Climbing Grade Conversions
Climbing grades can be confusing due to the various systems used around the world. Understanding the different grading systems and how they convert can help you to gauge the difficulty of routes across different regions.
Here’s a rundown of the main climbing grade systems and how they compare:
Key Climbing Grade Systems
Yosemite Decimal System (YDS): predominantly used in North America, this system ranges from 5.0 (easiest) to 5.15d (hardest), with sub-grades (a, b, c, d) to further differentiate difficulty.
French (Sport): is used in France and many other parts of Europe for sport climbing, ranging from 1 (easiest) to 9c (hardest). This system also uses sub-grades (a, b, c).
UIAA: this is common in Germany and other central European countries, it ranges from I (easiest) to XII (hardest), using Roman numerals.
British (Traditional): this complex system includes two grades: the adjectival grade (overall difficulty) and the technical grade (specific moves' difficulty). The adjectival grades range from Easy to E11, while the technical grades range from 3 to 7b.
Australian: used in Australia and New Zealand, this system ranges from 1 (easiest) to 35 (hardest).
South African: similar to the Australian system, it ranges from 1 to 38.
Norwegian: ranges from 1 (easiest) to 11.
Grade Conversion Table
Here’s a basic conversion table for some of the most commonly used systems:
YDS | French | UIAA | British (Tech) | Australian | South African |
5.5 | 3+ | IV | 4a | 10 | 10 |
5.6 | 4 | IV+ | 4b | 12 | 12 |
5.7 | 4+ | V- | 4c | 13 | 13 |
5.8 | 5a | V | 5a | 14 | 14 |
5.9 | 5b | V+ | 5b | 15 | 15 |
5.10a | 5c | VI- | 5c | 16 | 16 |
5.10b | 6a | VI | 6a | 17 | 17 |
5.10c | 6a+ | VI+ | 6a | 18 | 18 |
5.10d | 6b | VII- | 6b | 19 | 19 |
5.11a | 6b+ | VII | 6b | 20 | 20 |
5.11b | 6c | VII+ | 6b/c | 21 | 21 |
5.11c | 6c+ | VIII- | 6c | 22 | 22 |
5.11d | 7a | VIII | 6c | 23 | 23 |
5.12a | 7a+ | VIII+ | 6c/7a | 24 | 24 |
5.12b | 7b | IX- | 7a | 25 | 25 |
5.12c | 7b+ | IX | 7a/b | 26 | 26 |
5.12d | 7c | IX+ | 7b | 27 | 27 |
5.13a | 7c+ | X- | 7b | 28 | 28 |
5.13b | 8a | X | 7b/c | 29 | 29 |
5.13c | 8a+ | X+ | 7c | 30 | 30 |
5.13d | 8b | XI- | 7c/8a | 31 | 31 |
5.14a | 8b+ | XI | 8a | 32 | 32 |
5.14b | 8c | XI+ | 8a/b | 33 | 33 |
5.14c | 8c+ | XII- | 8b | 34 | 34 |
5.14d | 9a | XII | 8b/c | 35 | 35 |
5.15a | 9a+ | XII+ | 8c | 36 | 36 |
5.15b | 9b | XIII- | 8c/9a | 37 | 37 |
5.15c | 9b+ | XIII | 9a | 38 | 38 |
5.15d | 9c | XIII+ | 9a/b | 39 | 39 |
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.
Consider the Climbing Style: sport climbing, traditional climbing, and bouldering can have different grading nuances. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples!
Use Multiple Sources: refer to multiple conversion charts and local climbers’ opinions to get a more accurate sense of a route's difficulty.
Climbing grades are essential for understanding route difficulty, but they can be complex due to the variety of systems used worldwide. Familiarize yourself with the system relevant to your climb. Climb on!
For more detailed conversion tables and further reading, you can check out:
Mountain Project, Rockfax, and UKClimbing
