Everyone wants to get the best bang for their buck without paying more than is necessary. However, you want to avoid ending up with a low-quality product or service. The ultimate goal is to find the highest quality option that justifies the price or is affordable.
With the new year dawning and new goals you want to accomplish, you may find yourself gym shopping. All the New Year’s deals from big corporate chains like Planet Fitness, LA Fitness, 24 Hour Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and Crunch Fitness are flashing across your social media feeds, trying their best to influence your wallet.
These massive corporations offer almost identical, mediocre amenities. They’re reliable and consistent, yet there’s nothing to brag about. But what if there was an alternative gym option that made your dollar go further and opened up a door to new and exciting opportunities? Good news: There’s such a place. It is a rock climbing gym.
Once, climbing gyms were no more than hole-in-the-wall sweat sheds where guys cranked out one-arm pull-ups. Now, in 2025, they’ve seen massive upgrades to rival fancy gyms like LifeTime Fitness and surpass the mediocre Planet Fitnesses of the world.
A narrative about why rock climbing gyms are great may appeal to the ethos of some, but an objective comparison will speak directly to your wallet. The below guide breaks down what you’d get at a modern, commercial rock climbing gym compared to a traditional gym like Planet Fitness.
Rock Climbing Gyms vs. Planet Fitness
Amenities
Planet Fitness: Typical gym amenities include free weights, strength machines, cardio machines, a functional fitness area, and locker rooms.
Rock Gym: The primary amenities of Planet Fitness plus more. Fitness areas have dumbbells, weight racks, benches, kettlebells, cardio machines, resistance bands, and TRX. Additional amenities (vary by location) include locker rooms, cold plunge/sauna, and yoga rooms. The unique and defining amenities are the extensive climbing terrain and climbing training apparatuses (hangboards, training boards, etc.).
Memberships
Planet Fitness: There are two options, Classic and PF Black Card. Both are less expensive than a monthly rock gym membership, reflected in the quality of the facility and its amenities.
Rock Gym: The membership price will vary by location but is more costly than Planet Fitness. However, you are getting more amenities and opportunities than you would at Planet Fitness. If you frequent the rock gym at least one time per week, monthly memberships are a cheaper option than buying day passes. You won’t need two gym memberships if you have a climbing gym membership because it offers a fully equipped fitness area and classes. You’ll also save money compared to having two memberships or paying for day passes every time you climb.
Rock gym memberships often include 1-2 free guest passes a month, while guest passes only come with a PF Black Card Membership. Other perks of rock gym memberships include member-only events and discounts on retail items such as climbing shoes, chalk, and harnesses.
Programming
Planet Fitness: There are a variety of fitness classes available in person. Additionally, the Planet Fitness app offers on-demand workout videos.
Rock Gym: Planet Fitness may offer a greater variety of fitness programming, but at a rock gym, you’ll find high-quality yoga classes, climbing-specific classes, and some general fitness classes (depending on the gym).
Accessibility
Planet Fitness: The appeal of Planet Fitness is the 24/7 access (or nearly 24/7, depending on location). You can go whenever is convenient for your schedule.
Rock Gyms: As the climbing industry has evolved, many gyms have expanded or set hours suitable for most people’s availability. Weekday openings start at 5 or 6 a.m., and weeknight closings aren’t until 10 or 11 p.m.
The Final Perk – Community
This final perk deserves a paragraph, as you will never find it at Planet Fitness. The rock climbing community is unparalleled. You will meet the kindest and most encouraging people who stop their workout to compliment you, cheer you on, or give you a fist bump. They say money can’t buy happiness, but immersing yourself in the climbing community by investing in a rock gym membership will blossom into positive social interactions and close friendships on and off the wall.
If you’re tired of gym hunting or paying for sub-par amenities, it may be time to ditch traditional gyms for rock gyms. Here’s a hack: find someone with a climbing gym membership and try it out for free using their guest pass. Who knows, you might find more than a gym if you try it!