Climbers have roamed the earth for thousands of years but a new vertical age has taken hold over the last few years. Indoor climbing is reaching new heights, and we don’t just mean walls.
Indoor climbing in North America has grown to a 700 million dollar industry in the last five years alone. Transforming from avant-garde industrial warehouses at the fringe of civilization, to bright, air-conditioned fitness destinations, it looks like gym trends are only going up. In 2018, 450+ gyms opened in the USA alone.
Why Indoor Climbing?
One of the great advantages of indoor climbing is convenience. Facilities are nestled into the heart of city spaces like Top Rock, Junction Climbing or Climber’s Rock. Other gyms provide suburban towns a hub for health conscious action, like Aspire Climbing in Milton, Alt Rock in Barrie, and even Boulder Bear in Thunder Bay. A climbing trip is a short walk or drive to the gym – instead of a weekend adventure with hours of hiking in to crags. As long as our culture values challenging, invigorating workouts, climbing gyms will be in high demand.
What does this mean for Canadian Businesses?
Right now there’s over 30 indoor climbing gyms in Ontario alone, with another 5 scheduled to open by 2020. Even still, on a weeknight evening, you’ll find them packed with adults fascinated with the most exhilarating, versatile workout around. Many facilities are pairing climbing with yoga studios or ninja parks – to make theirs a one stop shop for fun.
How can YOU get on board?
Opening a climbing gym might just be the perfect marriage between athlete and entrepreneur: an opportunity to build your very own vertical playground in a highly profitable, ever growing industry. To learn more about the investment, options and potential next steps of building your own sustainable climbing gym mode, check out our consulting service.