Climbing grades v scale.

Climbing grades v scale In the 1950s, legendary godfather of American bouldering, John Gill, was grading boulders on a super simple scale ascending from B1 to B3. The V-scale is open-ended, with the hardest bouldering Jan 31, 2025 · Additionally, the tool bridges different grading systems—such as the French scale, the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), the V-scale, and the Fontainebleau—using correspondence tables. The V-scale, developed in the 1980s by climber John “Vermin” Sherman, is a widely used grading system in North America. The V Scale Apr 10, 2025 · The Fontainebleau Scale, often referred to as ‘the Font Scale’, ascends in a similar way to the V Scale, until you hit Font 6, when our old friends a, b and c, and the plus and minus signs are wheeled out once more to indicate slight increases in difficulty. The name of the scale was shortened to the Font scale, but it is also a numerical scale. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco “V” grades (known as the V-scale), Fontainebleau technical grades, and more. As I started to rock climb I got confused by these different rating systems and their Feb 14, 2024 · Bouldering, unlike sport climbing with its myriad grading systems, simplifies things with two main grading scales – the V Scale and Font Scale. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. This scale is used outdoors and in climbing walls across the UK and Europe, and originated in Fontainebleau, a vast collection of sandstone boulders just south of Paris. Comparison Table: Fontainebleau Grade (Font) Approximate V Scale 7a+ V7 7b V8 7b+ V8 / V9 (Note: As always, grading rema Bouldering grades are a way to measure the difficulty of climbing problems, helping climbers gauge challenges and track progress. The V Scale is similar to the Font Scale in that is uses numbers and letters to grade routes, however there are no pluses. a the Vermin Scale) The V-Scale is as follows: V0-V3: Beginner; V4-V6: Intermediate I think this is reflected well in the Font grading scale, with V3-V6 spanning 6 Font grades. The system is primarily used in Australia and New Zealand. Both 6a and 6a+ graded boulders in the font system convert into a V3 bouldering grade in the North American V-scale. For example, a gym might grade problems from 0 to 4, with 0 being the easiest problems designed for beginners and 4 being the most difficult designed for advanced climbers. Sep 16, 2021 · The V scale is an open-ended grading scale, meaning there is no top level of difficulty. In general, theCrag displays grades as they are entered and in the area specific context. By nature, the two are difficult to compare — route grades may gain difficulty from endurance, while boulder problems tend to emphasize power. Originally a 6 grade scale from I to VI, the scale is now left open-ended. Instead, the highest grade will increase as the sport of bouldering progresses. There are different types of indoor climbing grades that are used for various climbing disciplines such as bouldering, top-rope climbing, and lead climbing. This scale measures the difficulty of a bouldering problem based on its technical demands, as Jun 5, 2023 · The climbing scale has remained almost the same but with additional grades added as more and more climbers broke the barriers of hard climbing. Nov 8, 2023 · The Font scale, or the Fontainebleau scale, is named after the famous French climbing area called Fontainebleau. For a more in depth look at all the different climbing grade systems, check out this article from Explorers Web. Nov 3, 2023 · 6a Boulder to V Scale: For those specifically searching for the "6a to V scale" conversion, here it is: 6a in the Fontainebleau (Font) grading system is approximately equivalent to V3 in the V scale. In my eyes, that makes your chart way way sandbagged for the lower V grades, and way cruiser for the higher V grades. I don't know if I agree with chart. Starting from the easiest, they are: VB, V0-, V0, V0+. V-Grade Vs. 15d) Bouldering Climbing Grade Systems: The V Scale and the Font Scale. 0 (easiest) to 5. Rockfax Colour Codes. Comparison Table: Fontainebleau Grade (Font) Approximate V Scale 6b V4 6b+ V4 / V5 6c V5 (Note: As always, grading remai I climb at one of the Climbing Hangar gyms (UK) and have never been able to get the grading system totally straight. Comparison Table: Fontainebleau Grade (Font) Approximate V Scale 5+ V2 6a V3 6a+ V4 (Note: As always, grading can be som Mar 25, 2024 · Sport climbing grades are typically denoted using the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) in the United States, ranging from 5. Mar 17, 2023 · A 5 Font bouldering grade converts to a V1 in the v scale. Grade conversion between the two scales isn’t easy—the Font Scale has more grade options than the V Scale, and both scales are subject to regional differences and individual climbers’ body types, opinions, and skill sets—but in general, here’s how the two scales Nov 3, 2023 · 9a Boulder to V Scale: For climbers inquiring about the "9a to V scale" correlation, here's the succinct response: 9a in the Fontainebleau (Font) grading system corresponds approximately to V17 in the V scale. It starts at V0 and currently goes all the way up to V17. Many gyms use a coloured V-grade range system, wherein the colour of the tape or holds on a problem correspond to a range of V-grades. As its name suggests, the scale was born in the legendary bouldering forest of Like the Font system, it is open-ended. *Note that when climbing, you climb "routes," when bouldering, you climb It's way more info than you likely want, broken down by gender and age when people started climbing, but most relevant is figure 9 which says on average people improve about a Font grade per year (which is somewhat less than a v grade) for about 2. The French Grading Scale can be used to determine both sport climbs and boulders. Mar 4, 2025 · The Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), and the V-Scale or “Hueco Scale”. The US and Europe are rocky when it comes to agreeing on a bouldering scale, so here are two different grading systems and what to expect. Grades can be subjective and may vary slightly between locations or setters. They provide climbers with a consistent way to communicate the level of challenge associated with a particular climb. The two main bouldering grade systems in the United States are the V-Scale and the Fontainebleau Scale. 6a to V-scale. Oct 12, 2020 · Converting between the V Scale and the Font Scale takes some effort since the Font Scale has so many more grade options than the V Scale. —all aim to reflect a combination of physical and technical demands. Let's take a look at how to read grades on the French scale by examining the grade 7a+. Jun 5, 2023 · The two most popular grading systems are the V-Scale and the Font-Scale. ), the world of bouldering (at least in North America) has its own distinctive grading scale: the V-scale. While rope climbers use the Yosemite Decimal System (5. In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. 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. Aug 18, 2017 · It is named after a famous outdoor bouldering area called Fontainebleau in France, just outside Paris. Bouldering grades are graded using different systems across different regions. org. In fact, the only difference between the two systems is that the sport grades are written with a lowercase letter, and the Font grades are written with a uppercase letter. Apr 27, 2025 · Mixed climbing grades generally go from M1 to M12, with M13-16 in existence but not typically used. 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. 10, etc. 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. It also includes an introductory rating of VB for beginner bouldering problems. However, over time, it became clear that Gill’s grading system was incapable of defining accurate grades for the complexity of boulders being climbed. S. Comparison Table: Fontainebleau Grade (Font) Approximate V Scale 8c+ V16 9a V17 (Note: Remember that climbing The most widely used system for rating bouldering problems in the USA is the "V" or "Hueco" Scale. Maybe they’re there to encourage you—like a cute way of saying, “Hey, give this a shot!” The French use this system for most things (apart from bouldering, for which they use the Font scale, and big Alpine routes, for which they use the UIAA scale, and mixed sport climbing, for which they use the M scale) and the British use it for sport climbing, where seriousness isn't a factor. In contrast, bouldering grades use the V-scale or Fontainebleau scale, as mentioned earlier. International Climbing Grade Comparison Chart. There are other ones, like the B-Scale, the P-Scale, the Joshua Tree Scale, and a few others, but you don’t really need to know those as they are not really used. ), with each higher number indicating a more challenging problem. Bouldering Grades V-Scale (or Hueco Scale) The UIAA grade is the official grade scale of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation. He introduced this grading scale by releasing the bouldering guidebook Hueco Tanks Climbing and Bouldering Guide in 1991. Understanding the V-Scale. It’s colour coded but with no reference at all to any of the more formal grading scales. Could anyone who also climbs at these gyms give me a rough rundown of how the colours relate to the V scale? Bouldering, a form of climbing that focuses on short, powerful routes without ropes, has its own grading system known as the Hueco "V" Scale. For the most part, understanding the two different scales and comparing them doesn’t matter, however, here are three common reasons you may want to compare the two grading scales: Feb 19, 2021 · Bouldering and the V Scale What Is the V Scale? While the YDS is used to grade pretty much every roped rock climbing route in America and beyond, bouldering utilizes a completely different system. The required physicality to breach V6 moves beyond just a good level of fitness and strength. Oct 23, 2023 · The Bouldering V Scale. Nov 3, 2023 · 7a Boulder to V Scale: For those specifically searching for the "7a to V scale" conversion, here it is: 7a in the Fontainebleau (Font) grading system is approximately equivalent to V6 in the V scale. Bouldering Grades. It begins to incorporate real finger strength and technique, which can take years to develop. This scale assigns "V" grades to boulder problems, ranging from V0 to V16, with higher numbers indicating greater difficulty. e. Obviously, these are not the only ones, but this is what most professional boulderers and climbers refer to. The Bouldering V Scale (a. Jan 28, 2022 · V-Scale Grades. Pros of V scale bouldering grades: It is the simplest system without multiple letters and covering a range of numbers more distinct from other route grades. While the grading systems vary by region—like the Fontainebleau system in Europe or the V-scale in the U. The V-Scale is the most commonly used grading system for bouldering in America. Top 2 Bouldering Climbing Grades The Vermin Scale (V-Scale) The Vermin Scale, commonly referred to as the V-Scale, is used to grade bouldering problems. This is a bouldering climbing grade conversion chart. The current hardest route in a M13 at Helmcken Falls in British Columbia, Canada. Other similarly priced services are available. Understanding Climbing Grades: 1. 5 years and then it drops off to about a quarter grade per year by five and near zero improvement Again, this is all based off my single experience at one gym in Japan, but if the grades at said gym were representative of the grades at gyms as a whole in Japanese gyms, then the grade you can climb at a Japanese gym you should also be able to climb at a boulder field most anywhere in the world, assuming it wasn't a boulder field that was Nov 3, 2023 · 6c Boulder to V Scale: For those specifically searching for the "6c to V scale" conversion, here it is: 6c in the Fontainebleau (Font) grading system is approximately equivalent to V5 in the V scale. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade Bouldering grades are designed to give climbers an approximate idea of the difficulty of a route. Grade VI: Two or more days of hard tech­ni­cal climb­ing. 9, 5. americanalpineclub. Bouldering grades are typically indicated by the V-scale, ranging from V0 to V16. V-scale: The V-scale is a bouldering grading system used primarily in the United . Just my opinion though Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. The easiest grade is VB which indicates a beginner route, after this only numbers are used. The two main bouldering grading or bouldering rating systems are V Grades or the Font system. The V Scale goes from V0 (easiest) through V16 (hardest). "Grades are subjective" - OK, that's out of the way. Jun 23, 2024 · The V-Scale is a numerical grading system that ranges from V0 (easiest) to V16 (hardest). The scale begins at V0 (beginner level) and progresses upward (V1, V2, etc. g. A 5+ (sometimes graded as 5b or 5c) can be converted into a V2 bouldering grade on the V-scale. Oct 15, 2021 · The two bouldering grading systems are the V Scale (used in the United States) and the Font Scale (used outside the US). Named for pioneer boulderer, John "Vermin" Sherman who climbed the amazing boulders of Hueco Tanks, TX, the V Scale denotes the level of difficulty of a boulder problem. This means that for some grades, such as V6, there are multiple Font Scale grades that fall into the category of V6. Vertical climbing grades start at 11 and work up to 39 (comparable to 9c/5. In the United States for sport climbing and other forms of rock climbing we use the Yosemite Decimal System. Nov 13, 2023 · Australian Grading System: The Australian Grading System is similar to the YDS, but uses a different scale. It is especially clear and less Dec 29, 2020 · Indoors, climbing and bouldering gyms use the V Scale, Font Scale, or make up their own rating system. Some gyms use the classic V-grade system, marking each boulder problem with a V-grade on a tag or piece of tape at its start. B1, B2, B3, B4, etc. Bouldering Grades If you’re familiar with the V Scale , you might be wondering how boulder problems stack up against route difficulty. Peak B-grades are roughly one level easier than V-grades (e. Rumour has it that his publisher wouldn't go ahead with the book without So my country uses the french scale for indoor sports climbing. Feb 26, 2021 · Font grade. Grade V: Typ­i­cal­ly requires an overnight on 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. A quick mention: VB is sometimes used to describe a boulder problem easier than V0. This is written in whole numbers, i. Apr 29, 2024 · The most common free-climbing grading scales are the French, US or Yosemite Decimal System, and the UK scale. 15 (hardest). ). The V Scale was created by a climber named John “Verm” Sherman. Universal grade conversion Back to contents . Much like the French sport climbing grading system, the Font scale designates grades using a numeral (3 to 9), a letter (A to C) and - or + symbol. Feb 9, 2024 · There are 3 main bouldering grading systems: V scale; Font scale; UK grading; V Scale. k. Mar 30, 2023 · For bouldering, on the other hand, there are varying systems in place. 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. Both 6C+ and 7A on the Font Scale convert to around a V6 on the V Scale, making converting 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. We recommend Instantprint where an A1 poster costs around £16 (+VAT and delivery). From V0 to V9, you have a 1:1 correspondence with YDS and V. The Peak District in Britain is an important bouldering area and had developed a bouldering scale that was very similar to the V-grade scale except the pre-fix "B" was used and it started at B1 (i. Climbing, like many sports, has its own metrics for measuring difficulty. The most popular rating system for bouldering problems in North America is the V-Scale, first conceived by John Sherman in the 1980s and now used throughout the United States and in many other locales. Here is a guide to a consensus of bouldering grades: (climbing experience varies, this is not specific to every climber) If you’re new to the world of indoor climbing, you might think climbing grades are just friendly suggestions about the difficulty of a route. While these grading systems are widely used, they are subjective and have even evolved over time, so we often hear about the inconsistency climbers see between different climbing Feb 28, 2023 · The V-Scale will sometimes show a plus or minus after the grade indicating whether it is harder or easier. Because the scale is open ended, it's conceivable that numbers higher than 16 could get added later. What Are Climbing Grades? Climbing grades serve as a standardized system for rating the difficulty of climbing routes. 7. 6b to V-scale. Unlike the V scale, the Font climbing grades also include letters to help differentiate between easier and more challenging boulder problems. Nov 3, 2023 · 8a Boulder to V Scale: For climbers looking to understand the "8a to V scale" conversion, 8a in the Fontainebleau (Font) grading system is generally considered equivalent to a V11 in the V scale. For a basic overview of how the grades work, check out this article with Climbing Magazine . It ranges from 1 to 34, with additional letters (a, b, c) used to further refine the difficulty. Grade III: Most of a day for the tech­ni­cal por­tion. Grade II: Half a day for the tech­ni­cal por­tion. While there are other scales like the B-Scale, P-Scale, Joshua Tree Scale, and others, they don’t command the same prominence. Please visit them on the web at www. Comparison Table: Fontainebleau Grade (Font) Approximate V Scale 7c+ V10 8a V11 8a+ V12 (Note: Keep in mind that grading is May 31, 2020 · Climbing Grades vs. V8 was equivalent to B9). a the Vermin Scale) Jun 23, 2024 · Indoor climbing grades are used to indicate the difficulty level of a climbing route. The V scale includes a few extra symbols for grades below V1. If you would like to learn more about what bouldering is, please check out our comprehensive guide. and the Font Scale which is popular in Europe. Free climbing grades are generally understood to reflect the hardest move or section on a particular route. Comparison Table: Fontainebleau Grade (Font) Approximate V Scale 6c V5 6c+ V5 / V6 7a V6 (Note: As always, grading remai Nov 3, 2023 · 7b Boulder to V Scale: For those specifically searching for the "7b to V scale" conversion, here it is: 7b in the Fontainebleau (Font) grading system is approximately equivalent to V8 in the V scale. These help ensure Darth Grader remains accurate and accessible, regardless of climbing style or grade, from moderate beginner routes to the most challenging Apr 11, 2025 · V-grades or the V-scale (also sometimes called the 'Hueco' scale) was established in 1991 by American bouldering pioneer John 'Verm' Sherman - that's where the V comes from! Sherman used the scale to grade problems in his book Hueco Tanks Climbing and Bouldering Guide. This bouldering grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from Hueco to French and back to French to V-Scale. Download Bouldering Grade PDF – Comparison between Font, V and UK tech grades. Both 6b and 6b+ graded boulders in the The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. Grade IV: A full day of tech­ni­cal climb­ing, gen­er­al­ly at least 5. 8, which are additionally split into three separate categories using a plus (+) or a minus (-). Font Scale The two most popular grading scales are the V-Grade system, which is popular in the U. The grades in the tables are assigned a colour code that spans the various grading systems. Arguably, this is where bouldering began, and the open-ended grade scale that was developed ranges from 1A to 9A (at time of writing). Each grade represents a specific level of difficulty, with V0 being suitable for beginners and V16 being reserved for elite climbers. The Fontainebleau Scale is used more frequently in Europe. qrogk xwmmyjm kzvib ggnzvjbi vgiovwk kug eth gjie ncutuly sgica cfygokd ylbenb ltmuy hxfx jatrn