7a to V Scale: How It Converts to a V6 or 5.12c

If you’re trying to figure out how the 7A bouldering grade compares to the V Scale or the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), here’s the quick answer:

7A roughly equals V6 and 5.12c.

But grading systems aren’t always exact. This article breaks down how these systems compare, why they don’t line up perfectly, and what it means for your climbing.

The 7a to V Scale Conversion Explained

Climbers get a much better idea of their progress when they know how the 7a grade translates to the V Scale. This knowledge is particularly valuable to climbers who boulder and rope climb. The French system, which uses numbers and letters like 7a, is common for sport climbing, while the V Scale—starting at VB and running up to V17—dominates bouldering in the U.S.

The correspondence between these two scales is not perfect. A 7A on the Font Scale is usually a V6 on the V Scale. Climb difficulty can depend on route style and hold types.

French/Font Grade	V Scale	Yosemite Decimal System (approx.)
6A/+	V4-V5	5.11a–5.11c
7A	V6	5.11d–5.12a
7A+	V7	5.12a/b

Climbing style and route characteristics have a significant influence on these conversions. For instance, a 7a+ on the French scale can actually climb like a 5.11d on the Yosemite Decimal System. Overhangs, tiny footholds and dynamic movement can render the same grade infinitely more challenging for some and easier for others.

The plus sign further degrades the integrity of the scale. It has the benefit of clearly communicating to climbers when a problem is at the top end of a grade.

Based on empirical data, trends show that intermediate routes often fall in the Font 6A/+ to 7A, or V4-V7 range. This range corresponds nicely with the sweet spot of most recreational boulderers. Knowing these links helps climbers pick the right problems for their training and track growth, no matter which country or gym they climb in.

What is French Sport Grade 7a?

French Sport Grade 7a is a notable milestone on the sport climbing grading scale. In the French Sport system, grades begin at 1 and increase to 9. The 7a is the median of the advanced range. It’s a grade where routes are no longer for beginners or weekend climbers.

Rather, 7a is famous for its physical and technical challenges. Climbers on 7a routes need powerful fingers, precise footwork and the ability to decipher complicated holds. Action scene training is essential. The moves are often brutal and intimidating, requiring equal parts physicality and tactical rehearsal.

7a routes generally rely on fixed bolts for protection, as is the practice in sport climbing. The French Sport grading system is numeric with alpha designators, so after 7a goes 7b, 7c and so on. Occasionally you’ll find a plus, as in 7a+, for climbs that are slightly harder than an established grade of 7a.

Climbing at this grade, climbers are now up against undercut walls, microscopic holds, and explosive moves where timing is key. Features that characterize a typical 7a may include pocketed, jug hauled, or overhanging sections. Often these sections will feature sloping holds or tiny crimps that test your fingertip power.

It’s not all brawn, however. Climbers must remain calm and be disciplined decision makers while they are mid-route. The 7a grade falls into a big, beautiful, confusing world of grading systems. In the U.S., that translates roughly to 5.11d on our Yosemite Decimal System.

The UIAA (which is the equivalent body in Europe) has an equivalent. The French system even spills over into bouldering, as the Fontainebleau scale employs the same numbering. For most climbers, 7a represents the last meaningful hurdle before the grades start becoming very hard.

Each route is a different challenge based on the rock type or climbing style. For most people, getting to 7a is an indication that you are truly badass and dedicated!

Understanding the V Scale Bouldering Grade

The V Scale, or Hueco Scale, is the fundamental grading system for bouldering problems. You’ll see it used in gyms and crags across the United States. It begins at V0, with V0 being the grade for the easiest climbs, and increases in value as the moves become more difficult.

Things get weird. The scale is open-ended. Today, the ceiling is somewhere near V17, but that will likely be raised as climbers persist to challenge the extremes of their sport. Each grade represents an increase in physical strength, technical skill, and mental concentration.

For instance, V0-V2 climbs are ideal for beginners, featuring large holds and straightforward sequences. At V3-V5, more refined technique and finger strength is required. By the V6-V8 range, climbs are usually very overhung, on tiny holds with big moves requiring a significant amount of body tension.

Once you start getting into the V9 territory, it’s hard, typically world-class, problems.

The V Scale makes climbing grades easier to understand by using just numbers. This is in contrast to the French and Font systems, which use letter and number combinations, such as 7a or 6c+. This might make it sound more straightforward and reader-friendly, but it is still equally as rigid.

The V Scale is mainly adopted in North America, whereas in Europe, climbers tend to use the Font scale. For climbers, the V Scale provides an opportunity to document and publicly share their progress and goals.

Experiencing consistent leaps from V2 to V4 or V5 to V7 indicates definitive progression and allows for intense training sessions to be much more goal-oriented. Each increment on the V Scale brings with it new skills to master and new puzzles to figure out.

For example, a V4 climb may have a difficult heel hook as one of its primary moves. In comparison, a V7 usually requires a big dynamic move off a soft open-hand crimp. The V Scale provides an intuitive, simple, straightforward method of judging your current level and what you should focus on improving next.

Why Convert Sport Grades to Bouldering?

Converting sport grades to bouldering grades helps climbers better align their skills. Each system differs in the method it employs to communicate the perceived difficulty of a climb. Sport grades vary considerably. Everyone has experienced a route that seems “soft” or “hard” based on the area it was put up in or whoever gave it the grade.

Conversely, bouldering grades remain much more consistent and unambiguous. By converting grades, climbers receive a more fair and accurate perspective on the difficulty of a route. This is useful for selecting appropriate climbs and strategizing how to train.

To someone whose introduction to climbing was bouldering, the designation of a sport route as “7a” can be confusing at best. If climbers know that 7a roughly corresponds to V6 on the V scale, they can more easily gauge their abilities. This link allows them to gauge if a climb is appropriate for their skill level.

This level of cross-checking is really useful when determining a goal. It’s an easy way for climbers to recognize the areas they excel in and what they should focus on improving. For example, a climber who climbs a lot of V7 boulders may be able to onsight 7a sport routes. This realization provides a distinct and direct route for their expansion.

Grade conversion is helpful for route setters. Adopting bouldering grades allows competition setters to create routes that have very defined, minor increments in difficulty. This allows both beginners and experienced climbers to choose problems that are appropriate for their skill level.

Though studies indicate that boulder strength is not a significant variable under the 5.12 mark, at higher grades it becomes important to understand both ratings.

Key Differences: Ropes vs. Pads

In climbing, the tools at your disposal dictate the entire ethos of the experience. Both ropes and pads have distinct purposes. Knowing their key differences will better equip you to select the right gear to achieve your specific goals.

Ropes are the most important thing for rock climbing, ice climbing, or any route where you’re above the ground. They provide excellent peace of mind, allowing climbers to take on long, hard pitches without worry. Ropes require great knots, great anchors, and a sharp mind for rope drag and friction. You’ll need to know how to belay and create anchor points. Inspect your gear thoroughly before and after every climb!

Conversely, pads, also known as crash pads, are the preferred method for bouldering and low-height climbs. Caving pads are thick foam mats spread out at the base of a bouldering problem or climbing route. They do absorb more impact by softening falls from a lower height. In bouldering, you focus on moving the pad around to cover likely fall zones, and landing safely becomes a skill in itself.

When the protection type is different, so too are the risks you face. Ropes eliminate the risk of catastrophic falls but take more experience and physical ability to use effectively. Pads are easier to use, but they only protect against falls of limited height.

If you’re climbing a big multi-pitch route in the backcountry of Joshua Tree or Yosemite, ropes are the standard. When it’s time for that gym bouldering sesh, reach for a pad. If you’re going to your local crag for some low problems, that pad will work just fine!

Training, skill-building, etc., move to the virtual realm. Roped climbing challenges your endurance, rope management and anchor work. At the same time, bouldering with pads hones your explosive strength, technical skill, and intelligent fall safe maneuvers.

Major Climbing Grade Systems Overview

Climbing employs various other grade systems depending on the location of climbing or the style. Here are the most recognized systems used worldwide:

• French (Sport): In practice it’s used almost exclusively in Europe for sport climbs. They range from 1 upwards, with the use of letters and plus/minus to provide further detail, for example 7a or 7a+.
• V Scale (Hueco): Typical in North America for bouldering, as well. It begins at V0 and increases numerically as difficulty increases.
• Yosemite Decimal System (YDS): In common use across the U.S. for both sport and traditional roped climbs, it starts at 5.0 and goes to 5.15, with an “a” through “d” suffix for the most difficult grades.
• Fontainebleau (Font): Used in France, especially in bouldering. Grades begin at 1, using a letter and plus/minus, for example, 6A or 7A+.
• British (Trad): Only in the UK primarily on trad climbs. Has two parts: an “adjective” grade and a technical grade (E2 5c).

The French system developed in the 1960s along with the rise of sport climbing in Europe. It evolved along with climbers as they started climbing more difficult routes.

The V Scale, originated in Texas during the 1990s for bouldering soon became popularized across the U.S. The YDS originated from a bay area scale first developed in California in the 1930s, adapting as the sport expanded in the Sierra Nevada.

Developed in early 20th-century France, the Font system can trace its ancestral roots to the boulders of the forest of Fontainebleau located just outside of Paris. The British system is older still, developed by the very different weather and rock in the UK.

Each system has its place, suited to its region’s rock, history, and skills. The V Scale and Font are most appropriate for bouldering, and French and YDS are more appropriate for sport and trad routes.

One difficulty is translating grades from one system to another. So for instance, a 7a in France doesn’t straightforwardly equal a V6 in the U.S. To get a sense of what’s actually hard out there, climbers will consult conversion charts or speak to the locals.

To navigate several different systems, new climbers should learn from guidebooks, utilize online resources, and climb with people familiar with the systems. Sharing our notes over the years has really helped develop an understanding of what the feel and standards of each system are.

How Grade Conversion Impacts Your Climbing

Grade conversion is central to how climbers gauge their abilities and challenge themselves. Climbers often experience this disconnect when moving between the French 7a and the V-scale. What seems hard in one grading system may seem easy—or more difficult—in the other. The discrepancy comes from how different countries and climbing gyms set their grading scales.

Not to mention, converting between styles, such as from 7a to V6 or V7, is usually difficult. There’s really no good equivalent, and this really throws off climbers’ perceptions of what they’re capable of. This mess means climbers need to look at grades more as a guide than a rule.

For example, someone used to the French system might hop on a V-scale boulder in the U.S. Find it doesn’t feel the same, even if the grade should line up. These slips can shake a climber’s confidence or give a false sense of progress, especially if they’re not aware of how the systems line up. Good self-assessment means knowing these limits and not letting a single grade like a V6 or a 5.12a define what you can or can’t do.

Knowing how conversion works will allow climbers to make informed goals and monitor true progress. It allows people to participate with other communities or visit other gyms without being intimidated. Though imperfect, the common tongue of grades brings climbers together.

It inspires productive discussions on difficult climbs and information provided by other climbers. Pitfalls come easy: misreading a grade can put someone on a route that’s too hard, risking injury or a bad day.

Beyond the Numbers: Subjectivity in Grading

Climbing grades such as 7a and their V-scale equivalents are not absolute values. They’re based on actual human beings’ opinions and every single one is subject to bias. In Southern California terms, a 7a can feel like a V6. To someone from the Southeast, it might feel more like a V5. Numerous reasons contribute to this gap.

Your height, your movement style, the type of rock at your local crag, it all factors in. What might seem like a moderate, short, crimpy route in Joshua Tree might be incredibly difficult for a climber with huge hands. A steep, technical test at Bishop favors the upper body strong.

Climate and geology play a huge role in determining how difficult a climb actually is. Granite in Yosemite holds very differently than the sandstone in Red Rocks. On super humid days, even holds can feel greasy, turning a V4 into a V6. Even how a corridor is designed can cater to one skill level.

Even the best technical climber in the world can be pushed by a technical slab. A ceiling issue rewards players with the best open court, high flying athleticism. Your subjective judgment, mood, and energy level—along with your past experience with a particular style—all contribute to your perception of grade.

A climber who grew up bouldering in gyms could waltz through contemporary plastic problems but find themselves floundering in the great outdoors. Anyone coming from technical, old-school trad lines might be surprised to hear the indoor ratings are forgiving. This is why open minds go a long way.

Don’t take grades at face value. Every climb is a combination of difficulty and aesthetic, and grades are just one aspect.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a French sport grade of 7a mean?

What does a French sport grade of 7a mean? It’s really a grade of advanced, and you need solid technique, strength, and experience to climb it.

How does 7a convert to the V scale in bouldering?

7a in French bouldering grades is approximately V6 on the V scale. This implies that the physical and technical difficulty is actually comparable for both, though the style and length vary.

Why would I need to convert sport grades to bouldering grades?

Converting makes it just a little easier for climbers to understand the relative challenge between roped climbing and bouldering. It’s especially handy when sampling new styles or jetting to far-flung climbing areas around the U.S.

What are the main differences between the V scale and French grades?

Unlike the V scale, which is used to rate bouldering problems, our scale rates short, powerful ascents. French grades only work for longer, roped ascents. Each is a reflection of the different endurance, strength, and technical demands.

Is the 7a to V6 conversion always accurate?

Is the 7a to V6 conversion always correct? Grading is subjective and can change from area to area and route setter to route setter. Don’t go by conversions, use them as a general guide, an art not a science.

Does grade conversion impact my climbing progress?

Does grade conversion affect my climbing progress? Beyond that, it helps you craft your own training plan and set more effective goals.

Are climbing grades the same everywhere in the United States?

Are climbing grades subjective or different everywhere in the United States? How local climbing culture, rock type, and setters impact grading Local climbing culture play a huge part in grading. Get a few test routes or test problems to work with in advance.