the.com/outsole
the only part of your shoe that ever actually meets the world
means The outermost bottom layer of a shoe, the part that directly contacts the ground and bears the wear of walking.
from A transparent compound of "out" (outermost) plus "sole," the underside of the foot or footwear. "Sole" comes through Old French "sole" from Latin "solea," meaning a sandal or the bottom of the foot — itself possibly tied to "solum," the ground or soil, which is fitting for the layer that meets the earth. The "out-" prefix arrived later as shoemakers needed to distinguish the weather-facing outsole from the insole cushioning the foot above it.
- tread depth
- deep lugs grip mud, smooth soles kiss dance floors
- vibram empire
- one Italian sole brand shod Everest and combat boots
- rubber roots
- vulcanization made rubber soles tough by accident in 1839
- silent assassin
- crepe and gum soles muffle footsteps for sneaky walks
- wear map
- its erosion pattern reveals exactly how you walk
vibram sole — italian rubber compound used on mountaineering boots since 1935, now standard on hiking footwear
nike air max sole — visible air cushioning unit in the outsole, launched 1987, revolutionized sneaker design
continental rubber — german tire company's outsole material used by salomon trail running shoes for grip since 1990s