Rapid growth and a unique addition
Mono Boulder has not been open for very long, yet it is clearly not standing still. When the opportunity to expand came up, they took it immediately. The new space opened in February, combined with their first major competition.
What truly sets this expansion apart is the Highball wall. This concept does not exist in any other bouldering gym in the Netherlands. A Highball is essentially an extremely tall boulder. In this case, the wall reaches around nine to ten meters. You climb to the top and then drop onto a large inflated mat that is nearly two meters thick. If you are looking for the highest boulder in the Netherlands, you will have to go to Ede.
The first Highball event
Last weekend, Mono Boulder hosted their first Highball event. The wall is not always available due to safety considerations. Originally planned as a competition, it was turned into an open event due to a limited number of registrations. Anyone interested could try different routes.
We travelled to Ede because I wanted to experience this myself. I had already seen videos online from a gym in England, which made me curious. It felt like a unique mix of bouldering and a mental challenge.
Exploring the expansion
We arrived well over an hour before the start, which gave us time to explore the new area.
The space is built around a central mushroom structure, with bouldering walls surrounding it. In one of the corners, the Highball wall rises all the way to the ceiling.
There is also a shop area under construction, a dedicated kids play area, and the kilterboard has been relocated. The previous kilterboard space has been converted into additional changing rooms, which is a clear improvement. Next to the kilterboard, a training wall has been added, mainly suited for comp style bouldering.
Boulders and level
I tried several boulders, and my impression remains consistent with my previous visit. The routes flow well, feel varied, and offer enough for beginners to work on. You can read here more about our earlier experience.
The gym now uses no-tex arrows throughout to indicate start and finish holds. They have also switched to a grading system from one to ten, which you see in many gyms today. Personally, I find this clear and pleasant to climb with.
The Highball experience
After an hour of bouldering, it was time for the Highball. The airbag was inflated and after a short explanation on how to fall safely, we could begin. Unlike normal bouldering, you do not aim to land on your feet here, but on your back.
There were three routes: 5C, 6A and 6C. I started with the 5C, but stopped halfway to first experience the fall. Letting go felt unnatural. Still, I counted down and dropped. To my surprise, it did not hurt.
After that, I climbed to the top. With the large holds, this felt relatively easy. At the top, I noticed that letting go was still tense. I climbed down slightly before finally committing to the fall. The 6A felt similar. Again, I climbed down a bit before letting go. I was not the only one doing this. Most climbers took that extra margin. At the same time, a few climbers let go at the very top without hesitation, dropping around eight meters. My limit stayed closer to six meters.
The 6C came with an extra challenge. If you climbed it in one go, you earned a free drink. The line followed large blue holds with two technical sections halfway and near the top. It suited me well, and the drink was deserved. I climbed it again for photos and videos. After several attempts on the Highball, I climbed a few more boulders in the gym and then enjoyed the drink.
The next day, I felt soreness across my entire back. Not the usual fatigue after a strong session, but clearly different. The fall itself does not hurt, yet your body seems to tense in another way. That was unexpected.
Final thoughts
The expansion at Mono Ede is a success. The Highball is a unique addition and without doubt one of the most remarkable, possibly even the scariest boulder in the Netherlands. With a bit more visibility, the turnout at future events will likely grow. This is an experience worth trying at least once if you are into bouldering. Click here for the video of the Highball experience.
