Bouldering Project - Fremont

Great bouldering spot with a good mix of routes. I went while visiting Seattle, and the staff were super friendly and gave me a helpful intro to the gym. The routesetting stood out to me. Some of the problems were creative and fun to figure out. The gym downstairs is a great addition. It was fairly busy, but everyone was considerate and gave you space for your attempts. It didn’t feel much more crowded than a typical gym back home in the Netherlands.

I’ve been coming to SBP since 2016 and have started to notice a shift in its culture. The staff that now work at this SBP treat people like they’re coming in to climb for free and harass members whether they’ve been checked in and demanding names. It’s starting to feel Gestapo-ish and counter to what SBP was like when it was originally founded. Prices have also gone up, but the sheer number of people who come climb at SBP daily is making it seem like a cash grab since it’s constantly overcrowded. I’m all for welcoming folks into to sport but the prices just don’t match the service being provided for this location.

Great gym. Love the sets here. All the routes are always so fun and challenging. The range setting really encourages me to try routes I wouldn’t think to. No one at the front desk is very friendly here but it’s a great gym none the less. I’ve taken several classes and the instructors were all very helpful. Milo and some guy named Alex or maybe Derek I don’t remember. Very informative.

I love this place…but over $100 a month is not justified when they have this many members. You have to wait to use any space in the gym or a wall from 4pm on every day. Nearby gyms cost less and are more spacious. Quite literally the weights run out and you have to step over people to get to the other side of the gym. SBP, I highly recommend you better use your space. You have a lot of unused space throughout the gym. For example, the basement stairs area. People rarely use the light board. The kids area is not often used and it is nearly as large as the entire weights area. I think if you better layout your space you can better accommodate your members and make your gym even more awesome!

Seattle Bouldering Project - Fremont is the latest addition to Seattle's climbing scene and part of the Bouldering Project family of climbing gyms including two other locations in Seattle - Poplar and Upper Walls right down the street. It is a bouldering only facility so no rope climbing. While smaller than their Poplar location it still offers a full list of amenities including lots of climbing walls, a weight room, yoga studio, hangboard area, and two system walls - Tension and Grasshopper with LED lights. I really enjoyed the layout of the gym and think it's well thought out. They have a main floor with an upstairs observation area that overlooks the main climbing room where the locker rooms are also located and a downstairs with a weight room, system walls, a kids area, yoga studio, and a smaller climbing area. Parking looks like it can be limited during peak hours but that's the only downside I can see. Overall great gym and worth a visit for both new climbers and veterans alike.

The route variety here is great, and the designs are memorable. My friends and I found plenty of enjoyable challenges when we visited here, to a point where we ended up staying for over 2 and a half hours. The workout gym is the best I've seen at a bouldering studio, too. My only complaints are that there isn't good parking nearby and the lockers are physical key based and not a rigidly secure system (the Poplar location does it better).

For the person working the front desk who's name I do not remember, thank you so much. The staff here are incredible and gave me so much help and support while I was in town on a longer stay than expected. They answered all my questions, made me feel welcomed, and provided me a lifeline that changed the world for me when I was here. Thank you so much!

Great fun, many runs of all difficulty, can be busy during week after 5pm obviously. Good gym too. Friendly service from all met

This location is smaller and has less amenities than the original Poplar location. It's still wonderful and perks is it's in the central Fremont area where there are tons of places to work to before and after your bouldering session / workout! There is no giant parking lot like their is at the Poplar location. I'd say the punch packs and memberships are on the expensive side but it works at all the locations (there is a new one in U District I haven't been too!). I usually get the 10-punch pass for almost $300 after tax.

This was my first time climbing and my friends and I had an awesome experience at this location. I visited during Seattle workout week and booked my reservation through Gymki app. The check in process took few minutes but rentals were included in the pass. The staff gave quick and helpful briefing. And despite Sunday, it didn't feel so packed and overwhelming. For the beginners and first timers it was a great studio to try. I climbed for ~2 hours and never got bored. It has large bouldering area and multiple walls. The routes were creative and kept me intrigued. The falls are safe on their cushion mat. This place also has a full fledged gym but I didn't try that side. Overall great vibe and great way to get full body workout channeling your core, upper body, overall flexibility and mobility! I'd def come back

Parking is generally challenging. Street parking or a paid parking garage. Good variety of routes. Smaller gym area than the poplar location. Price of membership and daily admission is steep compared to other gyms in the area. Not too many sales or discounts to make accessibility easier.

Great fun, many runs of all difficulty, can be busy during week after 5pm obviously. Good gym too. Friendly service from almost all met

This is my happy place. Four separate rooms of bouldering walls with a good mix of levels. Two kids areas, a boring gym section, a yoga studio, even a restaurant/bar. SBP has it all. I like to come on weekdays around mid morning. There are usually few people at that time. Weekend mornings are good also provided you get there as early as you can, usually before 8:30. The staff are friendly and helpful. The whole vibe is inclusive with signs saying locker rooms are open to anyone who identifies as female for the women's lockers, as an example. I've seen advertisements for queer climbing nights. Bouldering as a sport is pretty cool as it is accessible to a wider range of body types than most others. Unlike pretty much everything else I can think of, a young, tall man doesn't necessarily have an advantage over a small woman. I've seen people who look fit and lean struggle on fairly easy routes, while fat people top challenging problems. It is you against the wall, not against anyone else. Personally I have found that as I get a little better it has become so much more fun. I am reminded of being a kid with that unbridled excitement of going to the park to play on the jungle gym.

I've had some bouldering passes (from an auction) in my possession since precovid waiting to be used. I used the last batch at the Sodo location, but was happy to find there was a new Fremont location for me to explore. Reservations were easy to make online, and the waiver can be filled out this way as well. I like the occupancy counter on the website which allows you to figure out if it's a good time to do drop in during non peak hours. It seems to allow for 80 visitors at a time which did feel a tad crowded to me. We opted for the main floor climbing, having never been to this location before we weren't sure what to pick, but this has the most space and climbing options. The downstairs appears to be largely a fitness area, but do take a peak when you come in. I couldn't figure out if this location has an actual parking area, but there is 2 hour street parking out front. There's also a bike rack. They have a fancy thermometer for you to get checked hands free as part of your check in, you also sign an attestation about lack of covid symptoms and exposures. A day pass is 18$ and 4$ for rental shoes. During covid the time slot allotted was an hour and a half with my day pass, but truthfully that was the right amount of time for me. There's a locker area upstairs, do bring a lock if you are concerned about this, but they were nice enough to let us use a loaner one. There's changing rooms and showers (currently closed for covid). Luckily water fountains are allowed but only with your own bottle. Everyone we interacted with was very nice and helpful. Bouldering is hard and challenging for me. I wish that there were more easy areas here for beginners like me, but I assume most people prefer the harder stuff. I enjoy the over hang area, and the slanted walls present even more of a challenge. This is hard work and I was exhausted when I left. I was really wishing this place had a hot tub and sauna. It's great exercise and a good way to spend a rainy day. It's really not my favorite climbing with a mask on though.

Long time Climber in Seattle. I've been climbing with SBP for years and they are still my favorite company and gym! Compared to the Poplar gym I'd say Fremont is a great satellite although not better than their first one in South Seattle. The Good -The climbs are super smooth. its not over the top difficult crux moves nor does it require super human strength to beat them. They challenge your balance, creativity, and fear. And the difficulties range so don't let the colors scare you -Its popular, there's always possibility to meet new friends, learn from watching, or just be a part of a community -There's a full gym and separate climbing area a downstairs that (currently) has a great section for traverse climbing. Which is a great way to burn out and build endurance! -It's in Fremont and right by a lot of restaurants, breweries, etc. Unlike its other location you can definitely walk to enjoy a post work-out snack. The Bad -The parking is much less here, there's a small lot that has some unmarked spots and then the rest is dog eat dog street parking. Also like their other location its best not to leave any valuables in the car. -They have lockers but not the fancy self locking ones. Its a bring your own lock situation, or you can always settle for a cubby that is tucked away under seats and *probably* wont get stolen. -The location is smaller than the home base and given how popular it is and how close it is to residential Fremont it can get pretty crowded Overall a great place to climb! If you have the leisure of a car though I still recommend the Poplar location

Great new gym! I was really happy to heard that SBP was building a new spot in Fremont and made a reservation for opening day to get first dibs! I had a reservation for the main floor, which was pretty spacious. Lockers were on the second floor and there was more climbing the floor below (not to mention the Upper Walls) so there's plenty to keep you occupied. The main floor has a diverse set of walls/routes. You'll find overhanging, slab, and cave problems of all difficulties. One of the freestanding walls is shaped like a triangle and provides a good arete. I didn't see a guide for difficulty as they have in the Poplar location but problems seem to follow the same colors, with yellow/red/green being on the easy end. Everything was so gritty, which was a blessing for my pathetic, soft, hands, and there was practically no chalk dust to be seen (thanks covid). What else can you say for a new spot? The walls don't even have open drill holes at this point since it's literally the first set of problems up. Covid Procedure: Reservation slots are 90 min for climbing. Walking in, you check in with the scanner, take your forehead temp, and sign in on a clipboard they have. Since it was my first time in a while, I went to the front desk to get a new card and they were thorough in explaining the gym layout and the new procedures. I was really glad to have been able to get a workout in though just personally, the amount of people was higher than I expected to see right now (the pic seems empty I know) However, everybody was wearing a mask and maintaining distance. Can't wait to come back!

Such a cool idea! But this place is doing bare minimal for business. It's dirty, smelly, warm. People using street shoes . Mats dirty, tables dirty, smells like a locker room, is there no air conditioning here? I think this place could be amazing! But I leave feeling dirty and like I need to wash my hands/shower/sanitize immediately. Staff not too friendly or excited to share the love of climbing either. Things have been broken there for a while -elevator, hand railing on stairs. Great idea, just not kept up or maintained. Kids area is dirty too and people are using street shoes.

There is no topping SBP Poplar, but I am really glad to have a closer option with SBP Fremont. It is much smaller than the Poplar location, but it has (almost) everything that the original location does: pretty comprehensive strength training/ traditional gym, a yoga studio, and lots of bouldering walls. There is great variety in routes in terms of difficulty and type though there aren't any where you climb to the top and over (not sure what that is called). The routes themselves are quite fun, and compared to other bouldering gyms I have been to, are more challenging despite being "comparable levels". I also feel like they're quite aggressive in resetting the walls. Perhaps that just means I need to go more often, but yeah, despite the gym being smaller, I never get bored of the routes. Also if I do, there's always the Upper Walls just a block away with even more routes. (One swipe is a day pass to all the locations, so you can go to Upper Walls and count it as "one trip"). I have only taken one yoga class, but they've been expanding their class offerings a lot. They hire very top-notch instructors though their styles vary a lot. They are more "fitness" geared and climbing focused, but that is expected from a climbing gym yoga class. My only note is that it is very noticeable when the gym is busy since it is so much smaller than Poplar. The time that looks the most insane to me is weekdays after 5 PM. Interesting enough, the gym itself is alright, and I've been able to workout there without a hitch. Bouldering, however, involves climbing both the walls and other people (but hey, what a great way to meet people?!). As for parking... There is a designated lot, but it fills up pretty quickly even during less busy hours. Be patient, allot extra time, and circle around!

I've visited the main downtown location, and for being a "satellite location" it is very large and has a vast amount of climbs. There are two floors of climbing and a top floor for lockers and cubbies to store your things (you have to bring your own lock btw). I included a few pictures to show how busy it is. I came on a Monday night at 7-9, and it stayed that busy. Definitely less crowded downstairs, but even the busiest areas didn't stop me from climbing too much, just had to wait here and there. The staff was also very helpful and pleasant to work with when signing in and renting shoes. I am a beginner and I had many climbs to choose from: both easy and challenging. I went with much more experienced friends and they were challenged as well. Overall I was impressed, will be visiting again!

A very reliable climbing gym. I've been coming here for over a year now and my favorite things are - good sets, very friendly staff, amazing yoga classes, occasional handstand classes, many changing rooms and showers. The only downsides are that it's usually pretty busy, but I think that's expected with the small space that Seattle has to offer.

Limited space compared to the other (International District) location. No reserved parking, no secure lockers. Good problems.

Extremely underutilized space.. upstairs routes are super bland, basement area is basically kids only. The poplar location is 10x better

To those looking for a place to (mostly) workout using conventional gym equipment, I would not recommend SBP. They offer a few limited selection of equipment and the weight room is usually overflowing with people. I would shoot for morning workouts here. If you want to workout after 5 pm, you won't find any parking and will likely have to wait for equipment to open up in the weight room. The climbing here is great with plenty of different projects and different levels of difficulty, but their weight room is the reason I can't give 5 stars.

I did a yoga class here with the day pass to try and test out the building and see if I like it. The class was an hour long and I'm used to doing shorter 30 or so minutes of light yoga. The instructor was very repetitive and hard to understand since she did not really enunciate or project her voice well so I had to watch people around me to understand what was going on. She repeated doing "downward dog" half the time which was a pain and did not add much variance to the class and we repeated maybe three sets of light yoga exercise with relaxation here and there and then jumped right into a medium level "crow" which I and half the class were unable to perform because of the skill involved. But she acted like we should already have it down pat. Despite it stating that it was meant for all levels it was odd to toss that in towards the end. So it just kind of seemed like the instructor was disinterested/low energy and hard to understand half the time. I did not want to be rude by telling her to speak up so I just went with it until it was through. Will likely not do yoga with that specific instructor but maybe I will try with someone else since I know that the routine will be different depending on their personality. Afterwards I attempted to try out bouldering. I am new to it and this location (Fremont) is smaller than the one down south so there is not a whole lot of walls to work with. It was kind of busy too so all of the beginner areas except for like two were taken up. I tried those out but they were so simple - you just climb like four feet off the ground and then there is nowhere else to go. So I got bored and decided to leave. It's too bad that all their locations are not as big as the one down south. I don't live close to the south one so it would be a hassle to take a bus an 1 1/2 to the better gym just so I can have access to their nicer walls. They not only have BIGGER walls with a ton more space but they also go up higher than just four or five feet off the ground at the south location (Poplar). The Poplar location also has a way better layout for the walls so you aren't left just going up real quick and then having to try another area. The rocks in the walls are just laid out better in the S. location... seriously wish they would have put more effort into this one. I might have to look into a different company altogether with more interesting walls to work with. As a plus, the front desk people were very friendly and considerate! They were not the catty types at all that you might see at a front desk in a lot of these fitness places. Very cool people who work here at the front at least.