Grade (climbing) - Bouldering

Bouldering

There are many grading systems used specifically for bouldering problems, including:

• The "B" system, used mainly in North America and including only three grades: B1, B2, and B3. B3 is the hardest, indicating routes repeated only once.
• The Fontainebleau grading system, which is the most widely used grading system in Europe. The grades in this system are similar to those used in France for free climbing (French numerical system) and mountaneering (IFAS), but have different meaning. For instance, an 8a free-climbing route is significantly easier than an 8a boulder problem.
• The Hueco Scale, or "V" Scale, which is the most widely used system in North America. Although open-ended, the "V" system currently covers a range from V0 to V16.
• The UK technical grades (see UK grading system above), ranging from 4a to 7b, used in the United Kingdom for traditional climbs and occasionally used to rate boulder problems as well.
• The Dankyu system which resembles that of martial arts (see Dan and Kyu), widely used in Japan. Like in martial arts, 1-Kyu is the hardest Kyu grade. Dan starts from where Kyu ends, 1-Dan being the next grade higher than 1-Kyu. Dan gets harder as the number ascends, and is open-ended on the harder side. The hardest routes are currently graded at 6-Dan.