We are thrilled to announce the collab between Illusion and Jernej Kruder.
Jernej Kruder’s partnership with Illusion is a natural fit, combining his world-class climbing expertise with the innovative designs of Illusion, a leading companies in climbing industry. Jernej will play a key role in advancing our products and elevating our brand’s presence.
This partnership embodies a shared commitment to innovation, performance, and the spirit of climbing itself.
About Jernej Kruder
Photograph: Moritz Konig
Jernej Kruder embodies the spirit of a true climber. He started as a young boy in Slovenian bouldering gyms to an internationally recognized figure in both competitive climbing and outdoor rock climbing shows an unmatched dedication. Even though he has a laid-back personality and enjoys having fun, his intense and focused demeanor, like that of someone who trains every day, has stayed the same.
Some of his remarkable achievements include:
– 2025 Successfully completed Crown Royle route in Norway
– 2024 Collab between Illusion and Jernej Kruder
– 2024 Successfully completed the 1,000-meter El Corazon route on El Capitan in the USA
– 2023 Winner, Red Bull Dual Ascent, alongside his sister Julia Kruder
– 2023 National Bouldering Champion
– 2020 European Champion
– 2018 Overall Bouldering World Cup Winner
– 2016 Repeat of “Es Pontas” (9a+), deep-water solo
– 2014 2nd Place, Bouldering World Championships
Jernej Kruder’s focus on climbing is truly inspiring. For him, success has never been about winning competitions – though he has certainly won many-, but about constantly improving and pushing his own limits. He is always refining his technique, conquering new challenges, or experimenting with different styles, Jernej’s drive to become a better climber each day is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the craft.
Jernej’s talents extend beyond competitive achievements; he’s also a leading force in outdoor climbing. One of his most recent major accomplishments was completing the 1,000-meter El Corazon route on El Capitan in the USA. This was the first Slovenian free ascent of El Corazon, marking it as the most demanding climb ever attempted by Slovenians on El Capitan, according to the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia.
Jernej completed the route in just four days, with his German climbing partner Dirk Uhlig by his side. Free climbing, which they used for this ascent, means relying entirely on one’s physical strength, skills, and the natural features of the rock, without using additional equipment for progression.
Photograph: Moritz Konig
Photograph: Moritz Konig