French climbing grades. Find equivalent difficulty across systems.
French climbing grades Apr 29, 2024 · Learn everything about climbing grades and quickly convert any climbing rating with our free climbing grade conversion chart. Here's the link if you're interested. However, the adjective grade is replaced with Roman numerals which indicate the seriousness of the climb and the Arabic number indicates the overall technical difficulty. . One of the most popular grading systems worldwide, however, is the French Alpine Grades. Ratings used internationally today include no less than seven… Sep 5, 2021 · French Numerical System (FR) — 6a, 8b+, etc. Invented in France, and adopted for its simplicity, it spread to become the most Jan 31, 2025 · Climbing grades can be subjective and erratic. What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. Learn everything about the grading systems used in rock climbing. I see very very few people climb 7b and 7c grades. 13c 5 13d 5. Currently, in almost all cases, the French scale is used in its version with Arabic numerals and is parameterized by UIAA even in low grades, which until recently was not the case. 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 Bouldering grades are a way to measure the difficulty of climbing problems, helping climbers gauge challenges and track progress. Our Ultimate Guide to Climbing Grades provides it all! Aug 30, 2021 · Note that this guide does not address bouldering grades — only roped climbing. 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. a 5b+. Comprehensive guide for climbers of all levels. Aid climbing grades take time to stabilize as successive repeats of aid climbing routes can materially reduce the grade. For "clean aid climbing" (i. This grade falls under the VIII- category in the UIAA grading system and is equivalent to E3 5c in the British UK grading system and 22 in the Australian grading system. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples! 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. This grade is suitable for climbers with intermediate experience and a solid foundation in climbing techniques. 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 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. 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 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. Use Rab’s interactive tool to understand global climbing difficulty scales and plan your next route with confidence. 10c, also known as French grade 6b, is considered to be a difficult level of climbing. 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. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade 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. Also, view the explanation of climbing grades below (very useful for climbers new and experienced). Whether UIAA, French, YDS, Fontainebleau (Fb), V-Grade, British Trad, or Scandinavian: Each grading system has its origins, logic, and scope. May 31, 2020 · Everything you need to know about climbing grades in one place. Convert rock climbing grades between French, YDS, British, and UIAA systems. There is a sea of grading styles worldwide for climbing, view a scale comparison, courtesy of the American Alpine Club. —all aim to reflect a combination of physical and technical demands. To help make everything easier, I’ve broken the entire This is a lead climbing grade conversion chart. 13a or 5. May require a bivvy on route. 14d (American YDS), XI (UIAA). Grades start at 1 (very easy) and the system is open Dec 10, 2019 · The pure and simple reason for this is because they are most commonly used internationally, and better still because they avoid the inevitable confusion that occurs when people mix the Fontainebleau bouldering grades with French route grades. Apr 11, 2025 · V-grade, French or Font? Have indoor grades got you scratching your head? Here's an overview of what to expect at the wall Grades can feel pretty mystifying if you're new climbing. Get help comparing bouldering, sport, and trad climbing grades. Feb 1, 2024 · The rock climbing grade 5. org. 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. 10a, also known as 6a in the French grading system, is considered a difficult level of climbing. Read now! Sep 25, 2023 · The French climbing grade system, primarily used for sport climbing, originated in France in the 1970s. The chart below shows a conversion between the Fontainebleau bouldering scale and the french climbing scale. 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. 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. Learn about climbing and bouldering ratings, including how route difficulty is measured and the difference between a rating and a grade. In sport climbing, it often means 5. Please remember that grading a route is very subjective to the location and the person giving the grade. 1/5. The ‘F’ (French) grade of a route is how technically hard and sustained a route is. Including Grade Wike & Table. As it happens with rock climbing grades, there are different classifications throughout the countries. For route climbing, trad and bouldering. Free, fast, and easy-to-use climbing grade converter. Learn about the Yosemite and French grading systems and how the two compare. 4 5 10b 5. IX+). To my surprise V5 converts to 7b and V6 to 7c in the french scale. Jan 6, 2024 · When you start climbing, one of the trickiest things to grasp is the abundance of grading systems for different types of climbing. Newer boulders in the higher grades (around 6b and up) and less popular areas have a more common grading, while older parcours boulders up to 6a might feel pretty sandbagged to climbers who are used to gym climbing. 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. 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. Aug 11, 2025 · Climbing is international—but the rating of routes and bouldering is anything but uniform. The de facto 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. 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. 12b 5. 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. 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. Mar 25, 2024 · Learn how to convert climbing grades, common challenges, and resources for accurate conversions. This grade is suitable for climbers with advanced experience and skills in lead climbing or sports climbing. 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. Convert North American climbing grades to UK and European scales, and compare bouldering V-grades to roped climbs. 13a 5 13b 5. . Sep 28, 2021 · Mountaineering and climbing grading systems are a great way to determine the relative difficulty of any route or peak. The French grading system rose to prominence in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with the rapid evolution of sport climbing. 13a), and latterly the UIAA scale (e. The Old SA grading was used in many of the older traditional climbing areas but is seldom used today. It is now the dominant system for sport climbing grades worldwide outside of North America 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. If you've arrived at the wall, you'll probably have noticed an assortment of different numbers, letters and/or Apr 27, 2025 · The climbing grade 7c can be confusing if you’re used to a different grading system. 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. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often Feb 19, 2021 · Rock climbing grades are used to describe the difficulty of climbing routes. 5 5. climbing rock routes with no aid), the most popular grading systems are the French numerical or sport system (e. 7, also known as French grade 5a, is considered a moderate level of difficulty in the Yosemite Decimal System. 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). 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). Our secret (or maybe not so secret anymore) tip for The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. Please keep in mind that this table is only to be used as a guideline Apr 27, 2025 · Future of Climbing Grade Scales As climbing continues to rapidly expand, grades are in a constant state of flux both in how they are implemented and the manner climbers utilize them. 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. 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. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. This grade requires a high level of technical skill, strength, and mental fortitude. S. Changing 8b+ Font grades to the V scale—for instance, translating 8b+ to V14—serves United States climbers. 13c, depending on whether you’re using the French or the UIAA system. 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. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Persoanlly, I think that whole scene totally detracts from the climb unless you go when the tourists aren't there (but not June or July). COM 6B 6B+ 7B 8B CRUX RAN its super confusing because at certain points the french bouldering and climbing grades are similar, but at both ends they diverge pretty significantly. Learn your grades and apply them to your climbing and problem setting. Beginner’s Guide To Climbing Grades And Rating (YDS, UIAA, French, British And More) Bouldering grades and bouldering grades conversion charts for the popular V-Scale and Font-Scale bouldering grades. Consider the Climbing Style: sport climbing, traditional climbing, and bouldering can have different grading nuances. It was developed by European climbers to create a clear and progressive scale for the increasingly difficult sport routes being established, particularly in France. It is very difficult to compare the bouldering grading systems to the route grading Over the years, grades have consistently risen in all forms of climbing, helped by improvements in climbing technique and equipment. 15b 5. So my country uses the french scale for indoor sports climbing. While the grading systems vary by region—like the Fontainebleau system in Europe or the V-scale in the U. americanalpineclub. The French Numerical System, also known as the French Sport Climbing Grade, is widely used in Europe and other parts of the world. In bouldering, 7c usually means V9. 10c 5 5. ) YDS, or Yosemite Decimal System (3rd Class, 5. These grades provide a shared language for climbers, making it easier to compare Dec 28, 2024 · Element 2 - The technical grade - The second part of the grade refers to the difficulty of the climbing itself. C3+). 4a, 4b, 4c, 5a, 5b. Learn how bouldering V-scales compare to YDS for route climbing, understand the journey from indoor to outdoor climbing, and explore international grading systems. 13a, also known as 7c+ in the French grading system, is an extremely challenging grade that is reserved for elite climbers. 3/5. Grades can be subjective and may vary slightly between locations or setters. 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. This presents itself as a number (3 to 7) and letter combination (a,b or c). Below you will find a table that compares the different climbing grades across the five most popular systems. Fast forward, the future of how we communicate grades such as 6b or V-scale could be very different. Learn more about it! Sep 20, 2016 · French numerical grades The French numerical system (distinct from the adjectival system, described later) rates a climb according to the overall technical difficulty and strenuousness of the route . ExplorersWeb’s contributors typically use FR when discussing technical ratings in articles. There’s a lot of trusting your feet and Rock Climbing Grade Conversion Chart French 6b 9b Yosemite 5. Sports climbing grades are graded using different systems across different regions. In addition, the skill level of the climber has also been included. 11a, also known as 6c in the French grading system, is a challenging grade that requires expert level skills and experience. Feb 1, 2024 · Description The rock climbing grade 5. Grades start at 1 (very easy) and the system is open-ended. The French Rock Climbing Grade System The French ranking of outdoor, bolted, and sport climbing routes is the dominant climbing grading system to abide by. If you already feel confident in your knowledge of this system skip straight to the trad grading explanation a third of the way down this page. Action Directe was a major milestone in free climbing grades when Wolfgang Güllich freed it in 1991 at 9a (French), 5. org International Grade Comparison Chart YDS=Yosemite Decimal System; UIAA=Union Internationale des Associations D’Alpinisme; Fr=France/Sport; Aus=Australia; Sax=Saxony; CIS=Commonwealth of Independent States/Russia; Sca=Scandinavia; Bra=Brazil. This article breaks down what 7c means, how it compares across different scales, and how to understand where it fits in your climbing progression. Key International Grade Comparison ChartAmerican Alpine Journal www. 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. 12d 5. Find equivalent difficulty across systems. This system assigns numerical values to climbing routes, ranging from 3 to 9c, with higher numbers indicating greater difficulty. Compare bouldering grades across different systems including Hueco (V Scale), Fontainebleau, and more. Most climbs in the AAJ are described with an alphabet soup of difficulty ratings. To tackle routes at this grade, climbers should have a good understanding of lead climbing or sports climbing techniques. ) Water Ice grade (WI4, WI5+ etc Jun 5, 2023 · However, you will find that most indoor rock climbing levels use the French sport climbing grades. In free climbing (i. 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. This lead climbing grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from YDS to French and back to French to Yosemite. The French Numerical System (FR) is the dominant grading system for free climbing outside North America. Confused by climbing grades and rating systems? Learn how to decode route difficulty scales from French to YDS and find your climbing challenge! Nov 5, 2020 · In order to understand UK trad grades, it’s useful to also understand the concept of the French grading system (usually used for sport and indoor climbing). Instead of taking the teleferique 1/2 way up, you drive to almost 7,000 feet if you use the Paradise parking lot. 5, 5. I would suggest checking out the approach to Feb 1, 2024 · The rock climbing grade 5. 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 scale, whose use gradually established itself among groups of Swiss, French and Italian climbers, was also used to evaluate the famous “plaisir” grades (Table 1) in place of the UIAA scale. Depending on the region and discipline, there are different scales that often define difficulty levels in very unique ways. Jul 25, 2022 · You’ll be sure to see the YDS being used in indoor rock climbing walls and outdoor climbing routes alike in North America — and occasionally in Canada. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples! Apr 13, 2025 · Climbing Difficulty Rankings! Decode YDS, French, and V-grade systems, track skill progression, and choose routes matched to your level. You may have climbed French 6c routes but climbing Font 6c is another story. Maybe I'm dumb and it's all over the Internet, not sure why I had a hard time with this. This chart is designed to be used with the American Alpine Journal to help decipher the difficulty ratings given to climbs. UK grades, French system and US grading. Each numerical grade can be subdivided by adding a letter (a, b or c). 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. For example, if you go to the gym in the UK, most of Europe and Asia, you’ll find French climbing grades. Please visit them on the web at www. These systems grade Mar 28, 2002 · Rainier is probably most similar to climbing Mt. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned climber, our climbing grade conversion cha 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. Mar 17, 2023 · Confusingly, both bouldering and french climbing grades use the same numerical system to grade climbing routes and boulder problems. 5 14b 5. Be sure to look them up before planning an expedition to see if the route is the right fit for your abilities and ambitions. Sometimes a + symbol is also added to show a route that’s slightly harder than it’s grade but not tough enough for the next grade up e. Mar 22, 2022 · Mountaineering grading systems are different scales used to measure the level of difficulty of a given mountain ascent. As such we welcome feedback on grades and new developments in that area. Similar to the distinctions between the metric system and the US Want to know more about bouldering climbing grades? Check out our comprehensive guide on the V-Scale and French Scale here. For our purposes, the most prominent grade systems are: French Numerical System (6b+, 8a, etc. 2 5. 11b, etc. Font grades are very special and in my experience it takes a few days or even trips until you get used to how bouldering in Font works. We've examined the different systems Easily convert climbing grades across systems like YDS, French, UIAA, British, and more. 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. Together with the rock climbing community theCrag has developed and continues to develop a comprehensive and intuitive coverage of grades in the system. It requires climbers to have advanced skills and experience in sports climbing or lead climbing. 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. Understanding the different grading systems & the factors that affect grades will help you make informed decisions & tackle routes that match your skill level & ambitions. This article will clearly provide sport climbing grades explained, covering the three major international systems: the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), the French system, and the UIAA scale. 5. Sometimes the conditions and the state of the routes can also influence the grades. e. The French Grade assesses the Aug 24, 2025 · Understanding climbing grades is essential for safe & successful rock, ice & alpine climbs. In fact, I can go a few weeks Apr 27, 2025 · There are several rock climbing grade systems, each with its own history and regional use, but we will also cover the bouldering grades V scale and French (Font), including this 5c to V scale conversion that helps illustrate the relationship between the systems. FR rates a climb according to the overall technical difficulty and strenuousness of the route. 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. Lead climbing 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. So now im confused. ) or Clean Aid rating (C2, C3, etc. Jun 8, 2020 · Winter climbing grades work in much the same way as UK traditional grades using the two-tier system outlined above. Grades are used in rock climbing gyms and outdoors. g. ) Commitment grade (III, VI, etc. 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. Online Conversion Tool for Climbing Grades & Bouldering Grades: Trad Grade, UIAA, French Sport Grade, Boulder Grades, American Scale & many more. Free, instant climbing grade converter to help you understand foreign grading systems. Different grading systems for bouldering 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. 15d 5. The best way to approach the conversion is to travel, go climbing and get used to the different grades! Have fun! P. Jun 10, 2024 · Grade Converters Bouldering and Lead Climbing Grade converters and other tools for rock climbers. Oct 23, 2023 · Discover the intricacies of climbing grades with our comprehensive guide. ) Mixed grade (M4, M5 etc. For example 4a, 4b, 4c Below you'll find a comprehensive explanation of the different climbing rating systems. International Mountaineering and Climbing Grade Comparison Chart A direct comparison between the New Zealand (Mt Cook/ Frost grading system) developed in 2018, and the French Alpine Grade, UIAA Grade and the Russian Grade is no longer as linear as the Mt Cook/ Logan grading system of 1982. The Darth Grader calculator offers a more systemic approach to grading routes. Convert climbing grades among YDS, French, and UIAA scales to understand route difficulty worldwide. 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. Blanc without a "real" hut to stay in over night. #2. f7c+), the American YDS system (e. Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), Font, French, Alpine, British Trad, British Tech—the list goes on. It gained popularity as sport climbing itself became more prominent. 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 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 · The French climbing grades system is numerical, starting at 1, and each grade is subdivided with letters e. Anyways, since I had a hard time I just made one. Quickly convert climbing grades between different systems: French, YDS, UIAA, and more. 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" 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. Climb may be in remote area. Essential reading for rock climbers and boulderers. ) Aid rating (A2, A3+, etc. 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’. nxiadmpkgxhakilegejapjlgwexnaycqhwfdzkqycjpjletaebctnizxaurnpjjohkil