A RED DOT. A DIFFERENT WAY TO CLIMB.
In the 1970s, German climber Kurt Albert began marking routes he had climbed free with a red dot. In the Frankenjura, that small mark became a symbol for an approach that helped change climbing.
The German word is Rotpunkt: redpoint in English. The aim was to climb a route using the holds and footholds of the rock, with equipment serving as protection rather than a way to pull upward or rest. A redpoint ascent means leading the route in one continuous effort without falling or resting on the protection. Practice beforehand is allowed.
Albert did not invent free climbing. He helped give an existing idea a clear symbol and a name that travelled far beyond his local crags. The challenge was no longer just getting to the top; how you climbed mattered too.
WHAT THE IDEA MEANS TO REDPOINT
We take inspiration from that willingness to try another way. Every climber brings their own approach, but we recognise the patience, curiosity and encouragement that go into an attempt.
That shared understanding is at the heart of REDPOINT. Climbing connects us, even when our routes look different. Our name carries a piece of that history into the life we share today.
