With the entrance of Michelin®, the technical sole market has seen the emergence of a new leader, who has quickly become protagonist and innovator in the footwear world. Long committed to making a difference, the French company MILLET now officially and proudly presents its latest leading-edge running shoe to the retail sector. The Alpine Rush LTK is a high performance trail running shoe featuring a new MICHELIN branded technical sole developed using a motocross and cyclocross tyres as the starting point. Designed by the two companies for Ultra Trail endurance running over mountain terrain, the Alpine Rush LTK offers excellent traction, support and comfort. It adapts brilliantly to changing terrain and, although exceptionally breathable thanks to its Matryx® fabric upper, is also impressively durable.
The Alpine Rush LTK Matryx makes its official world debut at the OutDoor international trade fair at Friedrichshafen in Germany this coming July 13-16. Recently, the MILLET sales force was treated to a preview of the latest product. Made from Matryx technical fabric and sporting the exclusive MICHELIN sole, it was co-designed by MILLET’s footwear management team in partnership with the MICHELIN Technical Soles design team to deliver tangible results to runners.
“The Alpine Rush is a real turning point for MILLET because it brings the new Matryx technical fabric to high mountain altitudes. This leads to our decision to work with MICHELIN Technical Soles to guarantee innovation in both the upper and the sole to produce a running shoe that is genuinely leading-edge“. Fred Fages MILLET Brand Manager
“This research project involved a whole slew of different factors. Trail running is a hugely complex discipline that spans a large variety of different terrains, often involving muddy or other on-thelimit conditions. But the MICHELIN Mont Blanc sole really does know its job in that regard”. Trond Sonnergren Head of designers at Michelin Technical Soles partner, JVI
Michelin Mont Blanc Developed With and for Millet
The MILLET Alpine Rush was designed and developed specifically for Ultra Trail long-distance running at high mountain altitudes.
The upper is made from , an innovative new technical fabric made of nylon and kevlar with a water-repellent PU treatment, ensuring that it both allows the foot to breathe and keeps out moisture. The dual density EVA semi oversize midsole provides an amazing ride while reducing fatigue and risk of injuries with an excellent comfort on all types of grounds.
The real “engine” is the sole developed specifically with and for MILLET. The designers of MICHELIN Technical Soles have worked in partnership with the MILLET footwear division management team: it offers excellent traction, support and comfort yet adapts effortlessly to changing terrain. The new Michelin-engineered MICHELIN Mont Blanc sole’s name alone is a high-altitude promise, one that delivers the advantages of the MICHELIN Cyclocross Mud 2 tyre, designed specifically for cyclo-cross racing on very variable terrain that often features long muddy or very slippery stretches, with the performance of the motocross-derived MICHELIN M12 XC tyre, which has a tread pattern with extra plies to tackle mixed and hard-packed ground. The result is an extremely reliable sole that guarantees safe, secure traction on all types of surfaces – everything from stony to dusty, to grassy and wet rocky stretches.
Laws Of A-Traction At Work On This Ultra-Trail Shoe
The sole delivers a brilliant combination of functions in one sleek package. To start, multifaceted sculptures on the longitudinal axis boost adaptability to different terrain (1) and siped sculptures on the forefoot make for exceptional adherence (2) while back at the heel, further siped sculptures deliver impeccable braking and adaptability (6). Strong sculptures on the shoulders boost both traction and lateral support (3), while centre bridge between the sculptures reinforces the ground contact area, dissipating impact and protecting the foot from microtrauma (4). This highly specific design combined with the Outdoor Compound guarantees great stability on uneven ground as well as impressive abrasion-resistance thanks in good part to chamfers that cut the risk of sculpture wear and tear (5). Overall the sole delivers a high performance marriage of optimal traction and support.
