Outer sole of a climbing shoe

Abstract

Outer sole of a climbing shoe made of a flexible natural or synthetic rubber material having the general appearance of a smooth surface, the outer sole including at least in the zone located in its front portion, grooves produced by etching.

1 . Outer sole of a climbing shoe made of a flexible natural or synthetic rubber material having the general appearance of a smooth surface, comprising: at least in zone located in a front portion, grooves produced by etching. 
     
     
         2 . Sole as in  claim 1 , wherein a depth and a width of the grooves are between 1 and 2 mm. 
     
     
         3 . Sole as in  claim 1 , wherein the grooves are etched by laser. 
     
     
         4 . Sole as in  claim 1 , further comprising a first series of grooves essentially parallel to an inner edge of the sole and essentially extending from a metatarsal support zone located at a base of a big toe to a base of an instep. 
     
     
         5 . Sole as in  claim 4 , wherein most of the grooves of the first series are continuous. 
     
     
         6 . Sole as in  claim 4 , further comprising at least two second series of grooves each extending from the first series of grooves and having a generally transverse orientation to the outer edge of the sole, and essentially being perpendicular to a tangent to the outer edge of the sole at a theoretical point of intersection between the series of grooves in question and the outer edge of the sole. 
     
     
         7 . Sole as in  claim 6 , wherein the grooves of the second series are continuous. 
     
     
         8 . Sole as in  claim 6 , wherein the grooves of the first and second series of grooves are distanced from a peripheral edge of the sole, delimiting a non-grooved zone with this edge. 
     
     
         9 . Sole as in  claim 6 , further comprising short grooves between 3 and 10 mm in length disposed between the grooves of the second series and extending into the zone of the instep.