New Vibram sole for watersports and angling
23/04/2009
Sole technology specialist Vibram has launched a series of new products based on IdroGrip, a new rubber compound that the company believes will work well in footwear applications for water sports and angling because it provides a high level of grip on wet and slippery ground.
Developed by Vibram's own research and development team, the new compound has gone through laboratory and field testing. The results suggest that soles made from the compound make wearers feel that they have “sticky shoes” on. The company claims that IdroGrip has a higher friction coefficient on wet rock than any other sole currently on the market. The compound is used for treads with large contact surfaces. It enables users to remain in control in all situations, and the sole wears evenly over time.
The StreamTread sole is one of the new products developed using IdroGrip. The sole has been developed specifically for three Simms angling shoes. Other applications that Vibram envisages include shoes for canyoning, hiking, and easy climbing, in addition to caving and other sports in extreme environments.
Soles made from the new compound could also enable cyclists (BMX Flat, downhill, duel or fourcross) to bind to their bikes, avoiding any energy loss at each turn of the pedals in spite of the dirt, grit and uneven terrain.
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