When making footwear there are many factors that our customer takes into account. The first is design, as everything comes through the eyes and defining a style is essential. Then comes comfort, the footwear will hold weight throughout the day and must perform the arduous task of protecting the foot, plus an uncomfortable footwear could hurt you.
There are many features to consider when creating a shoe, but one that we sometimes forget and is the main pillar is the safety of the sole.
Certain customers, as workers in different areas, require non-slip soles. If you want to know more about this topic, read on!
What is a non-slip sole?
It is a safety footwear that offers greater stability due to its grip qualities, superior to the common soles of everyday footwear, so it helps to stay standing on multiple surfaces such as ceramic, wet floor, ice, steel, etc.
What kind of soles are there?
There are three types of anti-slip outsole on the market and they are defined according to their degree of resistance to more or less slippery surfaces. Depending on the professional, they will need one model or another. It is not as simple as taking the most efficient: we all understand that the needs of a doctor are not the same as those of an industry worker. So, knowing the customer we are going to address and choosing the right product is very important, for this the European Union created 3 official standards.
In order for a shoe to be approved as non-slip footwear, it must pass different tests in a laboratory. It is defined by the standard UNE-EN ISO 13287:2008, which establishes specific materials and indicates the levels according to the type of resistance to sliding, being the following:
SRA: "It is checked on pottery wet with soap and water. Minimum coefficient of 0.32 on a flat surface (plane slide forward) and minimum coefficient of 0.28 in a slightly inclined position (heel slip forward)".
SRB: "Tested on a steel surface with glycerol. Minimum coefficient of 0.18 on a flat surface and minimum coefficient of 0.13 on an inclined surface".
SRC: It is the highest level; it will be obtained if it pass both the SRA and the SRB tests.
What are the benefits of non-slip soles according to the shoe?
The benefits are clear: avoid falls and provide security to the customer in different areas of life, but what does each type of footwear provide?
Shoes. They have the advantage that they can be used in many jobs: cooks, doctors or nurses, waiters, plant workers... Good shoes with anti-slip soles can prevent a fall in countless situations.
The boots. When we refer to non-slip boots, we can do it for a specific working environment, such as safety boots with non-slip soles or for a more playful environment, such as mountain boots. This type of footwear has specific advantages for jobs where the support of the foot is more important.
The non-slip shoes are a shoe mostly used to do sport, either for running, trekking or some other sport that requires a greater support, another common case is that of climbing, which requires a concrete and very technical footwear (Cat’s feet) so as not to slip and have a first-class grip on the walls.
What is AquaGrip?
It is a compound created by Cauchos Andes, specialists in rubbers and design of footwear products, which allows a total adhesion to wet soils. This is achieved due to the latest techniques applied by the brand in handling rubbers, developing a material that, when contacting areas that are wet, does not alter its grip qualities. Therefore, you get a product with an extra grip on wet surfaces. And, if it were not enough, all this technology is complemented with a current design that adapts to the latest studies to avoid the known aquaplaning or, what is the same, an involuntary slip.
Without a doubt, this product from Andes is what the artisans have been waiting for a long time, so, finally, to end any type of fall by stepping on wet areas or directly water.
Its NBR rubber composition provides exact properties that provide excellent grip not only in wet surfaces, but also in contact with the dry surface. However, this technology that they offer us would not be useful without the exceptional design that a professional can apply in the end: it is not only important to have the best materials, but to have the expert hands of a good craftsman.
All in all, AquaGrip is a great product that fits with most craftsmen who create shoes for people who need non-slip footwear for their day-to-day work, so if you are creating footwear and looking for quality soles, contact us and we will give you the advice and the best materials to create your product, we are waiting for you!