Climbing Grade Converter
Convert climbing grades between French, Yosemite, UIAA and V-scale systems.
About Climbing Grade Converter
Grades are ordinal, so conversion means aligning positions on parallel scales rather than calculating. The V-scale measures bouldering difficulty and maps only loosely onto roped grades, which is why several indices share a V grade. Conversion tables disagree at the margins because sport and bouldering scales weight sustained difficulty and single hard moves differently.
Formula
Climbing Grade
Grade systems are ordinal scales aligned by index rather than converted arithmetically
- French sport
- The dominant scale for roped sport climbing
- V-scale
- Bouldering scale, which grades single hard moves rather than sustained difficulty
Worked example
With the default values below, Climbing Grade Converter returns Grade of 7b+. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.
Inputs used
- Grade index on the shared scaleaccepts 1–24
- 14
- System to displayone of French sport, Yosemite Decimal, UIAA, V-scale bouldering
- French sport
Results
- Grade
- 7b+
- French Sport Grade
- 7b+
- Yosemite Decimal Grade
- 5.12a
- Difficulty Band
- Advanced
- Grade Index
- 14
Step by step
- 1Values used
- 2Climbing Grade
- 3Grade= 7b+
- 4French Sport Grade= 7b+
- 5Yosemite Decimal Grade= 5.12a
- 6Difficulty Band= Advanced
- 7Grade Index= 14
Assumptions and limits
- The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
- In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
- Figures are rounded for display to whole numbers, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
- These figures are population-average estimates for training and recreational planning only and are not medical advice. Individual responses vary widely. Consult a qualified health professional before starting or significantly changing an exercise, supplement or nutrition programme, particularly if you have any medical condition.
- This is an estimate for general information and not professional medical advice. See the full disclaimer for the limits that apply to this kind of calculator.
How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.
These figures are population-average estimates for training and recreational planning only and are not medical advice. Individual responses vary widely. Consult a qualified health professional before starting or significantly changing an exercise, supplement or nutrition programme, particularly if you have any medical condition.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Climbing Grade calculated?
Grade systems are ordinal scales aligned by index rather than converted arithmetically Grades are ordinal, so conversion means aligning positions on parallel scales rather than calculating. The V-scale measures bouldering difficulty and maps only loosely onto roped grades, which is why several indices share a V grade.
Why does Climbing Grade matter?
Conversion tables disagree at the margins because sport and bouldering scales weight sustained difficulty and single hard moves differently.
What values do I need to enter?
This calculator takes 2 inputs: Grade index on the shared scale, System to display. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.