1999
Raidlight was founded by Benoit Laval
Raidlight was founded by Benoit Laval, a textile product designer and a world-class trail runner. The design and manufacturing tools in one hand, the practical and sporting experience in the other, the desire to make his own prototypes was obvious. Raidlight began like many other start-ups, in a garage, 10 products, a small website and 2 trestle tables at races.
Find out more about Benoit
2001
Hiring of the first employee
Meet our current team of about twenty employees based in Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse in the heart of the mountains.
saber+
2007
Olmo Pack
Marco Olmo, a legend of UTMB®, competing over many years, up to 60 years old. With Raidlight he designed a range of ultra-light and practical packs with front bottle holders. Raidlight has always based its development on performance and product innovation.
Our Innovations
2008
Creation of the Open to All Team
Raidlight becomes the first brand to create a real social network around its customers and their common passion, the trail. The Team, open to all, has attracted several thousand members who have participated in the communication and promotion of Raidlight throughout the world.
Join the Team
2008
Collaborative R&D platform
Raidlight has this intuitive DNA of collaborative design since 1999, thanks to listening to runners, direct discussion with end users on the internet, and a strong presence on the trail. In 2008, Raidlight developed its open innovation and design with users by setting up a collaborative R&D platform.
Do you want to give feedback?
Your opinion is important!
Flagship products have been created from Open R&D, such as a pack dedicated to desert races like the Marathon des Sables, a rain cape with a very innovative pack volume control, the front pack system, the R-LIGHT 001 shoe and its CUSTOM SHOES system (resoleable, renewable and interchangeable cushioning, range of customizable accessories). All these came about through active participation in the continuous improvement of all Raidlight products over the last decade.
2010
Raidlight in the French team
Benoit LAVAL is runner up at the French trail championships, wearing Raidlight of course! he joins the French trail running team.

2010
Vertical
Raidlight integrates the Vertical brand into the company. A brand of ski touring and mountaineering clothing, and the MP+ membrane which is now present on all our waterproof products.
saber+ Vertical
2011
Move to the Chartreuse
Creation of the Outdoor Lab, an eco-responsible building located at an altitude of 1000m in the heart of the Chartreuse Massif, grouping together the head office, the factory shop, the R&D workshop open to customers and the first Trail Station in Europe.
Find out more
2011
First Trail Running Resort (Station de Trail) in the Chartreuse
Trail routes marked out around a base station, showers, changing rooms, equipment to be tested free of charge for runners, a website and a geolocation smartphone application complete the system for a perfect trail running experience.
Trail running in the Chartreuse
2014
Launch of the Made In French Alps production workshop
The desire to re-shore and create a local production facility Raidlight created a textile production facility Using modern technologies, such as laser cutting, thermo-bonding and sublimation printing.
Located in Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, this workshop employed a dozen people who manufactured more than 30,000 items per year.

2016
Rossignol Group
Raidlight integrates into Rossignol Group

2019
Colección de Zapatillas
Launch of the new range of trail shoes incorporating Dual+ technology. A dual density system that gives increased shock absorption and support, giving increased comfort and better energy transfer.

2020
Independence
Raidlight and Vertical take back independence, managed by Benoit Laval, in Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse, with about twenty employees.

2022
Responsibility
In 2022, 60% of our products are made using recycled materials. About 10% of our range is manufactured in France.
Our goal: To increase our local production "Made in the French Alps" and 90% of our products to use recycled materials.

What's next?
Raidlight's vision for the future is to continue to develop and create technical, innovative and functional products for trail runners of all levels, while focusing our production towards more sustainability and eco-responsibility. Evolve and redevelop the Made In France range. Taking our own advice from our baseline “Share the trail running experience” we will involve customers in our product development through our Open to All Team and continue to develop and be a part of the community of trail runners. All of this will happen in our “human-sized” flexible and dynamic company located in the heart of the Chartreuse mountains.
Looking forward to meeting you on a trail, do not hesitate to come and visit our headquarters and workshop in Saint-Pierre-de-Chartreuse and take time to run through our beautiful mountains surrounding our home.