VITAL Climbing Gym - West Harlem

I absolutely love the yoga classes at Vital! They have a bunch of class times makes it so easy to fit a session into my busy schedule, whether it's an early morning start or an evening wind-down. The instructors are incredibly skilled and create a welcoming atmosphere for all levels. I always leave feeling both challenged and refreshed, thanks to their thoughtful guidance and clear instructions. It's clear that the teachers are not only knowledgeable but also truly passionate about sharing their practice. I'm grateful to have found such a fantastic studio with top-notch teachers and such convenient options!

One of my favorite gyms in New York City! There is a large front wall which has many slab boulder problems. The cave on the right side of the first floor has tons of fun overhang problems. Upstairs there is a smaller wall, great for kids. There are also yoga classes & a small workout area. Come check it out!

This is honestly my favorite gym in NYC. I've climbed all over the city and nothing quite compares to the natural light that floods into Vital West Harlem. I'm also a long time yogi and I was pleasantly surprised to find the yoga offerings at this location to be extensive and super high quality. Really great teachers and a variety of classes offered regularly. The staff are all gems as well :)

It is a great place with very professional staff, nice amenities and multiple climbing paths, 0 to 9, all inclinations and brains to brute force ratios. With the pass you also get access to their other gyms, including the hanging gardens of brooklyn. I am happy I ve stumbled upon them

I’ve been taking yoga classes here for a few months now and they are incredible, Jacob’s class has been my fav so far! The studio is lovely and has such an amazing vibe, i highly recommend!

Great climbing gym, not too busy during mornings. Two different walls and a small weightlifting space and cardio equipment. Super friendly staff. One of the few gyms that actually has outside views and you don't feel in a shoe box.

Nice place for the kids to entertain and burn some energy. We went up to the 2nd floor, 10 foot wall, much better than the ground floor as it's busy. The membership is pricey for the area. Overall, it's a nice spot for any member of the family.

I love Steep Rock West. I come here at least twice per week and I always have a good time. The staff are always super friendly and helpful. Problems are pretty subjective based on who sets them but I find them to be both fun and challenging. I’ve made a ton of progress in the last 5 months and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. I don’t like to shower at gyms so the lack of showers doesn’t bother me, but it might to some. Other than that, the gym is cool temperature-wise and very clean. I highly recommend it to new-comers and veterans alike.

Steep Rock West (SRW) is part of Vital Climbing Gym. This means if you are regular member of Vital, then you can come in for free I am a Vital member and I was thinking of ending my membership at Vital because I was tired of it's bouldering styles and color grading system. So I decided to come here just to check it out before missing it out and regretting it that I could have gone in for free and would have to pay to come in the future... Btw, I heard that SRW was better than Steep Rock East (SRE), that's why I came to SRW instead of wasting my time with SRE, and I was right! I think it is a waste of time to go to SRE... The rating for this gym is: Meh, I have been to better climbing gyms in NYC The basement locker and bathroom lighting was super dim. I couldn't see much. Perhaps they should use higher wattage and higher colour temperature bulbs. The other reviews are right, there is no shower This place looks small and tiny. It consists of two sections for bouldering only: 1st Fl and 2nd Fl. Second Fl was just a short wall and about two dozen boulder problems. First Fl had taller wall and a cave. It had more boulder problems than the 2nd Fl At least the rating system is based on V's instead of colouring system. And the bouldering problems are more straightforward and less gymnastic than Vital's. I guess it was refreshing to try out other bouldering problems and style. Similar to needing to try out other restaurants after eating in the same place for long time... The gym had tall and clear windows that allowed natural light in. Passerby could see what is going on inside the gym and perhaps pique their curiosity. But, the design is quite similar to other gyms like: MetroRock Williamsburg. So, no awe from me! It was quite painful to find parking at this place even for a Sunday afternoon when parking was free. I had to park approx. 6 blocks away and walk to the gym... Definitely won't be coming to this place in the future when there are better gyms elsewhere in NYC...

I was in the neighborhood on a Sunday around 12pm, so I decided to stop by to check out the gym. The place is pretty small compared to other climbing gyms, but I think they utilize the space well for problems. The problems are very close to each other. There wasn't a whole lot of people when I went, so I didn't have to wait a long time to try different routes. There was a good variation of levels. I do think they should have more down grips for a more reliable and safer way back to the ground. Because of the smaller space, there aren't separate locker rooms between genders, but they do have individual bathroom stalls. The staff are very nice and friendly. Since it was my first time at the gym, someone gave me a mini tour to explain where everything was.

Great gym with a super kind community! Would definitely recommend considering this gym if you live in the city. Their other locations are great too (especially the one in brooklyn)

Came here on a Sunday morning/afternoon. Overall not too crowded which was good. I really liked the aesthetic of this place. The natural light and the minimalism made the space seemed very airy. Other climbers were courteous to each other. Staff were nice as well. The grades may be on the easier side though. I was able to flash a V3 (which basically never happens at the cliffs). Pro tip: fill out a waiver before you go to save some time!

I feel pretty similarly about Steep Rock West the way that I do about their original location on the UES: it's a great bouldering gym to visit on occasion to have a change in scenery, but I can't imagine having a regular gym membership here unless I lived around the corner. A friend and I went to scope out this gym only a week or so after opening and I thought it was clean, airy, and the staff were welcoming and pleasant. It's very easy to find, mere steps away from the 125th stop on the 1 train. Since the Columbia building this gym resides in is all glass, you really can't miss it. As far as the climbing goes, I thoroughly enjoyed the route-setting, which isn't a surprise since Cliff was always one of my favorite setters from The Cliffs. There's a short wall on the upper level at the gym with some easier problems (mostly V1-V3s); I enjoyed the problems that required a lot more sequencing and traversing than I'd typically find at my home gym. Given the limited vertical real estate up there, they've done a great job at creating diversity in problems. I had a blast working about a dozen problems, each with its own style and feel to the climb. There's definitely action for everyone, whether you're into balance-y slabby footwork, meandering traverses, overhung cave climbing, or pumpy crimpfests. I'd probably be less terrified of working some of the longer and more challenging problems on the tall wall if the foam padding had been more broken-in; it's brand new and very un-fun to fall onto right now. Plus, the walls are beautiful -- I appreciate Vertical Solutions' aesthetics, even if I'm partial to the texture of Walltopia. Fortunately, we went early on a Saturday morning when there were very few other patrons to the establishment. I could see the gym feeling crowded if you had more than five or six people on the upstairs wall or more than ten or twelve people working problems on the main wall and in the arch. I'd also hope that the routes get turned over on an aggressive schedule to keep problems fresh for regular gym-goers. I didn't take advantage of any of the conditioning/training equipment, but they do have a pretty rad setup of rings, squat rack, various campus boards and hangboards to work with. Also, props to the gender neutral bathrooms and changing rooms downstairs -- they're definitely an improvement over the very limited facilities at the original location. It's great to see more dedicated climbing gyms open up around the city. I have no plans to drop my Cliffs membership, but love having more alternatives to change up the bouldering routine. Plus, it doesn't hurt that a visit here gives me a sound excuse to stuff my face with BBQ at Dinosaur, just a few blocks away!

This place ROCKs.. pun intended. Great setting and flow. Heard they're switching owners though.. hopefully not a Vital mistake Place is a little small, no weight room and no showers. However it is very clean

For a while I have only ever climbed at BKB Queensbridge, but recently it's been getting a bit more price prohibitive for me to go on a regular basis. Thankfully I found a better and cheaper option nearby my office at Steep Rock West! Located by the 125th Street 1 Train stop, this climbing gym offers bouldering on two different floors. Although they don't have top rope climbing, they do offer a few different levels of bouldering. I have never felt like I didn't have enough routes to try (and mostly fail) at. I also do like that they have a pretty good overhang cave for you to try and climb some different inclines. It also makes for some great pictures of you climbing during sundown! Bouldering can be an intimidating sport to start especially with some gyms with high admission costs but Steep Rock has a very good entry level price with a day pass with shoe rental at 28$. If you do start getting into the sport pick up your own shoes and it'll pay for itself really quickly! Since it is located on Columbia campus, there's a misconception that it's only for Columbia affiliates but it's definitely open to the public. If you are an affiliate you can use your ID card for a small discount! Whether you're a bouldering veteran or a newbie, I would highly recommend checking out Steep Rock West!

Fun but kind of crowded little bouldering space. The walls are not very high but the levels get challenging pretty immediately. I'm fairly amateur at this activity so I'm still working up to the V2. The first time I went I didn't have to rent chalk but it's $3. If you do this enough buy your own shoes. They only spray the inside and put them away. If you don't wear socks please. There's a lot of chalk on the rocks and not a lot of maintenance that I can see going on. There is very little instruction so if you need that this is not the place for it. Otherwise I find it a decent location. I tried going to steep rock east and there were waaaay too many children there. This location probably averages in the 20s.

Climbed here and really enjoyed it, it is kind of expensive though, shoe rentals are cheap

I've been a member of this gym since their first month of operation and they've come such a long way in about a year. They've gradually improved the membership experience by adding monthly happy hours, morning yoga and fitness classes. They've also increased the rate at which the entire gym is re-set. Originally it was about a 6-8 week time frame, but now they're in a 5 week rhythm which keeps things fresh. The lighting here is really fantastic as they have floor to ceiling windows and tons of natural light. There's two levels of bouldering and a variety of terrain, but the space really isn't that big which is the reality for most bouldering gyms in NYC. Also the members and staff here are great and I really love the vibes. If you're in Harlem this is the only climbing gym destination until The Cliffs Harlem opens.

Took my son here for his birthday last month. The staff is pretty friendly and I found the prices to be reasonable. There's no time limit for the rock climbing so you can stay for as long as you like. It is much harder than it looks because there are no harnesses involve. They have different trails for different levels of expertise. While we had a lot of fun, my upper body was super sore the next day. But in a good way :).

Super clean, super new. Lots of light which is a rarity for bouldering gyms and AMAZING. Nice overhanging arch to build up your roof stamina. Supposedly they reset a different part of the gym every 2-3 weeks so plenty to try. Grades seem a bit soft but since I'm not a great boulderer I'll just take it as an ego boost ;) At least they seem fairly consistent within each grade, so you can still track your progression.... Contrary to other reviewers, the two staff at the desk tonight were super cheerful and nice... if it changes on subsequent visits I'll update my review but honestly I far preferred interacting with them vs. the staff at LIC Cliffs. UWS location is great for quick midweek workouts if you live in the area (rather than having to haul your butt to LIC or Brooklyn). Lost a star for how expensive it is for a bouldering-only gym, and a unisex locker area (you have to go into 1 of 3 single bathrooms if you want any privacy to change), which might be really annoying during busy hours, but wasn't too much of an issue tonight.

Got a Groupon for a One Day Pass for $20, including shoe rental and chalk. This place is clean and pretty spacious, and I love their taste in music! The routes are challenging, but there are a few beginner ones for people who've never done it before. There's a small section for lifting but you can only do deadlifting, squatting, and benching since there's not really any free weights.

Beautiful new gym in a convenient location because there are no other gyms in the area (yet! Stay tuned, The Cliffs is opening a location in West Harlem in the coming months). I was super pumped when I found out about this new location, and had had a good experience at SREast previously. I'm saddened to have to write a negative review, but hopefully this will be either useful to climbers, or more importantly, useful to the company to improve their services. The negative review is for two major reasons: (1) staff attitude towards members, with poor customer service and (2) facilities + re-setting of routes. 1. They have vents that line the walls on the ground level of the gym. This location happens to be where virtually all climbers end up leaving their bags and shoes. It's just the natural place to do so (propped against the wall). People aren't being disrespectful or insulting, they are just being normal humans responding to natural design choices. When I was last there, a staff member literally took the bags and THREW them off the vents. Me and a bunch of other climbers were shocked. I actually went and talked to her, explaining that I had electronics in my bag. She said it was my fault for leaving it on the vent and that if my electronics were damaged, she apologizes. I tried to give her feedback on why I thought people leave the bags on the vent and how they should have a conversation with members to figure out a solution together. I also tried to do this with another staff member. Both were extremely defensive and borderline insulting, cutting me off and claiming it was my fault. They did not want to listen to my input or my experience. This is some of the worst customer service I've ever witnessed, on par with companies like Greyhound. They have a DESIGN problem, and need bench surfaces or cubbies for people to put their bags where they climb (like every other climbing gym in the world), and instead, they insult their members who pay an astounding 95$ to climb in a small bouldering gym. 2. Facilities: There is NO SHOWER! There is a single water fountain with pressure too weak to actually drink out of. And, as I said, no cubby or bench space for bags at the climbing floor (there are some in the basement locker, but many people just choose not to leave their bags down there). Compare that to Brooklyn Boulders which all have a SAUNA! Setting of routes: for such a small gym, it is astounding how infrequently they re-set the routes. Honestly feels unacceptable to me, paying 95$ and not have some routes reset on a more frequent basis. That being said, the routes are well set and fun to climb. This company is behaving like one that fears no competition and has grown lazy in their approach to customer satisfaction and the service they provide. Luckily, competition is coming to west harlem with the cliffs, and I hope this will improve the market.

Small bouldering facility strictly for bouldering. Nothing much going on here aside from a rowing machine and some weights. Took my first intro class with Connor two weeks ago and he's by the far the best instructor one can have. He's amazing. There were a few hiccups w the check-in process but I got to take my class and that's all that mattered at the end of it. Went again yesterday so that marks my second time bouldering, and both times with steep rock. People that visit are generally quiet and respectful. The facility itself is well maintained and my newbie self had fun both times. I just can't get over how cold the front desk staff is. I won't say they're mean or anything, but they are very stand-off-ish and not welcoming. Even their smiles seem fake and forced. This happened both visits with the same short/mid length dark haired brunette. She gave me really weird vibes the first time and I was hoping it wasn't gonna be her again. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. What makes things even more off putting is the experience I had on my first visit upon checkin. I mentioned there was a hiccup and a guy who was in my class was a little too outspoken and overall berating everyone who worked there including the stand-offish girl. I couldn't stand up for anyone Bc 1) it wasn't my place to, 2) it is their fault for messing up, 3) I could've made it worse for the staff. However, I did apologize to her on this STRANGER'S behalf and told her I was very sorry they had to go through that, and she told me thanks. She remembered me when I checked in yesterday (only Bc I said I was here last week and she said yeah I know), but was still so cold and off putting. Be a little nicer. Just a little.

Love this gym. Good laid-back vibe, good music, the change routes every few weeks. It's not super busy which is nice and the location on the corner with big windows creates a really bright open environment.

Great bouldering gym. Very open, and routes are reset (in rotations) frequently for fresh challenges. Two floors, with an arch on the bottom floor, and some hangboards and weights as well

Convenient location right off the 1 train (so easy to get to if you live on the west side). Gym itself is very open / building is all glass so gets a ton of light. It's pretty new so doesn't smell quite as much like feet as do most climbing gyms I've visited. Bathrooms and locker area is also super clean. More importantly though, I've come ~3x now and really enjoyed the routes (I'm a beginner so I like that they have an area on the second floor with shorter walls). From people that come more regularly, I've heard they don't change the routes as often, but for the occasional visitor it hasn't been a problem for me (in terms of not having new problems to work).

When I first arrived, I told the front desk I wanted to cancel in two months and only wanted to pay for two months. He told me that I needed to wait. So then I canceled it at the end of July and was stuck paying for all of August. Don't come here if you are only getting a short term membership. You'll end up having to pay for way more than you intended. Whoever runs the billing and management does not care about what is best for the customer or what will make the customer happy and just wants an easy extra month of payment. I won't even be in nyc and am stuck paying for a whole month of this membership.