Sport climbing grade conversion In bouldering, the V scale (V0, V1, V2, etc. Rock climbing grades are a means of estimating the difficulty of a climb. Grade conversion Sport climbing grades Bouldering grades While preparing a recent post " Tall or short: what's better for climbing hard? " I was looking for data on height of the best climbers in order to find an answer to the question posed in the title. To my surprise V5 converts to 7b and V6 to 7c in the french scale. Oct 23, 2023 · Discover the intricacies of climbing grades with our comprehensive guide. Make sure you’re comparing apples to Easily convert climbing grades across systems like YDS, French, UIAA, British, and more. S. The higher the grade, the harder the route is. Like any sport, climbing is self-referential, and grade systems are improvisational at their core. The best way to approach the conversion is to travel, go climbing and get used to the different grades! Have fun! P. Apr 27, 2025 · The comparison highlights the physical and technical demands of sport routes versus short bouldering sequences. To help with this, we've created a conversion table for sport and trad climbing, as well as bouldering. May 31, 2020 · Everything you need to know about climbing grades in one place. Jul 29, 2025 · The special case of trad climbing and mountaineering: risk and commitment In sport climbing, with fixed protection, the grade is quite objective, focused on difficulty. If you have an account on theCrag, you can set your preferred grade system for major gear styles on your profile page, allowing you to look at any climbing area worldwide in the grade system you are most used to. Apr 27, 2025 · The 9c grade belongs to the French sport climbing scale, which ranges from 1 (easiest) to 9c (hardest). What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. Knowing how one method relates to another is sometimes difficult. Find the rock climbing destination in the world by month. if a route boils down to just a single boulder problem (roped bouldering, something quite common where I live) then the grade of that boulder problem determines how low the route can be graded. Climbing & Bouldering Scale Converter for Trad Grade, UIAA, French Sport Grade, American Scale More info on the grades of sport climbing, bouldering, ice climbing & technical climbing! Climbing Grade Conversion is a versatile tool that is designed to assist climbers in navigating the complex grading systems used in rock climbing and bouldering. Free, fast, and easy-to-use climbing grade converter. Please note that grade conversions are approximate. Convert North American climbing grades to UK and European scales, and compare bouldering V-grades to roped climbs. I was reading and watching a lot about the V5/V6 plateau that most intermediate climbers hit, and I was expecting this to be around the 6b on the french scale. Both indoor and outdoor bouldering is graded, but you’ll find that outdoor climbing will use either the V-Scale or the Font-Scale, which are the two most common bouldering scales The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. Learn about climbing and bouldering ratings, including how route difficulty is measured and the difference between a rating and a grade. Quickly convert climbing grades between different systems: French, YDS, UIAA, and more. Climbing grades have evolved alongside advances in equipment, technique, and community feedback, leading to more accurate and standardized assessments of difficulty. Learn how bouldering V-scales compare to YDS for route climbing, understand the journey from indoor to outdoor climbing, and explore international grading systems. So my country uses the french scale for indoor sports climbing. Jun 5, 2023 · What Are Bouldering Grades? Similar to any type of climbing, bouldering is graded with a series of numbers and letters. If you look at a crag in France, you will most likely see sport and trad climbing grades Pretty much agreed with this. Master ratings! Jun 10, 2024 · Bouldering and Lead Climbing Grade converters and other tools for rock climbers. e. Overview of Climbing Grading Systems Climbing grades vary by region and discipline. I run rock climbing courses in the UK and abroad and have grown up from a young age steeped in the world of trad rock climbing and my aim in this blog is to give you a brief overview of the basic rules governing the UK Apr 27, 2025 · This creates a challenge for climbers looking to move from bouldering to sport climbing to draw straightforward comparisons. Grade VII). Free rope climbing Sep 16, 2021 · Everything you ever wanted to know about bouldering grades in one place, including a bouldering grade conversion chart from the V Scale to Font Scale. Convert from French to Yosemite Decimal System and more. The Old SA grading was used in many of the older traditional climbing areas but is seldom used today. 15d. Mar 17, 2023 · Confusingly though, European sport climbers use the French sport climbing system which, just like Font Bouldering Grades, ranges from 1 – 9 and uses a,b and c as well as ‘+’ to signify a slight increase in difficulty. But as the popularity of rock climbing burgeons globally, understanding the intricacies of climbing grades has become more confusing. americanalpineclub. Grades can be subjective and may vary slightly between locations or setters. Read now! Feb 14, 2024 · Understanding Bouldering Grades Bouldering grades stand as a universal metric, offering climbers a standardized means to assess the difficulty of boulder problems, whether encountered outdoors in natural landscapes or within the controlled environments of climbing gyms. Jan 28, 2022 · Climbing grades describe the objective difficulty of a climb and are organized into grading systems based on the climbing style and the region. Meaning that for example if you look at a crag in Australia you will most likely see sport and trad climbing grades displayed in Ewbanks and bouldering grades in V-scale. Universal grade conversion Back to contents In general, theCrag displays grades as they are entered and in the area specific context. I. 13d, you’re in the right place. Even within the same style, these systems don’t always align, making direct comparisons difficult. Mar 30, 2023 · Rock climbing grades Behind the grades: Grades are often debated in climbing because they aim to measure difficulty in objective terms, but the many variables in what makes a climb hard, and who is doing the climbing, make objectivity impossible. Aug 18, 2017 · In this article we go over the nuances of rock climbing grades, indoor and outdoor, what they mean, and how to understand them. 13a in difficulty. org. Different styles—bouldering, sport, and trad—each have their own grading systems. ) is commonly used in North America, while sport climbing typically uses the YDS (Yosemite Decimal System) scale, ranging from 5. Climbing grading systems are an integral component of our sport. I see very very few people climb 7b and 7c grades. AI6). ioTips for Using Climbing Grade Conversions Understand the Context: grades are subjective and can vary based on region, climbing style, and even the conditions on the day you climb. In this post, you’ll see how these grading systems compare, why the conversion isn’t always exact, and what it means Apr 27, 2025 · The French 8a+ grade represents the upper end of the sport climbing difficulty scale. So now im confused. Get help comparing bouldering, sport, and trad climbing grades. The French system, used for sport climbing, runs from 1 to 9c and measures continuous difficulty over a full route. Jan 1, 2003 · The following chart compares most of the available grading scales. Here's your guide for comparing indoor to outdoor bouldering grades. Bouldering grades are graded using different systems across different regions. Sometimes the conditions and the state of the routes can also influence the grades. 14a in sport climbing grades In this article, you’ll see how these systems compare, why the conversions aren’t always perfect, and how to use each scale depending on where you’re climbing. Convert a climbing grade with easeTo convert grades, enter the grade into the input, select the grade system (french, yosemite, v-scale) and hit "convert" Nov 17, 2025 · Understanding Climbing Grades Before we dive into the conversion, let's quickly recap what these grades mean. It measures the overall difficulty of a roped climb, including endurance, technical moves, and mental focus. Mar 25, 2024 · Learn how to convert climbing grades, common challenges, and resources for accurate conversions. Use Rab’s interactive tool to understand global climbing difficulty scales and plan your next route with confidence. The most commonly used Apr 29, 2024 · Learn everything about climbing grades and quickly convert any climbing rating with our free climbing grade conversion chart. In fact, I can go a few weeks Nov 21, 2025 · Complete guide to climbing grades with conversion charts. Key Takeaways The Font scale and the V scale are two of the most prominent bouldering difficulty grading systems. The app is suitable for both novice and experienced climbers and offers a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate. Indeed, as there are many climbing styles, many grading systems have emerged throughout climbing history to cover the different types of movement and technologies climbers use to ascend varied terrains like rock, ice, and snow. Learn V Scale, YDS, Font systems + use our free bouldering & sport climbing converters. How to get upgoats on r/climbing: google image search "climbing grade conversion" post 1st result profit??? Convert sport climbing grades instantly between YDS (5. Learn your grades and apply them to your climbing and problem setting. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade Aug 30, 2021 · What’s the point of climbing grades, and who gets to decide? Before we dive into technical talk, here’s a PSA from our author and his researchers, dirtbags who’ve climbed more than a few rocks: Climbing grades are subjective. What do these grades translate to in V-grade and British system? A mistake often made is to combine the Australian & South African grades as the same, in fact they are about a grade apart and even more at the upper grades. Rock Climbing adventures, tips and tricks. Convert from Font to Hueco and more. I like to use a conversion chart like this as more of an lower limit for a route grade. 12b in the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). Climbers can use these systems to track their progress as they work toward building new skill sets. Sep 25, 2023 · Climbing is a universal sport, spanning from remote walls in Alaska to the sunny sport climbing routes of Spain. Because other factors come in with equal or greater importance. Apr 27, 2025 · How Grade Conversion Impacts Your Climbing Grade conversion is central to how climbers gauge their abilities and challenge themselves. The table below should be disregarded for the time being – Gustav Jun 5, 2023 · If you have done any climbing, either in the gym or outside, you will most likely have run into the concept of climbing grades. 12a in the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). Climbing Grade ConverterSelect a grade from a list instead? This is a bouldering climbing grade conversion chart. SENDY. Both systems are subjective and depend on various factors, but they provide a general idea of the Apr 27, 2025 · If you’re trying to understand how the Font grade 7b compares to the V Scale, the quick answer is: 7b is about the same as V8 or 5. Below is a Climbing grades conversion chart, bouldering grades conversion, what are the grades of rock climbing, aluminum grades chart, sport climbing vs lead climbing, Oct 15, 2021 · From sport climbing to bouldering, different types of rock climbing each have their own system, known as bouldering grades, to assess a route’s overall difficulty. This bouldering grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from Hueco to French and back to French to V-Scale. Climbing grades vary by area, with some systems remaining local and others gaining wider use. Make sure you’re comparing apples to How to Use the Sports Climbing Grades Chart: To use this table, simply find the grade you wish to convert and click on it or follow the row to see equivalent grades in the other system. WI6) and the identical AI ("alpine ice") system (e. I go bouldering at a gym in Norway and this is their grading system. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. Dec 28, 2024 · Bewildering, subjective, unnecessarily complex, just plain mad! All of these insults have been leveled at the British grading system for traditional (trad) rock climbing. The Rockfax grade tables offer a flexible and accurate comparison from the main world grading systems to the unique British Trad Grade and UK Tech Grade. Unique gym vs outdoor grade adjustments. Nov 25, 2025 · 8A also translates to about 5. Sep 17, 2024 · If you’re trying to understand how a 6c bouldering grade converts to the V Scale or sport climbing grades, here’s the quick answer: 6c roughly equals V5 in the Hueco (V) Scale and 5. 0 to 5. About this Sports Climbing Grades table: This is a lead climbing grade conversion chart. Learn about the Yosemite and French grading systems and how the two compare. But when we get to trad climbing, things change, and a lot. g. The related sport of mixed climbing (i. Many areas in the world have developed different systems. I’m not sure if this is a bouldering system or a sport climbing system as the gym has both and I’ve not checked if the high wall has a separate system. Climbing Grade Conversion Chart (International). Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Trad climbing consists of several pitches and, in addition to bolts, temporary protection systems can . It is very difficult to compare the bouldering grading systems to the route grading Jan 1, 2025 · There are several methods of grading how difficult a climb is. Apr 27, 2025 · If you’re trying to understand how a 7C+ boulder grade converts to the V scale or sport climbing grades like 5. M8), with other notable mixed grading systems including the Scottish Winter system (e. Climbers often experience this disconnect when moving between the French 7a and the V-scale. eu Confused by YDS, French, UIAA sport climbing grades? Our global comparison gives a clear understanding for international climbs. Consider the Climbing Style: sport climbing, traditional climbing, and bouldering can have different grading nuances. This guide delves deep into the world of rock climbing grades, offering insights into their origins, variations, and how they compare internationally Mar 21, 2022 · Most gyms don’t grade their problems to replicate outdoor climbs. International rock climbing classification systems are shown in the chart at the right, and below is a comparison of Alpine, Ice, Snow, Aid, an As climbing evolved from its early alpine roots to include sport climbing, bouldering, and indoor climbing, various grading systems were created to reflect local climbing styles and traditions. See full list on bergfreunde. Each grade conveys the difficulty of the route. Climbers need to demonstrate exceptional strength, technique and endurance to complete these ascents. ice and dry-tool climbing) uses the M-grade system (e. Please visit them on the web at www. This table Apr 27, 2025 · If you’re trying to figure out how a 6b bouldering grade converts to the V scale or sport climbing grades, here’s a quick answer: A 6b in the Fontainebleau bouldering system is about a V4 in the Hueco (V) scale and roughly a 5. Apr 10, 2025 · Our expert guide to climbing rating systems will help you compare trad to sport, America to Europe, bouldering, scrambling, dry tooling and everything in between Feb 4, 2015 · I don’t recommend that you blindly trust this table – there can be differences from country to country or even between climbing areas. Our secret (or maybe not so secret anymore) tip for In ice climbing, the most widely used grading system is the WI ("water ice") system (e. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned climber, our climbing grade conversion cha Bouldering grades and bouldering grades conversion charts for the popular V-Scale and Font-Scale bouldering grades. What seems hard in one grading system may seem easy—or more difficult—in the other. Bouldering grades conversion This page presents bouldering grades, the bouldering grades conversion relative to eachtother and the origine of most used scales. A mistake often made is to combine the Australian & South African grades as the same, in fact they are about a grade apart and even more at the upper grades. 10a), French (6a+), and UIAA (VI) systems.