A comparison chart of worldwide climbing grades
Climbing Grades | | Bouldering | Sport | UK Trad | Australia | UIAA | USA | MIXED | Hueco | UK | France | 1-2 | Difficult | 8-9 | I-II | 5.2-5.3 | M0 | - | 3 | HVD | 10-11 | III | 5.4-5.5 | M1 | - | 4 | Severe | 12 | IV | 5.6 | M2 | - | 4+ | HS 3c | 13 | V- | 5.7 | M3 | - | 5 | VS 4a | 14 | V | 5.8 | M4 | - | 5+ | HVS 4b | 15 | V+ | 5.9 | M5 | V0 | B1 | 4 | 6a | E1 5a/b | 19 | VI+ | 5.10a | M5 | V0+ | B2 | 4+ | 6a+ | E2 5c | 19 | VII- | 5.10b | M6 | 6b | | 20 | VII | 5.10c | M6 | V1 | B3 | 5 | 6b+ | E3 5c | 21 | VII | 5.10d | M7 | 6c | | 21 | VIII+ | 5.11a | M7 | V2 | B4 | 6a | 6c+ | E4 6a | 22 | VIII- | 5.11b | M7 | V3 | B5-6 | 6a+ | 7a | | 23 | VIII | 5.11c/d | M8 | V4 | 6b/c | 7a+ | E5 6b | 24 | VIII+ | 5.12a | M8 | 7b | | 25 | VIII+ | 5.12b | M9 | V5 | 6c+ | 7b+ | E6 6b | 26 | IX- | 5.12c | M9 | V6 | B7 | 7a | 7c | | 27 | IX | 5.12d | M10 | 7c+ | | 28 | IX+ | 5.13a | M10 | V7 | B8 | 7a+ | 8a | E7 6c | 29 | IX+ | 5.13b | M11 | V8 | B9 | 7b+ | 8a+ | | 30 | X- | 5.13c | M11 | V9 | 7c | 8b | E8 7a | 31 | X | 5.13d | M12 | 8b+ | | 32 | X+ | 5.14a | M12 | V10 | B10 | 7c+ | 8c | E9 7b | 33 | X+ | 5.14b | M13 | V11 | B11 | 8a | 8c+ | | 34 | XI- | 5.14c | M13 | V12 | B12 | 8a+ | 9a | E10 7c | 35 | XI | 5.14d | M14 | V13 | 9a | | 36 | XI | 5.15a | M14 | | V14 | B13 | 8b |
Climbers in almost every region of the world have devised their own systems for rating the relative difficulty of the steeper styles of climbing on rock. These are not perfect rating systems as climbing is so subjectively experienced and the gymnastic difficulty of a given move is a tricky thing to compare as different types of rock produce very different styles of movement. The important thing to remember about each of these grading systems and how they might compare is that they don't! These are relative comparisons of the most widely used systems and perhaps with time and more international travel among climbers, we will have a closer or perhaps (dream on) an international system that is the same everywhere? And remember as well, don't let numbers get in the way of your fun! It is all just a game and comparing "apples and oranges" may not be the secret to happiness?
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