FAQs
It’s my first time
Do I need to book in advance?
If you have never climbed or bouldered before then we recommend you book into an Intro Class , this will give you all the information you need to get started.
However, if you are confident, have previous climbing experience and are keen to jump straight in then all you need to do is, watch our safety video, register and then you are good to go! If you decide on this route then you do not need to book in advance.
If you are planning on bringing children to the centre please visit our Under 18's page that will help you plan your visit to Hang.
What equipment/footwear do I need?
To get the most out of your experience we recommend you hire climbing shoes if you do not have your own.
Climbing shoes are specially designed to help give you grip and you will see an immediate difference in performance compared to other footwear.
The only other piece of equipment that you may find helpful is chalk and a chalk bag. Chalk helps keep your hands dry and increases your hand grip on the climbing holds. Again these can be hired or bought from us when you arrive.
Climbing barefoot is not allowed.
What should I wear?
A climbing centre is a big indoor space that gets warmer in the summer and cooler in the winter.
You do not need any special clothing, but we recommend wearing layered sports clothing that you can move freely in.
Avoid loose-fitting clothes that could easily get caught on the wall, for example, hoodies.
What should I do with my long hair?
Similarly to clothing, there are no set rules here but for your comfort and safety, we recommend tying it back so you have a clear unrestricted vision.
What is the minimum age to climb?
6 years old is our minimum age and anyone under the age of 14 needs to be supervised by an adult.
Is there a time limit?
Our instructed sessions are time-limited but self-serve climbers can stay as long as they wish within our operating hours.
Once you have paid the entrance fee, provided you check in and out with reception, you can also come and go throughout the day as well.
Payments enquiries & disputes
Having an issue with a card payment?
The Centre
Car parking?
We encourage all customers to use public transport where possible, we’re super close to Hounslow Central tube station and opposite major bus stops.
“If you’re coming by day, ASDA is the way. If you’re coming by night Cineworld is just right.”
The ASDA car park gives two hours of free parking when you spend £5 in-store with them. If you stay longer than two hours you just pay the difference. You need to validate your parking ticket at their customer service counter.
If you arrive at the Cineworld car park on Alexandria Road after 6 pm you can validate your ticket on the iPad inside hang and your total parking charge will be £1. This is the cheapest option for evening visitors.
Both of these are secure, patrolled underground car parks with a maximum height allowance of 2.1m.
Free on-street parking is also available in the surrounding area on evenings and Sundays although please check the specific location signage.
Bike Storage?
We have exterior bike racks directly outside the entrance to the centre.
We do not provide locks and all bikes are parked at your risk.
Showers?
Yes, we have a non-gender binary shower with an integrated changing area. Each shower room has a hairdryer. You need to bring your own towel and we do not have a hire facility.
Lockers?
Yes, we have plenty of lockers and open storage facilities.
Padlocks can be purchased from reception at a cost of £3.50.
Items are left at your own risk.
The Climbing Walls
Are your walls textured?
Yes.
How often do you set new climbs?
Every six out of seven weeks. Check our calendar here.
Climbing Jargon
What are bouldering problems?
These are the individual routes that we set on the climbing walls. They are called problems as you need to ‘solve’ the sequence and movement to get to the top.
They are made up of coloured climbing holds that vary in difficulty. The idea is that you stick to climbing just one colour at a time.
With over 200 different boulder problems in the centre, we ensure there are plenty of climbs for all abilities.
What are grades?
Problems (see above) are graded using a number system that is identified by a tag at the start of each climb.
You have a tag for each starting hand position, two tags on the same hold mean that you put two hands on that hold (this is also called ‘matching’).
This is a big part of our ethos and you can find out more about our thoughts and philosophy here.
What is routesetting?
This is the term we use to describe the re-configuration of holds on the wall.
This is a big part of our service to you and you can find out more about our schedule here.
A different area of the centre gets reset each week so there is normally always something new for you to try each time you visit.
How do I know where the finish is?
Every problem has a finishing hold, this is the last hold of its colour at the top.
To complete a route we say you must hold the final one in control but we’ll let you decide what justifies ‘in control’.
DO NOT CLIMB ABOVE A FINISH HOLD, OR HOLD ON TOP OF THE WALLS.