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Cult shoe revival: In the 1980s, Hanwag was one of the first manufacturers to make climbing shoes for the pioneering rock stars of the redpoint era (Rotpunkt). Now, the Bavarian mountain footwear brand is bringing back one of its best-loved models in a retro design. The Hanwag Rotpunkt Low GTX combines high functionality with modern outdoor styling.
Kurt Albert, Heinz Zak, Sepp Gschwendtner – together they were among the early pioneers of sport climbing in the 1980s. Adrenalin-fuelled and dressed in bright, tight clothing, they were free climbing hard routes across the world from Germany’s Altmühltal to Yosemite Valley in California. Sepp Gschwendtner in particular used Hanwag climbing shoes and helped the Bavarian footwear manufacturer with their development. In 2023, Hanwag dedicated a new model to the wild, free spirit of the 1980s – the Rotpunkt LL. The mid-cut full leather shoe was designed as a tribute to the climbing boots of Sepp Gschwendtner & co.
Now the mountain & leisure shoe is available in a low-cut version with a lightweight outsole and waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX membrane. The Hanwag Rotpunkt Low GTX combines outstanding outdoor functionality with retro styling that also works well on the streets of Berlin, Paris or New York.
Thanks to these functional features and its customary perfect Hanwag fit, the Rotpunkt Low GTX is the ideal outdoor shoe for easy hiking everywhere up to lower mountain ranges – but also as an approach shoe for the walk-in to climbing crags.
This is a shoe that lets outdoor enthusiasts show their passion for nature and climbing in everyday use. The Hanwag Rotpunkt Low GTX comes in three striking colourways – for the climbing wall, office or around town. Thanks to its low weight (860 grams, size 8) the functional all-rounder is a lightweight companion for all areas of use. The GORE-TEX membrane and Vibram® sole will have no problems in the urban jungle and take everything from heavy showers to slippery steps and pavements in their stride.
The Rotpunkt shoe takes its name from the redpoint style of climbing invented by Kurt Albert. Redpointing means climbing a route on lead from the ground right to the top wi- thout using ‘artificial aid’ to make progress, i.e. no pulling on bolts, resting on the rope, and no falling. Kurt Albert marked every successful route he climbed according to the redpoint method with a red dot, hence the name.
“It was a pretty wild scene,” says Sepp Gschwendtner in an interview looking back at climbing in the 1970s and 1980s. The passionate climber and paraglider, who’s now 80 years old, talks about the origins of redpointing, the spirit of the era and the some of the conflicts back in the day – including with the traditional mountaineering establishment. Read more in the interview on HANWAG STORIES.