What’s new from Vibram at Outdoor by ISPO

Vibram, presents for the first time at OutDoor by ISPO the innovative Vibram SoleSystem concept, declined in different combinations that combine tread and midsole in one product. Midsoles made by Vibram provide rebound, comfort, and springback through the insertion of internal plates, and are expertly coupled with the best compounds and technologies the company has produced in recent years to improve grip, traction, lightweight, and durability performance.

As part of this project, four Elite Suns were developed through the collaboration of four outstanding personalities belonging to Team Vibram: Hervé Barmasse (Mountaineering), Gediminas Grinius (Trail Running), Michael Mawn (Snowboarding) and Barbara Zangerl (Approach). The ultimate goal is to combine Vibram’s best technologies into several soles designed to revolutionize performance standards in outdoor sports.

Elite Sole Alpinism developed with Hervé Barmasse

• Midsole: Vibram SLE, a true innovation for mountaineering, a midsole 30% lighter than standard Eva midsoles on the market and designed to offer maximum performance in terms of comfort and rebound. Internal air chambers allow greater thermal insulation in alpine terrain. This midsole features a TPU insert to increase stiffness, precision and roll during physical activity.
• Vibram Durastep: compound specifically designed to meet the needs of mountaineers and lovers of intensive activities related to high-altitude mountaineering. A compound formulated by Vibram to maximize grip and durability characteristics even at low temperatures.
• Vibram Litebase: Vibram’s innovative solution to decrease the weight of the tread (up to 30%), through the reduction of the rubber base (which can be up to 50%), without affecting the arrangement and shape of the studs, thus keeping the performance level of the sole unchanged.
• Vibram Traction Lug: one of the latest design developments researched by Vibram, which allows for a considerable improvement in traction (up to 25%), through the construction of three-dimensional lugs and due to the presence of specific treads and micro-rubber pins along the side strips of the lugs.

Elite Sole Trail Running developed with Gediminas Grinius

• Midsole: coupled of two different density midsoles: the first is Vibram SLE, increased lightness compared to standard Eva (30%) and with increased comfort and cushioning properties. The second is the Vibram HAE midsole, with excellent abrasion resistance properties, placed in the famice area, which makes direct contact with the ground.
• Vibram Megagrip: iconic compound that provides excellent grip even in extreme wet conditions on rocky, uneven and challenging terrain.
• Vibram Litebase: Vibram technology designed with the goal of drastically decreasing sole weight by 25-30% through the reduction of rubber base by up to 50%. Keeping the layout and shape of the plugs unchanged, thus not affecting performance.
• Vibram Traction Lug: a lug design in which three-dimensionality is optimized by specific grooves and small rubber inserts arranged along the side faces to further increase traction on soft terrain.

Elite Sole Snowboard developed with Michael Mawn

• Midsole: Vibram SLE, very lightweight with excellent cushioning and shock-absorbing properties, features effective energy conservation and energy return during rides and jumps.
• Vibram Arctic Grip All Terrain: composed of Vibram XS Trek compound, which is versatile and durable in a variety of conditions, and in which are placed large lugs in Vibram Arctic Grip technology, known for unprecedented grip on wet ice.
• Vibram Litebase: technology developed by Vibram that reduces the weight of the sole by reducing the rubber base by up to 50%, resulting in a decrease in total sole weight between 25-30%. The significant reduction in thicknesses does not compromise nailing and thus the risk of tearing.
• Vibram Traction Lug: Vibram has developed a revolutionary rubber lug design that features small tapered rubber micro-dots arranged along the side strips of the lug and sole, thus providing greater traction properties on soft surfaces.

Elite Sole Approach developed with Barbara Zangerl

• Vibram Megagrip: Vibram’s signature best-in-class compound that increases grip and durability performance when encountering challenging wet and damp dirt surfaces.
• Vibram Traction Lug: Using advanced molding techniques, Vibram has developed an innovative design of rubber lugs, where three-dimensionality is optimized through the presence of small conical rubber micro-tips arranged along the side bands of the lug (increasing lateral surface area by up to 50 percent), which allows for increased traction on soft and uneven terrain by up to 25 percent.
• Vibram Climbing Zone: specific tread design featuring a totally flat front area to overcome rocky passages, combined with more pronounced blocks to impart traction on rough, soft and unstable terrain.