Cryptography: the hardest slab in the world?

Cryptography: the hardest slab in the world? follows Italian climber Alessandro Zeni as he takes on an audacious vision: a new, enigmatic 9b slab line at the legendary Saint-Loup crag in Switzerland. Crafted by Karpos, the film traces a route that was imagined and obsessed over for years—where success hinges less on brute strength than on balance, precision, and the nerve to trust nearly invisible footholds. What makes this short film so gripping is how it captures the particular tension of slab climbing: the quiet, high-stakes problem-solving, the incremental progress, and the razor-thin margin between flow and failure. With a clean, focused style and the weight of a historic achievement hanging over every move, it’s a compact hit of inspiration—whether you’re chasing grades or just love watching athletes decode the seemingly impossible.

Karpos · 6:51

Did Alessandro Zeni master the most difficult slab in the world? Find out in the Karpos film, the thrilling story of a new and inscrutable route (9b), imagined, visualized and dreamed of for years. The outstanding athlete, a member of the sports section of the Italian Army and a Karpos ambassador, executed his work of art on the legendary Saint-Loup crag in Switzerland. An achievement that will go down in climbing history. A Film by KARPOS Directed by STEFANO JEANTET Cast ALESSANDRO ZENI DENIS TRENTO In Collaboration with CENTRO SPORTIVO ESERCITO COURMAYEUR © 2020 Karpos