Used in: United States, Canada

Format: 5.0 to 5.15d

Originally forged on California granite, the Yosemite Decimal System rates the difficulty of the hardest move or sequence. Letter suffixes (a–d) further refine upper grades. “R” or “X” designations add warnings for runouts or serious fall potential. It’s direct, scalable, and remains the backbone of North American rock climbing.

Used in: France, Spain, Italy, global sport crags

Format: 1 to 9c+ (e.g., 6b+, 8a)

Proposed by alpine explorer Francois Labande, the French system evaluates overall sustained difficulty, ideal for sport climbs. With no consideration for protection or seriousness, it’s a clean tool for physical grading and a global standard for gym and outdoor bolting.

Used in: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Eastern Europe

Format: Roman numerals I to XII+

Born in the Alps and formalized in the 1960s, UIAA grades progress in Roman numerals with +/− modifiers. It's commonly used in trad and alpine climbing, offering a sense of sustained difficulty, though not as granular at the lower end.

Used in: UK traditional climbing

Format: Mod, Severe, VS, HVS, and E1 to E11

The British grading system blends physical difficulty with seriousness. An E-grade (Extreme) captures the route’s overall challenge (exposure, gear, commitment) while encouraging real-world decision-making. It’s intuitive if you’ve climbed in the UK, but puzzling at first glance elsewhere.

Used in: Australia, New Zealand, South Africa

Format: 1 to 35+

Developed by climber John Ewbank, the Ewbank system is an open-ended numerical scale with no letters or suffixes. Ewbank grades measure overall route difficulty, factoring in both the moves and the mental game. Especially helpful for trad climbers evaluating protection and risk.

Used in: Poland, parts of Central Europe

Format: VI.1 to VI.7+

Created by Polish mountaineer and Piolets d'Or recipient, Wojciech Kurtyka, the Kurtyka scale pushed the limits of the UIAA scale even higher. Easier routes use UIAA Roman numerals; harder climbs shift to Arabic extensions with decimal precision. Think of it as a natural evolution for steep limestone and crag climbing in Polish regions.

Used in: Brazil

Format: I–VIII (commitment) + 4sup–10c (technical)

Published by the Mountain Sports Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro, this grading system is unique in its dual rating format: the first number reflects seriousness (like an alpine grade), while the second assesses technical difficulty using a UIAA-inspired hybrid. A route might be 4º Vsup, offering nuance in both exposure and movement.

Used in: Saxon Switzerland, Czech sandstone

Format: I to XIIc (e.g., VIIb, Xc)

Created to rate the accents of Sächsische Schweiz, Saxony grades are strict, ethic-bound (no metal gear), and often sandbagged by modern standards. The system prioritizes boldness, control, and local style, especially on soft, gearless rock.

Used in: Norway, Sweden, Finland

Format: Arabic numerals with +/− (e.g., 6+, 7−)

Originally UIAA-based, these grades now stand alone, common across trad and sport routes throughout the Nordic countries. Many crags also include French grades for comparison, especially for harder bolted lines.

Used in: Bouldering in North America and internationally

Format: V0 to V17 (with VB for beginner-friendly problems

The V-Scale, also known as the Verm Scale after its creator John "Verm" Sherman, is the standard for bouldering grades across North America. It ranks problems purely by physical difficulty, from casual warm-ups at V0 to cutting-edge test pieces at V17. This scale does not factor in height, danger, or style, only how hard the moves are. While straightforward indoors, it often feels stiffer outside, where conditions and rock type add layers of challenge.

Hot crag days demand breathable, fast-drying gear that keeps you cool when the rock feels like a skillet. Overheating doesn’t just impact performance, it affects decision-making and endurance.

• Lightweight tees made with wicking fabrics and odor control offer a next-to-skin layer that performs under the pump. Think quick-dry synthetics or airy merino blends. For base layers, the Men’s Force Tee and Women’s Force Tee offer ultralight construction, helping you stay fresh and dry during high-output climbs.

• Softshell shorts and pants with articulated knees and stretch-woven panels let you high-step and heel-hook freely, while resisting abrasion from limestone and granite. The Men’s Radius Pants and Women’s Torque Mountain Shorts feature 4-way stretch giving you breathable protection without sacrificing mobility.

• Ultralight hoodies offering protection from wind and bugs keep your kit lean, ideal for walk-ins or shady belays with intermittent gusts. The Men’s Borealis Alpine Hooded Jacket and Women’s Borealis Alpine Hooded Jacket are great choices for an ultralight wind layer.

In transitional weather or shoulder season conditions, climbing gear needs to breathe when you’re moving and insulate when you’re still. Trad routes and multi-pitch days often start in a chill and end in direct sun, making layering versatility essential.

• Midweight grid fleeces strike the right balance between warmth and ventilation. Worn under a harness, they wick moisture and compress easily at belays. The Men’s Ascendor Light Pull-On and Women’s Ascendor Light Hoody use wicking grid fleece to manage sweat while retaining critical warmth.

• Technical climbing pants with reinforced high-wear zones (knees, cuffs) protect against abrasion while offering enough stretch for awkward jams and chimneying. The Men’s Ascendor Light Pants and Women’s Ascendor Climbing Softshell Pants are engineered with articulated knees and durable softshell fabric that stands up to granite, gear loops, and brush.

• Wind-resistant softshells with helmet-compatible hoods give protection without bulk, great for gusty ridgelines and exposed stances. The Men’s Vapour-Rise™ Summit Jacket and Women’s Vapour-Rise™ Summit Jacket combine wind resistance with high breathability.

Here, every gram counts, but compromise isn't an option. Alpine and mixed routes expose you to fast-changing weather, thin air, and long distances. Our alpine kit is built for movement efficiency, thermal regulation, and storm defense.

• Synthetic-insulated layers with zoned breathability dump excess heat when you're moving and retain warmth when you're on the tools. The Men’s Xenair Alpine Light Jacket and Women’s Xenair Alpine Light Jacket both compress easily for technical ascents.

• Stretchy, waterproof shells made for alpine use are built to move with you, stay quiet under gear, and seal out everything from graupel to spindrift. Both the Men’s Kinetic Alpine 2.0 Jacket and Women’s Kinetic Alpine 2.0 Jacket deliver stretch, breathability, and full waterproofing, ideal for dynamic routes.

• Softshell alpine pants engineered for crampon use offer wind resistance, freedom of movement, and the durability to withstand icy terrain and technical ascents. The Men’s Ascendor Alpine Softshell Pants and Women’s Ascendor Alpine Softshell Pants feature crampon-robust fabrics, designed to handle vertical exposure and rough ice.

Climbing in fluctuating alpine weather or thawing winter zones demands clothing that doesn’t just resist water, but breathes under aerobic load. Our gear excels in hybrid performance: waterproof where it counts, vented where it matters.

• Stretch hardshells with softshell-like comfort offer full protection from sleet and rain while letting heat escape, ideal for long approaches or mixed pitches. The Men’s Kinetic Waterproof Jacket and Women’s Kinetic Waterproof Jacket offer storm-ready protection, acting like a breathable softshell with the security of a hardshell.

• Synthetic insulated layers continue to warm even when saturated and dry out fast in bivy sacks or damp packs. The Men’s Cirrus Flex Insulated Jacket and Women’s Cirrus Flex Insulated Jacket with fast-drying synthetic fill performs even when damp.

• Insulated overpants with belay-friendly access and weather-resistant fill make emergency layers feel like part of your standard system, not just an afterthought. The Photon Insulated Pants pack small but deliver high warmth with breathable panels.