From Ice Climbing To Indoor Cycling Vibram's Offerings Widest To Date

With its widest selection of sporting activities to date, Vibram continues its commitment to a wider, broader audience. The company is developing innovative, high performance product for several outdoor leaders including Hi-Tec, K2, Lake, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Shimano, Sperry, and Timberland.

Sole of Choice for Snowsports and Stars
K2 is introducing the Vibram Super Light sole. The sole is 30% lighter than previous offerings but still maintains superior on- snow performance. The tread pattern has been precisely designed with Vibram for snowboard performance, reducing the rubber coverage while offering superb traction and durability where needed. Other features include: open zones for traction and release of snow, and a harder compound in the toe and heel sections for driving into ice and hardpack in climbs and descents. The sole will be featured in the T1 and T1DB team-designed all terrain boots; the Darko, a freestyle boot with super smooth flex; and the Secret, an all-mountain women’s boot, the boot of choice for Gretchen Bleiler, 2006 Halfpipe silver medialist.

®SCARPA will feature Vibram sole in its Phantom Lite, an ice and mixed cold weather climbing boot and in the Tornado Pro, a free ride ski boot. The Phantom Lite’s GSb crampon-compatible sole is designed for year-round climbing performance in all conditions. The Ride® sole on the Tornado Pro is the world’s first TUV-certified (DIN standard) ski boot sole made of rubber, providing Alpine binding compatibility and secure traction when walking.

The La Sportiva R&D team worked in collaboration with Vibram to design the ultimate outsole for its new Batura, a mountaineering boot suitable for high-elevation alpinism, winter mountaineering and ice climbing. A key feature of the outsole is the Impact Brake System. The Impact Brake Systemâ„¢ outsole decreases impact forces by 20% and increases traction by 20%. The sole is designed with opposing slanted lugs that deform upon impact to decrease shock forces while at the same time increasing traction. The sole works with an integrated antishock air cushion to provide increased cushioning, and the outsole is suitable for crampons and easy to resole.

Cycling Without Barriers
Collaborating with the best in the business, Vibram has a designed a wide range of cycling shoe soles ensuring year-round riding.

Lake will offer two all mountain cycling shoes: the MX 190 and the MX 165 feature Vibram’s Mountain V sole with removable metal and composite Mudstudsâ„¢ in the toe for added traction enhancing off-the-bike mud performance. Also in the line are two adventure, trail and touring shoes, the MX265 and MX101, with removable cleat plate covers suitable for SPD, toe clips, or platform pedals. The stylish Lake I/O Lace-up, Lake I/0-1 and the I/0-3 are indoor/outdoor cycling shoes, road lasted with high revolution toes and heel lifts for high performance indoor and outdoor use.

Shimano will showcase a Vibram sole in the MP90, a multipurpose cycling sneaker ideal for freeriders and downhillers who ride platform pedals. Its Vibram sole is made with an all-new Vibram moldable sticky rubber, “GM100”, providing maximum grip, flexibility, and pedal feel. Shimano’s MT70 is a high performance shoe for off-road cycling. The custom Vibram outsole is lightweight and offers the high traction of rubber where most competitors use slippery TPU soles.

The Need for Speed
Vibram is teaming up with Hi-Tec and Timberland to design the ultimate in fastpacking and trail-running soles. Timberland’s Hyper-Trail line consists of three fastpacking shoes, including an XCR, low leather, and a fabric and leather version. A Vibram sole provides long-lasting durable traction.

Hi-Tec is showcasing six Vibram-soled shoes, all with unique lightweight multi-directional traction, including the Peak II eVent backpacker/fastpacking boot, the Ridge eVent light backpacking boot, V-Lite Sonar light fastpacking shoe, and the Multiterra Ultra WP Mid and Low multisport boot and shoe with a casual feel. Also the V-Lite Lava Run-Trail Jet and the V-Lite Molten Run are both trail running shoes utilizing Vibram’s Super Trek approach/bouldering rubber compound, to provide increased grip on rock.

Get a Grip When Wet
The new Sperry Top-Sider Gold Billfish is a premium boat shoe with a custom designed Vibram outsole. Constructed with TC4, a premiere watersport compound that provides superior grip on wet surfaces, the shoe features razor siping and flex grooves for outstanding traction on and off the water.

Open Collection
New to the Vibram open collection of outsoles is the versatile Vibram®Predator. The Predator is a multisport/approach sole designed to be paired to a cushioning Phylon midsole. Tread design is thin and light, yet aggressive, with sharp-angled thrust and braking lugs in the heel and forefoot.

Vibram® is recognized worldwide as the leader in high performance soles for outdoor, recreational, work and fashion footwear and is relied on by the world’ s greatest climbers and athletes. Vibram® soles have set the standard since Vitale Bramani created mountaineering’s first rubber lugged sole in the late 1930’s. Vibram® soles have gone on to conquer Mt. Everest, K2 and a host of the world’s tallest peaks. Today, the company works with premium brands including Danner, La Sportiva, Lowa, Merrell, Red Wing, Scarpa, The North Face, Timberland, Vasque, Wolverine and many more. For further information, visit www.vibram.com