The best climbing walls - Prague and surroundings

There are countless climbing walls in Prague and the Central Bohemian region. With the new indoor season on the horizon, we ask what are the best climbing walls we have, are they worth it and what can we expect from them? Here we will focus on selected climbing walls, where we think you will enjoy and train to your heart's content. We are gradually working on detailed wall reviews so you can see our thought process behind this review. Along with that, this is the 1st update to the original article (RIP Mammut).

BigWall

Where: Ocelářská 891/16, Prague 9 – Vysočany
Opening hours: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (Tue, Wed, Thu from 7:00 a.m.)
Highest wall: 20 meters
Suitable for beginners: Partly
Multisport: No
VARP review: Yes (85/100)

The BigWall, which is only a few meters behind the O2 Arena, has to be ranked among the best climbing walls. This place is probably the best for climbing on difficulty or lead. There is also a pleasant section for physical climbing exercises, a boulder, a gap and a chimney.

BigWall focuses dominantly on climbing difficulty. He uses over 3000 m for this² walls that rise up to 20 meters. The wall climbing section is divided into five main sections. Among them you will find a large simulation of rock and outdoor climbing, inclined walls as well as paths in overhangs (up to 10 m long) and of course different lengths of vertical walls - 10 to 20 meters. The bouldering wall is relatively small and quite challenging. The problems are designed to resemble rock climbing as much as possible. You can climb everything here, from the ceiling to inclined paths to the balance.

What makes it special?

BigWall is amazing for those who really want to try or improve their climbing skills. The huge walls and long paths in the overhangs that BigWall offers cannot be found anywhere else in Prague or in the Czech Republic. Along with this, it has a really large outdoor rock simulation and a spacious chimney where climbers can try out new climbing techniques.

Hudy boulder Karlín

Where: Křižíkova 684/91a, 186 00 Prague 8 – Karlín
Opening hours: Daily 8:00 - 21:30
Highest wall: 4.5 meters
Multisport: No
Suitable for beginners: Yes
VARP review: Yes (86/100)

Hudy boulder Karlín is the newest bouldering wall in Prague, opened in January 2023. It is a large hall with good connections to public transport and excellent builders and facilities. It is currently the best (one of the best) climbing halls in Prague and the surrounding area!

Hudy Karlín is one of the walls from the Hudy company workshop. Spread over several hundred square meters, you will find all the profiles you can think of (unfortunately, except for the joint), including really big and power-heavy overhangs and delicate slabs for balance and technique. Along with that, there is of course the campus and some place to warm up. The entire Carlin bouldering area specializes in a certain hybrid of modern climbing. It's not a very dynamic climb (like Bonk Place), but you'll still feel like you're at an IFSC competition. The problems here are very well built and usually allow more than one beta. Unfortunately, the price here is a bit higher than we would like, but in our experience it is worth it.

What makes it special?

So what makes Hudy boulder special? It is simple. This is the best and most accessible bouldering gym in Prague that we have so far. Yes, there used to be a Boulder bar, but unfortunately it has shrunk and Karlín is now compensating for it. You will find perhaps hundreds of different lines that change regularly. Along with that, it is the most accessible climbing hall in Prague for children. Children have their own wall and non-climbing climbing frames surrounded by seating for adults. In short, practicality from top to bottom!

Thirteen

Where: Jeremiašova 2581/2, Prague 13 – Stodůlky
Opening hours: 6:30 a.m. – 10:45 p.m. (Sat, Sun from 9 a.m.)
Highest wall: 17.5 meters
Multisport: No
Suitable for beginners: Yes
VARP review: Not yet

Thirteen is to some extent a hybrid between SmíchOff and BigWall. This is a place that balances bouldering and climbing on difficulty with a slight preference for difficulty. But in the time of the Corona virus, it was ranked among the most practical climbing walls, as it has outdoor climbing areas.

Thirteens, as is normal, were divided into bouldering and climbing according to difficulty. The bouldering section is one of the largest in Prague, with a maximum height of 4.5 meters and more than 200 built problems. Climbing is ensured by a good landing and many walls are illuminated by pole lights from below. Various difficulties of overhangs and ceiling climbing dominate here, but you can also find vertical up to weak climbing. High walls are a priority on the Třináctek wall. Divided into indoor and outdoor, they offer a combined over 130 climbing routes leading up to a maximum height of 17.5 meters. The combination of vertical and inclined walls simulating rock climbing is very pleasant.

What makes it special?

A well-maintained outdoor wall that can be found on the thirteenth is really a rarity. Especially in the time of corona virus measures, it is almost a necessity for climbers. This fourteen-meter outdoor wall on the barns offers a total of 29 routes on nine belay lines (some of them ending in the ceiling). If you want to come climb a wall that looks like the ones at the world championships in the Olympics, and that's outside, thirteen is definitely the place.

Laugh OFF

Where: Křížová 6, Prague 5 – Smíchov
Opening hours: 6:30-23:00 (on weekends from 8:00)
Highest wall: 15 meters
Suitable for beginners: Ne!
Multisport: Yes (arrival until 14:00 without extra charge)
VARP review: Yes (70/100)

SmileOff, even if we don't really like it, it has to be on our list for several reasons. It's a clear choice that we'd be lynched if it wasn't here. It is the largest climbing wall in the Czech Republic, which combines bouldering and difficulty climbing as well as space for training.

SmíchOff patří mezi „nejlepší lezecké stěny“ díky svojí univerzálnosti a dostupnosti všeho, co lezení může nabídnout. Místní boulder je extrémně prostorný a dělený do několika sektorů, nabízející vše, od lezení po stropě až po svislé stěny. Pro lezení na obtížnost (vysoko po stěně na laně) je zde hned několik desítek stěn a přes stovka stěn různých obtížností. Je zde několik různých převisů, různě dlouhé svislé i nakloněné stěny, a dokonce malá simulace venkovního lezení na skále. Mimo to se za boulderem schovává i prostor pro lezecký kondiční trénink a speciálná boulderingová sekce pro malé děti – Bouldříkov – kde je samonaviják a nesmí se používat sypké magnézium.
Bohužel jde o paradoxní kombinaci dobrého a příšerného místa. OFF není místem vhodným pro nové lezce. Kombinace mastnoty a pofidérního bezpečí není pro nováčky ideální!

What makes it special?

SmíchOff is special in two ways. The first is that their bouldering section is more focused on a modern competitive type of climbing, which is more dynamic and parkour-like. So if you succumbed to climbing during the Olympics, this is where you'll see what it's really like. The second peculiarity is the number of so-called self-winders. Devices that allow high routes to be climbed alone as they eliminate the need for a breaker.

Sambar Kladno

Where: Huťská, Kladno
Opening hours: 8:00 – 22:00
Highest wall: 18 meters
Suitable for beginners: Partly
Multisport: Yes
VARP review: Not yet

Wall Sambar Kladno is the last in our list of the best climbing walls in and around Prague. It is clearly the best and highest wall in the Central Bohemia region. With a section for bouldering, difficulty climbing, but also a very spacious section for climbing exercises, this wall deserves a place on our list.

Compared to the other walls on this list, Sambar Kladno is very small. Its bouldering section is only 3.5 meters high and can feel cramped. It is divided into three sections – cantilever, vertical and ceiling – and focuses predominantly on simulating rock climbing. Unlike the other walls on the list, the entire boulder is evenly provided with a very pleasant landing (so you don't have to drag heavy mattresses). The difficulty wall is much more spacious. With heated floor, 1000 m² area and with regularly changing routes rising up to 18 meters, it is definitely one of the best walls in the Czech Republic.

What makes it special?

Sambar is distinguished from other walls by three main things (except the heated floor). It has one of the largest and most equipped training rooms of all climbing walls. With a 9 m long campus, a 6 m training wall, a tilting hydraulic wall, trapeze bars and fingerboards, the Kladno campus is truly monstrous. This only compliments the large number of fixed belays prepared on the best routes for beginners and a large selection of courses for children and adults (including one-off intro courses) that make Sambar Kladno clearly the best climbing area in the region.

And what else?

Now that you know what the best climbing walls are in and around Prague, it's time to look further. Climbing in the gym is amazing, especially if you have your own climbing frames and seat. If you don't know how to choose, look here, where we will advise you with by choosing climbing shoes and by choosing a seat.

If you already have shoes and a seat, you can look at our mage (Maglais aka chalk). It will cost you a bit cheaper than Ocún or Decathlon, but mainly it is in compostable packaging, which is kind to nature.

If you already know that wall climbing is not for you or you've had enough of it and want to switch to "real climbing" but you don't know how to orient yourself on Lezci and CHS doesn't have everything, take a look at our TOPOS. But before that, maybe take a look at the summary of climbing in the main areas of Prague, such as Hlubočepské plates, Prokop valley, Braník and Divoká Šárka.