Pirelli Products for the Mountains: A Daring Ascent to Success Since the 1930s
A giant advertising image was plastered across all Milan: a man, seen from below, walking on a sheet of glass. With the soles and heels of his shoes seen up close: made by Pirelli. The picture was the work of Ermanno Scopinich, for an advertising campaign that made the history of visual communication. A history of research, at the cutting edge of innovation, that began in the 1930s when Pirelli started opening up new horizons also in the world of footwear, developing new technologies for life outdoors. The product was the “Alpine sole”, which later replaced studded boots. The concept came from a climb to the summit of Punta Rasica in Val Bregaglia in 1935. Nineteen climbers attempted the ascent. One of them was Vitale Bramani, a scholar with CAI at the time, winner of a gold medal for valour for his contribution to opening up passages through the Alps and the personal guide of King Albert I of Belgium during his climbs in the Dolomites. The group was caught off-guard by a sudden blizzard while climbing, and they lacked adequate protection against the cold: with just hemp-cord shoes on their feet, frostbite got the better of six of them. Two different types of boots were used in the early days of mountaineering: one type (spiked boots) took them safely to the rock wall and a lighter (hemp-cord) shoe was used for the climb itself, but these proved to be totally inadequate on several extreme occasions, putting the lives of the explorers at risk. Bramani immediately realised how unsuitable such equipment was and, determined to avoid other similar tragedies in future, he set out to find a way to improve the safety of mountaineers by creating a single boot that could be used in both situations and that, above all, would not slip. Ever. Whether at the top of Everest, or in mud or on wet ice.
The breakthrough came as the result of a chance encounter: Bramani met Franco Brambilla, the future managing director of Pirelli and Leopoldo Pirelli’s brother-in-law. That’s when the light-bulb moment came: why not give the soles the grip typically found on tyres? Together they studied a new vulcanised rubber compound and a technical design based on Pirelli’s tread patterns. With clearly marked symmetrical, cross-shaped blocks, the prototypes perfectly forced out snow and debris, offering greater grip and compactness at every stage of the excursion, from the approach to the wall to the climb itself.
The year was 1937 and a new type of technical sole emerged from the Pirelli laboratory. The Vibram sole was patented and became known as the carroarmato or “tank” tread. It was an overnight success but it really hit the headlines in 1954 with the famous Himalayan expedition by Achille Compagnoni, Lino Lacedelli, Walter Bonatti and Amir Mahdi. The team reached the summit of the K2 wearing Dolomite boots with Vibram soles. It was an all-round success: a competitive milestone and a debut for the Alpine sole but also the beginning of a new era – safer and more innovative – in the history of mountaineering. Resistant to abrasion and traction, and with excellent grip, they proved perfect for military use: “In those days, I remember, I made a supply for the Aosta battalion. Now all NATO members have my soles”, said the founder of Vibram, who also supplied them to the Royal Italian Army during the Second World War, to the Monte Cervino Alpine Skiers and, still today, to the US Marines. Inspired by the innovations of Pirelli products, the highly versatile Vibram sole has conquered markets all over the world, one step at a time, ever since. And not just in the world of sport: from customisation for specific outdoor activities to motorcycling, to city life and high fashion, the golden yellow octagon also appears on brands such as Ferragamo, Pollini, The Northface and many others. Just as Pirelli tyres leave their characteristic mark, depending on the model, so each sole is associated with its own tread (Accademica, Alpina and Aprica for the mountains; Belpasso, Viavai, and Lungarno for strolling; Ripple for “an elastic step”; Levanto for those who go for good looks).
It’s a never-ending story. A success of innovation and creativity that is always on the move, like the companies that made it come true.
A giant advertising image was plastered across all Milan: a man, seen from below, walking on a sheet of glass. With the soles and heels of his shoes seen up close: made by Pirelli. The picture was the work of Ermanno Scopinich, for an advertising campaign that made the history of visual communication. A history of research, at the cutting edge of innovation, that began in the 1930s when Pirelli started opening up new horizons also in the world of footwear, developing new technologies for life outdoors. The product was the “Alpine sole”, which later replaced studded boots. The concept came from a climb to the summit of Punta Rasica in Val Bregaglia in 1935. Nineteen climbers attempted the ascent. One of them was Vitale Bramani, a scholar with CAI at the time, winner of a gold medal for valour for his contribution to opening up passages through the Alps and the personal guide of King Albert I of Belgium during his climbs in the Dolomites. The group was caught off-guard by a sudden blizzard while climbing, and they lacked adequate protection against the cold: with just hemp-cord shoes on their feet, frostbite got the better of six of them. Two different types of boots were used in the early days of mountaineering: one type (spiked boots) took them safely to the rock wall and a lighter (hemp-cord) shoe was used for the climb itself, but these proved to be totally inadequate on several extreme occasions, putting the lives of the explorers at risk. Bramani immediately realised how unsuitable such equipment was and, determined to avoid other similar tragedies in future, he set out to find a way to improve the safety of mountaineers by creating a single boot that could be used in both situations and that, above all, would not slip. Ever. Whether at the top of Everest, or in mud or on wet ice.
The breakthrough came as the result of a chance encounter: Bramani met Franco Brambilla, the future managing director of Pirelli and Leopoldo Pirelli’s brother-in-law. That’s when the light-bulb moment came: why not give the soles the grip typically found on tyres? Together they studied a new vulcanised rubber compound and a technical design based on Pirelli’s tread patterns. With clearly marked symmetrical, cross-shaped blocks, the prototypes perfectly forced out snow and debris, offering greater grip and compactness at every stage of the excursion, from the approach to the wall to the climb itself.
The year was 1937 and a new type of technical sole emerged from the Pirelli laboratory. The Vibram sole was patented and became known as the carroarmato or “tank” tread. It was an overnight success but it really hit the headlines in 1954 with the famous Himalayan expedition by Achille Compagnoni, Lino Lacedelli, Walter Bonatti and Amir Mahdi. The team reached the summit of the K2 wearing Dolomite boots with Vibram soles. It was an all-round success: a competitive milestone and a debut for the Alpine sole but also the beginning of a new era – safer and more innovative – in the history of mountaineering. Resistant to abrasion and traction, and with excellent grip, they proved perfect for military use: “In those days, I remember, I made a supply for the Aosta battalion. Now all NATO members have my soles”, said the founder of Vibram, who also supplied them to the Royal Italian Army during the Second World War, to the Monte Cervino Alpine Skiers and, still today, to the US Marines. Inspired by the innovations of Pirelli products, the highly versatile Vibram sole has conquered markets all over the world, one step at a time, ever since. And not just in the world of sport: from customisation for specific outdoor activities to motorcycling, to city life and high fashion, the golden yellow octagon also appears on brands such as Ferragamo, Pollini, The Northface and many others. Just as Pirelli tyres leave their characteristic mark, depending on the model, so each sole is associated with its own tread (Accademica, Alpina and Aprica for the mountains; Belpasso, Viavai, and Lungarno for strolling; Ripple for “an elastic step”; Levanto for those who go for good looks).
It’s a never-ending story. A success of innovation and creativity that is always on the move, like the companies that made it come true.