8 Levels of Indoor Rock Climbing Difficulty | Easy to Expert

Jake Mason, Head Routesetter at Yonder and Hang explains the eight difficulty levels of indoor bouldering.

The American V-Scale, from VB to V17, and French Bouldering Scale, from Font 3 to Font 9a, provide a structure for grading bouldering problems. But - what exactly separates a V1 from a V3? And, is my expectation of a V5 the same as yours?

Indoor bouldering grades are not without controversy, and disagreements over climbing grades are frequent, and sometimes high-profile between elite climbers.

Unlike in Olympic sports like gymnastics, where set skills are repeatable between different competitions, and given established difficulty levels, in climbing, there is no handbook to explain what exactly makes a boulder problem a V7.

And that's why, we’re about to examine exactly how the people responsible for grading indoor rock climbs decide the level of each boulder problem.

00:00 8 Levels of Climbing Difficulty
00:20 The Problem With Grades
01:20 Entry Level
02:15 Novice
04:50 Beginner Climbing Grades
5:45 How Climbing Styles Affect Grades?
09:20 Intermediate
10:55 15% Off Rungne with Code Hannah15
12:00 Small Handholds
15:20 Advanced Climbing Grades
21:05 Expert
24:15 Elite
26:15 Pioneer | The Hardest Climb In The World

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[BoulderingBobat]

This guy Joké ? Jake? Guys seems well dreamy. Was I behind the sofa the whole time though?

[nilsp]

I think your explanations made me understand plateauing in the intermediate range better. When several difficulties are combined - which is new in that range - they tend to multiply. When at a beginner climb, strength is tested, and I am barely strong enough, at least I am not challenged to be precise and flexible while giving it my all. But at intermediate and higher climbs, not being strong enough may immediately lead to me being in an impossible position and missing a hold over and over again, on top of lacking the power to move all the way. Any weakness is much harder to compensate, because errors and difficulties compound. Now my hope is that getting better at one thing (say mobility) will help me to reduce other difficulties (say strength) on the same moves, so one day I will get up the boulders that feel impossible now.

[Kraaketaer]

This just in: Rugne causes mass panic among routesetters, all indoor boulders are now V0 for anyone using Magdust. Local climbers report sobbing, screams of anguish from the back rooms. Meanwhile, online commenters rejoice, as all boulders are indeed now V0 in their gym.

[Joren]

13:05 you're actually supposed to palm on it
Nathan: channels his inner giraffe

[Seize_machine]

🔥I love learning from setters edit: that Rungne ad was great

[shahargabay]

Grades are indeed very subjective. I started bouldering after a lot of powerlifting background so right now my overhang/campus/mantle/jumps ability is v5 and my slabs/heel hooks/balance/body positioning is v3

[jacob]

Watching Jake talk I'm convinced my gym is sandbagging me

[DDBiirD]

Such a great video! Thanks for making this video for us to understand the different grades and what skills are needed.

[ArchibaldVonSkip]

I climb at around V8-10 and I call myself 'Intermediate' all the time.
V9 is right in the middle of V1 and V17, when ye think about it!

[WWEFAN]

Such a fun and insightful video Hannah!

[maria-pkzu]

I really enjoyed this video! I feel like breaking down how routesetters think and set up these levels is kind of objective too (?) I don’t know, either way I learnt a lot as a beginner climber! :)

[danielsigursson]

The setter at my local gym in Iceland has done an amazing job, imo, setting creative boulders at all difficulty levels. I specifically remember flashing a V6 and then having to take quite a few attempts at a V3, cause I just could not find a good position for one of the moves - until I found it. It is all so very personal style and problem solving dependent and that's why I love it!

[MyBoulderingJourney]

Yes, exactually what I need after a hard climb today :-)

[CrispyCrimpsClimbing]

Epic video, if you see the one I upload tomorrow please know I was already working on it for a few weeks 🤣
I'm always inspired by you Hannah and think you and your team are pushing the Climbing YouTube scene to a better place constantly

[Aaron-xqhv]

You know, if there's one thing I think is really the problem, it's the statement, "the people responsible for grading". Ultimately all the systems, V grades, Font, YDS, Dan-Kyu, etc, were all designed to describe the difficulty of climbs related to one another, and not to create an objective scale of difficulty.

So outdoors when several people climb something and come to a consensus grade, you have what people are most likely to feel the grade is. Indoors, you have the personal opinions of a few people who work at the gym setting routes, and sort of arbitrary guidelines about difficulty (AKA, no heel hooks until V-whatever) that vary from gym to gym, and sometimes even setter to setter. So in other words, indoors, grades really can't be trusted between gyms.

Then of course, as a smaller side point, you have the sort of re-definition of what V0 is. Yes this gym has VB, but many gyms don't. However, if you take something like the Joshua Tree Bouldering Guidebook, there are about 8 grades below V0, with any boulder easier than V0 getting a YDS grade and they go all the way down to 5.2. So not only do we have sort of arbitrary guidelines that vary, we have completelyo different starting points.

All of that is to say consenus grading is one thing more gyms should do.

[cyklatillbahamas]

This was so interesting. I can sometimes flash 6c+, but 7a feels completely impossible. Been trying to figure out why. Leaning a bit towards finger- and general strength being the main thing, but it's hard to know

[THVHSYR]

A really nice interview. Interesting and with thoughtful questions. Love the vibes.

[ewiken]

This was such a great video, made me feel better about my bouldering and that I just might have some interminable boulders I can do because of “my style” that I am still stubborn to believe.

[biggussconnus]

Really enjoy trying all the climbs you make. Regardless of grade, everyone has the same chance to try something which seems a bit beyond their ability, and get satisfaction when they do it.

[rhettetherington]

Great video, Hannah. I'm strictly intermediate by the looks of it. But I keep trying😂. Loved the rungne advert😂