If you pay attention to what you’re buying, listen to or read advertising, perhaps are into marketing, or are just a granular details nerd, you probably know about Vibram soles.
Based in Italy, Vibram was founded in 1937 and makes soles for shoes. That’s it. They haven’t branched into umpteen other product lines. Unlike some companies that venture into things they shouldn’t need to get into, Vibram has stuck with what works. They’re not like McDonald’s, trying to serve a healthy choice meal (no ice cream, either; the machine’s busted). You don’t go to McDonald’s to have a healthy choice. You don’t look to Vibram for a running shirt or fly fishing waders or biking helmet or $165 soft cooler that holds a 6-pack and two cups of ice.
What you look to Vibram for is a well-designed, tough, consistently top-notch sole on your shoes. If you’re a runner, you’ve worn Vibram soles. If you’re a biker, you may have worn Vibram soles. Ditto if you’re a hiker, hunter, skateboarder, dancer, angler or simply a shoe-wearing person who is upright and mobile. At some point you’ve probably had Vibram soles under your feet.
Last November at The Running Event in Texas, Vibram introduced its Megagrip Elite sole. These currently are found on the Norda 005 trail shoe, designed specifically with and for Norda. I’d link to the 005 shoe but Norda doesn’t have it on its site yet. Norda makes some pretty awesome, lightweight, rugged shoes, though, and uses an exclusive Vibram “Norda formation” sole.
Other shoe brands use Vibram, though, so you’ll notice the brand name when shopping. Here’s a primer from Vibram on some of the soles you’ll see with trail shoes:
Megagrip Elite
Megagrip Elite offers the ultimate grip on wet and dry surfaces, while excelling on steep, rugged terrain. This compound was engineered for elite athletes and the demanding trails they race on. After undergoing hundreds of hours of testing and multiple iterations, the result is a performance rubber compound fine-tuned for race day. Whether it’s a vertical kilometer race or a 100-miler, Megagrip Elite provides runners the confidence needed to compete at the highest level.
As featured on: Norda 005
XS Trek Evo
Vibram XS Trek Evo is the latest evolution of Vibram XS Trek, in terms of balancing multi-surface grip and durability. XS Trek Evo, as an overall technical compound, guarantees quality performance for multisport activities, outdoor, mountain biking, snow sports and water sports. Because it’s non-marking, this versatile compound can be used for indoor and water sports as well.
Used in a wide range of designs, XS Trek Evo provides athletes and adventurers with the freedom to optimize the performance of the sole, no matter the activity, without compromising the needed grip and durability.
As featured on: The North Face Fastpack Ultra Gore-Tex, Topo Ultraventure 4
Litebase
Vibram Litebase is an innovative technology designed by the research and development team with the support of best-in-class athletes. Lightness is fundamental to conserving energy and enhancing performance. Litebase reduces 30% of the overall sole weight through a reduction of the sole thickness by 50%, while maintaining Vibram quality in grip, traction and durability.
As featured on: Altra Mont Blanc Speed, New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trail
Traction Lug
Traction Lug is an innovative, new design concept that focuses on the key element in traction – the shape of the lug. Thanks to athletes’ know-how, and the constant drive by Vibram to enhance grip and traction, Traction Lug revolutionizes your activity outside: increased traction up to 25%*. It adds stability, and improves surface area by 50%. The science proves propulsion and braking power without comparison.
As featured on: Danner N45, Merrell MTL Adapt, Hoka Mafate 5, New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Trail, The North Face Fastpack Ultra Gore-Tex, The North Face Summit Fastpack Gore-Tex
MAIN PHOTO: Vibram Traction Lug is found on the Hoka Mafate 5 trail shoe, new for 2025. (Photo by Hoka)
