Last weekend we had the opportunity to be among the very first to visit Beest Delft, the newest addition to the Beest family. The gym officially opens on March 22, but a week before the grand opening a group of content creators, including us, were invited for an early look, a climb, and a chat with the team.
During our preview day we met several content creators we already knew from Instagram or YouTube, like Isa (boulderingIsa), Siebe (OneClimbaDay), Aaron (aarondelucoire) and many others. It was great to meet in person, exchange ideas, and talk about how climbing gyms are evolving in the Netherlands. The Beest team was welcoming, open to questions, and visibly proud of what they built.
Van garage naar Beest Delft boulder gym
“Why Delft?” was our first question. The city already has two bouldering gyms and a established climbing community. “The hardest part is always finding the right location,” explained David, the location manager. Beest found a promising building 15 minutes to the train station and saw a real opportunity to expand here.
The building was first used as a garage, then as a supermarket, and later stood vacant without proper maintenance. Because of that, Beest had to put some work into the space. Looking around today, it is hard to imagine anything else here.
For Beest subscription holders, it offers another place to climb within the Randstad network. At the same time, the location works perfectly for new climbers. The neighbourhood around the gym is newly built and full of young people. Instead of going to a fitness chain, many now have the chance to discover bouldering. Even during our introduction day, we saw people randomly comin in and asking about climbing here.
First Impressoin of Beest Delft
As soon as you open the door, you can see almost the entire climbing area. The familiar Beest colours on the walls immediately make it clear where you are. It is the kind of hall that makes you want to put on your climbing shoes and start climbing right away. Since we were at intro day, we began with a short introduction. From a practical point of view, the gym offers a restaurant, working space, changing rooms, individual showers and lockers. You only need to bring your own lock. It also has underfloor heating for Dutch winters, and they plan to invest into new windows.
Layout of the gym
The climbing area is built around 4 large “mushrooms”, with additional walls along the sides. The space between the sectors is generous, making it suitable for both training sessions and competitions. The walls have interesting shapes and corners that add variety to the climbing.
Each climbing sector is named after figures from Greek and Roman mythology, a nod to Mercuriusweg, the street where the gym is located. The name itself has two meanings, one in mythology and one in astronomy, and the builders used these themes to name the different areas. For example, the Hercules Wall features a striking overhang.
Head route setter James aims for a weekly setting schedule, with new problems introduced every week and a full reset every eight weeks. The team is also planning to add XS boulders for shorter climbers and children in the near future.
During our visit, we could not see some of the boulders because they were hidden behind curtains. These are the final boulders for the Beest Open competition. However, we were able to try a number of qualification boulders for the upcoming event, as long as we were not planning to participate in the competition ourselves. The set included a mix of levels and styles.
Training and Holds
Behind the main area is a well‑equipped training zone featuring an adjustable Kilterboard and a Moonboard 2016. Is is clear that Beest Delft wants to appeal not just to casual climbers but also to those training for competitions as Moonboard 2016 is not a usual choice
The hold selection immediately catches our interest. It is a blend of international and local brands such as Axis but also Soul Holds. James explained that he wanted large holds but smaller modules. The design consistency looks good on the wall as well. All modules are white and stand out against the walls.
The difficulty ranges from 1 to 10, which makes the holds suitable for all levels. Lina tried a new series of Axis holds that is not often accessible to climbers at her level. She also loved the creative slab problems, while I enjoyed the powerful overhanging boulders. There were also several dynamic problems that will certainly appeal to climbers who enjoy “new school” style. Overall, it was a set of good quality. Let us see if they can maintain that level. I personally tried several boulders across the different walls. I could not go all out everywhere because I wanted to save my skin for a competition in Heerlen the next day.
You immediately notice that you are climbing in a new gym. The holds are quite rough, the mats are still firm, and the grading does not seem fully balanced in some places. However, this is something that often happens in new gyms and usually improves over time as more people climb and the setters gain experience.
On the large overhang you will also find a number of extra long boulders. You can choose between a high or a low start, which adds a nice extra dimension if you are looking for a bit more challenge. For participants in the Beest Open this coming weekend, it promises to be a great competition. The boulders are well spread throughout the gym, so you do not quickly get in each other’s way. The few boulders I climbed myself were creative and very fun to do.
Beest Open and Grand Opening
The official gym schedule is already packed. On March 21, Beest hosts the Beest Open, a competition featuring 20 comp style boulders graded from 5A to 7C, followed by a final round.
Between March 16 and 20, all Beest subscription holders can already visit the new gym, train, and explore the space. And then comes the Grand Opening on March 22, a free climbing day for everyone. Expect a lively event with a DJ, lots of climbers, and a focus on pure bouldering.
Final thoughts
Our first impression of Beest Delft is that this gym is already off to a strong start. Bright, spacious, good restaurant, and easy access close to the city centre.
The quality of the boulders we tried was high, and it’s clear the team puts serious effort into creating variety and movement. With the addition of kids’ boulders and regular resets, Beest Delft should quickly build a community.
During the preview event we tried Yaya Kombucha the brand they work with, and we saw unpacked pool table and game cabinet. All small details that matters to climbers off the wall.
