Under the glow of bright fluorescent lights, clusters of college students with chalk-covered hands gathered around a single colorful rock wall. Conversation echoed across the gym, whether it was tips on how to approach a problem, compliments for completing a hard move or a debrief among friends. It’s only the average night at Central Rock Gym, or CRG, Fenway, but scenes like this are playing out all across Boston.
Boston may be known for its running and hockey culture. However, bouldering, a form of rock climbing, is rapidly growing in popularity among college students. Many visit climbing gyms as much for the culture as for the challenging workout.
Once considered a niche sport, bouldering has gained popularity thanks to social media, with many climbing gyms utilizing it to grow their business. The content ranges from beginners conquering their first climbing problem to advanced climbers pulling off dynamic moves with ease. Content revolving around bouldering brings millions of views, which is often how many beginner climbers are introduced to the sport in the first place.
“Social media influenced me to continue climbing after my first visit,” said Howard “RJ” Fields, a third-year cybersecurity and criminal justice combined major at Northeastern and vice president of the Northeastern Recreational Climbing Club, or NRC. “I fell in love with the culture.”
The atmosphere is exactly what keeps climbers like Fields returning to the sport.
“Everyone is extremely supportive,” said Emily Seto, a fifth-year pharmacy major at Northeastern. “It’s a very vulnerable but non-judgmental space.”
Being home to 35 colleges, universities, and community colleges, Boston’s dense student population has made the city a hotspot for bouldering, with over a dozen gyms in the vicinity. Rock Spot, CRG, and Boston Bouldering Project resemble more of a campus hangout spot rather than a fitness facility, especially as each gym regularly hosts special college student nights where day passes are discounted.
“The variety of places to climb makes it easy to find people,” said Connor Nightingale, a recent Tufts University graduate now working for National Grid as an associate engineer. “Because they’re concentrated, small places, it lets you interact with people more.”
While it may be easy to write off bouldering as just another trend, such as pilates or pickleball, this is far from the case. Climbing influence has stretched beyond gym doors, with student clubs like NRC on the rise. The NRC organizes indoor climbing trips every day, both at CRG Fenway and RockSpot South Boston.
Although there are many locations to climb in Boston, bouldering carries hidden expenses. Shoes, which are essential for climbing, can run well over $100, and climbers need to purchase chalk and a chalk bag. Even with all the student discounts, the price tag is often a barrier for newcomers.
“Interest in climbing has grown significantly this year,” Fields added. “However, there is a climbing inaccessibility issue, as [gym] memberships can reach upwards to $100.”
Chloe Rapoza, a student at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, is a front desk worker at CRG Fenway and believes that the gym tries its best to address the issue.
“We just try to encourage everybody who comes in here to get a membership, should they be interested,” Rapoza said. “We have a discount, not for students, but for people under 23. So I think that encourages a lot of students … the NRC climbs here and we apply a discount for members as well.”
The discounts mentioned bring down the cost of a membership to $95. However, CRG runs its own sales as well, with a promotion currently going on for October.
CRG’s benefits extend beyond just climbing. Students who sign up have access to its free climbing progression program and can bring a new guest every month, along with unlimited fitness and yoga classes at every CRG.
However, not every location has yoga or a large weightlifting space, making it difficult for students to take full advantage of these resources.
Beyond the financial costs, the sport carries immense risk. For beginners, common injuries include sore fingers, scraped shins, elbow pain, and twisted ankles. Every time a climber gets on the wall, they’re risking the possibility of serious injury. Many climbing gyms will show a safety orientation video as part of their waiver, which goes over how to fall safely; however, slipping and falling at an awkward angle or putting all weight on two fingers due to the nature of the route can lead to an injury.
“I’m probably scared like every time I’m climbing, but it has diluted over time, I would say, with experience,” said Bibatshu Thapa Chhetri, a recent Colby College graduate and analyst at BCE Consulting. “So I think about it all the time and just sort of think, ‘Okay, if I come into this right now and get myself to a stable position, I’m going to be okay.’”
Progression in bouldering is also challenging, with climbing demanding at least three visits to the gym every week to see consistent progress. For students already navigating busy schedules and tight budgets, these realities can make bouldering a hard hobby to sustain.
Despite all the financial aspects and physical risks, Boston students continue to flock to CRG Fenway. With more than 35 colleges feeding into the city’s gyms, bouldering has become more than just a workout; it’s a community for students searching for stress relief, connection, and a space beyond the classroom and dorm. The sports also brings together students from across campuses, majors, and graduating classes.
“I wanted to find a third space post-grad,” said Nicole Sobski, a recent Wellesley College graduate and current STEM researcher. “All the undergraduate students create a super supportive community.”
