The Edge Rock Gym - Rock Climbing and Fitness — Local services in Goulds

A Necessary Check-Up for The Edge Rock Gym Miami

Have you ever had to take a pet to the vet to get them vaccinated? All pet owners eventually do because they love their pets. I’m using this analogy for this review: the words may sting, but this feedback is meant for good. This comes from someone who, for a year and a half, saw The Edge a second home, making the long trek across Miami just to climb out out of a deep-seeded love for The Edge. But, The Edge I knew and loved so much for so long seems to be fading away and is being replaced by something far less compelling, and frankly, concerning. My observations are long-standing, but are especially prevalent between this past November and now. There are more grieveances, but for brevity, here are my top issues:

The heart of any climbing gym is its community, and The Edge had an abundance of welcoming, vibrant, and irresistably good energy. That has noticeably chilled. This isn't a reflection on the climbers themselves, nor on the character of the staff themselves. Losing dedicated, long-standing faces like Josh, Sofia, Camila, Felipe, among others, has left a serious void and a noticeably low morale in the existing staff before the massive turnover. The newer staff, while perhaps trying, haven't replicated that familiar connection, contributing to a palpable dissonance and a colder, less inviting atmosphere. While on this topic, safety seems to be a shell of its former self. I observe fewer proactive safety walks by staff, more inattentiveness, and instances of unsafe or unacceptable climber behavior going unnoticed or unaddressed, which is, put lightly, concerning lapses for what aims to be a "serious training facility." This perception of reduced oversight extends to facility maintenance, which also feels neglected.

Conducting regular inspections and adjustments to the facility itself should be a priority; here, however, the signs of wear are not only visible but detrimental. One example is the persistent issue of 'spinners', - loose holds. Encountering them mid-route, multiple times on different visits, after they've been reported, signals a concerning lapse in diligence. Some of this is related to the facility itself. Yes, I understand - The Edge is a “vintage” gym, dating back to the 1990s. However, one can refute this with facilities like Phoenix Rock Gym in AZ, which predates The Edge; while older, they don’t suffer the same issues, demonstrating that longevity and meticulous upkeep can coexist. One cannot excuse age though, as the relatively new Sky Boulder section upstairs is not exempt either, being plagued with spinners since its debut and unnerving bowing under load is also present within the cave section. I haven’t wanted to climb it due to this observation. Perhaps most worryingly, the landing zones are in serious disrepair. Mats in bouldering areas, and specifically around the Kilter board, are riddled with uneven surfaces and dangerous pockets between pads – I've personally witnessed several climbers' legs sinking into these gaps, which an unambiguous hazard inviting serious injury.

These factors are just a couple reasons why I, after dedicated patronage, cannot justify returning, because it’s not just the time spent driving across town; it's the investment members pour into this gym. We have put well over $1,000 each year, only to watch the facility visibly deteriorate with seemingly little being done, leaving us asking, "where is that investment going?" when other facilities in town offer demonstrably superior and better-maintained experiences for only slightly more per month. It forces incredibly difficult decisions about loyalty versus value and safety, which safety will always be my top priority. The Edge I drove across town for, the one I loved, feels unwell. And like that pet resisting the vet, it needs this difficult feedback.

To Tona, Marc, and Tim: please, I beg you, take notice. The Edge is hurting, and I don't want it to. But as it stands, it's simply not the same gym anymore, and continuing my membership...

The Edge Rock Gym (TERG) is my very favorite gym in South Florida. I’ve been a member here for the last two years, and would not have taken on climbing at all if not for their autobelays, which allowed me to start climbing as a beginner before I’d built community. I’m so grateful for the impact that this beautiful sport has had on my life, and that impact wouldn’t be without TERG. 🖤

Though other gyms in the area boast taller walls, TERG has the most creative route-setting I’ve encountered anywhere. It’s also the only gym I’ve seen — even while traveling to gyms in other states — that offers cave climbing and lead routes along the facility’s ceiling. These features have helped me seriously level-up in my climbing. I recently went on my first real outdoor climbing excursion, and I felt like climbing at TERG prepared me beautifully for the challenge of climbing outdoors. The movements & feeling of climbing here translated beautifully to real rock, and I was impressed with what I was able to do.

The gear shop offers the most extensive collection of gear — and climbing shoes in particular — I’ve encountered anywhere in South Florida, even at sporting goods stores like Dick’s & REI. As a member, I get a handful of free guest passes for first-time visitors every month, which has allowed me to share this beautiful sport with my mom, my godchildren, and friends looking to give it a try. Because of these guest passes, I even got my partner into the hobby, and now we get to bond over climbing!

The staff — Amar, Havana, and others at the front desk — are always friendly and supportive. Management puts a lot of effort into novel programming: every so often there’s a karaoke night, gaming night, climb in the dark, costume climb for Halloween, etc. etc. I also love our social media account, and have never seen one like it from a small business. It features member spotlights and fun and educational skits that members are invited to participate in. The deep care and investment on the staff’s behalf is obvious.

Finally, a sad story with a happy ending: in 2024, I broke my ankle while bouldering here. I cannot speak highly enough about the support I received from TERG when this injury happened. Immediately, everybody locked in and got me the care I needed. Tim froze my membership without my having to ask, so that I could focus on healing without worrying about being charged for a membership I obviously wouldn’t be using until I could heal. In the days following my fall, Tim and Marc both checked in on me and my mom to see how we were doing. Many of their staff sent me DMs & texts wishing me well. I’ve since returned to climbing, and I attribute my speedy recovery in part to the love & good vibes I got from TERG. 🖤

In the last few years, Miami has seen a lot of new gyms open up. I am so grateful for the abundance of options, especially in South Florida, where we don’t really have access to outdoor climbing. But TERG will always be my scrappy home gym & I intend to be a member for as long as Miami is...

FACILITIES: The physical establishment is not as good as others I've been to before (I'm a big fan of Climb Nashville). There is no AC (only fans) so it gets miserable quick. The water came out luke warm to warm from the water fountain, so make sure you bring a cold drink. The carpet/padding seems like it was recently replaced on one part and in bad need of replacement in another part. The workout room (upstairs) is large but has a limited variety of cardio machines that all look REALLY old (and are full of chalk). I wouldn't know about weights because I don't lift and failed to pay attention. There are also lockers upstairs but despite the fact that they're functional look like they're in shambles. CLIMBING: The climbing itself is pretty good. There are no autobelays and you need to double-eight knot to tie your harness onto the ropes (i.e. no carabiner to clip onto your harness). I didn't do any top rope (just bouldering), but it seems like there's a good variety of high-skill and low-skill routes. The bouldering is pretty cool. There are a couple of vertical areas, some slopes, and a couple of overhangs. There's actually a really cool overhang area that's like a little cave in the middle of the top rope area. It's neat and there are some good routes there. The lead climbing there looks good, too. Both sides of the main lead wall slope into an overhang at the very top (like an inverse U). PRO-SHOP- tiny, tiny, tiny. This was my main reason for coming in today and I was very underwhelmed. There are maybe 10 styles of shoes available in 3 brands (evolv, La Sportiva, and Butora) and only a few sizes. I didn't see much of other gear since I was there just for shoes, but I took a picture (see attached); that back wall is right about the entire extent of the gear they have. OVERALL- I give it 3/5. Yes, the climbing is good, but the entire experience is affected by the lack of AC and the...