Patent ID: 8591784

Claim:
A method for fabricating a variable-thickness climbing shoe rand, comprising: creating a variable-thickness forefoot rand prototype that increases in thickness from a lateral end to a toe end, then decreases in thickness from the toe end to a medial end, and increases in thickness from a lower edge to the toe end, then decreases in thickness from the toe end to an upper toe edge; scanning the variable-thickness rand prototype with a digital scanner, the digital scanner creating data for reproduction of the variable-thickness rand prototype; transmitting the data to a computer numerically controlled mold fabrication device; creating a rand mold with the mold fabrication device; cutting a slab of uncured high-friction rubber to fit within the rand mold; inserting the slab of uncured high-friction rubber into the rand mold; forming a variable-thickness climbing shoe rand by curing the slab with heat and pressure within the rand mold; and removing the variable-thickness climbing shoe rand from the mold.