experience of climbers.

Would not return despite having an annual...

Staff is friendly, knowledgeable about climbing. Wide range of membership options (day pass, week, month, year..). Rentals are well worth the cost here, though shoes don't run in halves- round down in size for best result. Bouldering here- wide range of difficulties, lots of options for everyone, and multiple different little areas of the floor, too. Huge floor space here. Boulders are pretty tall here which adds a layer of difficulty- contrast nj rock gym's shorter, technique heavy bouldering problems. No bouldering 'cave' here. Place gets crowded sometimes, but it's a nice crowd - climbers here (and elsewhere) give helpful advice, won't be in your space or touch your things, and are willing to share the wall/take turns. Toproping-some walls have option to use a mechanized 'auto belay' that belay certified climbers can use to climb without another person on the ground. Some toprope problems are in corners, some on walls with interesting shapes, some on flat wall. There's also lead climbing here, but I don't know much about that, other than that it's really cool to...