Momentum Silver Street (Gym Review)

It makes sense that Momentum Silver Street is right in the middle of The Washington Avenue Arts District, because this bouldering gym is authentically a masterpiece.

Architecturally speaking, the engineers and designers made perfect use of the over 40,000 sq. ft. facility. It’s difficult to explain just how big 40,000 sq. ft. of dedicated bouldering space is, but it’s basically an acre¹. AN ACRE OF BOULDERING! It’s pretty much an indoor version of Hueco Tanks…fine this is a bit of an exaggeration, but just know the place is huge and amazing!

Fitting with the Arts District metaphor, the route setters at Momentum Silver Street are essentially the Dali, Klimt, Vermeer, Cezanne, Kahlo, Monet, and Van Gogh of the rock-climbing world. Perhaps Momentum will give us a glimpse of the first Pollock inspired route someday. I can’t even imagine what that route would look like, maybe a rainbow route, who knows? But if a Pollock inspired route is going to be imagined anywhere I can guarantee it will happen here! In all seriousness, the setters at Momentum Silver Street are artists. The creativity and dedication they put into their craft is positively beautiful.

Photo Credit: Jon Vickers

Photo Credit: Caitlin McNulty

Photo Credit: Caitlin McNulty

There are an extraordinary amount of routes for anyone to climb, they vary from very easy to very difficult, and no matter what level you climb from beginner to pro you will be enchanted by the offerings at Silver Street. My favorite benefaction is the World Cup Routes. Silver Street offers select world cup style climbing routes that range in difficulty from qualifying all the way to finals. If you have never worked a World Cup route before, then that alone is a great reason to visit Silver Street. The challenge in figuring out the beta gets your creative juices flowing, and putting that beta into action has the styling’s of an interpretive dance. Seriously, working these routes is some of the most fun I have ever had.

Another interesting feature is that some sections/routes are devoted to particular hold manufactures. You want to work a route featuring So iLL innies and bubbies, it’s there. You want to try your luck on some of the gnar that 360 has created?  Go bananas! Who wouldn’t want to mix it up with some Teknik talons and jibs? And of course all these bonus aspects are surrounded by the world class climbing routes that Momentum has been priding itself on for years!

I fell in love with the workout spaces. Whoever invented the Moonboard² might be eligible for a Luxembourg Art Prize. There is literally everything a climber could possibly want for training. I could make a list, but it’s much easier to just tell you that if you could imagine something a climber should train with then it’s probably at Momentum Silver Street. Their training palette is rich…RICH!

The Staff are friendly, informed, and genuinely interested in making your climbing experience as productive as you wish it to be. The entire facility is immaculate; including the bathrooms…Marcel Duchamp would be proud!  And if your shoes blow a toe, no worries there’s a pro shop  inside the gym, ready and waiting to serve all your climbing needs!

If/when you’re in the Houston area visit the Washington Avenue Arts District, it’s the countries largest Arts District, with a new masterpiece taking center stage. From toe hooks to top-outs Silver Street Momentum is the place to Gogh. (I’m so sorry for that pun, but I couldn’t help myself. #artpuns.)³

1. How big is an acre? (This might be the best video on YouTube, and the comments are even better…{you’re welcome})
2. It was Ben Moon, legendary British climber and founder of Moon Climbing.
3. No I’m not…it gets worse!
   1. From toe hooks to top-outs Silver Street Momentum is the place to spend your Monet…
      1. Even if you’re Baroque
   2. From toe hooks to top-outs Silver Street Momentum is great for families, so bring your Mamma and your Dada.
   3. From toe hooks to top-outs Silver Street Momentum opens early, so get a morning climb, right after you enjoy your breakfast surreal.
   4. From toe hooks to top-outs Silver Street Momentum will leave a great first impressionism.
   5. From toe hooks to top-outs Silver Street Momentum hosts climbers of all ages, so bring the kids, and let them bring a Dali.