Decoding the Grading System

A common question for new climbers is “how do I know which routes to climb?” Here, we’re demystifying grades and our coding method, so you’ll know how to use it to get started– and to progress! 

How to Read Route Markings in the Gym

Each climbing route, or problem, is identified by a specific starting hold and a V rating that indicates its difficulty. For top rope and lead climbing, our preset ropes indicate the routes. 

For bouldering, the problems are color-coordinated and marked with a difficulty rating.

We label the route’s grade on start tags next to the starting hold(s). As you progress through the route, you will follow that same color hold. You’ll know you’ve reached the end when you see a finish tag either on the last hold of the climb or at the top of the wall (indicating that the top of the wall is the finish hold). With our system, any color route can be any difficulty - the key is that for any given route you only follow that one color.

It’s worth noting that grades can feel different, depending on the setter’s style and movement as well as the climber’s height, reach, power and technique. Experiment with different grades and styles to find what suits you best. Remember, progress isn’t linear—some days a certain grade might feel easier or harder than usual.

Understanding the V scale

Like most gyms, we use the V-scale to grade bouldering problems, where "V" stands for John "Vermin" Sherman (the person who developed the system). This is how boulder problems are rated in the United States. Grades in climbing are attempts to measure the difficulty in somewhat objective terms, but obviously there is a certain degree of subjectivity involved, so the grades can be debated. However, the system still helps give a general guide to how hard the problems may be, and who should attempt them.

V0 – V2         Easy to Intermediate (beginners)

V3 – V6         Intermediate to Difficult (achievable by climbing regularly)

V7 – V10       Difficult to Advanced (experienced climbers)

V11 – V13     Expert (very strong, sometimes professional athletes)

V14 – V17     Elite (very few climbers in the world)

How Routes Are Set and Adjusted

Our routesetting team at Coeur Climbing carefully designs and sets problems to create an engaging and accessible experience for all climbers. Our setters focus on crafting routes that accommodate different ages, heights, and body types while maintaining a balance of challenge and fun. Our team constantly rotates and updates problems to keep the gym fresh and exciting, testing each route to fine-tune movement, flow, and difficulty.

Learn more about our setting team and their process. For a deeper dive on how the team sets for different body types, check out this post. 

Using the Grading System

If you’re a beginner, we recommend starting at V0. You’ll need some time just to get used to being on a wall, moving, and dropping down. If that’s easy, then start moving up through the grades.

When you’re ready, remember that the grading system is just there as a guideline to give you an idea of what you’re getting yourself into. Progress should always be based on personal growth. You should always try harder climbs than you can do, but do your best to avoid getting frustrated when you can’t finish the climb. Remember, it’s a process! 

If you want to make progress, you should ALWAYS work on footwork, body positions, and technique. Strength can get you pretty far in climbing, but you can go so much farther with good technique. 

We highly recommend downloading the KAYA app so that you can track your progress and share with others. KAYA allows you to receive new set notifications, and connect with the gym community to share beta videos, feedback, ratings, and comments.

Now that you understand the system, you’re ready to get started! We’ll see you on the wall!