Bouldering grades chart Bouldering Grades Apr 29, 2024 · If so, you’re not alone. At lower grades, a single V grade often translates to being ‘wider’ than a single grade on the Font Scale. Climbing grades provide guidance, suggesting the length of time an experienced climber might take to complete the route: Grade I: A couple of hours; Grade II: Closer to four hours; Grade III: Four to six hours (most of the day) Grade IV: One very long day; Grade V: Two days (requires an overnight stay) Grade VI: Two-plus days There are grade systems for bouldering, grade systems for sport climbing, grade systems for aid climbing and so on but even grade systems for the same style don’t always translate well between each other. While the grading systems vary by region—like the Fontainebleau system in Europe or the V-scale in the U. The Australian “Ewbank” grading system, where “1” is the lowest grade for example; an inclined walk. Whether you're a seasoned climber or a newcomer to the sport, understanding the different climbing grades and difficulties is crucial for selecting routes that match your skill level and ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience. Grade IV: A full day of technical climbing, generally at least 5. The goal is to reach the top of a boulder problem or route. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. Find out the purpose, benefits, and drawbacks of using climbing grades for safety, route choice, and progression. Understand the Context: grades are subjective and can vary based on region, climbing style, and even the conditions on the day you climb. Within each cell of the table you’ll find a range. Bouldering grades also allow climbers to compare routes and problems at different locations and gyms Converting roped climbing grades to bouldering grades Given the differences between the two styles, it’s difficult to convert roped climbing grades to bouldering grades. As rock climbing areas proliferated and the sport gained momentum, a national climbing classification system sprouted in various regions, each tailored to the unique terrains and challenges they presented. Edit: your chart corresponds to the left hand side of this chart, which is why everyone is arguing the grades are off (they probably haven't ever climbed a one-crux route that didn't require any The following chart compares most of the available grading scales. Please visit them on the web at www. Download it or screenshot it so you are never without a climbing grade conversion cheat sheet. Sep 16, 2021 · Bouldering Grades Conversion Chart: V Scale to Font Scale. Rock climbing is a funny sport, the different disciplines all use the same grading scale! row to see equivalent grades in the other system. The V scale was developed in the USA and is a system that currently starts with VB for the simplest bouldering problems and goes all the way up to V17 for super experienced professionals. We recommend Instantprint where an A1 poster costs around £16 (+VAT and delivery). Tips for Using Climbing Grade Conversions. 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. We in Sardinia (and Italy) use mostly the French chart. At higher grades, the Font Scale and V Scale become almost directly translatable. 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. Grade 3: Moderate to hard, including some technical climbing. Converting climbing grades from one country or one type of climbing to another can be confusing. —all aim to reflect a combination of physical and technical demands. International Climbing Grades - A grade conversion chart from ClimbUK web site. Grades can be subjective and may vary Oct 23, 2023 · The Bouldering V Scale. Australian Rock Climbing Grades Chart Australian climbers like to keep it simple, and thanks to a former Brit, we have one of the most straight-forward climbing grade systems in the world, invented in the 60's by John Ewbank,. org. Download Bouldering Grade PDF – Comparison between Font, V and UK tech grades. Its International rock climbing classification systems are shown in the chart at the right, and below is a comparison of Alpine, Ice, Snow, Aid, and Commitment grading systems. However, over time, it became clear that Gill’s grading system was incapable of defining accurate grades for the complexity of boulders being climbed. In the 1950s, legendary godfather of American bouldering, John Gill, was grading boulders on a super simple scale ascending from B1 to B3. Here is a chart showing the bouldering rating conversions between the V Scale and Font Scale. The two most common boulder grading systems are the V-Scale and the Fontainebleau Scale. Denali via the Cassin Ridge route is 5. With a clear understanding of the grading system, climbers can navigate a spectrum of climbs, from those well within their capabilities to more challenging endeavors that push their limits. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples! Grade 2: Not technical, but exposed to knife-edged ridges, weather, and high-altitude. Related Questions What Does the V stand for on the V-Scale? V stands for Vermin, which was a nick-name for the person who created the V-Scale Standards vary among climbing areas. International Climbing Grades Comparison Chart: Feb 20, 2023 · Climbing Grades Comparison Chart. Bouldering grades are graded using different systems across different regions International Climbing Grade Comparison Chart (Rock and Boulders), MountainProject (2023) Grades and Grade Conversions, theCrag (2023) UIAA Grades for Rock Climbing, UIAA (2023) Grading of Climbs, Ari Paulin Base Camp Database (2023) (Comparative Grades Table) Reporting Grades in Climbing Research, International Rock Climbing Research Grade I: Less than half a day for the technical portion. outdoor bouldering grades stack up, and for planning your first outdoor bouldering excursion. This will help you compare and convert across some of the most popular grading systems. As I started to rock climb I got confused by these different rating systems and their Apr 13, 2025 · Climbing Difficulty Ranking IntroductionClimbing is a sport of precision, strength, and mental endurance. Before this, the kyuu grades goes up to 10, and represents easier climbs. Jan 18, 2022 · And if keeping track of grades remains important to you, then you still can, even with the Jimmy Z Scale: Simply print up the grade chart at Wikipedia, have it laminated, and carry a dry-erase marker with you at all times, moving your “Jimmy Z” lines around on the chart while you climb. Mar 23, 2025 · A new era of grades combines the YDS with the V scale. 0 to 5. 3/5. And “35” currently being the highest climbing grade completed here in Oz. The grades in the tables are assigned a colour code that spans the various grading systems. Some climbers compare the difficulty of a boulder problem graded 5 in the Font system to a 6b sport climb, but such a comparison fails to account for the differences in When we opened our first gym in 2002, we separated outdoor climbing grades and indoor climbing grades, allowing climbers to focus on the nuances of each style. Feb 14, 2024 · Bouldering grades serve as an essential guide, allowing climbers to gauge the suitability of a problem for their skill level. In the United States for sport climbing and other forms of rock climbing we use the Yosemite Decimal System. americanalpineclub. Climbing grade conversions are not perfect but there are several systems used to compare them. 9 C2, Grade VI. International Climbing Grade Comparison Chart. Nov 8, 2023 · V Scale vs. An overall consensus will determine the climbing These symbols indicate the difficulty grade of the boulder problem, but what do they mean? The two most popular bouldering grading systems are the V-scale and the Fontainebleau (Font) scale. If you’re looking for a quick comparison chart between the two most popular bouldering grade systems, the V and Font scales, then here it is. This range is the mean minus one standard deviation (smaller number) to the mean plus one standard deviation (larger number) for the measurement given at the left from our client dataset. Learn about the different climbing grades used in bouldering, from V0 to V16, and understand how to interpret the grading system to choose routes that suit your skill level. It's probably the last one of these that needs to be made. This lead climbing grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from YDS to French and back to French to Yosemite. The Old SA grading was used in many of the older traditional climbing areas but is seldomly used today. outdoor grades. Some climbers compare the difficulty of a boulder problem graded 5 in the Font system to a 6b sport climb, but such a comparison fails to account for the differences in My gym doesn’t really have overlap grades. 13) editorial comments on the standard YDS classes Sep 25, 2023 · The inception of climbing grades was fueled by the need to communicate the technical difficulty of a climb. Note that we’ve omitted some rarely seen scales for brevity and that the only climbing grades worth comparing are those that rate free climbing. This chart accurately compares the French scale with Mar 30, 2023 · Rock climbing grades. Estimations are maximum volatile contraction (MVC) in peak forces for each grade on one hand. Climbing is an exhilarating and challenging sport that attracts adventurers from all walks of life. Climbing Grades vs. A good awareness of both scales means that boulder grades can be used to define the crux difficulty of a longer sport route, and sport grades can be estimated for longer boulder problems i. The technical difficulty is based on the hardest move of the climb, so even if a climb is mostly easy climbing but has one hard move, the technical rating will be that or the hardest mo Converting roped climbing grades to bouldering grades Given the differences between the two styles, it’s difficult to convert roped climbing grades to bouldering grades. 2 kyuu is a V4, and 7 kyuu is a V0 for example. The reason being that the width of grades on a specific scale are not comparable or that grades are not linear across the whole scale. About this Bouldering Grades table: This is a bouldering climbing grade conversion chart. Bouldering Grades vo- vo VI 4 CRUX RANGE. Jun 5, 2023 · Climbing Grades Comparison Chart. Mar 21, 2022 · See the chart below for an illustrated comparison of indoor vs. And remember, Burl will always be Burl and no one can Here is the best chart that exists for comparing route grades to bouldering grades. ⛰️ ClimbGrades. Bouldering grades are a way to measure the difficulty of climbing problems, helping climbers gauge challenges and track progress. Routes may feel substantially harder than their grade indicates depending on the weather, the length of the route, the type of rock, the whims of the first ascensionist, any number of factors. Jun 23, 2024 · Bouldering grades serve as a universal language for climbers to communicate the difficulty level of a climb. Climbing Mt. The Old SA grading was used in many of the older traditional climbing areas but is seldom used today. Conversion Chart: YSD vs. The first climber or routesetter will suggest an appropriate grade based off of various factors. 6C and 6C+ are V5 7A is V6 7A+ is V7 7B+ is V8 Source: 3 UK guides (Boulder Britain Volume 2, Churnet Bouldering, Parisellas guidebook) with conversion charts in each that I've checked from 3 different publishers. COM 6B 6B+ 7B 8B May 27, 2025 · Rock Climbing Grades See Our Complete Guide to USA Climbing Grades Rock climbing is graded on both the technical difficulty of the climb and the commitment of the climb. Jun 10, 2024 · Climbing grade conversions for rock climbing and bouldering. But if they set something as a V3 and then deem it’s a hard v3, they will add a bit of bright green (v4) tape to the end of the arrow to indicate it’s a V3+ My gym grades very hard, probably 1-2 grades harder than the more popular outdoor bouldering areas close to us in TN and AL. Rock Climbing Grade Conversion Chart French 6b 9b Yosemite 5. To help you navigate through the convoluted world of climbing grades, we have put together a climbing grade conversion chart. ” before the rest of the YDS grade. These bouldering grades differ from the grades used in traditional rock climbing, and use many different systems including: Huevo "V" grades-or the V-scale, Fontainebleau technical grades (Font-scale), route colors, Peak District grades, and British technical grades. Rockfax Colour Codes. com. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade Mar 25, 2024 · One effective way to transition from sport climbing grades to bouldering grades is to focus on improving strength, power, and technique—key components of successful bouldering. Sports climbing grades are graded using different systems across different regions. Here’s a comprehensive grade conversion chart, courtesy of the equipment brand, Bergefreunde. Apr 2, 2021 · The grades listed across the top are the max outdoor grade. 10c 5 5. About this Sports Climbing Grades table: This is a lead climbing grade conversion chart. 2 5. Combining bouldering grades with traditional climbing grades lets us know what to expect for both endurance and power. 4 5 10b 5. Class 5: Rock Climbing. Also below, find 11 tips for better understanding how indoor vs. In this article we go over the nuances of rock climbing grades, indoor and outdoor, what they mean, and how to understand them. Grade III: Most of a day for the technical portion. French Grades. Scroll down, or click here to view: the basic YDS: Class 1-5 for rock climbing (not ice) YDS fifth class subdivisions (5. As the grade increases holds get smaller and fewer with more technical transitions between. May 31, 2020 · The Nose on El Capitan is 5. Bouldering Grades. . Grade 5: Difficult, with sustained climbing, high commitment, and few bivouac sites. Here you can learn about the different types of bouldering grading systems. Mar 17, 2012 · Bouldering is a bit different than some other forms of rock climbing and it has its own grades, the V-scale, for defining the difficulty of the climb. Grades can be subjective and may vary slightly Aug 18, 2017 · Rock climbing grades are subjective. The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed without the use of ropes or harnesses. All guide books and Topos are only show this grading system. That’s why we created the free climbing grade conversion chart below for all climbing grades for every type of climbing. Grades are adjusted for each rating and scale accordingly. S. More people will try it and give their opinion on the grade of the problem. When using bouldering grades, it really is only used in this country. Though this is technically also where bouldering grades begin as well. Other similarly priced services are available. 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. 7. Bouldering grades conversion chart; Fontainebleau bouldering grades; V scale bouldering grades; Hybrid bouldering grades; What are bouldering grades? Bouldering grades, and climbing grades in general, are systems of numbers (or numbers with letters and symbols) that convey the degree of difficulty. I was willing to give bouldering another attempt. This bouldering grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from Hueco to French and back to French to V-Scale. In general, theCrag displays grades as they are entered and in the area specific context. Compare the Font, V, and Dankyu grading scales and see a conversion chart. Even though, both disciplines have different climbing grades, as a climber you may be curious to see how they both compare in difficulty. Bouldering Ratings - Conversation chart for boulders problems. This chart is designed to be used with the American Alpine Journal to help decipher the difficulty ratings given to climbs. e. Grade II: Half a day for the technical portion. Bouldering got a little easier over time. 1/5. Mar 17, 2023 · Learn how bouldering grades are assigned and converted in different regions and gyms. Jun 5, 2023 · That’s why we have put together this short, no BS, guide on bouldering grades explained. Grades are represented in Hueco, Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), and French/Lead. Use this chart as a rough guide to compare climbing and bouldering grades in other parts of the world. GRADE COMPARISONS The following chart compares most of the available grading scales. Rock Climbing in Thankhek, Laos and Green Climbers Home guide for 2024. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples! Aug 30, 2021 · Conversion chart of all 10 climbing grade systems. Home | Guide | Gallery | Tech Tips | Articles | Reviews | Dictionary | Forum | Links | About | Search Chockstone Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography. an Tips for Using Climbing Grade Conversions. Universal grade conversion Back to contents . Grade V: Typically requires an overnight on the route. Whether you're scaling indoor walls or conquering outdoor crags, understanding the intricacies of climbing difficulty rankings is essential for progression and safety. In 2016, Alex sent me a link to his page on Bouldering Grades, which he compares with the Yosemite Decimal System and sport climbing. 10 but have a V2 crux. Bouldering grades are graded using different systems across different regions. Grade 4: Hard to difficult, with technical climbing. 8 WI4, Grade V. It has been adapted from martial arts, and 1 kyuu is seen as the baseline for boulderers – equivalent to V5/6. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Jan 28, 2022 · Learn about different climbing grade systems for rock, ice, and bouldering, and how to convert them. Consider the Climbing Style: sport climbing, traditional climbing, and bouldering can have different grading nuances. If you’re curious how the difficulty of our routes compares, this chart translates our Spot grades into the popular V-Grade scale, developed by John “the Vermin” Sherman. Bouldering Grades Conversion Chart. They help boulderers set goals, track progress, and challenge themselves with climbs that are appropriate for their skill level. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco “V” grades (known as the V-scale), Fontainebleau technical grades, and more. This is where the rock climbing YDS system begins, hence the “5. Font Scale Bouldering Chart Here is a simple bouldering grade chart comparing the V scale to the Font scale. Climbers can incorporate bouldering-specific training exercises into their regular routine, such as hangboarding, campus board workouts, and dynamic movement drills. That said, even with a degree of subjectivity, climbers benefit from the attempt at a universal How do bouldering routes get their climbing grades? An important point to make is that all climbing grades are subjective. These ranking systems, often referred to as grading systems, provide a standardized way to evaluate the challenge a route Sport climbing and bouldering are two disciplines of climbing that are relatively close, and therefore grade comparisons hold a fairly solid meaning. Bouldering grades are the assigned difficulty ratings to boulder problems. Gym to Outdoor Bouldering Grade Conversion Chart Illustation: Claire Eckstrom Low-end Bouldering Grades V0 Different grading systems for bouldering. YDS and French grades don’t always line up precisely, but below is a comparison chart showing how they compare. However, I am stuck at a certain grade in bouldering as I am stuck at a certain grade in top-roping. Newly developed routes can have a YDS grade of 5. For Americans or trad climbers it may be difficult to relate it to their usual system and understand how hard a climbing route may be. Keep in mind that not all bouldering grades convert perfectly between the two scales, so this chart should give you a rough idea of the comparable grades between the two scales. This boulder grades guide will demystify both so you can better understand how boulder grades work, track your progress, and set new goals. Methods for used can be seen in our research , Optimizing Muscular Strength-to-Weight Ratios in Rock Climbing. orrf rkyyw huqp rzxe qtwbcm sdh mnbdl mwwtt ayp wjmrj