Missiongrip: On's Trail and Mountain Outsole Grip
What Missiongrip is
Missiongrip is the trade name On Running uses for the rubber on the bottom of its trail and hiking shoes. The outsole is the layer that meets the ground, and its rubber compound and lug pattern decide how well a shoe grips. Missiongrip is On's own compound, made specifically for off-road use where loose, wet and uneven surfaces demand far more traction than a road.
Why Missiongrip matters
On the trail, grip is a safety feature as much as a performance one. A slip on wet rock or a loose descent can end a run or cause injury. Missiongrip is built to hold its footing across a wide range of surfaces and temperatures, so a runner can trust the shoe whether the ground is dry and dusty in summer or cold and greasy in winter. It is also made to resist wearing down too quickly on hard ground, which is a common weakness of very soft, very grippy rubbers.
How Missiongrip works
Two things give an outsole its grip: the rubber compound and the shape of the lugs, which are the raised studs on the sole. Missiongrip uses a sticky yet resilient compound that stays flexible across temperatures so it keeps contact with the ground. The lug geometry is tuned so that some edges bite when you climb and others bite when you descend, because the forces on the foot point in different directions going up and coming down. On developed and tested the compound in the Swiss Alps, the brand's home mountains.
Benefits
What Missiongrip gives a trail runner
- Reliable traction in wet, dry, warm and cold conditions.
- Lug shapes tuned for both climbing and descending.
- A compound that resists early wear on hard ground.
- Confidence on the loose and uneven surfaces of mountain trails.
Limitations
Missiongrip is a trail and mountain compound, so its aggressive lugs are not ideal on smooth roads or hard pavement, where they can feel knobbly and wear faster. Like all grippy trail rubbers it is a balance between stickiness and durability, and no single compound is perfect on every surface. For road running, On uses different, smoother outsoles.
How Missiongrip compares
| Outsole | Owner | Use | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missiongrip | On | Trail and hiking | All-condition mountain grip |
| Contagrip | Salomon | Trail | Surface-specific variants |
| Vibram | Vibram (supplier) | Trail and outdoor | Widely licensed rubber |
Missiongrip is On's in-house answer to outsole rubbers from specialists like Vibram and to Salomon's Contagrip family. Because On makes it itself, the compound and lugs are designed around On's own trail shoes rather than bought in.
Buying considerations
If you run or hike on trails, especially in changeable mountain weather, a Missiongrip outsole gives you grip you can rely on. For mixed routes that include long stretches of road, a door-to-trail shoe with a less aggressive sole may be more comfortable. Match the outsole to the ground you spend most of your time on.
Common misconceptions
Missiongrip is not a bought-in rubber rebadged by On; it is On's own compound. It also is not a road technology. The deep, biting lugs that make it grip on trails are the same lugs that make it feel awkward and wear quickly on pavement, so it belongs off road.
Related terms
A few connected terms help here. An outsole is the ground-contact layer of a shoe. A lug is one of the raised studs that bite into soft ground. Contagrip and Vibram are rival trail rubbers. CloudTec is On's cushioning technology that sits above a Missiongrip outsole on On trail shoes.
Missiongrip at OD's
At OD's Designer Clothing in St Helens we stock On running shoes alongside a wide range of running footwear from other leading brands. If you want to know which shoes in store use Missiongrip, or you would like help choosing the right shoe for the way you run, message us and we will help. We offer next-day delivery and free click and collect.