This year marks over 25 years since the Red Chili brand came into existence. Like a lot of great ideas the brand came about after a long day of climbing and a few too many glasses of wine. 

Back in 1996 Stefan Glowacz and Uwe Hofstädter were climbing in Yosemite, they were becoming frustrated with the lack of comfortable yet technical shoes available on the market. After a night listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers (Hence the single L in Chili) and a few glasses of wine, they woke up to find a business plan scrawled on a napkin. And so, Red Chili Climbing was born!

1998

Following a short development period, the first models Red Chili Durage, Mescalito, and Zorro hit the shops.

1999

The young brand's climbing shoes are well received and the range of models is extended to include the Red Chili Habanero, Sausalito and Dos Equis.

2000

One of the pioneers of modern climbing, Ben Moon, joins the Red Chili team and fuels the British market.

"My favorite shoes are the Habanero for routes and Dos Equis for bouldering"

2001 

Red Chili founder, Stefan Glowacz completes the Alpine Trilogy (End of Silence, Des Kaisers neue Kleider, and Silbergeier) in the legendary Red Chili Voodo.

2005

The Red Chili Spirit and Tornado are launched. Even today, the Spirit remains one of the most popular climbing shoes for both entry-level and mid-level climbers.

2010

The portfolio grows with the Urban Climber, an abrasion resistant training shoe for climbing and bouldering gyms, and the Matador performance shoe.

2013

The first specific rental shoe is born: the Red Chili Session, the successors of which are still extremely popular choices for the rental sector.

2014

Red Chili launches its first climbing clothing collection under the slogan 'Only climbers know what climbers need'.

2016

Red Chili marks its 20th anniversary with the slogan 'Climbing Company since 1996'.

In the same year the Atomyc and Amp join the range. Along with the Laola, the Red Chili flip-flop.

2017

Red Chili and German hardware and rope brand, EDELRID merge.

The legendary Voltage also injects power into the performance range.

2018

Red Chili & EDELRID are now one. In the first year of the merger of the two German climbing brands, the new models Voltage LV, Fusion, and Charger are launched.

2019

The first Red Chili Urban Tour. The Red Chili team tours climbing gyms, allowing everyone to test shoe models first hand and see what they're made of.

The concept is so successful that the tour is repeated twice a year in the subsequent years.

2021

The brand-new performance shoe, the Mystix joins the range as a shoe specifically designed for modern competition style climbing.

The Puzzle, an ergonomic shoe containing a high proportion of recycled material, also joins the range as our first kid specific performance shoe.

2022

The Sensor, a particularly sensitive performance shoe, is launched.

2023

A new and fresh design: the Red Chili website relaunches with a new look and feel. The Red Chili brand image is refreshed and the company's own online shop opens.

Over the last 25 years Red Chili has excelled in the climbing industry, catering their products towards climbers of all abilities.

They continue to keep their approach fresh and fun, the way the company was made!