How a Rock Climber’s Dream Became Hungary’s Leading Outdoor Retail Network

El Capitan, the legendary granite monolith in California’s Yosemite National Park, is one of the world’s most iconic and challenging rock-climbing destinations. It is no surprise that in 1987, András Sárközy and his climbing partner, János Singer, were among the first Hungarians to take on this immense rock face. Climbing as a team, securing one another along the way, the two friends reached the summit in four days. This is quite a huge achievement, as Hungarian mountaineers can still be proud of today.

The First Steps: Handmade Technical Clothing

In Hungary in the 1980s, getting hold of mountaineering equipment was not simply difficult. It was almost impossible. Climbers often sewed their own backpacks and sleeping bags, and sometimes hitchhiked for days to bring essential gear home from abroad.

This lack of available equipment inspired András when he was preparing to climb Fitz Roy. He needed durable, waterproof and windproof technical clothing, but could not find anything suitable at an affordable price. That was when the idea came to him: he would make the clothing himself.

A flooring company in Győr, Graboplast, was experimenting with a special fabric that was water-repellent yet breathable, it was exactly the kind of material that András needed. After hitchhiking to Győr, he did not just buy enough fabric for a few garments; he purchased 200 metres of it. The 50 technical clothing sets made from the fabric were quickly snapped up by climbers, proving that there was real market potential in outdoor equipment.

The Founding of Mountex and the First Challenges

In 1990, during the momentum of Hungary’s political and economic transition, András Sárközy founded Mountex. The early years, however, were far from easy. It soon became clear that the rock-climbing community alone was too small a market segment to sustain a long-term business.

Together with his old friend István Hauptman, András began importing climbing equipment, ropes, backpacks and hiking boots from neighbouring Czechoslovakia, these products were still unavailable in Hungary at the time. This new direction brought the company its first successes, and Mountex began to grow rapidly.

At the same time, production continued. In the front room of their adobe house in Törökbálint, András and his team ran a small sewing workshop, making fleece pullovers, hats and chalk bags.

The beginnings were modest: the first shop opened in a ten-square-metre basement on Üllői út in Ferencváros, and was open only twice a week. The space soon proved too small, and in 1992 the first proper Mountex store opened at the beginning of Üllői út. It was one of the first outdoor shops in Hungary.

In 2000, the second store opened on Margit körút in Buda, followed in 2002 by the Váci út store. With its 600-square-metre floor area, it was pioneering within the Hungarian outdoor market at the time. Boulder Club opened in 2002, and in 2006 András Sárközy’s son, Mihály Sárközy, joined Mountex, initially taking responsibility for marketing and the modernisation of the stores. The Budaörs store opened in 2007, followed by the Bécsi út store in 2015 and the Mountex store on Andrássy út in 2022.

A Rock Climber’s Dream That Became a Legacy

András Sárközy, the founder and creative spirit behind Mountex, passed away on 18 April 2020.

András was an exceptional mountaineer, businessman and friend. He felt truly at home in nature. For him, community meant everything. He was full of energy, humour and endless new ideas and always in service of his friends and climbing partners.

The leadership of Mountex was taken over by his son, Mihály Sárközy, who continues to carry forward his father’s spirit and love of nature with dedication and passion.

Mountex Today

To this day, we remain true to our founder’s philosophy. We do not simply offer equipment for hiking and outdoor activities; we also represent a way of life. One that our founder had already embraced instinctively back in the 1980s.

“My father was always two steps ahead of the spirit of the times, and this is the mindset we still try to preserve today. They were doing the very same things we now provide equipment for: hiking, running in the forest and climbing rocks. What they started back then has now become an entire industry.”
— Mihály Sárközy

In recent years, we have placed a strong focus on sustainability. We regularly campaign against overconsumption, we keep our stores closed on Black Friday, and on that day we go hiking together with our colleagues. In 2019, we launched our Túratippek (Hiking tips) application. In 2020, we opened our Repair Corner in the Váci út store, where we repair used, stained, torn or otherwise damaged outdoor clothing and equipment.

Our story embodies a unique attitude, commitment and love of the outdoors. Our legacy lives on in every hiking boot, backpack and outdoor adventure.

The #szabadbanszabadon Movement

The slogan szabadban szabadon (it roughly means: to be free in the great outdoors) was created in 2013 by András Sárközy, the founder of Mountex.

The aim of the movement is to draw attention to the environmental burden caused by overconsumption, and to shift people’s focus away from buying and accumulating unnecessary things towards the importance of spending time outdoors.

As a commercial company, we are aware that our market activity has not only economic, but also social and environmental impacts. Within this, we feel responsibility not only towards our environment, but also a deep commitment to our customers.

We encourage everyone to join our #szabadbanszabadon movement: our customers, partners and nature lovers who care about the future of our planet; older generations who enrich us with their experience; younger generations who inspire us with fresh energy and innovative ideas; organisations working towards shared goals; and families raising the generations of the future.

Together, let us build a more sustainable and liveable future.