V15 climbing grade. Dec 9, 2024 · However, who decides the grade of a climb? It's not a machine or a computer algorithm. While there's general consensus of the V15 grade, some have said that it's soft for the Paul David Robinson (born August 28, 1987) is an American professional rock climber who specializes in bouldering. Whether you're a seasoned climber or just starting out, understanding this system can help you track progress and select problems that match your Oct 28, 2024 · 24-years after Fred Nicole climbed Dreamtime, in Cresciano, Switzerland, V15 remains a haloed marker of difficulty. 15 and V15. While rope climbers use the Yosemite Decimal System (5. There are now dozens of V15s and many people have climbed the grade, including the following seven women, who are all considered to be among the best boulderers in the world: Ashima Shiraishi, Mishka Ishii, Kaddi Lehmann, Katie Lamb, Brooke Raboutou, Jana Švecová and Janja Nov 8, 2023 · Discover the definitive guide to bouldering grades. If you’re used to the V Scale, common in the U. Help me settle a debate If you're just breaking into a new grade (say normally you climb V7s but breaking into V8), when would you start saying you're a "V8 climber"? I know it doesn't really matter but I'm curious to hear what people think and how to interpret it when people say this sort of thing. Magnus proposed the grade V15. Climbing Grades Compared>> Online Conversion Grade wise my biggest plateau was V14 to V15 (3 years) but there are many factors involved, like not having access to a V15 in my style. While the grading systems vary by region—like the Fontainebleau system in Europe or the V-scale in the U. Sep 16, 2021 · Everything you ever wanted to know about bouldering grades in one place, including a bouldering grade conversion chart from the V Scale to Font Scale. Mar 9, 2022 · The 32-year-old American is the world's most accomplished boulderer, with over 30 V15 sends and several V16 first ascents. From V0 to V15, unlock the secrets of difficulty ratings and elevate your climbing game. Nov 3, 2023 · Climbing an 8c route in Fontainebleau or conquering a V15 boulder in the V system both reflect remarkable achievements in the climbing world. There are now dozens of V15s and many people have climbed the grade, including the following nine women, who are all considered to be among the best boulderers in the world: Ashima Shiraishi, Mishka Ishii, Kaddi Lehmann, Katie Lamb, Brooke Raboutou, Jana Švecová, Janja The ‘V’ grades go from V0 to V15, and are potentially open ended The UK initially adopted the ‘Font’ grading system and then, over time, the ‘V’ grading system. . With repeats, it was graded at 8C (V15), and some consider it to really be a sport climbing traverse route, at the sport grade of 9a (5. When first climbed, it was graded at 8C+ (V16), one of the world's first-ever boulder routes at that grade. If two different degree of difficulty is still debated, then the boulder is shown as a split grade (V15/V16). ” Hukkataival suggested that because of grade stagnation, climbers began reporting how many days, how many hours, how many attempts it took to climb V15. Below you will find a table that compares the different climbing grades across the five most popular systems. These grades provide a shared language for climbers, making it easier to compare Dreamtime is a 10-metre (33-foot) long bouldering route, on the boulder of the same name, in the gneiss bouldering area of Cresciano, Switzerland. Read now! Convert North American climbing grades to UK and European scales, and compare bouldering V-grades to roped climbs. “It’s like an experiment with six control subjects. Apr 27, 2025 · In short: 8C roughly equals V15 on the Hueco V Scale, or 5. —all aim to reflect a combination of physical and technical demands. Burden of Dreams sits at a 45° overhanging angle and requires monster crimping and incredible body tension. Here's the link if you're interested. This means that you also have a say in the grading process as a climber. Now he's returned to his bouldering roots and is climbing harder than ever. It was a family affair: the 22-year-old Olympian sent back-to-back alongside her brother Shawn while their parents filmed and shuffled pads. Get help comparing bouldering, sport, and trad climbing grades. The most commonly used May 15, 2017 · I mean, V15 didn't even exist when I started climbing! Here is my guide to climb V15 –a plan I made to provide a systematic approach to tick this elusive grade and place myself in the ranks of super-human, bouldering idols. 9, 5. info/HMBJake Mason, Head Routesetter at Yonder and Hang explains the eight May 31, 2024 · V17 boulders 1. Bouldering grades and bouldering grades conversion charts for the popular V-Scale and Font-Scale bouldering grades. At the same time, the V scale is the de facto standard for bouldering grades in the United States, making it necessary to know both systems if you’re climbing internationally. Wrapping Up: Grasping the translation from 8c in the Font system to V15 on the V scale is crucial for climbers aiming to track their performance globally. ” Furthermore, new grade levels are established by The YDS also includes ratings for mountaineering and other types of climbing, but these are expressed in a different format than the rock climbing grades, using Roman numerals and other symbols. Apr 6, 2023 · With more and more hardcore boulders being put up regularly by new generations of climbers, what is currently the world’s hardest boulder? Whilst climbing V15 remains an incredible feat of strength and a remarkable accomplishment it has become more and more common to see repeats at this level. Including Grade Wike & Table. Other Font Scale to V Scale Conversions 6a to v scale 6a+ to v scale 6b to v scale Below you will find a table that compares the different climbing grades across the five most popular systems. Box Therapy adds a low start to Tommy Caldwell’s Spread Eagle (V11). He repeated Gioia but declined to grade it. In 2007, Robinson became the second climber in history to successfully climb a V13 boulder problem in one attempt. May 12, 2024 · Brooke Raboutou repeated the problem shortly afterwards, instead suggesting V15, a grade first ascensionist Daniel Woods agreed with. Bouldering Grades Bouldering is a form of rock climbing that is performed without the use of ropes or harnesses. Jul 11, 2012 · Video by SJAU - Magnus Midtbø opening the hardest boulder problem in Norway on the legendary Gjeddehenget boulder of Matre. May 31, 2025 · The difference between grades becomes more about style and individual strengths than pure difficulty. ” But after flashing the stand start, he did the sit start’s moves on his second try and sent the full link in five attempts. In a rock gym, the setters pick the grade of a climb. With subsequent repeat ascents, it was regraded to 8B+ (V14), but after the breaking Mar 22, 2016 · Ashima Shiraishi has made the second ascent of Horizon (V15) on Mt. Learn your grades and apply them to your climbing and problem setting. This grade requires a high level of technical skill, physical fitness, and mental fortitude. Since our last update, climbers logged over 200 V15 ascents. What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. Ashima Shiraishi was the first woman to climb the grade when she made the second ascent of Dai Koyamada’s Horizon, in Mount Hiei, Japan. Learn about the different climbing grades used in bouldering, from V0 to V16, and understand how to interpret the grading system to choose routes that suit your skill level. Nov 3, 2023 · These high grades represent not just climbing routes, but milestones that mark significant accomplishments in a climber's career. 10, etc. 15a on the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) if you’re trying to compare it to roped climbs. Burden of Dreams was the first proposed V17 boulder problem after Nalle Hukkataival Apr 1, 2024 · After making the first repeat of Shawn Raboutou’s ‘Megatron,’ American upstart D. Bouldering Grade Systems Bouldering grade systems are a Check out the full comparison table for more conversions: Bouldering Grades Comparison Table 📊 Bouldering at the V15 or 8C grade is an elite level of rock climbing that presents a mythical and challenging experience for climbers. Few recreational climbers will reach V8. Apr 10, 2025 · Our expert guide to climbing rating systems will help you compare trad to sport, America to Europe, bouldering, scrambling, dry tooling and everything in between Apr 27, 2025 · Key Takeaways The Font scale is only used in France. Grade systems initially developed in confined geographical areas, making the comparison of climbs somewhat easier, developed over time and were and are constantly extended as Jan 28, 2022 · Climbing grades describe the objective difficulty of a climb and are organized into grading systems based on the climbing style and the region. ” I think this entire saga has shown just how utterly perplexing climbing grades can be at the cutting edge of bouldering and how different it feels for different body types. Learn about climbing and bouldering ratings, including how route difficulty is measured and the difference between a rating and a grade. First-free-ascents that set new grade milestones are important events in rock Feb 9, 2024 · Bouldering grades can either be the bane of your existence or can push you to climb harder. Many climbing routes have grades for the technical difficulty, and in some cases for the risks, of the route. You may be visiting different gyms in your area or have tried outdoor climbs and noticed that the grades aren’t as black and white as they seem on paper. Keep reading to learn how these grading systems compare, why 8C is Aug 3, 2021 · There are few people climbing at the upper limits of bouldering. Climbing, like many sports, has its own metrics for measuring difficulty. B. Jan 28, 2023 · He said, “There are various videos online from lots of different climbers, all theoretically climbing the same boulder and claiming the same grade: V15. An 8b Font boulder problem usually translates to something around a V13 on the V scale. Grade systems are almost as old as climbing itself. Blood Redemption is the sit start to Gjeddenhenget (V13/14). It seems like the climbing community is not differentiating at all and rarely mentioning how things are climbed. Adam Ondra has repeated it, but with a different start and gave it a personal grade of V14. Pretty substantial difference in the way each boulder problem progresses and the difficulties between a V1 and a V2, and a V2 and a V3. The two most common boulder grading systems are the V-Scale and the Fontainebleau Scale. The higher the grade, the longer it takes to get to the next one. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. “How can you know such a grade with so few participants?” Graham said of rating high-end problems. There are plenty of anti-style V13 that would feel more impossible to me than a compression V15. In climbing it, Kiersch becomes the first woman to send both 5. The Superhuman: V15-V17 V15 and beyond? We’re in the realm of the genetic lottery winners who’ve dedicated their lives to climbing. In rock-climbing, a first free ascent (FFA) is the first redpoint, onsight or flash of a single-pitch, multi-pitch or bouldering climbing route that did not involve using aid equipment to help progression or resting — the ascent must thus be performed in either a sport, a traditional, or a free solo manner. Keep reading to learn how these grading systems compare, why 8C is such a high grade, and what it takes to climb at this level. Familiarise yourself with the differences. Repeat ascents found new beta, which dropped the problem down the current V15 I had a hard time finding a chart online that converts the Sherman V-grade system for bouldering into the Yosemite Decimal System for climbing. Massive thanks to ‪@EricKarlsson‬ for filming this and doing a Jul 11, 2025 · Yannick Flohé makes bouldering history: He is the first person in the world to flash an 8C (V15) with Foundation's Edge in Fionnay, Switzerland. Dec 27, 2023 · Narasaki says he’s not sure about the grade since he hasn’t “had the chance to try many boulders above V15. At 14, she is now the youngest person and first woman to climb the grade. S. Online Conversion Tool for Climbing Grades & Bouldering Grades: Trad Grade, UIAA, French Sport Grade, Boulder Grades, American Scale & many more. Share Sort by: Best Open comment sort Climbing is an exhilarating and challenging sport that attracts adventurers from all walks of life. “It was like V15 was the V and the time was Mar 21, 2022 · James Pearson has been a leading trad climber for 15 years. There are maybe a few dozen people worldwide climbing V15+ consistently. To preserve the focus of this article (as well as the sanity of its author), I’ve raised the cutoff grade from V15 (8C) to V15/V16 (8C/8C+). Your strengths and クライミング、ボルダリングのグレード対応表です。デシマル、段級、フレンチ、Vグレードの対応について記載しています。 Apr 27, 2025 · Key Takeaways Climbing grade systems, including the V scale and French grading scale, help categorize the difficulty of bouldering and sport climbing routes nationwide. The Wheel of Life is a 21-metre (69 ft) long sandstone bouldering route on the roof of the Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians of Australia. Mar 25, 2024 · Learn how to convert climbing grades, common challenges, and resources for accurate conversions. Oct 15, 2021 · From sport climbing to bouldering, different types of rock climbing each have their own system, known as bouldering grades, to assess a route’s overall difficulty. However, Foundation's Edge is an established problem and has been climbed by other elite climbers, including Daniel Woods, Will Bosi, Shawn Raboutou, Simon Lorenzi, Clément Lechaptois, Pietro Vidi and Dylan Chuat. Apr 27, 2025 · An 8c boulder problem in the Fontainebleau system matches about V15 on the V scale, which shows a very hard level of strength and skill. ), the world of bouldering (at least in North America) has its own distinctive grading scale: the V-scale. Mar 24, 2022 · Climbing V15 remains a remarkable accomplishment and a badge of honor for the best boulderers in the world, but it has become increasingly common. It's people. , you might wonder how 8C compares. While most know Garnbret for her unmatched Boulder and Lead comp climbing accomplishments, she’s been amassing an impressive resume on rock over the past few years. With this ascent, Shiraishi became the first female to climb a boulder problem rated V15; Photograph by Brett Lowell / REEL ROCK Mar 17, 2023 · Confusingly, both bouldering and french climbing grades use the same numerical system to grade climbing routes and boulder problems. The boulders at the top level are now climbing V16 and as of yet there isn’t even a handful who Oct 13, 2023 · Brooke Raboutou has sent Daniel Woods’s Box Therapy in Wild Basin, making her the sixth woman to send V15 (or harder). Indeed, as there are many climbing styles, many grading systems have emerged throughout climbing history to cover the different types of movement and technologies climbers use to ascend varied terrains like rock, ice, and snow. Nov 12, 2024 · Dreamtime was the world first proposed V15 boulder. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of Jun 8, 2023 · Hard 100 Footnotes All boulders are shown as their “suggested grade” factoring in the initial proposed grade and the consensus of repeats from other climbers. Feb 14, 2024 · Understanding Bouldering Grades Bouldering grades stand as a universal metric, offering climbers a standardized means to assess the difficulty of boulder problems, whether encountered outdoors in natural landscapes or within the controlled environments of climbing gyms. Outside, it's whoever established the route or claimed the first ascent. Anyways, since I had a hard time I just made one. In this beginners guide, we go over everything that goes into bouldering grades and what you need to know. The chart below shows a conversion between the Fontainebleau bouldering scale and the french climbing scale. The first ascensionist can suggest a grade but it will be amended for the consensus view of subsequent ascents. Hiei, Japan. May 13, 2024 · In the year 2000, Fred Nicole made the first ascent of Dreamtime and proposed a never before seen grade of V15 for it. Bouldering grades are a way to measure the difficulty of climbing problems, helping climbers gauge challenges and track progress. Apr 27, 2025 · The 8C grade is part of the Fontainebleau (Font) bouldering scale, mostly used in Europe. If I can pull it off, it might just help you achieve your bouldering goals too: Pick a Goal Jul 16, 2025 · The complete climbers guide to bouldering grades is here! Everything you need to know from history to training tips to send your project! Aug 18, 2017 · In this article we go over the nuances of rock climbing grades, indoor and outdoor, what they mean, and how to understand them. Compare bouldering grades across different systems including Hueco (V Scale), Fontainebleau, and more. Maybe I'm dumb and it's all over the Internet, not sure why I had a hard time with this. 3x harder than the previous grade (Bear in mind all grades are subjective so you have to take the whole thing with a grain of salt, but it's interesting nonetheless). Despite their best efforts, they impose subjectivity on climbing grades. While the number of climbers who have climbed V15 has increased, most lack a diverse resume of grades at the range. “Everything has not been the same difficulty, but everything has been the same number. Whether you're a seasoned climber or a newcomer to the sport, understanding the different climbing grades and difficulties is crucial for selecting routes that match your skill level and ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience. Bouldering grades are the assigned difficulty ratings to boulder problems. 13/8/24, 14:34 Page 1 of 1ClimbGrades. com How this Climber Went from V0 to V15 in 5 Years Josh Rundle 60K subscribers Subscribed I understand the level of progression at lower grades, but for example, what would decipher a v10 from a v11? Is there a point where technique improvements max out and it’s just a matter of holding more and more horrific holds? The lines are obviously blurred as it is across similar grades, but I’m very curious on people’s thoughts about this. Assigning a difficulty to a climb seems to be at least as important as describing it with other characteristic parameters such as length, protection or rock type. To tackle boulders at this grade, climbers must possess advanced Mar 20, 2020 · Watch unedited footage of Zach Galla taking down one of the most famous boulders in the world: The Game (V15), located in Boulder Canyon, Colorado. Burden of Dreams (V17/9A): Lappnor, Switzerland First Ascent: Nalle Hukkataival, 2016 Have you ever wondered if board climbing helps outdoor bouldering? Well this problem is your answer. It was FA’d in 2017 by Daniel Woods, who graded it V16, and William: V6 Cordi: V10 Me: V15 We climb boulders at our respective "training level", and compare how it looks with each other. Comprehensive guide for climbers of all levels. General timelines indicate that from bouldering day one, getting to V4 can take a year, V5 two years, V6 three years, and five years to V7. Jun 20, 2013 · Bouldering grades begin at V0 and go all the way up to about V15 or V16 right now. The goal is to reach the top of a boulder problem or route. Feb 9, 2017 · “We’ve been climbing V16 a long time,” Hukkataival says. trueI've been looking for this information for 20 minutes and can't find it. He has established and repeated several bouldering problems at the V15 difficulty rating, in such areas as Hueco Tanks, the Buttermilks, and Magic Wood. 14d). Vernon is recommending a double downgrade to V15. “It was like V15 was the V and the time was Sep 1, 2024 · Use code HANNAH15 for 15% off Tee’s, Chalk & Apparel from Rúngne ︎ https://rungne. In addition, the skill level of the climber has also been included. Below you will find a table that compares the different climbing grades across the five most popular systems. The V scale is the predominant grading system for bouldering across most U. Climbers can use these systems to track their progress as they work toward building new skill sets. In short: 8C roughly equals V15 on the Hueco V Scale, or 5. Changing 8b+ Font grades to the V scale—for instance, translating 8b+ to V14—serves United States climbers. Differences may exist depending on route, local grading practices, and other Mar 5, 2024 · A tick list of the hardest boulder problems in the world to keep our hype during those winter days and our imagination sparked in the gym. When first solved in October 2000 by Swiss bouldering pioneer Fred Nicole, it was graded at 8C (V15), making it the world's first-ever boulder route at that grade. The difficulties are listed in increasing order of difficulty. Gyms and outdoor climbing locations, although many European areas still employ Fontainebleau grades. Jul 11, 2025 · Of course, it should be stated that climbing grades are always vulnerable to subjectivity. It was the first route of the grade in the US. Feb 8, 2025 · In the year 2000, Fred Nicole made the first ascent of Dreamtime and proposed a never before seen grade of V15 for it. Daniel Woods made the first ascent of The Game in 2010, grading it V16. Some Australian guys calculated a little while back (based on numbers of people climbing at each grade) that each grade was approximately 2. Top 5 International Climbing Grade Rating Systems If you’re climbing abroad, you should be familiar with other systems, including the French grading system, the UIAA grading system, and a handful of Mar 21, 2016 · Ashima Shiraishi, 14, climbing Horizon (V15), at Mt. rjlv osxvo kbterel ejeyx zzet yiujs drejsxja tiyn xgsyv uqozur