Ive been going here since I can remember and now as a high school students I love to go back and have fun climbing with my mum

Awesome gym. Bouldering wall has a little of everything. Gym shines the most with the top rope. Has a full workout section with equipment which is awesome.

I come here 3-5 times a week. Its a mid-size gym with friendly staff. Has most everything youd need in a climbing gym. Coming from the Earth Treks family of gyms, I cant help but compare Touchstone gyms to those. Routes arent reset as often and itd be nice if the Touchstone gyms provided lead ropes and a system to trade belays, but lacking these services definitely isnt a deal breaker. Id also say the routes lack creativity as there arent too many fun routes, but overall the climbs are fairly decent. Recommend those interested in climbing to check this gym out

Fantastic little place with lots of bouldering and climbing. Lovely atmosphere and staff. It is pricey for day passes and memberships, but it’s on par with other climbing gyms. Very friendly to kids and people of all gender identities.

Experience with this gym has been great. The staff are approachable and knowledgeable, and the culture amongst climbers is friendly. I appreciate that they mix up new routes every other months or so. Definitely my favorite gym in the bay area.

Awesome gym. No pretentious bull. Staff is amazing.

Great choice of climbing walls. Gym has all the equipment and weights you would need for a workout. Changing rooms are very clean. Sauna is a bonus. Showers are simple, remodel happening now though - should improve them a lot.

Always a great place to climb and get fit. the pandemic guidelines are followed well while allowing people to be active and have a good time. plus the staff are as friendly and helpful as always 😊

Terrible. Ive been getting charged the FULL PRICE of my membership fee since March 2020. I dont even live in California anymore. Ive requested cancellations through their website repeatedly to no avail. There is no phone number to contact anyone. No one responds to emails. Shame on you, Berkeley Ironworks, for your shoddy handling of this pandemic.

Very cool staffs!And if you miss playing Dota at your gaming desk, you can play it here !

Ive been a member for a number of years. Its hard to climb here because it is pretty crowded, no matter what hour you go. During prime hours, it looks unsafe because there are concentrated groups all over the bouldering area. I love the yoga classes and the fitness- Monkey classes.

Berkeley Ironworks is a super fun climbing gym: great setting, good hold selection, often reset, and cool terrain. More then that, the people are super friendly and the atmosphere inside is relaxed and fun. Just an overall awesome place which I couldn’t recommend enough.

My happy place

Convenient location, near the 80/880 freeway. I went a lot during the day time when I was still a student and that pretty much avoided all of the crazy congestions that people are talking about. Its fairly economical for students since there are some good discounts on membership. So if you are a student, you should definitely check it out.

Friendly staff and clean facilities. Good balance of bouldering, top rope, and lead routes. Price isn’t cheap but is reasonable for the area and offerings. Sometimes gets crowded (there are seasonal, daily, and hourly patterns), but the weight training and cardio areas are rarely busy. Haven’t tried any of the classes, but my friends have been happy with the yoga and core sessions.

Great routes, friendly staff, clean facilities

This is a Great Climbing gym everyone is very friendly and helpful. The gym equipment all works and does its job. The locker room is clean as well as the steam and shower areas. The people at the desk are real climbers and not just a staff membersIf you are a climber you will have the chance to meet some of the best Yosemite climbers at Iron works. I dont need to make a list but many of these people have climbed all over the world and in some cases are a major part of the history of Yosemite climbing. Climbing in a gym is different than climbing outdoors. The best part of Iron Works is that you will be able to condition your self for the day that you decide to go climbing on real rock, while you meet and talk to real rock climbers that know the ropes.Climb and enjoy your self. Dont sweet the small stuff. If there was a better climbing gym in the area Id go there. I have not found that place yet. Along time member of touchstone at Iron works.

Surprise!? Theres an iron works in Berkeley! And they do tours. Our gang Spent an hour there was absolutely flabbergasted with the amazing creations that have sprung forth from this Secret location. Numerous churches in San Francisco have statues and items from this beautiful facility

Being new to the area I wanted to find a place where I could get a good work out with the bordemn of a conventional gym. Berk Ironworks is that place. You have the option of rock climbing, taking a class or working out. Its not cheap and it gets crowded. Advice is to go during off hours if possible. Super friendly staff and mixed clientele of all athletic abilities.

Excellent routes, very friendly people. The routes are a bit stiffer than your normal gym, so leave your egos at home. This is a positive though. It can get a little crowded, and you have to wait your turn, but the setting totally makes up for it, as well as the friendly people. Highly recommended! -Matt

Its kind of funny how they hire someone to respond to online reviews but cant hire another person to administer lead belay tests. Took me over a month after moving here to take a lead belay test. First the gym was too busy after work, so we came back at 7 in the morning before work. Then there was only ONE employee (for a reasonably busy gym) so couldnt test then. Then it was too late at night. Finally we got to take one. Denied 4/5 times I tried to take a belay test. How is 9:30 pm too late at night to make a belay test when they close at 11 pm? One guy who works at the desk (the one from Berkeley) is nice. Another guy barked at me for being in the weight area with no shoes (though it was not well signed and it was an honest mistake on my part, he didnt have to yell at me). One of the girls rolls her eyes and sighs when we want to take a lead belay test.

Its pretty meh and expensive. For the roped routes I climbed (5.9 through 511b), increasing difficulty just equated to crappier holds rather than any kind of interesting body movement or thought-provoking sequences. I left feeling like I had gotten some good exercise, but mostly bored and underwhelmed. Also the difficulty rating is totally wonky here, with 5.9 being a 5.6 jug ladder and 5.11a being a 5.10b-c. I think this gym is geared toward more of a novice crowd. So if youve never climbed before, it could be cool and you could take yoga classes or whatever, but if you were just in Joshua Tree or Red Rock last weekend and want to stay pumped during the cold months, I think its not worth the steep prices.

Great rock climbing gym. Challenging routs of all levels, Lead climbing, top roping, and bouldering. Exceptional staff and great place to meet other climbers and have fun.

Nice climbing gym. Usually easy to find a partner after work. The flipside is its very crowded after work. But nice facilities.

Been coming here since I moved to the area in 2014. Is about time to leave a review...I really like this place, not only because of the classes, the climbing, or the fitness equipment, but also because of the community here, including the excellent and super friendly front desk staff and the other folks who work here (setters and maintenance folks) who have all become really dear to me.There is towel service, theres a sauna, showers are clean, and the gym is kept up-to-date and improvements are made. The equipment in the weight room is great, and they have everything you need for your lifting desires. There is a large selection of classes and every month other events take place too.I recommend BIW to everyone who is looking for getting/staying in shape and for a great community.

One of my favorite gyms in the country. Good top rope, bouldering, workout, and stretching areas. Not lacking in anything. Often reset. Clean holds. Sparsely overrun (with kids). What I love in a climbing gym.

Great gym! Unlike most people, I didnt go there for climbing but to use the weight room to do my lifting workout. The staff was super friendly and helpful. I got a day pass ($20) and I was ready to train! The gym is overall pretty big and well equipped. I didnt use most of the equipment but there are many machines, treadmills, dumbbells etc. I did my workout in the free weights room, which is very well equipped. Theres one standalone power rack (with safety pins and everything), and a big Rogue rig/rack with adjustable safety arms and J-cups. Great selection of bars, including a beautiful Rogue Cerakote Ohio Power Bar, Ohio Bar and Rogue Olympic Bars. A lot of metal plates and Rogue bumper places, starting at 5 lbs. I can recommend the gym to everyone!

I went here as a guest with a friend who has a membership and really enjoyed myself. The bouldering and rope climbing definitely provides a nice workout and while it may get busy inside, folks are generally very polite. Their is also a gym attached with a variety of machines. My friend who is the actual climber said the variety of routes was a bit lacking in comparison to a couple of the other climbing gyms in SF but I think he generally had a good time.

How could anyone give this place anything less than 5 stars!? Great gym, great staff. I wish it wasnt so crowded sometimes but its not a big deal. Great to see so many folks being active.

Lots of climbing, but can be very crowded at peak hours. Gym equipment is somewhat lacking, and yoga classes are filled way past capacity. The sauna is nice. If you only care about climbing, it’s great. Not a stellar gym otherwise. Despite my many comments they continue not to publicize their teacher discount- teachers get 10% off membership.

Ive belonged to a dozen gyms over the years, and Berkeley Ironworks is the only great gym Ive ever been a member. The staff is awesome, all of them. The facilities, all of it, are kept in top condition. And everyone who goes there seems to be in a good mood, all of the time!

Berkeley ironworks is an excellent gym. They have a good mix of boulders and rope climbing as well as an abundance of what you’d expect from a good gym (squat racks, bumper plates, cardio and weight equipment of most flavors).The place is staffed with friendly people, and is clean and well run.The only downside is that sometimes it can be a bit too popular. But I guess that’s my fault for joining...

One third the space is climbing. Of that third, half the bouldering area is right up against the toproping area (great!), theres zero room to sit leaving most people to crowd the wall (great!!), all the while little toddlers run around (great!!!!).In short, avoid this place.

I come here to boulder every once in a while. The cave here is awesome and the other bouldering areas are interesting. If youre in to rope climbing and dont have a partner, just walk in and have them announce it over the speaker. Its super common here. Parking lots always packed, but the wait for a spot never takes too long.

Been a member for 2 decades. Walking in the door always makes me smile. Just love this place.

Ive been a member for 15+ years, and I love the place. At $75/mo its a great value - you get world-class climbing and bouldering, excellent weight and aerobic equipment, and a variety of free exercise classes like spinning, abs, yoga, and cardio-boxing. Ive always found the staff to be very helpful and friendly.Of course I have quibbles. The locker room and showers are spartan. The quality of the route-setting has declined a bit over the years. The computerized waiver system, and the web-based class signup system, use irritating 3rd-party software. But these are minor issues.Some of the negative reviews here are off the mark. You cant walk in and expect a personal belay class. You cant expect a lead test on demand during crowded times. Yes, there are kids on weekday afternoons but they dont cause problems. Etc.

I called ahead and asked questions about my wife an I coming down. They said just come on down, pay the day pass, and use whatever equipment or walls you want till closing. So, we went through 45 minutes of traffic to get there. Once we were there, nobody greeted us, so I approached a lady and asked her if we can climb. She said, go fill out the waiver, and pointed at a computer by the door. My wife and I filled out the waiver, paid the $40.00 to climb plus the $10.00 for gear rental. Once we did that we waited around for about 15 minutes to get shoes. Once we got our shoes, we were ready to have some fun, then they said, since your new, you cant belay but you can boulder. I asked if someone could refresh me on the belay and someone could teach my wife real quick to belay. They said no, you have to come back tomorrow for a class. They then said you can test to see if you know how to do it. I said, if someone can test us, why cant someone show my wife how to do it? Their reply, we dont have a belay class at this time I will never come to this gym again. If people are there to test your knowledge, why cant they help refresh or teach? Its pretty damn simple to use a belay, come on. Its just another case of poor customer service that is plaguing this country. If it were my gym and someone wanted to pay $50.00 to use it for the two hours left in the day, I would provide the customer service they deserve.

Very pleased with Ironworks in Berkeley. My daughter was interested in rock climbing, so I reached out to see if they offered a camp over winter break. Initially they had said no, but then a few days later responded and said they had decided to move forward with youth winter camp. The communication, responsiveness and willingness to support the camp, I thought was awesome. My daughter was very excited every day to climb and cannot wait to go back for more! Even one of her classmates was there for the camp as well. Thank you for the great experience.

I took a yoga class and climbed one Saturday at Ironworks and really enjoyed the facility. My yoga teachers name was Rebecca and she was awesome - a great class, but the studio size is pretty small. The routes were set well and it wasnt too crowded so the climbing was great

The staff was absolutely rude and kept my ID hostage. I would not come back to this place and give them patronage. Stay away! If you are visiting from out of town, do not come here. The day pass is $25 for their 15 foot wall for lead Climbing.This is what happened... I arrived an hour before closing time and wanted to take a tour with a staff or check out the gym to see if its worth the $25 day pass (for the next day, when I would have more than 1 hour to climb). The staff refused a tour and instead asked for my drivers license so that I can see for myself. I checked out the lead climbing area, was pretty unimpressed, and left to go back to my car. I left the gym without my ID. When I realized it, I drove back and asked the front desk for my ID. The male staff, different from the female one who took my ID in the first place, held my ID in his hands and started the following line of questioning: what time did you get here? where were you this whole time? I saw you disappear for awhile I explained that I had left without my ID and now Im here to pick it up. He still didnt budge and responded with well, you people come in here and try to sneak a workout in. At this point Ive assertively told him to hand back my ID and that I did not try to sneak a work out in. I left because I was very unimpressed by their facility and customer service. Note that this Caucasian male staff used the phrase you people when talking to a POC. This is not acceptable.

Big climbing gym. can get crowded with lots of University students.

Ridiculously crowded nowadays. I dont climb so cant speak to that but if you are planning using the non-climbing part of the gym, good luck. The showers and sauna is well maintained.

Walk in this weekend with my wife to see the place.At the desk :- Could we have a look ?- NoThough is was a joke, but the girl behind the desk was serious.No crowd, no special event. I just cant get it...All is said.

It was a great to assist all clients thank you very much.

Joined about 3 months ago because i wanted to start rock climbing. Walking distance from where I work, so I get to do a quick lunch workout 3 to 4 times a week. Parking is a problem during lunch time (sometimes need to wait 5 minutes in the parking lot before somebody leaves), but after 6PM, can use neighboring business lot so night time parking not a problem. Great climbing gym of course - plenty of boulder problems and climbing routes for all ranges of abilities from beginner to advanced, even a couple of cracks. Staff pretty friendly and helpful when you get to know them. At least one new section of problems and routes every 1-2 weeks to keep things fresh and interesting. Wished bouldering wall was higher. Wish they had some kind of hourly signup system for belay partners for people who dont have regular climbing partners. Pretty good spinning class that I tried one time, treadmills always available, not too many weight machines, but plenty of free weights and all kinds of bars. Cool things that most gyms dont have: campus board, four different kinds of finger boards, olympic rings, climbing rope. Old school changing room and showers have really low flow/water pressure. Gym smells like a high school locker room, but you get used to it in a couple minutes

Great all around gym. Nice balance of rope walls and bouldering problems to go along with standard gym equipment and group classes.

Wish I still lived in the area so that I could come here after work everyday for a nice chill workout. Great rock climbing gym and worth the membership.

Best gym ever. Especially if youve ever ventured outside of the Bay Area. If do, youll understand what youre missing.

Always fun to stop by while Im in the bay. Good climbing. A little busy sometimes.

It is the best of the Touchstone gyms in the immediate Bay Area (least worry @ having car broken into, knock on wood)...but really wish there were less children...makes climbing area too crowded and dangerous (they run around unattended). Would be AWESOME if there was a kid specific gym so all kids from GWPC and BIW could be aggregated into their own area. Like at a local school or something.

My first place at rock climbing gym. Its huge! Membership is kind of expensive though and for that I wont buy a membership. Lots of attractive people here haha

Climbing wall gets super crowded after work. The supplemental weight training/cardio gym is pretty good, but the air is chalky. The yoga classes (especially acro with Ron) are the best part!

Not really a place for beginners. Training classes do not cover all safety rules so you learn at tests (e.g. cant practice before test, harness straps have to be a certain way, have to say all gear terms). Aside from inconvenience of having to take test each time, it leaves me uncomfortable that I dont know the rules. Suggest giving complete checklist to start. Not enough beginner routes under 5.10 rating (noticed a lot of 5.11 and 5.12 routes were not being used).Feels a bit unsafe with all the people, unsupervised kids, and some of the ropes getting caught when you are trying to belay. Suggest more locations and better maintenance and supervision.A few other problems: lack of parking and lockers, customer service could be better, and its expensive.Think Ill stick to running because its free and easy.

Staff is professional and friendly. It lost a star for me because its too popular! Hard to squeeze in during peak hours

Great gym. Lots of options, friendly staff. Grades seem a little soft and they make you bring your own lead rope but otherwise its phenom.Edit: 5/14/15The bouldering is rather stout compared to the TR stuff. 5.10s feel like 5.9s and 12a feels more like 11c/d but maybe Im just misguided from my last gym. Comparatively the V4s feel like V6.Gets crowded on week nights but they more than make up for it with long hours 6am-11pm some days! And with a great variety of classes and fitness equipment included in membership

Friendly staff and tons of walls to climb. Gym equipment is outdated and rusty, but hey, you dont come here for that. Overall a great place to climb.

Really great gym, for climbing, bouldering and doind work out

They were great! Courteous, efficient, knowledgeable, almost no waiting time.

Very disappointed by the staff. I have been a touchstone member for over 4 years and stopped by to visit iron works from Fresno metalmark but my slightly discounted membership would not allow me to climb for even a few hours. I suggested upgrading my membership or turning in my unused monthly guest pass but the staff couldnt handle it. I am not in Berkeley very often so all I wanted was to climb for one after noon at your gym.

Come during the off-hours or parking may be a problem. Equipment for Oly lifting and traditional strength training. Plenty of cardio machines from treadmills to ellipticals, rogue bikes and even an airrunner.Climbing options are great- lots of lead, sport and bouldering options. They rotate often enough, and having a membership with touchstone gives you access to all the sister gyms as well.Great place, price is a bit steep but still cheaper than some other places with similar offerings.

Excellent variety of climbing options. Everyone is really helpful with tips and showing you how to do a section if you have trouble.

Usually I take my 5 yo daughter to climb in Diablo Rock Gym in Concord - which is closer to our home, but it was packed on one of the weekends (they hosted an YCL event) so, we decided to visit the Ironworks.I was amazed by the place. Its huge and not so crowded in comparison to Diablo Rock gym.Staff is very nice.Definitely, will visit the gym occasionally.

Good place to climb, moderately spacious enough, good staff.

Great walls, awesome cardio, fantastic instructors.

Nice size rock gym with weights cardio and a sauna.

Great gym, little bit dusty, but overall great

Great climbing gym

Great climbing gym but can be picked at night.

Best sauna of the Touchstone gyms. Interesting variety of climbing, lotta overhung routes a little stiffer than gwpc rating wise. 2nd best bouldering in the bay (see: dogpatch boulders) and great variety of classes. Lot of really fit boys girls men and women but a pretty open and welcoming environment. Way less cliquey vibe than the boulder area at gwpc.

Great weight room, lots of space to climb.

Nice community and a good quality climbing space.

Ive been a member here for a couple years and by far, its the one Im most loyal to. I havent rock climbed here yet and workout instead. The equipment isnt the most state of the art, but it gets the job done. They offer a variety of classes, from TRX to kickboxing, yoga and spin.My only complaint is that a handful of members think its okay to walk around barefoot and use equipment. VERY INAPPROPRIATE and unsanitary. The staff working the front desk are always friendly but I wish they would enforce basic gym rules like mandatory shoes in the weight room.The locker room here is much better than its sister gym, Great Western Power Company in Oakland -- roomier, dry sauna and plenty of showers and concrete floors.For the price, I think Ironworks is a fair deal -- I go to GWPC for Crossfit.

Good gym with fun mix of routes, but it’s pricey and sometimes gets very crowded.

Pulling plastic!

I have been a member of Touchstone gyms for over 5 years and I dont even climb! I love the great mix of people: very eclectic across a range of backgrounds. Not hoity toity and not Hoi poloi. Great equipment from oly lifting to treadmill. It can get SUPER crowded in there and the kids class often gets in my way, but I am a grumpy old man ;)hoy poloi

As a longtime member, Ill be the first to say Ironworks has excellent potential. Unfortunately this place is FILTHY. It smells very bad everywhere. The equipment is very old and most of the cardio machines need replacing (not more epoxy). We pay a lot of money - its nice this builds you new gyms in the far east bay, south bay, and Dogpatch...for them. How about reinvesting some of this money back into the place that butters your bread, huh?To other members: Deodorant and an occasional shower wont kill you or make you any less hippy-hipster whatever you are. I listen to the Dead too, I just dont smell like the dead. Also, you look better with your shirt on for the love of God. You cant see that pasty white back fat in the mirror I guess.To management: You members hygeinic shortcomings dont have to equate to an obvious lack of effort on your part to keep your gym clean. It is disgusting and it smells so bad in the mens locker room that its almost intolerable. Prevent infections - please take action on this.

The staff here is great!

A good gym... with a SAUNA

Great climbing gym.

Great climbing gymCons:Gets super crowdedHolds can be seriously greasy due to volume of trafficHumidity is highPros:Full service: towels, showers, weights, and massive loads of climbing

Great climbing gym

All the hip kids are there.

Amazing staff and routes

Its bigger and taller than other climbing gyms around here that Ive been to

Super delicious water

Outstanding help, awesome time!

Friendly staff, big space

I love this gym

Great climbing gym!

Great gym!

Great place

2nd HOME...

Overhang overload

Great facilities!!

I love it! There is a wide variety of routes from easy to very hard. Everyone can find their level.

Great climbing room with a well-equipped bodybuilding / cardio area. Thank you Jessica !!