French climbing grades to us. International Grade Comparison chart.

French climbing grades to us The best way to approach the conversion is to travel, go climbing and get used to the different grades! Have fun! P. All guide books and Topos are only show this grading system. on the other hand, i think the french system, which is more holistic, reflects actual climbing performance for a particular bouldering grade better than the US system Tips 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. 9 and have pushed 6a to 10b. Free, fast, and easy-to-use climbing grade converter. Aug 24, 2023 · Sport Climbing Grades Sport climbing involves climbing with the aid of pre-placed bolts or anchors for protection. 5 14b 5. org. 12d 5. Learn about climbing and bouldering ratings, including how route difficulty is measured and the difference between a rating and a grade. Anyways, since I had a hard time I just made one. For "clean aid climbing" (i. See full list on guidedolomiti. Yes, there is aid climbing also, but considering the complexity of aid climbing grades and the popularity of the other two styles, we want to focus on trad and sport. Aug 27, 2024 · Roped climbing French – The French system is an internationally recognised system for grading sport climbs and is therefore used on bolted routes in various countries in Europe. ) Mixed grade (M4, M5 etc. Understanding the different grading systems & the factors that affect grades will help you make informed decisions & tackle routes that match your skill level & ambitions. The grades listed on the right include several dimensions like route style (slab, wall, overhang, etc. Australian 23 28 31 33 35 37 39 UIAA IX+/X- Xll+ 6b Hueco/V Font/Bleau Bouldering Grades vo- vo VI 4 CRUX RANGE. 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. In this article, we will break down the various grading systems used in indoor climbing, including V-scale for bouldering and Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) for roped Sport Climbing The UK uses the French system of grading sport routes, which are climbs protected by bolts - generally when you’re climbing indoors or on bolted climbs outdoors. Convert rock climbing grades between French, YDS, British, and UIAA systems. Basic technical face climbing 4. But the role of climbing grades stretches beyond mere progress tracking. Apr 27, 2025 · The French 8a+ grade represents the upper end of the sport climbing difficulty scale. Changing 8b+ Font grades to the V scale—for instance, translating 8b+ to V14—serves United States climbers. Rocky scrambling or Apr 27, 2025 · In the U. Find equivalent difficulty across systems. It’s a scale where the lower numbers represent easier climbs, and they gradually increase to the most difficult climbs currently established. . Feb 1, 2024 · The rock climbing grade 5. com Online Conversion Tool for Climbing Grades & Bouldering Grades: Trad Grade, UIAA, French Sport Grade, Boulder Grades, American Scale & many more. aid climbing equipment is used but only where the equipment is temporary and not permanently hammered into the rock), the most common system is the C-system (e. For route climbing, trad and bouldering. As a beginner rock climber or foreign climber trying to climb in America, you'll want to become familiar with the Yosemite Decimal System, or YDS. e. ExplorersWeb’s contributors typically use FR when discussing technical ratings in articles. While the grading systems vary by region—like the Fontainebleau system in Europe or the V-scale in the U. ) or Clean Aid rating (C2, C3, etc. In fact, I can go a few weeks Rock Climbing Grade Conversion Chart French 6b 9b Yosemite 5. Climbers can use these systems to track their progress as they work toward building new skill sets. What is the “V scale” in climbing? The V scale, or “Vermin scale,” is a grading system used primarily in the United States for bouldering problems. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade Thing I noticed on this sub is that US gym boulders seem to be about 2-3V grades higher ‘rated’ than most similar Font grades in the EU. The Yosemite Decimal System is a sports climbing grading system used primarily in United States and countries that follow the US grading system. Jan 1, 2025 · There are several methods of grading how difficult a climb is. French Climbing Grades: Like UIAA, you’ll find this grade in almost all bolted routes in France and nearby nations. So now im confused. On the other hand we see more of a spread in our boulderers, there is a large cluster at font 7A but we also see a big peak at font 7B. - Conversation chart for boulders problems. Sports Climbing Grades Comparison TableConvert YDS To French To Australian Convert climbing grades between different rating systems: V-scale (bouldering), Yosemite Decimal System (sport/trad), UK technical grades, French grades, UIAA, and Australian grades. This is much more immediately understandable if you have come from a sport climbing or indoor wall background as it follows the same basic format of the french sport grading system. They serve as our tool to gauge and celebrate our climbing milestones, and they form the dialect when expressing our personal verdicts on how challenging a particular ascent or boulder conundrum feels. The difficulty of sport climbing routes is typically graded using the French scale or the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). This document shows a comparison of different rock climbing grading systems used internationally. Our Ultimate Guide to Climbing Grades provides it all! Our climbing grades convertors (both classic routes and boulders) have been made by great climbers, traveling and climbing all around the world for more than 15 years. 2 5. Our secret (or maybe not so secret anymore) tip for Apr 29, 2024 · Learn everything about climbing grades and quickly convert any climbing rating with our free climbing grade conversion chart. Rock climbing grades typically use one of several grading systems, with the most common being the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) in the United States and the French numerical system (French grades) in Europe. S. Please remember that grading a route is very subjective to the location and the person giving the grade. 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. The French Alpine grading system is unique in that rather than quantifying the difficulty numerically, it uses a broader “adjectival” system to record difficulty, length, altitude, and seriousness of the climb all in one grade. Climbing Grade Conversion - Free download as PDF File (. 5, 5. Mar 18, 2020 · Converting French grades into American grades (and vice versa) is no easy feat, and equivalents are hard to find. Grades provide climbers a tangible metric for communicating accomplishments, selecting objectives, and maintaining equity in the discipline. These grades provide a shared language for climbers, making it easier to compare Apr 27, 2025 · Frequently Asked Questions What does “6b” mean in climbing grades? What does “6b” mean in climbing grades. COM 6B 6B+ 7B 8B CRUX RAN Aug 24, 2025 · Understanding climbing grades is essential for safe & successful rock, ice & alpine climbs. It uses a numerical system starting from 1 (easiest) to about 9b+ (hardest known), often combined with letters (a, b, c) and/or symbols (+) for further distinction within each number. Bouldering grades are a way to measure the difficulty of climbing problems, helping climbers gauge challenges and track progress. ) Water Ice grade (WI4, WI5+ etc Basic crimpy routes 3. 5 5. A route beyond your skill level can be more So my country uses the french scale for indoor sports climbing. Get help comparing bouldering, sport, and trad climbing grades. The Darth Grader calculator offers a more systemic approach to grading routes. Apr 27, 2025 · In the United States, V scale is the most commonly used bouldering grade. I've always found that the French grading system doesn't really have a 1-to-1 translation to Yosemite decimal system. Dec 28, 2024 · Element 2 - The technical grade - The second part of the grade refers to the difficulty of the climbing itself. C3+). 3/5. 8 and 5. It lists climbing grades from French, UIAA, US, British, Australian, and bouldering scales ranging from beginner to expert levels. 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. Depending on the region and discipline, there are different scales that often define difficulty levels in very unique ways. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples! Oct 23, 2023 · Route Climbing Grading Systems The two most prominent forms of route climbing are traditional (also known as trad) and sport climbing. F: Facile /easy. 10a, also known as 6a in the French grading system, is considered a difficult level of climbing. Whether UIAA, French, YDS, Fontainebleau (Fb), V-Grade, British Trad, or Scandinavian: Each grading system has its origins, logic, and scope. Learn about the Yosemite and French grading systems and how the two compare. A direct comparison between the New Zealand (Mt Cook system), French Alpine Grade, UIAA Grade and the Russian Grade. Aug 30, 2017 · Our route climbers illustrate what many of us already suspect – french 7a and french 8a are hugely motivating levels of climbing to achieve. The YDS also has a couple of add ons to the decimalised tech grading. —all aim to reflect a combination of physical and technical demands. So, what are the mountaineering grading systems? The main mountaineering grading systems including the French Mountaineering Grades (going from F “easy” to ED “Extremely Difficult), the Yosemite Decimal System (going from Class 1 to Class 5 terrain), and the National Climbing Classification System (going from Grade I to Grade VII). Apr 27, 2025 · Key Takeaways Climbing grade systems, including the V scale and French grading scale, help categorize the difficulty of bouldering and sport climbing routes nationwide. 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. 15b 5. - From Dawn's FAQ over on TradGirl web site. For example 4a, 4b, 4c Jan 31, 2025 · Climbing grades can be subjective and erratic. The French grading system rose to prominence in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with the rapid evolution of sport climbing. Bouldering grades and bouldering grades conversion charts for the popular V-Scale and Font-Scale bouldering grades. If you are climbing in the US, you will see the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), but if you’re climbing pretty much anywhere else in the world, you’ll see the French Scale. The de facto 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 How to Use the Bouldering Grades Comparison Table: 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. This grade requires a high level of technical skill, strength, and mental fortitude. The chart below shows a conversion between the Fontainebleau bouldering scale and the french climbing scale. - A grade conversion chart from ClimbUK web site. Aug 22, 2006 · I agree that it makes sense to use French grades for sport routes in the UK, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to grade a sport route using the English system (or a trad route using the French system). Essential reading for rock climbers and boulderers. Maybe I'm dumb and it's all over the Internet, not sure why I had a hard time with this. Occasionally you will notice subsections of a, b, c, and d for Apr 27, 2025 · Rock climbing grades are numbers (and sometimes number-letter combinations) assigned to routes in order to give a guideline on the overall difficulty. The Old SA grading was used in many of the older traditional climbing areas but is seldom used today. Here's the link if you're interested. 11b, etc. Jan 28, 2022 · YDS, French, V-Scale, Font What are climbing grades and how to use them to climb safely and progress more rapidly? One thing to know is The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. 13a 5 13b 5. Feb 20, 2023 · Climbing Grades Comparison Chart We in Sardinia (and Italy) use mostly the French chart. The French Numerical System (FR) is the dominant grading system for free climbing outside North America. The French is used in Europe and other regions. This grade is suitable for climbers with intermediate experience and a solid foundation in climbing techniques. com web site. ) YDS, or Yosemite Decimal System (3rd Class, 5. 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. Could the UK’s “nothing’s harder than 7B indoors” be the Learn everything about the grading systems used in rock climbing. May 31, 2020 · Everything you need to know about climbing grades in one place. its super confusing because at certain points the french bouldering and climbing grades are similar, but at both ends they diverge pretty significantly. Simple pinch problems 5. Jul 29, 2025 · Knowing the rock climbing grades, what they mean, and how the different scales compare is essential for any climber Mar 31, 2017 · A grade 5. It is very difficult to compare the bouldering grading systems to the route grading How Do French And UIAA Climbing Grades Work? Curious about how climbing routes are rated and what those grades really mean? In this video, we'll explain the different systems used to evaluate Jun 23, 2024 · Comparison to Sport Climbing Grades While the YDS is commonly used for traditional climbing, sport climbing often utilizes a different grading system known as the French grading system. I know it's going to depend on which crags you're climbing at, but I've done quite a bit of climbing in quite a few different countries and have always found that 5a lines up pretty well Aug 30, 2021 · Note that this guide does not address bouldering grades — only roped climbing. Coming from our frustrations of always trying to figure out what grading systems are used in which country and what do they mean in your own system, we have created this simple but hopefully helpfull comparison table. On this one, they've stuck 5a on the line between 5. Similar to the distinctions between the metric system and the US Participating in competitions at the national or international level may involve tackling challenging climbing routes rated V15 or higher, typically after 10 to 15 years of experience. Climbers need to demonstrate exceptional strength, technique and endurance to complete these ascents. This chart is designed to be used with the American Alpine Journal to help decipher the difficulty ratings given to climbs. g. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. To tackle routes at this grade, climbers should have a good understanding of lead climbing or sports climbing techniques. This grade is suitable for climbers with advanced experience and skills in lead climbing or sports climbing. Aug 24, 2025 · Understanding the Yosemite Decimal System: A Guide to Rock Climbing Grades in North America. 15b equalling a French 9b. Confused by YDS, French, UIAA sport climbing grades? Our global comparison gives a clear understanding for international climbs. Mastering these styles will help climbers progress and excel in their bouldering pursuits. , rope climbing adopted the Yosemite Decimal System, but Europe has continued to use the French scale for both bouldering and rope climbing. I see very very few people climb 7b and 7c grades. 10c 5 5. The ‘F’ (French) grade of a route is how technically hard and sustained a route is. This bouldering grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from Hueco to French and back to IMPORTANT – Below is a very rough table and it is impossible to provide an accurate conversion between technical difficulty of the hardest climbing – a sport grade/UIAA/USA grade – and overall difficulty of the full route experience from approach through climbing, conditions and descent – Alpine Grade. - Rankings explained in great detail from rockclimbing. 7, also known as French grade 5a, is considered a moderate level of difficulty in the Yosemite Decimal System. For our purposes, the most prominent grade systems are: French Numerical System (6b+, 8a, etc. It is now the dominant system for sport climbing grades worldwide outside of North America Further Reading: - An explanation of British climbing grades and comparison with other systems. Sometimes the conditions and the state of the routes can also influence the grades. Convert North American climbing grades to UK and European scales, and compare bouldering V-grades to roped climbs. FR rates a climb according to the overall technical difficulty and strenuousness of the route. The French Grade assesses the . This table contains just a few of the different roped climbing grading scales; for simplicity’s sake, we’ll stick to the main ones! In the UK, you’ll find the French sport grades (left column) and British trad 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. how easy is it to rappel the route?). 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. Please visit them on the web at www. UIAA – This system is used in Germany, in other areas of Eastern Europe and in Italy for the classic trad routes. Jun 10, 2024 · Grade Converters Bouldering and Lead Climbing Grade converters and other tools for rock climbers. Beginner’s Guide To Climbing Grades And Rating (YDS, UIAA, French, British And More) Aug 11, 2025 · Climbing is international—but the rating of routes and bouldering is anything but uniform. Please keep in mind that this table is only to be used as a guideline Jun 5, 2023 · Rock climbing grading systems are the heart and soul of our beloved pursuit. The grade also considers how serious the route is, how committing it is and so paints a broad overall picture in terms of the ‘grade’. International Grade Comparison Chart 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. 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. French Scale The current French grading scale for rock climbing was developed from the old Mar 17, 2023 · Confusingly, both bouldering and french climbing grades use the same numerical system to grade climbing routes and boulder problems. In other words, the easiest difficulty is 1, and the higher the number, the more difficult it gets. I had a hard time finding a chart online that converts the Sherman V-grade system for bouldering into the Yosemite Decimal System for climbing. Grades – The grade given to a route is the maximum technical difficulty that you’ll generally find approaching it, climbing it, or descending from it. Including Grade Wike & Table. What do these grades translate to in V-grade and British system? 04. The system is relatively simple and only uses the combination of numbers and letters to represent difficulty. The YDS tends to focus more on the overall difficulty and danger of a route, taking into account factors such as route finding, protection, and overall commitment. Important: Climbing grades are not really objective numbers. Quickly convert climbing grades between different systems: French, YDS, UIAA, and more. United States Yosemite Decimal System (YDS Convert climbing grades among YDS, French, and UIAA scales to understand route difficulty worldwide. txt) or view presentation slides online. Confused by climbing grades and rating systems? Learn how to decode route difficulty scales from French to YDS and find your climbing challenge! Oct 12, 2020 · What are Common Sport Climbing Grades? The grades that you’ll see listed in guidebooks or at climbing gyms vary depending on where in the world you are. Free, instant climbing grade converter to help you understand foreign grading systems. 12b 5. It's the system used to grade the technical difficulty of rock climbs. If you look at a crag in France, you will most likely see sport and trad climbing grades displayed in French scale and bouldering grades in Fontainebleau scale. Learn your grades and apply them to your climbing and problem setting. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples! Easily convert climbing grades across systems like YDS, French, UIAA, British, and more. Learn how to translate school transcript grades from one system to another in this article. Use Rab’s interactive tool to understand global climbing difficulty scales and plan your next route with confidence. 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. 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. It was developed by European climbers to create a clear and progressive scale for the increasingly difficult sport routes being established, particularly in France. A separate discussion is deserved to the scale for the classification of Difficulties in Aided Climbing on rock, a discipline a bit neglected in Europe, but that in the United States has become a favorite of many fans. 1/5. These numbers are based on a variety of factors and work for both indoor and outdoor routes, and are Feb 1, 2024 · Description The rock climbing grade 5. Convert bouldering grades between Font, V-scale, Japanese Kyū/Dan, and Australian Ewbank systems with this mobile-friendly tool. It means a solidly in the moderate to advanced range, with the need for very good technique and strength. Aid climbing grades take time to stabilize as successive repeats of aid climbing routes can materially reduce the grade. 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. Be sure to look them up before planning an expedition to see if the route is the right fit for your abilities and ambitions. Knowing how one method relates to another is sometimes difficult. 2 climb on the US system is roughly a 1 on the French system, with 5. The "French Grade" in bouldering refers to a system used to measure the difficulty of a climbing route, mainly in rope climbing but sometimes applicable in bouldering contexts. Some charts are slightly Jun 23, 2024 · Indoor Climbing Grades Explained Are you new to indoor climbing and feeling overwhelmed by all the different grading systems? Understanding climbing grades is essential for tracking your progress and choosing appropriate routes. ) Aid rating (A2, A3+, etc. Master ratings! YDS to French grade and French grade to Yosemite is the most common conversion climbers are looking for when sports climbing. International Grade Comparison chart. Top 5 International Climbing Grade Rating Systems If you’re climbing abroad, you should be familiar with other systems, including the French grading system, the UIAA grading system, and a handful of Sep 5, 2021 · French Numerical System (FR) — 6a, 8b+, etc. The French scale is widely used in Europe and parts of Asia, while the YDS is primarily used in North America. pdf), Text File (. Sep 28, 2021 · Mountaineering and climbing grading systems are a great way to determine the relative difficulty of any route or peak. UK grades, French system and US grading. The diagram below should make it easier to understand French / UIAA / USA systems. Consider the Climbing Style: sport climbing, traditional climbing, and bouldering can have different grading nuances. To my surprise V5 converts to 7b and V6 to 7c in the french scale. We've examined the different systems Mar 25, 2024 · Learn how to convert climbing grades, common challenges, and resources for accurate conversions. Grades start at 1 (very easy) and the system is open Feb 1, 2024 · The rock climbing grade 5. What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. About this Bouldering Grades table: This is a bouldering climbing grade conversion chart. 4 5 10b 5. | | | | | | | | | | | | Please read the before using any information contained on these pages. Basic pocket problems These climbing styles are essential for boulder Intermediate climbers navigating Bouldering Grade V5 and facing challenging bouldering difficulty. Dec 9, 2024 · Learn the ins and outs of climbing grades with our comprehensive guide! Understand the differences between systems, how they measure difficulty, and what they mean for climbers of all levels. The YDS also includes ratings for mountaineering and other types of climbing, but these are expressed in a different format than the rock climbing grades, using Roman numerals and other symbols. 15d 5. To help make everything easier, I’ve broken the entire 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" Tips 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. 13c 5 13d 5. Below is a chart to help you determine how one method relates to another. It goes from V0, the easiest, to V17, the hardest, and is distinct from the French sport climbing rating system, which employs ratings such as 6c+. Most climbs in the AAJ are described with an alphabet soup of difficulty ratings. It is starting to get also used for classic trad routes. This presents itself as a number (3 to 7) and letter combination (a,b or c). 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. americanalpineclub. ) Commitment grade (III, VI, etc. 13b, also known as 8a in the French grading system, is considered to be an extremely challenging level of difficulty in sports climbing or lead climbing. ), size of the crimps, quality of the footholds, distance and complexity of the movements, etc. It begins at V0 and Sep 19, 2025 · French Alpine System Like the North American Commitment Grade, the French Alpine System presents a grade which factors in the route’s overall “seriousness”; everything from the length and difficulty of the approach, the crux climbing, complexity of descent, objective hazard, altitude, and commitment level (i. Apr 13, 2025 · Climbing Difficulty Rankings! Decode YDS, French, and V-grade systems, track skill progression, and choose routes matched to your level. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. Read now! Feb 26, 2021 · Roped climbing As roped climbing evolved in separate countries across the world, so different grade systems appeared, most of which are frustratingly difficult to compare. 13a, also known as 7c+ in the French grading system, is an extremely challenging grade that is reserved for elite climbers. Sep 25, 2023 · The inception of climbing grades was fueled by the need to communicate the technical difficulty of a climb. uev iwsvb rntmyct joxo ydbc mzwro vbl jvxo ilv jimujjk pkeg qfab gwc mdb qyfkt