CWA Blog Archive-Future Proof Your Climbing Gym With 2026 Indoor Climber Survey

Future Proof Your Climbing Gym With 2026 Indoor Climber Survey

Pdf Summary

In 2019 the CWA ran its first Indoor Climber Survey across the US and Canada, capturing more than 20,000 individual climbers. That data became a cornerstone of research across the industry. Now the CWA wants to run it again to compare and benchmark against 2019, and this article makes the case for why operators should help gather responses. The core argument is that data unites the industry. Think about your own buying habits: you research before you spend, and the companies selling to you know it, so they shape everything you see to support the purchase, whether by improving the product, lowering barriers, or adjusting pricing. What those companies lack is someone conducting independent research on climbers' behalf. When the climbing industry unites around shared data, that information becomes a powerful tool supporting everyone, including everyday climbers. The piece also reframes what the survey measures. Climbing isn't just an activity, it's a source of the origin stories we all tell, and gyms increasingly function as places people come to bond rather than just perform and leave. The 2019 data made that concrete: 81% of climbers ranked "to have fun" as their most important motivation for climbing indoors, ahead of physical health, mental health, socializing, or training for outdoor climbing. That finding is actionable. If fun is the top driver, you can dig into your own community to learn what makes your gym fun and protect it. The 2026 survey is how the industry keeps that kind of insight current, and participation is how you future-proof decisions with real climber data.

Asset Caption

The CWA's 2019 Indoor Climber Survey captured 20,000+ climbers and became an industry research cornerstone. The 2026 edition benchmarks against it. Independent, industry-wide data supports everyone, including climbers. In 2019, 81% ranked fun as their top motivation, a finding you can act on locally. Participation future-proofs your decisions.