The Science of Grip
In 1920, John F. Sipe worked on a slaughterhouse floor in New York City’s meatpacking district. He spent his days shovelling guts into machinery, wearing work boots with thick rubber soles that slipped constantly on the slick floor. After falling one too many times, John decided to experiment.
He discovered that carving perpendicular notches into the tread of his work boots drastically improved his traction, and drastically reduced his falls.
That simple experiment led to a breakthrough that would later transform tire design.
And thus, the “sipe” was born.
At least, that’s how the story goes.