Thanks, Michael. Using sheet rubber was actually my initial concept. Alas it didn’t hold up during testing. There were too many variables when it came to skiving, cementing, stock fitting, etc., and I quickly destroyed a couple pairs of prototypes climbing up and sliding down ropes. Kept the cut and buff midsole in order to retain the ability to tune the different layers of EVA for maximum stability, but the rubber is a fully molded cupsole.
The up-front cost of tooling is a little scary, but for now I’ve only opened a single sample mold that I’m stoked to say is performing beautifully. Definitely taking the additional tooling cost into account, though, as I finish pricing and goals for the Kickstarter campaign.