types of climbing

Question
could you please explain the differances in trad.,sport and bouldering type climbs. Also how does the rating of differnt climbs work? thank you for any feedback.

Answer
Trad (traditional) climbing is identified as routes where you must place you own safety gear. You are free climbing and using combinations of stoppers, cams, hexes and even pitons as protection. Sport climbing is usually short face climbs (though they can be milti pitch) using all bolts.  Bouldiering in doens without ropes and done on free standind boulders. These routes are between 3 and maybe 20 moves, they are practice for sport climbing and often involve gymnastic or dynamic moves.

The rating system in the US is called the Yosemite System and goes from 5.0 to 5.14.  Ratings at 5.10 and above also include letters ie. 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.10d, 5.11.   

Boulders are rated with V1-5 based on difficulty.

Jeff