Rockfax is pleased to announce a new grading system launching on its Rockfax Digital guidebook app platform as of today. Grades will henceforth be listed in binary to fit with the brand's forward-thinking, digital approach to climbing data, replacing the current decimal positional numeral system with a much more intuitive format.
The change affects all grading systems, with the exception of the US Dewey Decimal System, because it is already too complicated and stupid.
For example, French sport grade 5 will now equal 101, while 6a = 110a, 7b+ = 111b+ and 9c = 1001c, and so on.
The most complex shift will occur in the British Trad system, which will now be represented as follows: E1 = E1, E2 = E10, E3 = E11, E4 = E100 [...] and E12 = E1100.
As a full example of a British Trad Grade, E2 5b will become E10 101b. Logically, anything below E1 will now be a negative binary grade.
Rockfax founder Alan James commented: 'We are also expecting a speed boost in the Rockfax Digital app, since the grades will be in native computer binary, avoiding time-consuming conversion processes.'
Weekend warrior Jess Brown approved of the change: 'I can't believe I've actually climbed E10! Watch out, Dave MacLeod.'
A professional climber, who wished to remain anonymous, told UKC: 'The sponsors will love this system, the more E-points the better!'
Scottish winter enthusiast John McTavish said: 'Thank f*ck I don't have to remember my Roman numerals anymore.'
James McHaffie commented: 'Binary grades? Yeah, there are only two grades in climbing: piss and impossible.'
Comments
If E1 is E1, surely HVS is E0. Which also solves the TPS grade conundrum.
Fools
In reply to UKC News:
"The change affects all grading systems, with the exception of the US Dewey Decimal System, because it is already too complicated and stupid."
finally someone had to say it.
This system will work great with the new Peak ethic being sold to us over at https://bananafingers.co.uk/collections/peak-district-essentials
Wow, we did a new -E10 at Lawrencefield yesterday, that's a good effort.
To get that minus grade, would we have to have reverse climbed it from top down though?