The Factory Bouldering

It was my first time rock climbing and I absolutely loved it. It was very challenging and really helped keep my mind off things.
I went with a friend and it was a lot of fun. The facility is super clean and open and their staff is really nice. I really appreciated that they didn’t hover over you to make sure you were doing it right, but just really let you explore the place.
It’s a definitely a workout and I am totally feeling it the day after. Would definitely come again and would recommend to my friends!

I figured that it would be only fitting that for my first review on Unilocal I’d write about of one of my most treasured places in all the land. The Factory Bouldering is hands down one of the best climbing gyms in Southern California, and it may very well be the best pure bouldering gym around. I try to get out to the Factory 3 — 4 times per week (whether for climbing or whether for working out in the Swole Corner) and have been a member here for the past three years; I’ve seen the gym change quite bit over that time and it has only gotten better with every change.
Pros:
–Incredibly friendly and helpful staff that play great music
–Routes of all difficulty levels that are changed often and mimic routes that can be found outdoors
–New colored grading system (see one of the photos I posted)
–Walls of all different angles, caves, and a new roof section
–Clean (as clean as a climbing gym can get)
–Two ping pong tables and a pool table
–Free Wifi
–Membership benefits (Free monthly guest pass, two free guest passes on your birthday month, discounts on climbing shoes, etc.)
–System wall, campus board/​wall, several hang boards, and a balance board
–Swole Corner (weights, two olympic racks, bicycle, treadmill, rowing machine, dip bar)
–Drinking fountain
–Drinks/​snacks available for purchase at front desk along with chalk, climbing shoes, crash pads, and Factory swag #repthef
-$ 15 all day pass, $ 12 day pass for students, $ 3 shoe rental
–Only $ 8 for a day pass if you go before 2:30 PM (don’t know if this is all the time, but it seems it has been the case more often than not when I go)
–New student days where students can get in at anytime during the day for $ 8
–BBQ and Bouldering every month
–In house recycling
–Awesome, chill environment/​atmosphere
Con:
–Not open 24 hours a day
FOR NEW CLIMBERS: Bouldering, and climbing in general, is a difficult sport, so do not expect to come here and breeze through the routes, especially with how stiff the grading of the routes is at the Factory. Expect to come and have a great time, but to also get an intense workout and push yourself to your physical limits. Bring plenty of water, wear thin socks (shoes rentals are available for $ 3), bring climbing chalk if you have some (can purchase some at the front desk), make sure to stretch (before and after climbing) and most importantly, bring some friends. Hope to see you some new faces at the gym; if you see me there feel free to say hi and climb with me!
Overall, I have nothing, but good things to say about The Factory Bouldering; I have been very fortunate to call this place my home gym.
TL;DR: Whether you are someone who is new to climbing and is looking to get into the sport, a more experienced climbing and wanting to advance your bouldering, or someone just looking for a great workout and to have an even better time, The Factory Bouldering is the perfect place to go. Do yourself a favor, get some friends together and head over to one of the best climbing gyms in Southern California.

so cool! staff is friendly and so are the other people who go there. very chill environment! and they have pool, ping pong. very clean bathrooms. and they have a weight section so you can do squats and stretch and work out.
i think it costs $ 15 for a one time visit plus $ 3 for shoe rental
or if you go weekdays before 3 pm, it’s $ 8
sooo cool.
they have color tags to determine the level of difficulty for each path and it’s SO COOL
good for all ages, i saw some kids yesterday

I came here with my boyfriend on a rainy Saturday afternoon. We are both completely new to bouldering so I was pretty nervous. The person who greeted/​helped us at the front was so chill and awesome! We paid $ 12 for a day pass with a student ID. (It is $ 15 for regular day passes). We also got some rental shoes for $ 3 each. If you don’t have chalk, you can rent it from them for $ 2. They do not accept cards for purchases under $ 5! We made the mistake of purchasing our passes and shoes and realizing we needed the chalk later…
They also explain the difference of levels and how to identify them which was extremely helpful for us newbies. It was def not easy, especially for beginners. You are using parts of your body you don’t usually use when doing a regular workout. It requires quite a bit of strength so you will be feeling sore and achy after. I was able to do all V0 levels and a few V1’s. I heard this gym has a difficult set compared to others but I think that’s great!
They also have two ping pong tables, a small weight area, a pool table, clean restrooms, a drinking fountain, plenty of places to lounge around, and free wifi! The atmosphere is very laid-​back and we both felt very comfortable. We stayed there close to 3 hours and it is definitely a place we will be re-​visiting. Excellent customer service, chill atmosphere, and at a reasonably good price!

This deserves it’s 5 star rating! It’s one of the closest climbing gyms and I’m so glad I gave it a try; hooked from day one! I had no experience so it was daunting at first but starting the first day the people there were really welcoming and helpful, and not just the staff! Offering me tips and tricks, they’ve really started me on a great path. The Factory has color-​coded courses that help you identify what climbs would be suited to your aptitude and help you get better. Couldn’t ask for a better location!
Definitely a must try!

This is a great gym. I wasn’t going to come because I live in LA and it’s in Orange (and you know in LA traffic that is like you might as well clear your whole night type of thing). My buddy insisted we go since he had a crappy day… I am a major sucker for helping out a friend in need, so I said, why not!
I am so glad I did. The place is pretty big, it wasn’t crowded, and the bathroom was clean. They even have lotion in the ladies room. Which is important seeing as how that chalk makes your fingers look like wrinkly sausages. I know it’s nasty, but it dries my hands out so bad. I felt like my palm was the stage, and my fingers were the California Raisins. (You 80’s babies will know who the hell I am talking about, that band will give any kid nightmares)
The staff was friendly, and the people or members were very helpful. The environment felt good and supportive rather than competitive. The climbs or whatever they are called are all marked well, which is very helpful. They have ping pong tables and a small area to work out. The price wasn’t bad for a one time visit ($ 12.00) (Free for me, because my friend treated!!).
All in all I say this is a great gym and I will definitely be coming back and inviting additional friends to come out with me.

The bouldering is great. Pretty hard for the grade. There are many routes I like too. My only gripe (and a major one) is that they have the chalkest, dirtiest, slippery-​est holds of any gym I’ve seen. Many footholds are so covered with chalk you can not even figure out the color of the holds while you’re climbing. And handholds and footholds get really slippery because of the amount of chalk and rubber on them. You can brush all the holds but it’s gonna take you so much effort that you won’t have energy to climb after. Just need to clean the holds more often and would have 4.5 stars IMHO

I came here for my first time bouldering, and I had a blast. The place offers a wide variety of climbs and routes, and is clean. Their motto is «Building Better Climbers,» so they have a little gym area where you can lift weights/​do cardio to strengthen muscles for climbing (very nice touch). If you don’t want to climb, there’s ping pong tables and chairs to just chill and hangout. The people here are very casual and polite, so that’s always a plus. If you’re a student, a day pass is $ 12, and shoe rentals are $ 3. Not bad at all! I would definitely come back.

The Factory is my favorite indoor bouldering gym. The owners are amazing people and they hire a staff who will make everyone feel welcomed.
The gym has a difficult set but I enjoy it because it keeps you honest and your ego in check. The new rating system seems stiffer than the older more common system, and it will take some getting used to– all in due time.
The BBQ and bouldering events once a month are always a great time and an awesome place to meet up with all of your climbing friends– you’ll definitely see a bunch of people you know there.
All in all this is an amazing gym with a super welcoming environment.

For my first time bouldering, this place really exceeded my expectations. The workers are really helpful too, they gave my friends and I some tips on climbing and descending.
Student prices: $ 12 day pass with $ 3 shoe rentals. They even have special «student» days where it’s $ 8 for a day pass, not including shoes. A pretty sweet deal, considering other places can easily average up to $ 20 or more for a day pass. I would come again and recommend to others!

Matt was super friendly at the desk. Creative fresh routes and a good vibe. Really liked the atmosphere and would definitely come back or bring family members! Transition to the color grading system might need some help but I thought the grades were spot on.

This place is great. Walls with tons of diversity, loads of difficulties. Even a little workout area. Recommended!

This is place is insane! I’ve never been rock climbing or anywhere near climbing anything, but I went earlier today with a co worker and all I can say is wow! My hands definitely are tired and sore, great workout, and tons of fun! You feel like a monkey just climbing and finding ways to complete the climbs.
I highly suggest checking this place out if you’re looking for an exciting new workout or place to be entertained for hours! It’s very clean and big. Just make sure to bring chalk for your hands and you can also rent shoes there for $ 3. The all day pass is $ 14 but if you go before 2pm it cost $ 8.

I’ve only been here once, but the facility is clean and very friendly. If you’re new, you have to fill out a waiver form, so give yourself some time to get that started. Once you’re entered in, you pay the fee. Shoe rentals are also available and I suggest wearing thin socks to get a nice fit for the climb.
The walls range from beginner to difficult levels. For a first timer, I stuck with v0 routes and they were difficult as hell! The paths closest to the entrance are much easier than the ones located in the back. As you get used to how to scale the wall with a friend to guide your hand and foot placements, it’s a bit easier to get to the top. Gosh, this sounds like a metaphor to life.
Anyway, I suggest climbing with a friend and having some chalk powder handy to help with the calluses that will build upon your fragile hands. After a few attempts at climbing (maybe 4 – 5 v0 routes), my hands were red, sore and tired. You’ll definitely need breaks in between :)
I feel like the difficulty levels were pretty challenging even for a beginner status at v0 or v1. The sport/​activity itself requires a lot of strength so be prepared to work out muscles you didn’t know you had. I definitely felt the pain the next day.

Great people, great place to climb. A lot more fun to come here with a friend than a regular rock climbing gym. Bouldering is a great way to work on your skills, and they have a good mix of routes for different skill levels. I’m sad I don’t live close enough to be a member anymore. :(

This gym is solely dedicated to bouldering and I appreciate how the gym is very clean and organized. The arrangement of the gym was carefully thought out.
I climb at a v5 level at most gyms but caught myself stuck on v3s here. Maybe I was hungover? Maybe I was being a pansy? I don’t know but this climbs are challenging and fun here.

$ 8 weekdays before 2:30pm
$ 14 or $ 12 (if you’re a student) weekends or after 2:30pm on weekdays
$ 3 shoe rentals
*They also have memberships*
Great place to hang out, climb, workout, everything. Aside from all the great bouldering problems they have, this place includes a pool table, ping pong tables in the center of the room and in their workout area they have a pull up bar, a workout bench, a squat rack, Dumbbells, a water fountain they also have clean restrooms, and a friendly staff. Oh and they also sell things like chalk and chalk bags some drinks at the front desk.

Awesome vibes & awesome people! Matt greeted me like I was a friend on my first trip. Loved the music selection and hang out area. Good place to be if youre looking to climb, work out or hang out!
~Climb Strong~

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLACE!
First off, the workers are all super nice no matter who’s working. Whenever you come in, they always say hi or hello to you and when you leave, they always greet you goodbye. There is a great community here at this specific gym. Everyone knows everyone and you’re bound to talk to someone when you’re climbing at the gym. There is such a great friendship here. When you’re climbing, there’s always people rooting you on or asking you how you did a certain move. It’s awesome.
A day pass, before 2:30pm is $ 8, and after 2:30, it’s $ 12. Shoe rentals are $ 3, which isn’t bad considering local shoe rentals are $ 5 and up, and other day passes are$ 15+.
The motto at the gym is «building better climbers» and they really stick to it. The routes are a little more difficult than other gyms, but it’s great when you climb somewhere else and you’re actually a higher grade than at this gym. Confidence booster!
The workers are constantly changing the routes here and it’s great because you’ll never get bored of a wall too quickly. There’s always red dots going up (routes are going to be removed) and green dots as well (new routes). This isn’t a sticker gym, so you just follow the color of the rock to head to the top.
One thing i really like about the gym is that even though you’re one level, you could probably try higher grades without feeling disappointed. I’ve completed some routes that were above my grade level plenty of times. It’s just because the rocks are different and the routes are set differently. The different walls make a difference as well. I like that there’s a straight wall, a slab wall, but also some caves to work on upper body strength.
I’m really glad that they added the extension to the gym. There’s more workout machines and equipment for you to get stronger for climbing, hence the motto «building better climbers».
The Factory always has BBQ nights where you can come, bring some food, and enjoy climbing with a bunch of people. There’s also student nights where it’s $ 8 all night long as long as you show a student ID. The music that they play is also always on point. If you’re not into a playlist, they’ll be more than happy to change it so you can find your groove and climb.
Another plus at the Factory is their water fountain. Surprisingly, some climbing gyms don’t have one and they force you to buy drinks that are overpriced. not cool.
They even have free wifi if your friend are done climbing early or just don’t want to climb at all. This gym is really accommodating to their members and the community.

I have never done any sort of bouldering/​rock climbing and coming here was such a great experience as a first timer! If you are new, they make you sign a waiver form and take your picture so if you do come back (which you will), they already have your information on file. This place is very clean and it has such a very chill vibe. There are different color coded rocks/​steps (whatever they are called) and they are labeled. Sometimes I feel that they are somewhat labeled wrong because it says easy but I find it hard. I guess it all depends on your flexibility and the length of yourself (me being short is super hard to stretch and step on a colored peg). All in all super place to be if you want to try something new. What is great is that they have padding so if you fall, you won’t get hurt.
NOTE:
–General Day Pass– $ 14
–Student/​Youth Day Pass– $ 12
–Shoe Rental– $ 3
–SPECIALS: Monday-​Friday 11 – 2:30pm (Climb before 2:30 and your day pass is just $ 8 but shoe rental not included)
–FOR THE GIRLS: bathroom with a basket of tampons available just in case! ;)