8.7 V5 (Font 6C/6C+)

What problems look like

Expect steep walls with small crimps, poor rounded holds and pinches. Footholds are poor or missing and rests are few. The table in Section 8.6 compares V5 with V4 in detail.

Techniques that start to matter

Some moves take your feet or both hands off the wall: the double dyno, the campus move and jumping to a foothold. Steep hooking extends to the bicycle, the heel–toe cam and, where a volume or corner allows it, the knee bar. The tiniest edges may need a full crimp, so keep it for those moves. Some slabs turn dynamic (Dynamic slab). Comp-style problems (set like competition problems) add the pogo and competition set pieces such as the tic-tac, the paddle dyno and the double clutch.

Focus

• Build a V5 base. Once your first V5s go, climb many V5s in different styles. The grade should stop depending on style.
• Flash attempts. Read a new V5 fully. Give it one real flash attempt before you work it.
• Finish the technique list. Practise the V5–V6 clinic techniques on V4s first [78].

Reading problems at this grade

• Decide where each foot goes before each hand move. At V5 the feet decide whether the hand move works.
• The fuller list for your first V5s is in Section 8.6.

Physical side

Lattice’s V5–V7 band adds about 24 kg on a two-arm max hang [254].

Why people stall here

• Staying on the V5s that suit you. It feels like progress, but your weak styles stay weak.
• V6s feel like a different sport. One forum climber found V6s “too overhung and crimpy or too shouldery”. Replies pointed to overhang technique and finger strength for small holds. Others said each gym’s setting has blind spots, so visit other gyms [259].