Free tool
Climbing Grade Converter
Convert rock climbing grades between YDS (American), French, UIAA, and Ewbanks (Australian) — plus bouldering grades between the V-scale and Fontainebleau systems.
Equivalent grades
Full conversion charts
Rock routes: YDS ↔ French ↔ UIAA ↔ Ewbanks
| YDS | French | UIAA | Ewbanks |
|---|
Bouldering: V-scale ↔ Font
| V-scale | Font |
|---|
Conversions are approximate — the systems don’t align perfectly, and grades vary between areas, rock types, and guidebooks. Always check the local guidebook.
Climbing grade FAQs
For roped routes: YDS (Yosemite Decimal System, USA — 5.10a, 5.12b), French (Europe — 6a, 7b+), UIAA (Germany and much of the world — VI, IX+), and Ewbanks (Australia — 18, 24). For bouldering: the V-scale (Hueco, USA — V5) and Font (Fontainebleau, Europe — 6b+).
Approximate. The systems were developed independently and don’t align perfectly — a French 6a might feel like 5.10a in one area and 5.10b in another. Rock type, route style (slab vs. overhang), and local grading traditions all shift grades. Treat conversions as a starting point, not gospel.
From 5.10 upward, each number is split into four sub-grades: a, b, c, d (5.10a is easiest, 5.10d hardest). Below 5.10 there are no letters — 5.9 is followed directly by 5.10a. The French system uses a similar idea with + and − modifiers (6a, 6a+, 6b).
Only very roughly. A boulder problem’s crux might match a route grade (e.g., V4 ≈ 5.12c moves), but routes also grade endurance, so the comparison breaks down quickly. This tool shows a rough V-to-YDS crossover as a curiosity — don’t plan a trip around it.
Grades are consensus opinions, not measurements. Sandbagged areas grade stiffly, holiday crags grade softly, and your strengths matter — a crimpy 6b+ feels easy to a finger-strength climber and desperate to a sloper specialist. Local guidebooks and asking locals beat any conversion chart.
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What is a climbing grade converter?
A climbing grade converter translates a rock climbing grade from one grading system to another. Climbing developed regional grading scales — the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) in the United States, the French scale across Europe, the UIAA scale in Germany and much of the world, and the Ewbanks scale in Australia — so a 5.10a in Yosemite, a 6a in France, a VI in Germany, and an 18 in Australia all describe roughly the same difficulty. For bouldering, the V-scale (Hueco, USA) and Font scale (Fontainebleau, Europe) play the same role.
Type any grade in any system and this converter shows every equivalent instantly, along with a difficulty label, the neighboring grades up and down, and the full conversion charts for study. It handles both roped routes and bouldering in one place.
How to use the converter
- Pick your discipline — the Rock routes tab or the Bouldering tab.
- Type a grade — e.g. 5.10a, 6b+, VI+, or 19 for routes; V5, 6c, or 7b for bouldering.
- Set the system the grade is written in — the converter detects equivalents in all the others automatically.
- Read the tiles — your entered grade is highlighted; the rest are its equivalents. Below are a difficulty badge, your position in the scale, and the grades one step easier and harder.
Everything converts live as you type. The popular-grade chips jump straight to common benchmarks like 5.9, 5.12a, 7a, V4, or V8.
The grade systems, explained
YDS (Yosemite Decimal System). Used in the USA and Canada. Class 5 is technical rock climbing, subdivided from 5.0 (easiest) upward without a ceiling — currently 5.15d. From 5.10 up, each number splits into a/b/c/d sub-grades (5.10a → 5.10d).
French. Used across most of Europe. A number plus a letter, with +/− modifiers: 5a, 6a+, 7b, 8c, 9c. Roughly: French 6a ≈ YDS 5.10a.
UIAA. Used in Germany, Austria, and much of the world. Roman numerals with +/−: V, VI+, VII, IX−. Roughly: UIAA VI ≈ YDS 5.10a.
Ewbanks. Used in Australia (and New Zealand and South Africa). A single open-ended number: 18 ≈ YDS 5.10a, 24 ≈ 5.11c, 30 ≈ 5.13a.
V-scale (Hueco). The US bouldering scale: V0, V1 … currently V17. The “+” sometimes marks half-steps (V0+).
Font (Fontainebleau). The European bouldering scale, using French-style grades: 4, 5+, 6a … 8c+.
Worked example
You are planning a trip to France and your project at home is 5.11a (YDS).
- Type “5.11a” with the system set to YDS.
- The converter highlights row 14 of 34: French 6c, UIAA VII+, Ewbanks 22.
- The difficulty badge reads Advanced, and the neighbors show 5.10d below and 5.11b above.
So in a French guidebook, look for routes graded 6c — and remember the conversion is approximate, so 6b+ to 6c+ is all fair game for your first day.
Bouldering example: type V5 and you get Font 6c, with the very-rough route crossover of about YDS 5.13a for the crux moves.
Tips for using grade conversions
- Treat conversions as a starting range, not a number. The systems were built independently and never align perfectly. Give yourself a grade or two of slack in an unfamiliar area.
- Learn the local style. A 6b+ slab and a 6b+ roof are different sports. Ask locals or check guidebook comments rather than trusting the chart alone.
- Mind the letters. In YDS, 5.10a to 5.10d is a full grade of difference — the letter matters as much as the number. In French grades, the + matters too (6a vs 6a+ is a real step).
- Ewbanks has no letters at all. Australian grade 20 vs 21 is a meaningful jump; the open-ended number scale is coarser than it looks.
- Don’t convert boulder grades to route grades for planning. The V-to-YDS crossover is a curiosity about crux difficulty — endurance makes real route grades a different question.
- Sandbags are real. Some historic areas grade stiffly (their 5.10a would be 5.11a elsewhere). When in doubt, start a grade below your limit.