The story of the Clift experience enables climbing performance tracking, challenges, and routesetting with lights.
Jeremy Mullet climbing in freestyle mode at Sanctuary Climbing & Fitness, Seaside California. Photo by Derek Troxell.
Data-driven intelligent system that aids coaching, tracks performance, and engages climbers to return.
The original idea of Clift was conceived about five years ago. Andras, one of the co-founders, while starting to become passionate about climbing, found himself facing typical problems.
Overall, he was forced to see that many climbing gyms are failing to rebuild routes, or when they do, the labels and other markings are usually difficult to follow. Additional problems include the need for a professional route-setting team to rebuild each wall section, also the periodic shutdown of walls costs gyms a fortune.
This problem required a solution, which led to Clift's innovation: the Clift Upgrade kit + Digital services for gyms. Perfectly fitting all types of climbing walls, Clift works with all kinds of hold and can be installed on lead, boulder, spray, or auto-belay walls.
The Clift Sensors that fit with neat magnets on the back of each T-Nut, track the movement of climbers. The lights change upon being gripped during a climb and following a route the progress is measured, and tracked by the Clift Climber app.
Clift enhances the climbing experience with:
Clift Sensors that measure climbers’ performance;
Digital route setting and games through the use of LEDs;
Clift Climber App to analyze and personalize climbs;
Clift Admin Dashboard for routesetting
The company's product enables digital route setting, replacing the losses caused by wall constructions and rebuilding while optimizing the operation of the gyms. With all this in mind, not forgetting about the climber's benefits; the excitement and challenges of constantly evolving routes.
Clift Console, interactive touchscreen. Photo by Fanni Jurik.
Clift upgraded walls in more and more countries
After a number of prototypes, the first generation of Clift products was unveiled to the public in mid-2020. Considering that sales started right in the middle of the Covid shutdowns, the product was still successfully installed in 12 gyms across 7 countries within a year and a half.
The current team of 8 has deployed walls in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, among others. However, an installation definitely worth mentioning is the first US Clift location at Sanctuary Climbing & Fitness in Monterey.
How the idea of the first US Clift location became reality
The contact was established by the American initiative after reading about the Clift company's innovative work in an online article. The initial interest has grown so fast, that within 2-3 months the conclusion of a contract and the date of installation were finalized. According to Michael Bascou, Sanctuary Climbing & Fitness Gym Owner and Head Routesetter:
„I was dreaming of a lighted concept to use on any wall with existing holds, kind of like tape, I searched the web and found your solution and was immediately a believer as you had been doing it for a few years already. The sensors are what really sold me, I was just thinking about lights.”
After the necessary preparations were completed, the team flew out to California to install the system in Michael's gym. The installation was conducted based on established practice. First, the hardware is installed. Then comes the software setup, including mapping and setting the sensitivity of the Clift Sensors. Once all the sub-tasks are done, the wall is handed over and routesetters can start setting routes.
Melissa Eugene climbing a V3 route at Sanctuary Climbing & Fitness, Seaside California. Photo by Clift
Climbers are using the Clift wall continuously
The Clift team received their very first feedback right after the handover, which was profoundly positive. Likewise, Michael Bascou's remarks reflect equally positive impressions:
„We have been using the system for a month and all is well. The climbers are having a blast! As the head setter, I am constantly in motion with a wrench, handholds, and ladder, but setting on the Clift is more of a climbing session and I can easily double or triple my route output and not turn a single wrench.”
What's best is that gyms are witnessing the unfolding of a revolutionary concept, as they expand their services to climbers. From here, the successful conduct of digital training and global competitions is just one step away. Overall, the company looks forward to a promising future, as its innovative product provides equally promising solutions for gym owners and climbers alike.
Michael Bascou gym owner Sanctuary Climbing & Fitness, Seaside California. Photo by Clift
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