Vibram Xs Flash 2 & Evolution Wrap Tech Sole

By Silvia Galliani

This year Vibram will take part in the first edition of OutDoor by ISPO presenting the last born among the new compounds for indoor and outdoor climbing. We are talking about Vibram XS Flash 2.

The new compound offers an excellent balance between grip, performance and durability even at low temperatures, it can be colored and has been designed in order to not leave permanent marks on surfaces during indoor use.
The R&D Vibram team has worked hard to design and develop a new solution capable of optimally balancing performance and durability, both indoors and outdoors. Following the numerous tests in the laboratory and in the field that have been carried out in the last years of study, the results have led to the birth of a versatile compound that maintains a stable behavior on climbing surfaces, even in winter and at very low temperatures, without compromising grip and durability.
The real innovation is represented by the use of a polymer that has allowed to add color to the compound, maintaining grip performance in various conditions and good durability of the rubber, even after significant use.
Another preview by Vibram for OutDoor by ISPO will be the evolution of Vibram Wrap Tech Sole. Presented for the first time at last ISPO edition, the company is now expanding its range of solutions by inserting three new versions of sole, which are going to add to the Vibram Speedstar, designed for urban running.
It is a technology that combines the performance of lightweight and optimized grip in a new construction that wraps around the upper of the shoe. Thanks to its intrinsic design and the unique features of the rubber technology, it goes from 2D to 3D, limiting waste to the maximum and guaranteeing freedom of shoe customization.
The new models presented at OutDoor by ISPO will be the Vibram Pangolin destined for hiking, the Vibram Amanita ideal for trail running and the Vibram Licheni for the approach category. In these three versions specifically designed for the outdoor world, the “enveloping” side of the sole has been revisited and studied for the specific use of these three disciplines, through the insertion of reinforcement and protection points in the areas of greatest stress and wear.
The range of soles with Vibram Wrap Tech technology is made with Vibram Megagrip compound, the best solution in terms of sealing on wet and uneven ground, and Vibram Litebase technology, which reduces the thickness of the rubber of the sole, without affecting the design and structure of the plugs, and therefore without affecting performance. Moreover, the three-dimensional conformation of the sole, which wraps part of the upper, increases the level of lateral protection.
With this new concept, the sole becomes further protagonist of the shoe, both in terms of performance and functionality, and in terms of design component capable of defining an anti-conventional and bold style and able to give to the shoe a unique personality .