Even though the September holidays were short, we managed to squeeze in some time for adventures in Clip ‘n Climb for my young ones. And they had so much fun!
Located in Our Tampines Hub, Clip ‘n Climb is an indoor climbing facility operated by the HomeTeamNS. There is no minimum age, just a minimum weight of 10kg. This means my 2 tots can join too!
Clip ‘n Climb really attracts the kids. Our 90-minute session was attended by mostly kids, other than some parents who also participated to join in the fun.
Colourful Walls
There are 19 colourful walls for us to challenge, and we can climb as many times as we wish. According to Clip ‘n Clip HomeTeamNS, these unusual abstract themes provide a stimulating and tactile environment for everyone.
Varying Difficulty Level
There is 3 difficulty level to accommodate different abilities. My tots kept to Level 1 while the rest tried up to Level 3.
Check out our climbing videos in the Instagram video below (swipe left).
No Belayer Required
The beauty of Clip ‘n Climb is that everyone is on an auto-belay system known as TruBlue Automatic Belay. This belay system has an automatic braking mechanism in place to prevent the climber from falling straight down the floor. The belaying rope is always retracting so that when in use, it is continuously tightened when the climber is moving up. Once the climber is off the climbing wall, the automatic belay system senses a drop and will descent the person smoothly onto the ground.
Not accustomed to using an automatic belaying system, I made a mistake of letting go of the tile half-heartedly and changed my mind just half a second later. The auto-belay proceeded to let the rope down with me, still hanging on the tiles. Within seconds, I had no choice but to release my grip from the tiles entirely, leading to a nearly 2-m fall from the wall.
To regain confidence in my subsequent ascent, I went up the walls halfway a couple of times and tried falling from a lower height. Yes, I am afraid of heights!
As for the children, they seemed to have no fear. Once they reached the top, they simply let go and descend smoothly. Honestly, it is all about trusting the belay mechanism. Adults tend to overthink.
Another safety feature I like about Clip ‘n Climb is their safety protocol. There is a red mat attached to each wall. If the wall is unutilised, the red mat will be attached to the belaying rope and will automatically be raised upwards. A mat let down onto the floor signals that the wall is in use, and we should all steer clear.
No minimum age requirement, just minimum weight
My tots passed the minimum weight requirement, and that meant they could join us.
However, at 13kg, it seems that they were too light for their own comfort because the belaying rope, which is continuously retracting, seemed to be pulling them up. They could not manoeuvre with confidence nor on the wall, and they felt insecure. As a result, they were too afraid even to climb up the ladder beyond 2m.
That is all for the photos coz I spent half the time looking after the tots. Even though I did not have to belay them, they need my reassurance to start a climb.
By the end of the 90-minute, we were all tired out from the climbing, or chasing after the tots.
We will be there again.
Tickets
Each 90-minute session is $25 for non-Safra/PA nor HomeTeamNS member. Having so many kids means that I could go straight to the Saver’s Pass. Guest rate is $175 for 10 sessions. We managed to get ours at $154 (Safra rate). That is a lot of savings!
Going To Clip ‘n Climb
Address: 1 Tampines Walk, #03-03 (Our Tampines Hub) Singapore 528523
Check out their website for the dos and don’ts. And don’t bring your rock shoes! Everyone needs to be in their sportswear and covered sports shoes.
Also to NOTE: the saver’s pass can only be purchased at their reception area. So if you are going in a big group, purchase the tickets in advance and book your climbing session in advance to avoid disappointment. The premise is really popular, especially on weekends.
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