DePaul students who daydream of scaling mountaintops during class may now find their dreams a little closer to reality with the installation of a Treadwall on the fourth floor of the Ray Meyer Fitness and Recreation Center.

The newly added Treadwall stands at six feet and combines the elements of a climbing wall and a treadmill, creating a constantly rotating climbing wall with adjustable speeds and angles.

“It’s been something that we had been looking at for a while,” said Chris Nasti, assistant director of fitness and wellness at the Ray Meyer. “There was enough demand and interest in climbing to offer an option for students right in the Ray.”

The Treadwall is designed to create a full cross-training experience for those who use it. Users can choose the traditional method of just climbing the bright colored rocks and ladder rungs or can get an arm workout from moving the wall manually using only their strength.

The decision to bring a treadwall to the Ray was made to give students more options for their workout.

“We’d get occasional requests for a climbing wall,” said Nasti. “[We thought] students across the board would be interested in climbing if was made available.”

So far, Nasti’s assumption has been correct, as the new equipment has been very popular among students.

“I think it’s cool that it moves,” said Erin Crowley, an international studies student. “It’s a pretty good workout.”

During the busy hours at the Ray there always appears to be a small crowd of students waiting to use the new Treadwall.

“There is a bit of a learning curve,” said Nasti. “There’s always people using it or wanting to use it, so we’re doing the best to train students and staff.”

Many students are learning how to use the Treadwall and can often be seen teaching their friends.

“It gets people to go to the gym who usually don’t go,” said Chelsea Robinson, a sophomore hospitality major. “It reaches out to a different demographic.”

The Treadwall is very different from a traditional climbing rock wall, but with the space and safety concerns that come from a traditional wall, it appeared to be the best fit for DePaul.

“Space is the biggest factor,” said Nasti. “We’d have to clear space on all four levels which takes away from programming space. Plus we’d have to have limited hours due to the risk of falling. If you fall off the Treadwall, it’s only three feet [high] and you land on a soft surface.”

Although there don’t seem to be many safety concerns for the new equipment, Nasti noted that because the Treadwall is a bigger piece of equipment, it takes the place of where 2-3 treadmills stood.

“It’s a nice space for new activities,” said Nasti. “It offers a whole new program and different mode for people to work out.”