REI in gym partnership

Outdoor retailer REI is setting up shop in a fast-growing gym niche.



REI and Momentum TM Indoor Climbing are launching REI Co-op Climb, which will serve as a hub for climbing gear, programming and events at each of Momentum’s new climbing gyms. Expert instructors from REI’s Outdoor School will help Momentum members and guests gain skills and confidence through gym to crag classes.



Classes will range from beginner to advanced levels. REI members who participate in the Learn to Climb program will receive two weeks free climbing at Momentum.



REI Co-op Climb will debut inside Momentum Katy, in Katy, Texas, when the 36,000-sq.-ft. gym opens its doors on Saturday, July 15, 2017. The facility will feature 29,000 sq. ft. of rope climbing, bouldering, training walls and kids climbing. It will be able accommodate hundreds of climbers at once, and includes a 5,500-sq.-ft.cross-training area, dedicated yoga studio, locker rooms and laptop work spaces.



The 40,000-sq.-ft. Momentum Silver Street, near downtown Houston, will also feature an REI Co-op when it opens later this year. As one of the largest bouldering gyms in the county, it will host major competitions.



“REI has a rich climbing heritage thanks to our founders’ vision to be among the first to bring world class climbing equipment to the American market,” said John Sheppard, REI’s divisional VP, experiential programs and new ventures, REI, which has 147 stores nationwide. “We are excited to partner with Momentum to introduce REI Co-op Climb. These gyms are an important resource for avid climbers, and they’re an onramp for getting more people into the sport.”



According to Climbing Business Journal, 188 of the 414 indoor climbing gyms in the U.S. opened between 2010 and 2016, a rate of growth that is projected to continue.