You've probably worn Vibram souls a dozen times and had no idea. They're on Merrell boots, Danner boots, and even these La Sportiva's I'm holding. And if you've watched this channel before, you've seen the little yellow logo on almost every boot that I've reviewed. So, where does this thing actually come from? It starts in 1935 in the Italian Alps. A mountaineer named Vitale Bramani is on a climb with nine friends. Six of them die. The equipment of the era, studded leather boots, didn't have the grip needed for the conditions. Bramani survived and he blamed the footwear. So, he got to work. With the backing of Leopoldo Pirelli, yes, the tire guy, Bramani developed the world's first rubber lug soul. He called it Carrarmato, which is Italian for tank tread. He called his new company Vibram, a combination of his first and last name. And by the way, it's pronounced "Vee-bram," not "Vye-bram." So, I've definitely been saying it wrong this whole time. The real proof of concept came in 1954. An Italian team wearing Vibram soles became the first to summit K2, the world's second tallest mountain. After that, the outdoor world took notice. In 1969, the company introduced its yellow octagon logo inspired by an arcade in Milan, and it became the company's symbol of quality. Today, if you get a boot with that logo on it, it's pretty much shorthand for "these soles are built to perform." Today, over a thousand footwear manufacturers use Vibram soles. Keen, Merrell, LaSportiva, Scarpa, the list goes on.. As for the famous Carrarmato sole, they still make it to this day. Not bad for a design from the mid 1930s. That's the short version of a pretty remarkable story. If you want to see Vibram soles in action, I've got reviews of them right here on the channel. Subscribe if you're new, and I'll see you next time. :)