Scaling the Walls - Brooklyn Boulders Rock Climbing Deal

Brooklyn Boulders, a rock climbing playground reminiscent of Berkeley Ironworks, is offering a deal via BuyWithMe, a collective discount buying website similar to Groupon and Scoop St. For $45, you get 5 visits, a Learn the Ropes introductory course, and equipment rental! Having gone quite a few times the past 6 months myself, I can tell you that is a STEAL. The first time I went to Brooklyn Boulders, I bought the Learn the Ropes package for $60, which included the class, 2 days admission and free gear rental. With the BuyWithMe deal, you get 3 additional days...and at 25% off!

New York's getting warmer, but for a more challenging activity than tanning at Central Park's Sheep's Meadow, rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders is a great alternative. The owners converted what used to be a garage into a large indoor space with lots of climbing surface area and tons of other exercise options to boot. The industrial interior adds to the grittiness of the location and only motivates you to leave the prissiness at home and get your climb on.

In addition to toproping (your standard climbing experience with a harness and partner belaying you from below), Brooklyn Boulders also has areas for lead climbing, bouldering (climbing without any straps or protection), angled wall climbing, a tightrope to test your balance, rings, and a dedicated "no-feet" wall purely for strengthening the upper body. It's the untraditional gym you'll love to workout at.

The way Brooklyn Boulders sets up the route markers is easy to follow and straightforward (you pick a color corresponding to a difficulty level and climb all the way up) and they also change the wall layouts often so those who go regularly won't tire of the same routes. Rock climbing is a great group activity since you can relax and cheer on your friends in between climbs, and the multitude of other exercises is like a little playground, where you can dare your friends to attempt random stunts =P

My boyfriend and I have tried to go rock climbing semi-regularly, but I'm hesitant to fully commit to the sport and purchase my own equipment. That said, I do enjoy going every so often to switch up my exercise schedule; it's a fun change of pace to bikram yoga.

There aren't too many options to rock climb in New York City (Chelsea Piers does have a facility, but you definitely pay for the Manhattan location and there's also one much farther out in Westchester), but if you've been looking for a new activity to try, check out the deal and Brooklyn Boulders!

One of the coolest (and quite scary!) walls at BB - you can climb the Brooklyn Bridge!