Vertical Rock Climbing & Fitness Center — Local services in Manassas

Do NOT climbing here. This is a money focused gym and they are just going to give you plenty or reasons to pay them. You're better off having anyone else teach you how to climb, and doing it outdoors.

My first time in I was just asking question about the gym. They had your typical uppity sport climbing gym attitude. Automatically assumed I had no clue how to climb, and completely shrugged off when I told them that I've been climbing for over a decade.

I decided to give them a second chance because this endless winter has made it hard to climb outdoors. I took my girlfriend and climbing partner of two years with me. Their form stated we would have to take a belay test before we could climb but the guy checking us in made no mention of it so we shrugged and started setting up to climb, since we checked on our form we have climbed before.

We decided to do a 5.5 to warm up. My girlfriend clip in and I shot up the wall. Just as I topped out I call out for her to anchor me, so I could let go and she could lower me down. When I didn't get a reply I saw two people talking to her. I called out a second time and could tell she was nervous as she started lowering me down. I kept looking and this guy kept talking to her breaking he concentration and garbing to rope. It wasn't till I got down I realize this was the same kid that checked us in.

He asked if we took the belay test and I told him no. I ask why, and he told me my girlfriend, who has been belaying me on outdoor climbs for two years wasn't belaying properly. Then he told us to meet him for a belay test. Before we went over I wanted her to show me what she was doing. This is when the kid comes back over and yells at me "We don't allow teaching in our gym." I told him I wasn't teaching, I was trying to find out what she was doing because I personally taught her how to belay. He showed me something that I know for a fact was not how she was belaying for me. I showed him how I belayed and how I taught her to belay. Mind you this is the same way I was taught by the military to belay. This kid then proceed to tell me "Yeah its safe, but you have to do it this way here" and showed me the way they do it. When I told him that he was asking me to break 10 years worth of training to climb there his only response was "Well unfortunately you can climb here today then, but you can sigh up for one of our classes." I told him no and I need a refund.

The girl at the counter had the same uppity attitude, pulled the same thing when I asked for my refund "You can sign up for one of our classes." I politely said no, and that I would just go climb outside.

This place is 100% a money pit. They charge you $22 for a day pass, then treat you like you don't know what you are doing. They staff sits around doing nothing. One guy wouldn't even say a word to me, even as we were checking. They want you to climb THEIR way, and no matter how much experience you have, they wont let you climb. Just so they can charge you to they THEIR classes so they can teach you THEIR way.

From what I can tell the staff doesn't seem like they know a whole lot about climbing, or they themselves has just started climbing in a gym. It was bad enough how they treated me but they also put my life at risk. You should NEVER interrupt, distract, or interfere with a belayer when they supporting a climbing. Even IF you thing they are doing something wrong.

Do NOT go here. Find a friend, or look for someone to teach you our doors like REI. Great Falls National Park always has people wiling to teach, but whatever you do, do NOT climb as this gym. They just want to take your money, they're are going to give you the wrong idea of what rock climbing is, and give the "technique" the kid told me I had to do to climb, any lesson they give is likely going to put your...

Really like the place, really love the people. Been a member there for nearly 6 months, and we have never - and I mean never, had a bad experience. Felt like I needed to write a review after reading a very poor review, but actually happy to see that the type of attitude displayed in the review feels more at-home in another gym. Let me tell you a little about what you will find at this gym... From novice, to intermediate to master level, the climbers here are all friendly, encouraging and positive. If you want to climb and just climb after work, being more to yourself - you can. If you want to climb, and be part of a community - everyone is accepted. The point? There is no pressure from anyone to be someone you are not... Where the owners, management and staff probably understand personal attacks, I know those of us who enjoy their mentorship, as well as the constant changing of routes is appreciated. If you have a child wanting to learn, I have talked to other parents there who swear by the work that they have done with their kids in camps. If you use the facility as a part of a weekly balance to other activities like we do, the change of pace, to the incredibly knowledgable staff have helped us with muscle group exercises to those paths that will challenge the grey matter most for critical thinking. Ultimately, you get in life what you put into it, and if you try this place - wether you climb or not, you will not be...

If I were evaluating the gym exclusively on the community, I'd give it a 5. If I were evaluating the gym exclusively on the quality of the gym itself (routes, maintenance, workout area, amenities), I'd give it a 3. If I were evaluating it based on price and business model, a 1.

I'm giving it a 2 because the people make the gym; the gym doesn't make the people. The physical gym itself is 'fine': the routes are decent, the weight area is small, the covid policies were excessively minimal, the size is middling, there's no water bottle filter, the staff is great.

What I have issue with is the delay of maintenance and use of a contract. Triangle, Sport Rock, Movement, Latitude... every climbing gym I've been to has a non-contract price approximately equal to the 12 month contract-price of VR (+/- $10). Instead Vertical Rock tacks on a 30% increase for a "flex" version as of writing this, creating a problem and providing the solution like standard chain weight gyms. I'm inclined to believe they aren't hurting for cash since they're expanding to Fairfax, and in the era of Covid, I found the use of a contract anti-consumer. I hope they change their policies.

Check the price/contract of the DC metro area climbing gyms before going and see how much going regularly and distance...