The first online BMC Climbing Wall Users Survey had a fantastic response with over 3000 completed surveys. The final report of recommendations and conclusions is now in!

Some of the key findings are:

Over 75% of responding climbers climb both at indoor walls and outdoors. Although the usage of these walls is slightly greater at autumn/winter, indoor climbing is seen to be a year round activity.

Over 66% of respondents would like to attend a coaching session at a climbing wall. The BMC needs to ensure, with the aid of climbing walls, that coaching sessions are made available to adults and young people.

The users of indoor walls would like to see more information on how to progress outdoors, information for beginners and how to join climbing clubs.

Respondents climbed at 237 different climbing venues, with the majority of respondents climbing once or twice a week. Climbers choose not to travel far to their wall with most regular travelling between 10-30 minutes.

The BMC civil liability cover was found to be very useful to those indoor wall users. However still a large percentage of those users did not know about the liability insurance.

The BMC should continue its good work as the majority of climbers are satisfied with the work the BMC does for indoor wall users, although support in the movement to outdoor climbing and the level of information available for young climbers could be improved. Indoor wall users identified advising on safe practice, advising on equipment and supporting young participants as areas that were most important.

A full copy of the report, with BMC comments detailing exactly what we plan to do with each recommendation and conclusion that came out of the survey can be downloaded by clicking here.

A further survey will be commissioned in 2012 to see how we are doing.

« Back