 Sorbothane isn't exactly new: it's been available in retro fit footbeds for years and Wikipedia notes its use in shoes, so it seems odd that there seems to be some claim of "exclusive use" by Berghaus. Not that that makes it a bad thing, it's just not as exciting as the press release seems to make out!
Pete.
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Grumpy old man mode on.
Very very odd indeed and I'm frankly astonished that the writer of the article was unaware of Sorbothane since the red insoles are very very widely available in both walking and sports shops. I first heard of sorbothane in the early eighties when it was used to dampen vibrations in high-end record decks. I've been using the insoles nows since at least the early nineties and found them really good when walking on hard trails and roads and okay out on the hill.
Oh and I'm running an ultra-quiet pc at the moment where by far the noisiest component was the hard drive - but thats now resting on a couple of strips of sorbothane which has dampened out the vibration almost completely.
So please don't write things like "Sorbothane ... No, we don't know exactly what that is either" - theres no need to assume that your readers are as ignorant as yourself.
Grumpy old man mode off.
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 Sorry - no offence intended. I tend to assume no knowledge at all when writing a gear article, so that it's accessible to everyone, whether they're a hardened gear guru or someone who's putting on a walking boot for the first time. Of course I realise that there are plenty of regular OM users who already know loads about gear - and probably lots more than I do - but I don't take that level of knowledge for granted.
As for the Berghaus claim of exclusive use of sorbothane as an inbuilt shock absorber in their boots, maybe I'll get them to post a reply on that one as it's their claim (and I'll make a nmental ote to put words like 'exclusive' in quotation marks in future)!
I hope some parts of the article were useful anyway, and apologies that it seems to have just been irritating so far ...
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 I suspect that Berghaus is going to be the only brand using Sorbothane as an OE rather than aftermarket feature.
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 Susan,
how does it make the article accessible to everyone by you admitting (presumably as a technical journalist?)that you have no knowledge of a tried and tested, readily available accessory that has been around and in common usage for at least 25 years????
Tiredand weary and Jon are both right in their comments.
I expressed some cynicism earlier in the weeks (along with many others)about Berghaus' claim to be "superbrand".
The claim to have "exclusivity", albeit OEM, on a 25 year old technology is a marketing first and Berghaus' second desperate grasp at PR straws in the same week.
Conventional marketing wisdom dictates "exclusivity" is when the original manufacturer of the new technology licenses that technology as a component to a final phase manufacturer. e.g. It could be Pirelli making tyres with a certain compound and having an agreement with BMW for the tyres to only be avilable on new BMW cars.
Therefore, for Berghaus to claim any kind of exclusivity on Sorbothane, you would basically have to clear every outdoor shop of its Sorbo insoles and turn the clock back 25 years. Probably beyond the reach of even the wild fantasies Berghaus have dreamt up this week ...
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On the one hand it's impossible to be all things to all readers, but, for example, rather than "No, we don't know exactly what that is either, but what we can tell you is that it's all to do with shock absorption", might "the tried and trusted shock absorbing compound that's been available in popular after-market insoles for years" or something like that have been a bit more informative to the less gear-junkified reader?
Perhaps the moral of the story is remember marketing press releases are dreamed up by markleting people, and it's usually worth checking out excitement a bit before pasing it on! ;-)
(I don't know if it was true, but I was once told by a hi-fi salesamn (sorbothane has been used for vibration isolation in the audio industry) that it was originally developed for the military with the idea of having the contents of air-drop supply containers mutilate their contents a bit less than usual on hitting the ground. Even if it isn't true, it's a good yarn, and I'm sure a marketing person can run with it anyway...)
Pete.
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Pete,
I'd heard something similar too about Sorbothane's air drop origins. Also heard that the first things most squaddies do when they get their boots is take out the insoles and fit full length Sorbothanes.
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The exact words of the Berghaus press release are as follows:
"For spring/summer 2008, Berghaus has the exclusive use of Sorbothane in performance outdoor products."
Debate that as you wish - it's a quote direct from Berghaus.
Please don't misquote me though. I didn't say I had no knowledge of Sorbothane products - there are some websites that even have a whole tab for Sorbothane insoles (breakingfree.co.uk for example). I just said that Berghaus are using the stuff as an integral part of their boots next season and that they claim that's a first. By all means correct me if you know of other boots that use it already, rather than it being used in added insoles.
I still don't know exactly what Sorbothane is, in that I couldn't recite its exact chemical formula or process of production, for example, although I could tell you something about what it does. Does that count as not knowing exactly what it is? It depends on your point of view I suppose. It was just a turn of phrase, and if we scrutinised every turn of phrase as minutely as this particular one is now being scrutinised on this forum thread then you wouldn't get many articles going up on OM, I'm afraid.
The question is, does the article give you any useful information about the Berghaus spring/summer 08 range, or does it not? You decide.
I know perfecctly well thanks that press releases need taking with a pinch of salt - hence the fact that I have condensed 14 pages of press mumbo-jumbo down into one article here. It's not exactly the first time I've written up a press release.
As for the exclusivity claim, I've given it to you in Berghaus' own words now, and I've let them know it's being debated here so they can discuss it with you directly if you and they like.
I hope that helps.
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 i don't know of any other manufacturer that uses sorbothane in shoe contruction - so it is exclusive. the material isn't. probably because the stuff isn't cheap. sorbothane pads have been supporting my hi-fi for 20 years.
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 Come on, people; calm down. Susan used a somewhat self-effacing comment in a lighthearted manner (at least that was my reading of it), and you're biting her head off. Give her a break... And for those who want to know all there is to know about Sorbothane...
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well said capt.
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Dear Forum! Here at Berghaus improving performance is everything. We have worked with the leading sports science departments to create a unique application of viscous material only where you need it. Integrated into a "motion control protection plate" which mimics the fatty pad tissue on the foot. These clever materials are the most durable viscous polymers available. Unlike plastic structures , gels and air bags, they don't break! We don't do gimmicks, just great shoes!
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Any chance of explaining that in non-sales hype terms?
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 a unique application of viscous material only where you need it translated: we spread the muck on your roses and not on your doorstep 
Sorry Steve, couldn't resist. Your comments are certainly appreciated here but the forum to which you address yourself is full of cynics and those tired of false-promises from marketing departments... Sorbothane's good stuff, but we'd like to hear what you have done with it and why it will make our outdoor experiences better. John
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Stephen, you're either the YTS lad at Berghaus or an imposter from the competition seeking to (successfully) rubbish the brand by spouting vacuous twoddle. Anyway, great sense of humour, whatever ...
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 "Here at Berghaus improving performance is everything".........no it isn't! I'll accept that performance may be important at Berghaus, but spare us the ad-superlatives. And "We don't do gimmicks, just great shoes!"...er, have you dropped the Ator range before its launch, then. That's the one aimed at the "urban dweller aged from 25-35 who plays hard at the weekend and wants kit that performs well, but also looks good at the same time and is 'ultra brand conscious'." No gimmicks? Please.
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Nah - that just tells you about insoles. It doesn't give the detailed info that the US parent site provides, in particular the FAQ, which gives lots of stuff to the true techno-weenie...
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Point taken Captain Paranoia however just need to point out that Sorbothane Inc is not the parent company of Sorbothane in the UK
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Are you a Sorbothane UK weenie, then?
In which case, tell me all about the link between Sorbothane Inc, and Sorbothane UK. Is one a licensee of the other? I'm assuming that they use a common technology; the Sorbothane visco-elastic polymer? There's certainly no 'useful' information at the UK website.
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