[Oldmanmatt]

Checked out the new wall in Exeter on Monday.
Located down on the Quay and called... The Quay.

Not bad...

A couple of small bouldering rooms (well not that small), I could have done with a bit more bouldering (I often train alone).
Well set problems, grades are reasonable (I could onsight the V5's I tried, worked out a couple V6's and failed to complete or even make significant progress on any thing harder; aka- normal).
Didn't get to rope up but there is an impressive variety of routes in the main room. Interesting roof/bridge that I look forward to playing on...
A few "self" belays, never tried one yet, looks interesting.
Kids loved it.
There is a "clip and climb" there for the kids which they are all dying to try and looks like fun (I'd have liked more bouldering!!!).
There is a good system board, set up in one of the bouldering rooms. Quite large and well set.
Although there is a finger board, THERE IS NO CAMPUS BOARD!
That seems to me to be a glaring oversight for a new wall, given the rising number of "training" climbers. Since I can't fit a campus board at home; I'll continue driving to Dart Rock to train. Shame, as 10 minutes to the Quay, beats 40 min to Dart, hands down...
Also (and far more minor), I couldn't find a quiet spot to do my core exercises, which I like to do to cool down after a sesh.
I'm aware the last is pretty petty and the hardship of having to drive home to do some crunches is not going to be a matter for the united nations...
All in all, I liked it.
Staff were friendly and clued in (maybe the boss was a little over protective of his top ropes, (kids dangle sometimes)).
No changing rooms (unless I'm going blind, always a possibility), doesn't bother me but some might get all shy...
There was a shower in the Gents up stairs, didn't try it though.
Cafe wasn't bad (got a proper coffee machine, always a plus for me).
Anyone else tried it yet?

[tedj234]

Interesting post. I have a slightly less positive spin I'm afraid.

1. Really don't agree about the bouldering. I think its woeful. The rooms are tiny and oppressively warm. The circuit setting is average and stevie wonder would have made a better job of the 35 degree board. Its got bags of potential, large and a good training angle, but they've only put about 50 holds on it in a terrible copy of a systems board. I can't help thinking that its 2011 and bouldering isn't really a subversive new activity that deserves to be tacked on as an afterthought to the main wall.

2. The routes on the main wall all converge to lower offs very close to each other. So you cheerfully start a couple of routes away from another climber only to find yourself climbing directly above them at the end of the route. 

3. The routes are pathetically overgraded. Most of the 7a's are 6b+ max.

4. I'm boring myself now... its totally shit, don't go unless you have no other options.

[robertostallioni]

1.  stevie wonder would have made a better job of the 35 degree board.

Stevie Wonder eats his pudding BEFORE his main course. FACT.

[Oldmanmatt]

Fair enough, each to his own an' all. Talking to the lass who signed me in, the system board had only been set up for week...
There were, well, more than fifty holds, closer to a hundred; really.
Can't vouch for the main wall, just spent a few minutes looking, so...
Did feel it was aimed a bit to much at first timers (not always a bad thing).
It's new, if it's well run; it will evolve with client input (if it doesn't it will die, or at least leave room for a more flexible competitor).
I doubt it will improve if I (or anyone else) slag it off. Bulls in china shops break things, they don't produce anything worthwhile...
If alot of people visit and say "y'know x could be better" and "Have you seen the y at z". Maybe... ?
It's got potential.

[chris j]

The bouldering is small and apart from the system board too vertical really. The leading is great, especially compared to Dart Rock (2 - 3 times as much wall and up to twice as high). It's actually tall enough to get a pump going, the arch and the main overhang are both great fun, going to get some good body tension going on those! Route setting - mixed bag, some are great, some are awful, grades are a bit all over, some too easy, some way out the other way. It was a rushed set in time for opening. I suggested a comments book for the routes so us punters can give them a heads up on where to start resetting.

There's a comments thread on the other channel which the owner has been on so that is probably a good place to put another vote for a campus board. (there was, it seems to have vanished, wonder why?  ) Aaron responded well on the thread to suggestions more positive than "you're shit and I'm never going to climb here again". If there's a fingerboard then they're responding to suggestions as there wasn't one a month ago.

Nope, you're not blind, no changing rooms. The lockers were initially upstairs outside the loos which is a halfway sensible place to change, wonder how long it will be before they get Depot style complaints about me dropping my trousers and shambling about in my Y-fronts next to the lockers in their current position by the beginners slab? 

Coffee and cakes are good.

I think you can make suggestions through their website as well as on comment cards at reception. They know there's things that can be improved and so if we want the place to develop ie campus board, more hard routes etc then we need to suggest it and be positive about it, otherwise we'll be drowned out by the lower grade punters and instructional groups that will make up 90% of their market.

[Oldmanmatt]

Yep Chris, funny; I couldn't get the lockers. That space under the stairs would be perfect for campus board, bit of space for stretching etc. Even a small traverse?
There's quite a bit of (wasted?) space outside the loos. Actually, I changed there.
I wonder, that BMC memo on campus boards for the under 18's, has that put off wall owners from installing, or given HSE another blunt instrument to beat the public with?

[chris j]

I think that they probably just hadn't thought of the campus board. Looking at the design of the bouldering and given the presence of the clip'n'climb I suspect the owners don't really 'get' training. I'm sure they'll learn, if they get feedback.

With the changing it probably would have been better if they'd enclosed that space outside the loos into them and given a bit of changing space inside.

[Oldmanmatt]

Agreed.
From my brief chat with a couple of staff and punters, it seems the younger staff are hinting for some changes...
(Ah, the irony of OMM writing that).

[tedj234]

You're right slagging off isn't very constructive but it is immensely frustrating to see so much money spent and the results as they are at the Quay. When you have new facilities like TCA Glasgow etc opening up this year the Quay seems like totally retrograde step. Comparison with walls in US, Europe and Japan are also pretty unfavorable. It seems like aspiration is a dirty word to the owners. They may have had Chris Sharma as the big name to cut the ribbon but none of the kids who were there staring starry eyed are going to get anywhere near his achievements when you have one dodgy 8a in the whole building to aim at.

I don't really agree with the campus board obsession either. They are a useful specific training tool but a well set 35 degree systems board has far more training value. I would lobby for that.

[TobyD]

I don't really agree with the campus board obsession either. They are a useful specific training tool but a well set 35 degree systems board has far more training value. I would lobby for that.

I am very much with you there. Campussing is a useful tool for some climbers. I reckon it is worse than useless for most of the people who do it, who would probably be better off doing actual moves.

[Oldmanmatt]

Yes... And no.
It is a good tool, for those who can already manage a few pull ups and it is a shortcut to injury for those who can't.
Spoken to quite a few of the staff there now and there are plans. I don't think they will object to suggestions.