Climbing Grade Converter
Convert rock climbing grades between YDS, French, UIAA, British, and Australian systems.
Works for sport, trad, and bouldering grades.
Grade Conversion
Why climbing has so many grading systems:
Different countries developed their own grading scales independently. A route rated 5.10a in the US is the same difficulty as 6a+ in France or VI+ in the UIAA system. Climbers traveling internationally or reading guidebooks from other countries need to convert between systems constantly.
The major route grading systems:
| YDS (USA) | French | UIAA | British (Tech) | Australian |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.6 | 4b | V | 4a | 13 |
| 5.7 | 4c | V+ | 4b | 14 |
| 5.8 | 5a | VI- | 4b | 16 |
| 5.9 | 5b | VI | 4c | 17 |
| 5.10a | 6a | VI+ | 5a | 18 |
| 5.10b | 6a+ | VII- | 5a | 19 |
| 5.10c | 6b | VII | 5b | 20 |
| 5.10d | 6b+ | VII+ | 5b | 21 |
| 5.11a | 6c | VII+ | 5c | 22 |
| 5.11b | 6c+ | VIII- | 5c | 23 |
| 5.11c | 7a | VIII | 6a | 24 |
| 5.11d | 7a+ | VIII+ | 6a | 25 |
| 5.12a | 7b | VIII+ | 6b | 26 |
| 5.12b | 7b+ | IX- | 6b | 27 |
| 5.12c | 7c | IX | 6c | 28 |
| 5.12d | 7c+ | IX+ | 6c | 29 |
| 5.13a | 8a | IX+ | 7a | 30 |
| 5.13b | 8a+ | X- | 7a | 31 |
| 5.13c | 8b | X | 7a | 32 |
| 5.13d | 8b+ | X+ | 7b | 33 |
| 5.14a | 8c | X+ | 7b | 34 |
Bouldering grades (V-scale vs Font):
| V-Scale (USA) | Font (European) |
|---|---|
| V0 | 4 |
| V1 | 5 |
| V2 | 5+ |
| V3 | 6A |
| V4 | 6B |
| V5 | 6C |
| V6 | 7A |
| V7 | 7A+ |
| V8 | 7B |
| V10 | 7C+ |
| V12 | 8A+ |
Important notes:
- Grades are approximate — different guidebooks may vary by a half-grade
- Indoor gym grades are typically 1–2 grades softer than outdoor grades
- Grade “feel” varies by style: a pumpy 5.11 may feel harder than a bouldery 5.12 depending on your strengths