Climbing grade converter
Climbing grades vary by country and discipline. This conversion table helps you move between systems. UK indoor gyms generally use the French (routes) and Font / V-scale (bouldering) systems; British trad E-grades are a separate adjectival system that doesn't convert one-to-one.
Tip: click a row to highlight it.
Routes (roped)
| French | YDS | UIAA |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5.5 | IV+ |
| 4+ | 5.6 | V- |
| 5a | 5.7 | V |
| 5b | 5.8 | V+ |
| 5c | 5.9 | VI- |
| 6a | 5.10a | VI |
| 6a+ | 5.10b | VI+ |
| 6b | 5.10c | VII- |
| 6b+ | 5.10d | VII |
| 6c | 5.11a | VII+ |
| 6c+ | 5.11b | VII+ |
| 7a | 5.11c | VIII- |
| 7a+ | 5.11d | VIII |
| 7b | 5.12a | VIII+ |
| 7b+ | 5.12b | IX- |
| 7c | 5.12c | IX |
| 7c+ | 5.12d | IX+ |
| 8a | 5.13a | X- |
| 8a+ | 5.13b | X |
| 8b | 5.13c | X+ |
| 8b+ | 5.13d | XI- |
| 8c | 5.14a | XI |
| 8c+ | 5.14b | XI+ |
| 9a | 5.14d | XII- |
| 9a+ | 5.15a | XII |
| 9b | 5.15b | XII+ |
| 9b+ | 5.15c | XIII- |
| 9c | 5.15d | XIII |
Bouldering
| Fontainebleau | V-scale |
|---|---|
| 4 | VB |
| 5 | V1 |
| 5+ | V2 |
| 6A | V3 |
| 6A+ | V3 |
| 6B | V4 |
| 6B+ | V4 |
| 6C | V5 |
| 6C+ | V5 |
| 7A | V6 |
| 7A+ | V7 |
| 7B | V8 |
| 7B+ | V8 |
| 7C | V9 |
| 7C+ | V10 |
| 8A | V11 |
| 8A+ | V12 |
| 8B | V13 |
| 8B+ | V14 |
| 8C | V15 |
| 8C+ | V16 |
| 9A | V17 |
How to read climbing grades
The French system (4 to 9c) dominates in Europe for sport routes: a number, a letter (a, b, c) and sometimes a “+”. In the US, the YDS grades routes as 5.x (from 5.5 to 5.15d). The UIAA scale, in Roman numerals, remains common in Central Europe.
For bouldering, the Fontainebleau scale (6A, 7B+…) is the European reference, while the American V-scale (V0 to V17) has become the international standard, especially indoors. In the UK, indoor gyms generally use these same systems, while British trad climbing uses separate E-grades.
No conversion is perfect: the same route can feel different depending on rock type, climber height or style. Use this table as a guide, not an absolute rule.
Equivalences are based on climbing community consensus: they are approximate and vary with rock type, style and local conventions.