double8 岩究所 ReviewLearn to Climb and Find Love? Taipei's Most Beginner-Friendly Dihua Street Climbing Gym

This Dihua Street climbing gym has two floors: the reception area is on the first floor, and the climbing space is on the second. On the first floor, you'll find a display area for double8's climbing gear, along with open shoe racks to the right. A unique feature is the whey protein vending machine in front of the changing rooms, making it easy to refuel with protein after your climb.

Stepping onto the second floor of double8, the high-ceilinged atrium allows the climbing wall to extend upwards. The coach explained that because the old building's structure couldn't be altered, the climbing walls were built to conform to the existing house, resulting in a wall height of 8 meters, which is ideal for beginners.

Unlike other Taipei climbing venues that focus on technical climbing with overhangs to increase difficulty, double8 primarily features flat walls with large holds. Yuna believes this design makes the walls perfectly suited for beginners with no prior experience.

This time, Yuna brought two friends to double8: one with absolutely no rock climbing experience, and one with almost exclusively bouldering experience. The instructor specifically pointed out that the biggest difference between top-roping and bouldering is that bouldering doesn't require rope belaying, and the climbing height is much lower.

Inexperienced climbers often tend to rely solely on arm strength, but rock climbing is actually a full-body workout. Relying only on your arms will quickly exhaust them, so it's important to make good use of footholds and leg strength to aid your climb.

Yuna found that for beginners, just overcoming the fear of heights during a climb is enough to break into a cold sweat, often leading to frantic grabbing at holds. To counter this, coaches use a laser pointer to guide hand and foot placements and offer encouragement, helping everyone reach the top.

Throughout your double8 experience, the coaches constantly remind you of key safety points. Once a climber reaches the top, they also help the belayer lower the rope, ensuring a safe descent.

It's important to remember that during the descent, climbers should let go of the handholds and rope. Keep your feet perpendicular to the wall and push off to avoid injury while rappelling.