Climbing grades – the mysterious (and never agreed upon) hieroglyphics of the vertical world, where a seemingly innocent number and letter combo holds the power to either boost your ego or send it plummeting faster than a lead climber on a speedy descent.

 

It's a system that turns casual gym-goers into mathematicians, deciphering the difference between a 5.11b and a 5.11c as if they're cracking the Da Vinci Code of rock climbing. The day you finally conquer that elusive V6 feels like winning an Olympic gold medal, even if your celebratory dance clearly breaches the self-respect Rule.

 

And don't get Nick started on the endless debates over the subtle nuances between a 6a and a 6a+. It's a grade-grabbing, ego-checking, and occasionally befuddling ride up the climbing ranks, where the only certain thing is that your climbing partner will never let you live down falling off that supposedly "soft" 3.

 

Ah, climbing grades – where numbers and letters conspire to turn a simple climb into a psychological thriller.