Question understanding bouldering grades

Hey everyone,

I wanted to ask about what the difference is on bouldering grades. I recently sent a project at pine mountain ca called sock hop. The grade on it is V5/6. My question is why wouldn't this just be graded as a V5+ instead of V5/6 and is there a difference on grading with + and 5/6?

Thank you!

V5/6 usually means "I've established it and I think it's either V5 or V6, but I'll wait for some more consolidation from some more climbers before commiting to one or the other". V5+ usually means "this is harder than most V5s, but not as hard as most V6s". Plus grades are too granular if you ask me.

5+ is about as subjective as 5/6 IMHO, and people just use the latter when they think that the route could be a low 6 or a high 5. rather than saying, not a 6, but a hard 5

basically what conner said

I just feel that a climb graded V5/6 you would be expected to take the lower grade on it. At least something graded with a + you can say you sent a harder climb in that grade rather than saying V5/6.

Occasionally V5+ means that it is a traditionally given grade that is a total sandbag. Usually the guidebook will have a note like "the grade is a cruel joke" or "the hardest V5 you've ever done," because everyone knows that it is really V7. Otherwise, what Connor said.

In your case it seems like you should just take 6 points for the send. Way more people have given it V6 than V5.

Kyle, some people are always going to feel like we need more grades - V0, V1, V2, V3, V3, V4, etc. aren't enough! (We only have about 16. Kayaking has 5, right? And skiing 4? Surfing 0?) Of course, for any V5/6 there will be hard ones and easier ones, so maybe we need V5/6-, V5/6, and V5/6+ ? But seriously, as a guidebook publisher I do actually ask authors to stick to the system. We use slash grades only for routes (boulders or roped climbs) that are known to be quite markedly different for different body types - typically tall vs shorter climbers. We'll usually say something to this effect in the description. Otherwise, for routes that have previously been given slash grades, we pick one, usually the lower one.

From the comments, the split rating might be height dependent in this case.

If it is any help the ocean's eleven guide rates it at 6.

Congrats on your send.