Climbing Grade Converter
Convert rock climbing grades between YDS, French, UIAA, British, and Australian systems.
Works for sport, trad, and bouldering grades.
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
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