ROUTESETTING

A Quick Guide to Routes and Grading:

If you’re new to Highball, here are the very basics for getting to grips with our system:

• All climbs at Highball start on the hold with a numbered tag next to it. Hands should not start higher than the tagged hold.
• The number on the tag tells you the grade – higher numbers are harder. 
• We have a chart for all our grading at the bottom of this page.
• Star tags are used to show routes that are particularly fun, different or considered a test piece of the grade.
• You climb the route using holds of just one colour, as well as volumes (the big grey shapes that act like an extension of the wall) and the back wall itself (but not bolt holes).
• You finish the route by touching the top hold with both hands in a controlled manner.
• Any and all holds are then used to climb back down again.
• For a more detailed explanation of our grading system, check out our post here.

Highball Uses Griptonite

On each climb we have a Griptonite Tag, which you can scan with your access either by QR code or NFC scanning. Alternatively you can access it via the Griptonite Map view.

Over the top of the Griptonite Tag we have our regular 0-7 Black Disc. However, on the first week after they’ve been set we will only put the grade disc’s on the climbs graded 0-2. After the first week we will grade the rest.

If you’ve never used Griptonite before, it’s basically an online logbook for indoor climbing, which helps track your progress as well as helping us out, by suggesting grade changes and applying styles to climbs.

We also use it for all our competitions, so we would recommend you get familiar with it, as this will greatly improve your experience when attending one of our competitions!