Are climbing grade conversions exact?

No. Grade systems use different philosophies — YDS focuses on the hardest single move, while British grades also weigh route length and protection. Conversions are approximate consensus mappings used by the climbing community.

What is the YDS system?

The Yosemite Decimal System rates technical rock climbing from 5.0 (easiest) upward. Grades above 5.9 add letters (5.10a–d, 5.11a–d, etc.) to sub-divide difficulty. It is the standard system in North America.

What does the French grade mean?

The French sport climbing scale uses numbers and letters: 4, 5a, 5b, 5c, 6a, 6a+, 6b … up to 9c. It is widely used in Europe and in competition climbing worldwide.

What is the UIAA scale?

The Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme scale uses Roman numerals (I through XII) with + and − modifiers. It is common in central Europe, especially Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

What does British Adjectival mean?

The British system has two parts: an adjectival overall grade (Moderate, Difficult, Very Difficult, Severe, Hard Severe, Very Severe, Hard Very Severe, E1–E10) and a technical grade (4a–7c) for the hardest move. This tool maps the adjectival grade.

Why are some grades listed as a range?

When systems divide grades differently, a single grade in one system spans parts of two grades in another. The mapping shown reflects the closest common consensus from climbing reference guides.

Climbing Grade Converter

Name: Climbing Grade Converter
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Select a climbing grade in any system (YDS, French, UIAA, British) and instantly see the equivalent grades in all other systems.

Convert a Grade

Grading System

Grade

Equivalents

Select a grade on the left to see conversions.

Full Grade Comparison Table

All conversions are approximate consensus mappings.

YDS	French	UIAA	British	Level

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Summary

Select a climbing grade in any system (YDS, French, UIAA, British) and instantly see the equivalent grades in all other systems.

How it works

Choose the grading system your route uses (YDS, French, UIAA, or British).
Select the specific grade from the dropdown list.
All equivalent grades in the other three systems appear instantly.
Use the full comparison table below to browse all grades side by side.
Difficulty bands (beginner through elite) are color-coded for quick reference.

Use cases

Understand a foreign guidebook grade before traveling to climb.
Compare difficulty across American and European climbing areas.
Plan a climbing trip to the UK and translate your YDS level to British grades.
Help beginners grasp how French 6a relates to a US 5.10.
Coach athletes using standardized grade references across mixed teams.
Research route difficulty when reading international competition results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Reviewed by Nham Vu