7c to V Scale Conversion: Understanding the 7c (Font) as a V9 or 5.13c

Key Takeaways

• The V scale is the dominant bouldering grading system here in the United States. At the same time, the French scale (like 7c) is in heavy global use.
• A 7c on the French scale is about a V9 on the V scale. Note that actual conversions may vary because of local grading customs and the nature of each boulder problem.
• Getting to know both grading systems makes it easier for climbers to read guidebooks, plan trips to other areas, and better communicate with others in different climbing communities.
• Personal skill sets can have a dramatic effect on grade interpretation. Crag conditions and the style of climbing needed for a problem can play a factor in how grades feel.
• Climbers can look at grades to know what goals they should aim for and measure their improvement. They need to go beyond that and focus on individual fulfillment and development.
• Sometimes it’s necessary to take on greater challenges, always do so with training and safety first, focusing on making progressive steps to lower the chance of injury.

7c in French sport climbing would be equivalent to a V9 on the V scale. The V scale is widely used for bouldering in the U.S. Climbers tend to want to know how grades stack up, each system measuring difficulty differently.

The French grade achieves its purpose for long, roped sport climbs, but the V scale focuses solely on short, intense boulder problems. In climbing gyms and crags and boulders outside, in every state in America, nearly all bouldering problems use the V scale.

Novice climbers have a difficult time selecting appropriate climbs. They note that grade conversions make it easier to transition from sport routes to bouldering.

Our overview of each scale The second half unpacks each scale in detail. It even tells you how to read the grades, which makes it easy to toggle back and forth.

Quick History of Boulder Grades

Boulder grading has a deep, textured history, influenced by climbers around the world. Back in those early days, before bouldering was its own thing, climbers would have been using the UIAA scale, essentially on limestone. This scale ran from Grade I, the simplest, up to Grade VI, which marked the toughest climbs known at the time.

Bouldering boomed in the 1970s and 80s. Climbers such as John Gill, Lynn Hill, and Wolfgang Güllich started stretching the limits of what was possible in the sport. Their emerging issues required a new visual approach to communicate the growing challenge.

Back across the Atlantic, in the 1980s, the US gave birth to the V-Scale. V0 is the starting point, with V16 now being one of the most difficult. This relatively straightforward system worked well for the granite and sandstone boulders at venues like Hueco Tanks.

Europe went the other way. Fontainebleau is known for its unique sandstone and set its own standard of measurement for climbing. Then, climbers such as Adam Ondra and Chris Sharma took that standard and blasted it skyward with their unbelievable ascents. These places not only cranked—they defined the standard and aesthetic for what hard bouldering should be.

With the increase and expansion of grade data, grades became more precise. Those smaller increments between grades allow climbers to track their progress and skill level with more specificity today.

Rock type is important, as well. Granite, limestone, and sandstone all have their own idiosyncrasies, so grades vary somewhat from area to area. Input from the community helps determine what a specific grade should mean, but even that is up for some debate.

As such, two setters can approach the same problem from totally different angles, and that makes grading completely science, completely art.

What Are Bouldering Grades Really?

The purpose of bouldering grades is to serve as a standardized indication of the difficulty of a climb. For climbers, grades provide insight into what technical, physical, or mental ability a climber should possess before attempting the climb. A grade is really just a number.

It just doesn’t depict the entirety of the climb. This consists of information like the dimensions and configuration of every hold. It goes beyond just the space between the holds, the movements needed, the angle of the wall, and grip texture. Even minor variations in these factors can lead to a huge difference in the relative difficulty of two climbs with the same grade.

There are essentially three methods of grading climbs. In the US, the V-Scale is the only grade that most gyms and guidebooks use. It ranges from V0 up to the highest completed climbs. It then ascends to V17, which is close to the top of what’s been done.

Where a lot of new climbers may begin at V0 to V3, getting to V7 and above usually requires years of consistent practice. The French “Font” scale is very popular in Europe, particularly in places like Fontainebleau. You might encounter bouldering grades like 6A or 7C, which express a lot of the same concepts as the V-Scale but rely more on letters.

While the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS) is the standard for roped climbs, for bouldering the standard is the V-Scale. Grades aren’t apples to apples. Grading in climbing is not a clear cut mathematical science.

It is completely arbitrary as it originates from the first climber’s subjective judgement and is then verified by others. Remember, grades are subject to refinement as more climbers work on the climb. For example, a lot of people have a tough time perceiving the difference between V4 and V5.

Whether it’s rock type, gym holds, or more recently the weather can change what a grade feels like.

Converting 7c Font to V Scale

Climbers are often faced with the task of converting a 7c Font grade into a V scale value. This conversion usually becomes apparent when they go on trip or read about climbs in the US as well as in Europe. The Font Scale, or French grading scale, is widely used across most of the world except for the United States.

In contrast, the V Scale is the de facto grading standard in the US. These two scales both attempt to communicate the difficulty of a bouldering problem, though they do so in different ways. The Font Scale combines numbers with letters (7c or 7c+) to indicate minor incremental increases in grade.

The V Scale simply climbs up from V0, with each increment indicating a noticeable increase in difficulty. The fit is not great. Nearly everyone that has an idea on how this should go would say that a 7c boulder translates to a V7 or V8 or V9.

If you see 7c+, it might only be up to V10 to V13 at most. Here’s a simple step-by-step way to make the switch:

• Check the Font grade (for example, 7c).
• Look up a trusted conversion table.
• Get the corresponding V scale grade (7c, typically V7 or V8).
• Consider aesthetics—angle, grips, and sequences can change the mood.
• Consult locals or climbers who are familiar with both scales for their advice and input.

Common myths and misconceptions abound. Many believe you can simply compare grades one-to-one, but as you can see the scales increase in size at various intervals. An Font 7c climb such as “La Marie Rose” in Fontainebleau is considered V6 by some, but V7 by others.

American climbers rate “The Egg” in Hueco Tanks as a hard V8. There are those who would argue that this climb is on par with Font 7c. As we hope you see from these examples, it’s always beneficial to look beyond just one climb.

Comparing 7c/V9 Across the Board

Bouldering grades are often convertible between the Font Scale and the V-Scale. For example, a 7c Font Scale grade usually translates to V9 on the V-Scale. How these grades are used and understood differs wildly. Both are considered to be performance high-water marks, requiring not just power but precision technique and a razor-like mental edge.

The V-Scale is what you’re most likely to encounter at gyms and crags across the U.S. Outside the U.S., and particularly in Europe, the Font Scale is standard practice. This division is problematic because traveling climbers will often find the same climb rated in two incompatible systems. In reality, those ratings may be very different in practice.

Here’s a table showing how V9 and 7c stack up with other grading systems:

V-Scale	Font Scale	French Sport	UIAA	YDS (Boulder)
V6	7A	6c+	VII-	5.12a
V7	7A+	7a	VII	5.12b
V8	7B	7a+	VII+	5.12c
V9	7C	7b+	VIII-	5.12d
V10	7C+	7c	VIII	5.13a
V11	8A	7c+	VIII+	5.13b

The V-Scale and Font Scale are heavily focused on the hardest move and the cumulative experience. In comparison, systems such as UIAA and YDS (Yosemite Decimal System) measure ongoing difficulty and danger. The ‘+’ symbol, as in 7c+ or V9+, indicates a minor increase in difficulty.

Dominating at these grades involves tackling steep overhangs, executing difficult highball boulder problems and employing complex technical footwork. Some American climbers say V9s in the U.S. Are burlier, whereas 7c in Europe can seem more technical or tricky. Location, style, and local gridding mindset truly determine how tough these pitches go.

Why Grades Feel Different Sometimes

Climbing grades on the 7c to V scale can feel very confusing, even to experienced climbers. One reason is that the grades are never perfect to begin with. They begin as the instructor’s best estimate. The first climber to ascend a new route determines the grade by assigning one based on how difficult it feels for them.

This may seem personal. For a tall climber with massive paws, these routes may not be as tough. A shorter climber or one with a particularly strong set of digits might not struggle at all. As more climbers climb the route, they gradually change its grade over time. Nevertheless, it still seems to come out biased.

It’s climbers’ personal strengths and weaknesses that make a huge difference as well. To illustrate, a climber who only trains on very steep, overhanging terrain would likely do well on a V4 roof. They might have a hard time going around a V2 slab. The nature of the holds and the distance between them really determines your climbing experience.

Further complicating matters, the wall’s angle and surface texture can make what seems like an effortless ascent a formidable task. A V6 on one style of stone may seem harder than a V7 on a different crag. That may be because the holds are just greasy or the holds are far apart.

Weather and the quality of the rock you’re blasting into also play a role. Greasier holds on hot, humid days will make holds feel greasier. Some rock types literally crumbled or were polished from repeated use, altering the climb in real-time over the years.

The psychological aspect matters, as well. Similarly, if a climber is well-rested or having a good day, a V5 may be an enjoyable challenge. On a day when they’re not feeling so great, that same grade might seem impossible to achieve.

Additionally, conversion charts between V and Font scales do not consistently correlate with actual climbing difficulty, further complicating matters.

Using Grades to Improve Climbing

Climbing grades help folks size up the challenge and set smart goals. There’s more to them than just a number. North America’s V-Scale goes from VB, for total beginners, to V17, for the world’s best athletes. This simple grading system provides a clear path toward growth and improves your ability to track progress over time.

As useful as grading can be, it’s not without its issues. The same climb at different areas may be totally different. There are times when a V1 feels like a V3 or harder. The first person to climb a problem gives it a grade. Since everyone’s strengths vary, a 7a+ for one climber may feel like a 7b or even a 7a for another.

A few ways climbers can use grades to get better include:

• Identifying trends in grade difficulty or consistency across climbs in the gym or out in crags can help identify strengths and weak spots.
• Choosing routes or boulders at or around their target grade to push abilities without injury potential.
• Recording sends & attempts, with an aim to grow from V0-V2 (beginner) up to advanced grades.
• Tuning training to specific grades, such as lock-off strength for V4-V6, or footwork drills for V2-V3.
• Having conversations with friends or using platforms like Mountain Project or other climbing apps to leave feedback on difficulty ratings and climb descriptions.

Having concrete, climber-specific goals to work towards based on grade really helps focus and ground the process. For example, if a climber is sending V2 they can set their sights on V3 or V4 instead of jumping ahead to V6.

Tracking grades, whether on paper or in an app, gives real proof of progress and can spark a push to try harder moves. Gyms utilize grades as well, usually in the form of colored tags or stickers, to assist climbers of every ability in locating their preferred level of difficulty.

Beyond 7c: Pushing Your Limits

Taking things beyond 7c creates more opportunities for climbers aspiring to improve, push their limits and seek out harder projects. In bouldering, the French scale uses letter grades (a, b, c) to give grades. A ‘++’ indicates moderate increases in difficulty. This specific nuance assists the climbing public in making informed decisions about which climbs to pursue.

A 7a+ can be a 7b or a 7a for that matter, based on the person. Grades are just suggestions, not the gospel, and what you find hard might be your partner’s easiest warm-up. As climbers, we tend to find the V-Scale difficult as it usually doesn’t have sufficient gradation between grades. This gap cannot be overstated as it can lead to a major miscalculation of their skills.

In fact, most of the earliest 8C or 8C+ boulder problems have been downgraded by one or even two full grades. This change serves to underscore the extreme inconsistency in climbing grades. Climbing harder grades takes more than powerful hands and feet. This is going to take some serious mental grit and sustained commitment to persist when a challenge feels like it’s just too hard.

If pushing our limits involves climbing higher grades, we have to experience failure, but we have to learn from it. Outchallenge yourself. Take on hard, high-level problems that stretch your abilities. Above all, don’t forget to pay attention to your body and schedule plenty of recovery.

Work on problems at all grade levels, and avoid fixating on a single grade level. The Dan scale just keeps going up and up and up. It includes ascents of climbs such as The Wheel of Life 6-dan or V16 (8c+) which really illustrates the amazing evolution of the sport.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 7c mean in bouldering grades?

7c is a v-scale equivalent of the Fontainebleau (Font) system, which is commonly used in Europe. The 7c to v scale indicates a very hard degree of trouble for boulder problems. In the U.S., that’s about the same as a V9.

How do I convert 7c in the Font scale to the V scale?

So a 7c on the Font scale would be roughly a V9 on the Hueco (V) scale. The Hueco scale has become the de facto standard for bouldering in the U.S.

Why do 7c and V9 sometimes feel different?

In addition to rock type, style, weather, and setting all contribute to how grades can feel different. Regional grading standards and individual strengths play into how difficult they feel as well.

Are 7c and V9 considered advanced grades?

Are 7c and V9 advanced grades? Climbers of this grade have excellent technique, strength, and familiarity with very challenging problems.

Can beginners attempt 7c/V9 boulders?

Can beginners try boulders at 7c/V9 grade? These issues are much more difficult and have a greater potential for injury. Don’t start out at the top end of the scale.

How can understanding grades help improve my climbing?

Understanding grades allows you to establish training benchmarks, measure improvements, and discover climbs that suit your ability. It helps with session planning and injury prevention.

Is the V scale used everywhere in the U.S.?

Is the V scale used everywhere in the U.S. It’s become a standard in most gyms and outside for rating the difficulty of boulder problems.