US Patent 10165827 Outsole with grip reduction extension members

The present invention is directed to an outsole for footwear that reduces grip and enables controlled slippage on a surface during wear. The outsole includes a plurality of low profile tread projections, each tread projection having at least one long, thin, and flexible extension member. An increased width of the extension member where it adjoins the tread projection acts as a pivot point at which the extension member may flex and bend degrees. During wear, the flexible extension members bend over or collapse, becoming sandwiched between the tread projections and a surface. The bent extension members reduce the contact area between the tread projections and a surface, thereby reducing grip and enabling slippage.