UKC

Evolv eco-Trax Rubber

© Kevin Avery-UKC

EVOLV and the TRAX Rubber Company proudly introduce eco-TRAX.

eco-TRAX rubber: co-molding means regular XT5 at the front but eco-Trax on the back of the sole, heel and rand.  © Kevin Avery-UKC
eco-TRAX rubber: co-molding means regular XT5 at the front but eco-Trax on the back of the sole, heel and rand.
© Kevin Avery-UKC

eco-Trax is a high friction rubber compound containing around around 30% recycled content. EVOLV are the first rockshoe company to use a more environmentally friendly rubber compound on their shoes. The technology comes from decomposing selective pre and post consumer rubber waste and reprocessing it to make a usable compound.

Currently 30% of the eco-TRAX compound used on selected parts of the outsoles is recycled material but we plan to use a higher recycled percent compound on applications that don't require maximum friction.

On rock shoes we use regular XT5 rubber on the front of the sole unit, with eco-TRAX on the back and rand areas. The sole unit is created by co-molding the two rubbers.


For more information Beyond Hope



21 Jul, 2009
I might be being sceptical here but i don’t see the advantage of this eco rubber, if the climbing companies wanted to make a real effort they would have a return and recycle program on offer (or similar). It seems they are just buying cheap recycled rubber for larger profits then making customers think they are buying eco products. I would be interested to see a full breakdown of the environmental impact of a few different rubbers. I’m not sure after the recycling process there would be much difference. Any thoughts?
I'm sure it's a start but I cannot get my head around the context of pre-consumer product waste being eco. I would think natural rubber from the para tree would be eco friendly as preconsumer product. Synthesised rubber from the oil industry less so.
21 Jul, 2009
Pre-consumer waste: Cutting a round lump from a square sheet and then recycling the off-cuts rather than just binning them.
21 Jul, 2009
Would an injection moulding type method be more eco freindly, you would only need the amount of rubber for the shoe with no off-cuts.
22 Jul, 2009
Do Scarpa and Mad Rock not do this already with some soles?

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