Launched in 1984 by the forest technical clothing brand Francital, it was created when the eldest son wanted to develop a specific clothing range for mountains and hiking. Supported in particular by Patrice Dheu, this collection experienced a breath of fresh air in the early 2000s when they chose the new name, Vertical. Renowned for its innovation and research, the brand quickly gained approval by mountain specialists and Vertical became an entity in its own right.
The 10th August, 2006 symbolizes a turning point in the brand's history. On this day, the mountain world lost a pioneer in mountaineering clothing and Verticals founder; Patrice Dheu died tragically by doing what he loved: mountain sports. The Béal group (n°1 in rock climbing ropes) then took over the company, assuming an interim period of 4 years before Raidlight presented their interest in the Vertical brand, with which it had always been close.When Benoît Laval created Raidlight in 1999, he was supported by Patrice Dheu who then manufactured the first Raidlight clothing, before the outdoor company became more independent.
Having the possibility of acquiring the Vertical company, Raidlight sees a real opportunity to assert itself further in the mountain equipment market, by anticipating the benefits of bringing together the expertise of the two specialists. Since 2010, the two companies have been combining their resources to meet consumer needs more effectively. Today based in Saint Pierre de Chartreuse France, Vertical is a leading brand in mountaineering equipment and the recent acquisition (2016) of Raidlight-Vertical by the Rossignol Group provides more financial guarantees and product resources, whilst maintaining the quality and expertise for which the company has always been renowned.