Vibram Explained

In brief: Vibram is an Italian company that has made high-performance rubber outsoles since 1937, marked by its distinctive yellow octagon logo. Founder Vitale Bramani created the Carrarmato sole after an alpine tragedy exposed inadequate footwear traction. As an independent supplier, Vibram outsoles are used by many leading brands, with compounds such as Megagrip, Litebase and Arctic Grip.

What is Vibram?

Vibram is an Italian company that has manufactured high-performance rubber outsoles since 1937, and its distinctive yellow octagon logo is one of the most recognised marks in footwear, indicating that a shoe is fitted with genuine Vibram rubber. Crucially, Vibram is an independent supplier rather than a shoe brand: it develops outsole compounds and sole units that many different footwear makers then build into their products. That specialist focus has made it the benchmark for technical outsoles across hiking, trail running and mountaineering. The origin story is part of the legend: founder Vitale Bramani developed the original Carrarmato sole, inspired by tyre treads, after an alpine tragedy highlighted how inadequate footwear traction could cost lives. Nearly nine decades on, that founding purpose still defines the company's relentless focus on grip.

How did Vibram begin?

The company's roots lie in mountaineering. After a tragedy in the Alps revealed how dangerously poor traction could be on the footwear of the day, Vitale Bramani set out to build a better sole. The result was the Carrarmato, a lugged rubber outsole inspired by tyre treads, which gave climbers far surer footing on difficult ground. That breakthrough in 1937 launched a company built entirely around the science of grip. Everything Vibram has done since flows from that first problem: how to keep a foot planted securely across the widest possible range of surfaces and conditions. This single-minded heritage is why the brand commands such trust, and why its yellow octagon is treated as a mark of quality by serious outdoor and trail users worldwide.

What are Vibram's key compounds?

Vibram's reputation rests on a deep portfolio of terrain-specific compounds. Megagrip is the flagship for wet and dry grip, offered in a softer formulation around 65 to 70 Shore A or a firmer one around 75 to 80 Shore A to balance grip against durability. Litebase is a construction technology that reduces outsole weight by around 30 percent and thickness by around 50 percent, valuable for fast trail and racing shoes. Arctic Grip is engineered to maintain traction on ice, a notoriously difficult surface, while Traction Lug increases grip by around 25 percent through micro-features in the lug design. This breadth lets shoe designers pick the exact outsole for a given purpose, which is a large part of why so many premium brands turn to Vibram.

Why is Vibram the gold standard?

Vibram is widely considered the gold standard for outsoles, and the reasons come down to experience and range. Nearly 90 years of rubber compound development, combined with the broadest set of terrain-specific formulations in the industry, give it an edge few can match. Its compounds are used by brands including Nike, Salomon, Merrell, Scarpa, La Sportiva, Arc'teryx and New Balance. Megagrip in particular dominates premium trail running outsoles because it delivers consistent grip on wet rock, dry dust and everything between, while balancing grip and durability better than most proprietary alternatives. That combination of heritage, breadth and proven real-world performance is what keeps Vibram at the top, the default choice when a brand wants an outsole it knows will hold up.

Vibram at OD's Designer Clothing

At OD's, Vibram outsole technology appears in selected trail footwear across our range, bringing that gold-standard grip to shoes built for mixed and demanding terrain. Our Salomon range uses the brand's own Contagrip rubber, which delivers comparable performance, and some models also feature Vibram, so we can talk you through the outsole options for the terrain you run or hike. Browse the footwear range online with next-day delivery and free click and collect, or visit our St Helens store, where our team can advise on the right sole for your needs. Whether you favour Vibram or a proven proprietary alternative, choosing the correct outsole is one of the most important steps to confident footing.