Who’s On Our Walls? What Indoor Climbers Are Telling Us

In 2019 and again in 2026, the Climbing Wall Association surveyed nearly 18,000 indoor climbers across hundreds of gyms in North America. The trends that emerged are from the United States and Canada, but we will discuss how the findings are representative of the climbing community at large. This session presents the most significant findings from both surveys, including shifts in climber demographics, training behavior, outdoor participation, community structure, and what climbers actually want from their gyms. Drawing on experience working with climbing walls around the world, we will translate the data into practical advice for UK operators navigating their own communities' needs. We are all facing an evolving climbing wall user base that is more diverse and more fitness-oriented with an evolving attitude towards climbing indoors and out.