Hanwag Rotpunkt - HANWAG STORIES

Climber Sepp Gschwendtner with the Hanwag Rotpunkt retro shoe

“The new climbing shoes gave you so much more feel in your feet – and this gave us massive confidence.” It opened up a whole new world. From this point onwards, it was all about free climbing.” SEPP GSCHWENDTNER

In the early 1980s, HANWAG, the mountain boot and hiking shoe manufacturer, was one of the first companies to make sport climbing shoes. Now, one of its iconic styles is enjoying a revival: the ROTPUNKT. The functional mountain & leisure shoe with retro styling is available as a limited edition.

ROTPUNKT – An ode to freedom. Paying homage to the free-thinking climbers and paragliders who shaped an entire era. With HANWAG boots and shoes on their feet, they went way beyond existing standards, to free new routes and explore new ground. Sepp Gschwendtner was one of these pioneers. The Bavarian climber was one of the first redpoint climbers and early paragliders. Simultaneously, as a professional toolmaker, he was also involved in developing HANWAG climbing shoes. A trip back to the early eighties, and the birth of sport climbing.

1980 – BREAKING NEW GROUND

In outdoor stores, the range of mountain boots continues to expand. At the start of the Eighties, HANWAG introduces one of the first specialist rock climbing shoes, in close cooperation with Sepp Gschwendtner, one of pioneers of modern sport climbing. The shoes come just at the right time. A year later, the first ninth grade routes in Germany are climbed, by, among others, Sepp Gschwendtner. In 1985, the first ever international climbing competition was held in Bardonecchia, Val di Susa, Italy and sport climbing finally starts to gain recognition.

SEPP GSCHWENDTNER – PIONEER AND DEVELOPER

Sepp Gschwendtner back in the day, on a climbing route in the 1980s. Photo: Thomas Ballenberger

Sepp Gschwendtner was one of the top German climbers at the start of the 1980s. He made sport climbing history – wearing Hanwag rock shoes. In 1985, he was awarded the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest sports award in Germany, – along with Wolfgang Güllich and Kurt Albert. In 1981, he climbed Münchner Dach in Altmühltal in Frankenjura, Bavaria – Germany’s first ever ninth grade (UIAA) sport climbing route. In 1984, he climbed Zombie in the Quaderwand, also in Altmühltal. This was one of the first 10- (UIAA) routes. Subsequently, he went on to be one of the first ones to repeat the historic route The Face (UIAA 10-) – at the age of 40.

Simultaneously, as a professional toolmaker, he was also involved in developing HANWAG climbing shoes. In the mid 1980s, he wrote one of the first ever books about free clim- bing and went on to become a successful paraglider.

There’s an extensive interview with Sepp Gschwendtner on HANWAG STORIES

REDPOINT CLIMBING – Who invented it?

Kurt Albert, inventor of the redpoint, climbing ‘Magnet’ in Frankenjura. Photo: Thomas Ballenberger

Redpointing started in Frankenjura, Germany. It was invented by the Nuremberg climber Kurt Albert. The outstanding climber started marking routes that could be free climbed with a red dot (Rotpunkt). Redpointing involves rehearsing and then climbing a route in one go free, without falls, without resting on the rope and without the use of ‘artificial aid’ for progression. The demanding technique revolutionized modern sport climbing from the 1970s and 1980s onwards.

Redpointing has since been adopted internationally and is now probably the most popular form of climbing all over the world. A route is generally only considered as properly climbed if it has been redpointed or climbed in an even harder style (onsight or free solo). The ‘redpoint’ became the accepted definition of a ‘first free ascent’ in sport climbing and has influenced the development of climbing grades ever since.

ROTPUNKT – THE SHOE

HANWAG launched its first climbing shoes in the 1980s. Today the iconic design sees a revival. The ROTPUNKT pays homage to the pioneering spirit and bold colours of the period. Rock legends and free climbers, such as Sepp Gschwendtner and Kurt Albert, inspired a whole era. Originally an approach shoe, today it’s a retro-inspired, functional mountain & leisure shoe with high-quality details. Both the HANWAG logo and the construction of the shoe are true to the original 1980s design. The new ROTPUNKT is limited to just 999 pairs – each pair has an embossed serial number. This special edition model comes in a custom retro shoebox with two additional pairs of laces and a number of ROTPUNKT extras.

HANWAG ROTPUNKT LL & ROTPUNKT LADY LL

Limited edition: 999 pairs only, each with an embossed serial number
Retro-inspired shoebox with ROTPUNKT extras
Two additional pairs of laces
HANWAG 1980’s logo
High-quality suede leather upper and leather lining
Ribbed rubber rand

Upper material: Suede
Lining: Leather
Weight lady: per pair 1000g (UK 5)
Weight men: per pair 1220 g (UK 8)
Sizes lady: 3,5 – 9 (UK)
Sizes men: 6,5 – 13 (UK)
RPP 350,- EUR

The photos from the following download area, which are free of charge, may only be used for editorial purposes and with mention of the photographer.