Tread Design

Special Interest Areas footwear & softgoods
1

I was sitting in a meeting and happened to look down at the bottom of my shoe (my legs were crossed). I was looking at the tread, which had obviously had a lot of thought put into it, but it didn’t seem to be anything more than cosmetic thought.

Can you sneaker heads give me some insight into the process of designing the tread of the shoe? Is there any thought? Are there some shoe catagories that require more consideration than others? Are there any standards that need to be maintained?

I see virtually every shoe sketch on this forum dedicated to a side profile, with little to no display of the tread. Why is that?

2

This is an interesting one and when I have a spare 10 minutes i will sit down and answer your questions.

Bespoke

3

a lot of it seems to me to be graphic just as much as lateral and medial views are drawn… of course on performance shoes (ie running) tread direction, flex grooves, etc take an important role in the design or using herringbone patterns to increase grip in wet environments.

but looking at lifestyle, i feel most of it is really just “wow” look at some of the paul smith bottoms. all beautiful, but none functional.

4

it seems that there is a formula or drag/drop for most functional athletic shoes (ex running/basketball). herringbone/flex grooves etc all seem to appear in some form or another in all shoes b/c they are tried and true. also a lot of these outsole patterns can be modified visually and work just as well. (outsole pattern on Jordan XXIs incorporating the XXI lofo, air zoom plus having + carved out of the treads)

i’m sure yo could add some insight.

5

Lots of thought and design DOES go into outsole (tread) design. In some ways it requires even more technical and performance consideration as it can have a huge affect on the overall feel and performance of the shoe.

Of course lifestyle shoes may be more style and less technical…

The reason why I would guess that most drawings you see of shoes here and maybe elsewhere are sideview, is likely just becuase thats what designers often show to communicate an overall design. In an designers full portfolio though, im sure you will see outsole drawings. Check Yo’s site for some good ones.

As for a formula or drag/drop, i wouldnt really say that’s the case, at least for the true performance brands in most categorys. Sure, there are some common things, regarding flex groove placement, lug depth, heel roll, etc, but there is lots of variation if you look closely.

I’ve worked on outsoles in almost every category (running, tennis, basketball, trail, hiking, training, fitness, indoor, soccer, etc.) and have to say that outsole design is not as easy as it looks.

Especially, also to consider is that usually the outsole design (rubber) will be done in conjunction with the midsole (CM EVA) and can be done in a number of different assembly methods (ie. double lasted, dual density, etc.) and other parts (ie. air bag, or cushioning insert, TPU shank, etc.) the whole technical package can get very complicated and detaied.

You also need to consider things like outsole thickness with regards to weight, color dams, abrasion resistance, flex and grip to name a few in any outsole design.

Below are few posts from my blog about the outsole design and development process. Dont have the sketches here and the technical drawings isnt available online anymore, but should give you an idea of the thought process and technical considerations.

http://www.firstpullover.com/2005/08/indoor-71-outsole-development.html

http://www.firstpullover.com/2005/08/indoor-71-outsole-development_18.html

http://www.firstpullover.com/2005/08/indoor-71-outsole-development-revised.html

R

6

It’s worth following SATRA guidelines for tread design - for instance long straight ridges going from toe to heel can act like skis! Circular hollows can collect water and cause the wearer to slip.

Also if you are developing outsoles with studs for team sports you have to be aware that some stud designs can get stuck in the ground and cause injury as the wearer rmoves.

Whenever I’ve developed outsoles for sports I’ve always worked with a biomechanics lab and also had SATRA advise on the compound and also check the design over.

7

dopeness!!! there is so much infomation on your site…it is a good look.

definitely a great resource!

8

Hey, I’d like to bring this thread back and see if I can’t get a little more info…

I’m working on a lifestyle dog boot. My company has created the first dog boot with a Vibram sole (Grip Trex™ Dog Boots | Durable All-Terrain Paw Protection), and we are working on a lower price, lower performance, lifestyle alternative.

The sole pattern (in terms of functionality) is still important in my opinion, as dogs will still need good traction whether walking on city streets, in dog parks, or on their owner’s new hardwood floors.

I’ve noted that herringbone patterns are good for traction and circular divots are bad for wet surfaces, any other considerations worth sharing?

Thanks!

Lindsey

9

Here are the boots! The soles ended up being a sweet topo pattern. Crappy product photos, but you get the idea…

10

These dog boots are jolting my mind! I’ve never seen them before & I don’t quite know what to think or say!

I somehow feel they are a bit insane… but to another part of me, they look like the future!

hmmmn…

11

One outsole design I could never understand was the design of the converse all stars. There is a kind of felt-like texture on the perimeter of the outsole that just completely sucks out any traction the shoe had, seriously walking on tiles is a safety hazard in these shoes!
Photo 35.jpg

12

It was not originally constructed like that. Many Vulcanized shoes have a thin fabric layer on the outsole to get better duty rates.

13

Could you clarify what duty rates are?

14

tariffs, taxes, and fees that counties apply to everything you buy.

http://www.apparelandfootwear.org/reports/textileoutsoleleavebehind0704.pdf

15

It’s funny you should mention that, I was in China working on an outsole drawing for about two days, my boss came over puts his arm on my shoulder and said “I don’t know why you work so hard on those, nobody looks at 'em”

There’s a lot of truth to that though.

I think designers get into it because there’s really a lot you can do with it, it offers a great piece to put design onto/into. The level of definition in rubber (or tpu), colors (gums or clears also), rubber materials methods etc. can really look great. Lets face it, you’re less likely to get a poorly pressed bottom than you are a crap pullover.

As for the felt material, I think it’s got to be at least 51% to qualify as a slipper for the reduced duty.

16

God, I hope somebody appreciates the sole designs, its my favorite part of the shoe!
With cleats, this is essentially the most important part of the shoe.
Sure there is often as much cosmetic appeal as function, but why not go ahead and make it a visual feast while you’re there sweating it anyway.

17

My wife once asked me the same thing “why do you care about the bottom so much, who looks there?”


While it isn’t one of those make or break parts of the buying process, here is why I like it.

  1. As the hard psrt of the shoe, you can have fun with the form
  2. When you leave a wet footprint, sand imprint, or you see the outsole of your shoe up in the air when an NBA athlete is up for a dunk, you want to make something iconic and impactful.
  3. It is one of the most functional parts of the shoe, and there are a lot of smart things you can do to reduce weight, increase traction, increase flexibility and arch support and so on.
18

One if the things that i was surprised to learn is the amount that the tread design does matter, as a student i was focused about 99% on the side views/upper and maybe 0.74% on the sole plate and the last 0.26% on the sock. But its really alot more important than that, if anything its in meetings where people outside of the product team can decide to love or hate a tread design… if it “doesnt matter to the consumer”… it sure matters to them.

But i really enjoy the tread designing process, it gives you alot of freedom in some cases to be creative/artistic and give something unexpected that you couldn’t get away with on an upper.

19

One if the things that i was surprised to learn is the amount that the tread design does matter, as a student i was focused about 99% on the side views/upper and maybe 0.74% on the sole plate and the last 0.26% on the sock. But its really alot more important than that, if anything its in meetings where people outside of the product team can decide to love or hate a tread design… if it “doesnt matter to the consumer”… it sure matters to them.

But i really enjoy the tread designing process, it gives you alot of freedom in some cases to be creative/artistic and give something unexpected that you couldn’t get away with on an upper.

20

I work for a performance outdoor brand. I’d say that I spend the initial design phase concentrating on the upper (this is what sells the shoe more on the shelf) but I spent a lot more time refining the outsole as this is where most of the performance of the shoe comes from. I also spend a lot more time on the outsole because this is where the commitment to the cost is and i want to get it right.

We spend most research on the outsole performance. Optimisation for different ground conditions, different lugs shapes, ground contact area, contact pressure. More surface in higher wear areas etc. Cushioning, flex etc.

I’d say the outsole unit is the no.1 way of controlling the weight of the overall shoe so if you have perfomance targets you need to start from the ground up.