The world's hardest trad climbs

99 boulders has published another great article listing 44 trad routes in the world from 8b+ to 8c+. There is also some ethical thoughts and some "grey zone" ascents have been included. But in in order to make the list, "the majority of the difficult climbing is protected by removable gear (placed on lead)." There are five 8c+' listed with all ascents: (*pre-placed gear) Blackbeard's Tears - Ethan Pringle Meltdown - Beth Rodden, Carlo Traversi Pura Pura - Tom Randall Recovery Drink - Nico Favresse*, Daniel Jung Rhapsody - Dave MacLeod*, Sonnie Trotter, Steve McClure, James Pearson, Jacopo Larcher, Gerome Pouvreau Jacopo Larcher's recent Tribe was not given a grade but it should be at least 8c+ as he thinks it is his hardest ever. In regards, Rhapsody there are some controversies and also the grade has been questioned. The FA-ionist did place the gear on lead but then he downclimbed it 25 meters to the start. On the actual sent he did not place any gear. It has further more been called an eliminate. The diagram shows the ones having done most 8b+ and harder with Jacopo Larcher and Sonnie Trotter on top. Noteworthy is that Barbara Zangerl is up there tied #7. Including also Beth Rodden's Meltodown, it is obvious that the best female is almost equal to the male. It just might be that trad climbing is unique when it comes to gender equality of all the thousand sports out there? In the record book, Alex Megos flash of The Path 8b+ R should be mentioned. Comparing trad grades to sport grades, it is quite obvious that sport grades are at least one grade softer. Almost all of the trad experts have, relatively fast, done harder grades in sport.