French bouldering grades. There’s a lot of trusting your feet and .

French bouldering grades 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. 13c 5 13d 5. americanalpineclub. 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. ) Commitment grade (III, VI, etc. Required Techniques for USA V7 Bouldering Grade V7, also known as HuecoUSA V7, is a very challenging level in the bouldering difficulty scale, typically catering to advanced climbers. ) Aid rating (A2, A3+, etc. 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. Simple pinch problems 5. 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 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. The Fontainebleau French 4 grade serves as a stepping 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. Most climbs in the AAJ are described with an alphabet soup of difficulty ratings. Our Ultimate Guide to Climbing Grades provides it all! 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. 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. This lead climbing grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from YDS to French and back to French to Yosemite. Jun 5, 2023 · However, you will find that most indoor rock climbing levels use the French sport climbing grades. 5, 5. Maybe I'm dumb and it's all over the Internet, not sure why I had a hard time with this. 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. Use Rab’s interactive tool to understand global climbing difficulty scales and plan your next route with confidence. Oct 23, 2023 · Discover the intricacies of climbing grades with our comprehensive guide. Learn your grades and apply them to your climbing and problem setting. 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. V is only bouldering, V5 is font 6c+ V6 is font 7a font is the bouldering grading system that's used in Europe a lot, French is for sport climbing. 5 14b 5. 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. Understanding the different grading systems & the factors that affect grades will help you make informed decisions & tackle routes that match your skill level & ambitions. Sports climbing grades are graded using different systems across different regions. This chart is designed to be used with the American Alpine Journal to help decipher the difficulty ratings given to climbs. Sometimes the authors of the reports have created some new scales blending and blurring the symbols of the UIAA scale up to V+, and then introducing the 6a, 6b, etc. The above appears courtesy of the American Alpine Journal. . Depending on the region and discipline, there are different scales that often define difficulty levels in very unique ways. 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. Anyways, since I had a hard time I just made one. Bouldering grades and bouldering grades conversion charts for the popular V-Scale and Font-Scale bouldering grades. It was developed by European climbers to create a clear and progressive scale for the increasingly difficult sport routes being established, particularly in France. The French Grade assesses the Mar 17, 2023 · Confusingly, both bouldering and french climbing grades use the same numerical system to grade climbing routes and boulder problems. Learn about the Yosemite and French grading systems and how the two compare. Apr 29, 2024 · Learn everything about climbing grades and quickly convert any climbing rating with our free climbing grade conversion chart. The best way to approach the conversion is to travel, go climbing and get used to the different grades! Have fun! P. 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. For example, if you go to the gym in the UK, most of Europe and Asia, you’ll find French climbing grades. For route climbing, trad and bouldering. Climbers at this grade face easy boulder problems that emphasize basic climbing movements, grip techniques, and body positioning. Grades can be subjective and may vary slightly between locations or setters. 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. The de facto Alpine grades, and taking a look at the complexities of grading an alpine route Alpine terrain really draws on many of those learnt skills whether that’s, safe glacial travel, ice climbing, rock scrambling or rock climbing, or a culmination of all that terrain where you’ll wear crampons and use an ice axe over all of it ‘mixed climbing’ 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). UK grades, French system and US grading. 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" 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. While the grading systems vary by region—like the Fontainebleau system in Europe or the V-scale in the U. 2 5. Invented in France, and adopted for its simplicity, it spread to become the most Convert bouldering grades between Font, V-scale, Japanese Kyū/Dan, and Australian Ewbank systems with this mobile-friendly tool. See full list on guidedolomiti. 12d 5. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 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 Learn everything about the grading systems used in rock climbing. S. ) or Clean Aid rating (C2, C3, etc. Apr 27, 2025 · The French scale is commonly used for sport climbing worldwide, using grades like 6a or 9a to indicate route difficulty and is often seen in international competitions. 3/5. org. Basic pocket problems These climbing styles are essential for boulder Intermediate climbers navigating Bouldering Grade V5 and facing challenging bouldering difficulty. Convert rock climbing grades between French, YDS, British, and UIAA systems. Apr 27, 2025 · If you’re trying to figure out how a 6b bouldering grade converts to the V scale or sport climbing grades, here’s a quick answer: A 6b in the Fontainebleau bouldering system is about a V4 in the Hueco (V) scale and roughly a 5. Physical Demands for French 7B **Physical Demands for Bouldering Grade Fontainebleau 7B:** Climbing boulder problems at the Fontainebleau 7B grade demands a high level of physical fitness and specific attributes. 1/5. Mastering these styles will help climbers progress and excel in their bouldering pursuits. It gained popularity as sport climbing itself became more prominent. Climbers at this level can expect easy-to-grip holds, basic movement sequences, and simple challenges that help build confidence and familiarity 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. Basic arête climbing - Practice climbing on the edge or corner of a rock feature for balance and movement. Our secret (or maybe not so secret anymore) tip for Want to know more about bouldering climbing grades? Check out our comprehensive guide on the V-Scale and French Scale here. National Climbing Classification System (USA): NCCS grades, often called “commitment grades,” indicate the time investment in a route for an “average” climbing team. Sometimes the conditions and the state of the routes can also influence the grades. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned climber, our climbing grade conversion cha What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. Here's the link if you're interested. I and II: Half a day or less for the technical (5th class) portion of… Read More »Climbing Grade This is a lead climbing grade conversion chart. 10c 5 5. About the climbing Grade for French 4 The Fontainebleau French 4 bouldering grade is considered an entry-level difficulty, suitable for beginner climbers looking to develop foundational skills and techniques. Basic crimpy routes 3. 13a 5 13b 5. Jul 29, 2025 · Knowing the rock climbing grades, what they mean, and how the different scales compare is essential for any climber Rock Climbing Grade Conversion Chart French 6b 9b Yosemite 5. #2. ) Water Ice grade (WI4, WI5+ 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. Free, fast, and easy-to-use climbing grade converter. —all aim to reflect a combination of physical and technical demands. 12a in the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS). 12b 5. Including Grade Wike & Table. To help make everything easier, I’ve broken the entire Aug 30, 2021 · Note that this guide does not address bouldering grades — only roped climbing. There’s a lot of trusting your feet and Climbing Styles in Bouldering Grade Fontainebleau French 6C: For Intermediate Climbers: 1. Online Conversion Tool for Climbing Grades & Bouldering Grades: Trad Grade, UIAA, French Sport Grade, Boulder Grades, American Scale & many more. We've examined the different systems 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. Changing 8b+ Font grades to the V scale—for instance, translating 8b+ to V14—serves United States climbers. 15b 5. The Font-grade system is easily confused with the French sport grade and the British E-grade systems as they use similar symbols, however, boulder grades are very different from free climbing grades and they start at much harder technical levels. About 6B for French 6B French 6B is considered an Intermediate level climbing grade in Fontainebleau French. The chart below shows a conversion between the Fontainebleau bouldering scale and the french climbing scale. Here are some key physical demands categorized for Advanced climbers and Extremely Challenging bouldering difficulty: **For Advanced Climbers:** - Advanced grip strength for holding Oct 12, 2020 · How do Bouldering Grades Compare to Sport Climbing Grades? If you’re using the Font and French Scales, it should be easy to understand one if you understand the other scale. Climbers tackling 6B problems can expect challenging boulder routes that demand a combination of technical In the Alpine range, the rock climbing difficulty evaluations are expressed by the two scales more represented, the UIAA Scale and the French Scale. Whether UIAA, French, YDS, Fontainebleau (Fb), V-Grade, British Trad, or Scandinavian: Each grading system has its origins, logic, and scope. Read now! The French grading system rose to prominence in Europe during the 1970s and 1980s, coinciding with the rapid evolution of sport climbing. ) YDS, or Yosemite Decimal System (3rd Class, 5. 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. 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. Climbers attempting V7 boulders need to master a variety of advanced techniques to successfully navigate the demanding problems. 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. 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 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. font I also from France and uses the same grades so it's a bit confusing but that's just the way it is Easily convert climbing grades across systems like YDS, French, UIAA, British, and more. com This is a bouldering climbing grade conversion chart. Sep 25, 2023 · The French climbing grade system, primarily used for sport climbing, originated in France in the 1970s. Jun 5, 2023 · TOP TIP: If you get confused between the French sport climbing grades and the Font-Scale, remember that the Font-Scale always used capitalized letters while the sport grades use small letters eg 6A = bouldering and 6a = sport climbing. ) Mixed grade (M4, M5 etc. Please visit them on the web at www. The ‘F’ (French) grade of a route is how technically hard and sustained a route is. Quickly convert climbing grades between different systems: French, YDS, UIAA, and more. of the French scale. For our purposes, the most prominent grade systems are: French Numerical System (6b+, 8a, etc. This bouldering grades comparison table is designed to help climbers convert from Hueco to French and back to French to V-Scale. Learn how bouldering V-scales compare to YDS for route climbing, understand the journey from indoor to outdoor climbing, and explore international grading systems. . 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. May 31, 2020 · Everything you need to know about climbing grades in one place. Aug 11, 2025 · Climbing is international—but the rating of routes and bouldering is anything but uniform. 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. COM 6B 6B+ 7B 8B CRUX RAN About the Grade for French 5 Bouldering Grade Fontainebleau French 5 is an entry-level difficulty suitable for beginner climbers. Jun 10, 2024 · Grade Converters Bouldering and Lead Climbing Grade converters and other tools for rock climbers. These techniques include heel hooks, toe hooks, drop knees, flagging, dynos, static Bouldering grades are a way to measure the difficulty of climbing problems, helping climbers gauge challenges and track progress. Learn about climbing and bouldering ratings, including how route difficulty is measured and the difference between a rating and a grade. Free, instant climbing grade converter to help you understand foreign grading systems. This grade offers straightforward boulder problems that focus on developing fundamental climbing techniques and skills. Convert North American climbing grades to UK and European scales, and compare bouldering V-grades to roped climbs. These grades provide a shared language for climbers, making it easier to compare Aug 24, 2025 · Understanding climbing grades is essential for safe & successful rock, ice & alpine climbs. 4 5 10b 5. its super confusing because at certain points the french bouldering and climbing grades are similar, but at both ends they diverge pretty significantly. 11b, etc. French < > V14 USA Bouldering Grade Conversions V14 USA to French Fountainbleau bouldering grade is 8B+ V14 is 8B+ Check out the full comparison table for more conversions: Bouldering Grades Comparison Table 📊 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). 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. Basic technical face climbing 4. 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. This grade represents a significant step up in difficulty from 6A+ and requires climbers to possess a strong foundation in climbing techniques, physical strength, and mental focus. 5 5. 15d 5. 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.