The following is an adaptation from
Ramble On: A History of Hiking:
The first major improvement in mountaineering boots came about as a result of a deadly climbing accident in 1935. While descending Punta Rasica, a rugged peak along the Swiss-Italian border, an expedition led by Vitale Bramani was caught in an unexpected blizzard. Unable to descend along the icy rock walls, six members of his party ultimately succumbed to exhaustion, exposure and frostbite. As was the custom at that time, climbers wore heavy, hobnailed boots along the lower slopes of mountains. As they climbed higher, they would exchange their boots for lighter rock climbing shoes, usually made with thin leather and felt-bottom soles that offered little protection against cold temperatures or moisture. Though they worked well in normal weather, the shoes offered virtually no grip in icy conditions.
Convinced that inadequate footwear played the primary role in the deaths of his six companions, Bramani resolved to find a solution to the problem. Two years later he introduced a boot sole with an innovative tread design that he called Carrarmato, which means “tank tread.” The sole was made from vulcanized rubber, and featured heavy lugs that were designed to take the place of hobnails. The rubber lug pattern provided boots with outstanding traction, which allowed them to be used on a variety of surfaces, including uneven forest floors, bare rock, loose scree slopes, and hard-packed snow. Moreover, the rubber soles were highly durable, abrasion-resistant, waterproof, and provided far more insulation against the cold than leather soles. In 1937, with the financial backing of Leopoldo Pirelli, grandson of the founder of Pirelli Tires, Bramani launched his revolutionary new product. Taking the first two letters of his first name, and the first four letters of his last name, Vitale Bramani called his startup enterprise “Vibram.” Almost immediately, the lugged soles caught on with the climbing community, and eventually with hikers in the 1960s and 70s.
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