Rock Climbing Grade Calculator
Rock climbing grades vary by country and discipline. This converter translates between the four most widely used systems: Yosemite Decimal System (USA), French/sport grades (international), UIAA grades (central Europe and mountaineering), and British technical grades. All conversions are approximate consensus values.
Grade conversion table (consensus values)
| YDS | French | UIAA | British Tech |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 | 2 | II | - |
| 5.2 | 3 | III | - |
| 5.4 | 4a | IV | 4a |
| 5.5 | 4b | IV+ | 4b |
| 5.6 | 4c | V- | 4c |
| 5.7 | 5a | V | 5a |
| 5.8 | 5b | VI- | 5b |
| 5.9 | 5c | VI | 5c |
| 5.10a | 6a | VI+ | 6a |
| 5.10b | 6a+ | VII- | 6a |
| 5.10c | 6b | VII | 6b |
| 5.10d | 6b+ | VII+ | 6b |
| 5.11a | 6c | VII+ | 6c |
| 5.11b | 6c+ | VIII- | 6c |
| 5.11c | 7a | VIII | 6c+ |
| 5.11d | 7a+ | VIII+ | 7a |
| 5.12a | 7b | VIII+ | 7a |
| 5.12b | 7b+ | IX- | 7a+ |
| 5.12c | 7c | IX | 7b |
| 5.12d | 7c+ | IX+ | 7b+ |
| 5.13a | 8a | X- | 7c |
| 5.13b | 8a+ | X | 7c+ |
| 5.13c | 8b | X+ | 8a |
| 5.13d | 8b+ | XI- | 8a+ |
| 5.14a | 8c | XI | 8b |
| 5.14b | 8c+ | XI+ | 8b+ |
| 5.14c | 9a | XII- | 8c |
| 5.14d | 9a+ | XII | 8c+ |
Rock climbing grades: frequently asked questions
What are the main rock climbing grading systems?
The main systems are: Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) used in the USA (5.0 to 5.15d); French/sport system used in Europe (1 to 9c); UIAA system used in central Europe and mountaineering (I to XII); and the British tech grade system (4a to 7b for technical difficulty, combined with adjectival grades). The French system is most widely used internationally for sport climbing.
How do I convert YDS grades to French grades?
The conversion is approximate because the systems evolved independently. YDS 5.9 is roughly French 5c. YDS 5.10a is approximately 6a. YDS 5.11a is approximately 6c. YDS 5.12a is approximately 7a. YDS 5.13a is approximately 7c+. These conversions are consensus values used by UIAA and major climbing federations.
What does the letter suffix mean in YDS grades?
Grades of 5.10 and above are subdivided into a, b, c, and d (easiest to hardest). YDS 5.10a is easier than 5.10d. This subdivision was introduced to give finer discrimination in the mid-grade range. Grades below 5.10 do not use letter suffixes.
What is the UIAA grading system?
The UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme) grade uses Roman numerals I through XII with + and - modifiers. UIAA IV is roughly YDS 5.4; UIAA VI is roughly 5.8; UIAA VII is 5.10; UIAA VIII is 5.11; UIAA IX is 5.12. The UIAA system is open-ended and published in UIAA Bulletin documentation.
Are climbing grade conversions exact?
No. All grade conversions are approximate. Grades reflect consensus difficulty assessments by local climbing communities and can vary between crags, regions, and conditions. The conversions in this calculator use widely accepted consensus tables and are intended for planning and communication purposes only.
Official sources
- UIAA (Union Internationale des Associations d'Alpinisme). UIAA Grade Scale. UIAA Climbing Performance Standards.
- Mountaineers Books (2017). Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 9th ed. Chapter on route grading systems.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology.