Grading routes/problems is such a dark art. Even outdoors the grades can be so subjective and a consensus is often only reached after years of reapeats (something I hope is not going on with any gym route). How do you grade your problems? How do you keep your grades accurate during the winter, when you haven't been outdoors on established grades for reference (is this hard, or am I out of shape)?
Also, why do so many gyms grade so soft? At the gym where I set we have an unofficial policy of sandbagging our grades. The rationale is this: we would rather see our customers struggle indoors and crush it outdoors than the other way around. If you project V4 at our gym, then you should be able to go and send V4 outdoors in a day. I have found the opposite to be true in other gyms (I have flashed "V9" in some gyms, which, if you have ever seen me climb, you will know to be rediculous). I worry that grading this way will keep the average climber inside, where his or her ego will be coddled by inflated grades, and will leave them humiliated if they ever venture out into the "real world."
thoughts, criticisms, comments?