A Review of All Sender One Climbing Locations!

Updated June 2024

Sender One is one of the best indoor climbing gyms in Southern California. The first location was founded in 2011, and they’ve gradually expanded all over SoCal since. I’ll be writing up a quick review of each location, similar to my post on all the Hangar 18 locations.

Please note that I (5’3″ female) climb mostly V3-V4s at Sender One– I can do most V3s and some V4s. For top rope, I climb between 11a-11c. I’m better at technique-based problems that challenge balance and flexibility over strength, and it is based off of my own skill level that I’ll rank the difficulties for each location.

Prices

I bought a prepaid annual membership during Sender One’s 10th anniversary sale for $1050, which can be activated at any time. 2024 prices are $1099. Prior to this annual membership, I purchased a few 5-punch passes when they go on sale, and you can repeatedly buy them if you take Intro to Climbing classes (which you can get cheaper on Groupon).

Day passes go for $34 and include climbing shoe rentals. There are also punch passes for varying prices (there are often sales for the 5-punch pass), and monthly rates can be found here.

Sender One Lakewood – NOW OPEN!

Address: 4949 Lakewood Blvd, Lakewood, CA 90712

Parking: Parking lot up front plus extra spaces along the side of the building

Size: 28,000 sq ft

Type: Bouldering, lead climbing, top rope

Amenities: Locker rooms, showers, sauna (coming soon), yoga and fitness area

Difficulty: Since Sender One uses the same setters, the difficulty across the existing 5 gyms are fairly consistent. With the grand opening, setters typically make newest locations a tad easier. I was able to send my first Sender V5 here!

Overall: Newest Sender One location, and the one I had been highly anticipating! This spot has the most bouldering walls with two islands and more terrain-type of climbing, like slab walls. Boulder walls go up to around 16 ft tall. There won’t be a speed wall, but we could potentially see some lead crack climbing. At the grand opening for members, we saw some really fun setting with both super new and gritty holds, plus unique dual tex holds. Problems are currently spaced out but I’m sure the setters will fill up the remaining empty spaces in time.

This location includes a Sender City, which is an interactive climbing area designed for kids or adults of all ages. Not yet open!

Sender One LAX

Address: 11220 Hindry Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Parking: There is a lot onsite that wraps around the building, but it’s usually rather packed. There is street parking along Hindry Ave, but double check the signage!

Size: 30,000 sq ft, 2 stories

Type: Bouldering, lead climbing, top rope, speed climbing

Amenities: Locker rooms, showers, yoga and fitness classes

Difficulty: Since Sender One uses the same setters, the difficulty across the existing 5 gyms are fairly consistent. LAX could be in the middle.

Overall: This is the biggest of the Sender One gyms, and one with the most amenities onsite. There’s a second story with more bouldering problems, ellipticals overlooking the top rope area, and plenty of training gear such as their MoonBoard, fingerboards, campus boards, and one where you climb up by stabbing wooden sticks into holes.

This location includes a Sender City, which is an interactive climbing area designed for kids or adults of all ages.

Sender One Playa Vista

Address: 12775 W Millennium Suite 4-140A, Los Angeles, CA 90094

Parking: Paid parking garage with 90 minute validation, or 2 hour street parking, OR free street parking about 5-7 minute walk away in the neighborhoods. Check the signs!

Size: 7000 sq ft.

Type: Bouldering only

Amenities: Locker rooms, showers, small fitness center

Difficulty: Since Sender One uses the same setters, the difficulty across the existing 5 gyms are fairly consistent, with the Playa Vista location ever so slightly harder.

Overall: A pretty intimate space in the middle of Playa Vista, the smallest location of the existing gyms. I went most recently and found all the routes to be challenging and difficult. Even the V3s really test your technique level and you’re holding onto the holds with the tips of your fingers!

Sender One Santa Ana

Address: 1441 Village Way, Santa Ana, CA 92705

Parking: Parking lot in front of the entrance and around the side of the building, but plenty of space overall in the plaza.

Size: 24,000 sq ft.

Amenities: Locker rooms, showers

Type: Bouldering, lead climbing, top rope, speed climbing

Difficulty: Since Sender One uses the same setters, the difficulty across the existing 5 gyms are fairly consistent. Top rope grading is easier than LAX.

This location includes a Sender City, which is an interactive climbing area designed for kids or adults of all ages.

Overall: Lots of cool problems here with creative use of big volumes. The competitions and events held here are really fun, and it’s pretty kid friendly. That means there will be a lot more kids running around, especially on the weekends.

Sender One Westwood

Address: 10887 Lindbrook Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90024

Parking: Broxton Ave Public Parking has 2 free hours if you enter before 5pm. There’s also metered street parking throughout Westwood, but if you plan on being at this gym for longer than 2 hours, I would recommend parking south of Wilshire Ave where the apartments are, and walking the 10 minutes.

Size: 10,000+ sq ft

Amenities: Gender neutral locker rooms, yoga studio, cycling bikes, small fitness room

Type: Bouldering

Difficulty: Since Sender One uses the same setters, the difficulty across the existing 5 gyms are fairly consistent. We went back after attending the grand opening party, and the routes got a tad harder. More consistent with other locations but still easier.

Overall: Small bouldering-only gym with one big overhang boulder in the center. The problems are really interesting because there are more corners to set problems that use two sides of the wall. Since it’s a newer location, all the holds are fairly new and very grippy!

There’s an upstairs yoga studio and two cycling bikes. This location is also air conditioned 🙂

Verdict

If we had to rank the hardest to easiest across the 5 open gyms: Playa Vista > Santa Ana > LAX > Westwood > Lakewood

Compared to Hangar 18 grading, I’d put Sender One roughly in the middle of all the Hangars, making it a pretty well-rounded gym.

Upcoming New Gyms

Sender One Huntington Beach – opening late 2024

This location will be over 9000 sq ft of bouldering and fitness facility at the Bella Terra open air shopping mall.

Sender One Aliso Viejo – opening 2025/2026

This location will have 24,000 sq ft of climbing, yoga, fitness, and a Sender City at “The Commons” in Aliso Viejo (26507 Aliso Creek Road).