Vibram lugged rubber sole
Suela de goma con tacos Vibram
- Date
- 1937 · confidence high
- Place
- Milan, Lombardy, Italy
- Credited to
- Vitale Bramani
- Field
- Tools
What it is
A vulcanised rubber sole with deep lugs that grips rock, snow and mud, created by the mountaineer Vitale Bramani as an alternative to nailed leather soles. It revolutionised mountain footwear.
Bramani conceived the sole after an Alpine tragedy in 1935 (six companions died, in part because of nailed footwear) and founded Vibram in 1937 with Pirelli. The link to the tragedy is company tradition.
What it led to
- mountain and work boots with reliable grip
- mass-market hiking and trail-running footwear
- worldwide spread of the Vibram brand