Two suppliers may both describe a sole as durable, yet their test reports may not be comparable. An outsole abrasion test is useful only when you know the method, specimen and reported result.
Use this checklist before approving a sports outsole sample or agreeing on a bulk production specification.
What Does an Outsole Abrasion Test Measure?
Abrasion testing assesses material loss under controlled rubbing conditions. It gives you a way to compare wear performance under a defined method. It does not directly tell you how many months a finished shoe will last.
CTC’s public test description reports outsole abrasion as volume loss in cubic millimetres (mm³), calculated using mass loss and material density. A hardness reading measures a different property.
Reference: CTC’s outsole abrasion test explanation.
Match the Method and Reported Units
Ask for the full test method and edition. ISO 20871:2018 addresses outsole abrasion resistance. SATRA TM174 describes a rotating-drum method for suitable soling materials. A description such as “DIN tested” is not a complete purchasing specification.
Read the official ISO 20871 (2018) scope.
For comparable volume-loss results, a smaller number means less material was lost under those test conditions. Do not compare grams, mm³ and a wear index as if they were the same scale. Ask the laboratory to explain the reported result.
Check What Was Actually Tested
Request the sample ID, sole model, material or compound reference, color and production batch. Confirm whether the specimen came from a finished sole or a separately prepared material sheet. A report for one compound does not automatically describe every catalog model.
For an EVA-and-rubber sole unit, identify which component and area were tested. The rubber ground-contact section and the EVA midsole serve different roles; the report should clearly identify the sampled material.
Compare Like-for-Like Results
Before choosing the “better” result, check that the reports use comparable methods, specimen preparation, conditioning and test conditions. Ask for the complete report rather than a cropped result with the method and sample description removed.
For example, one supplier may provide a material-sheet result while another provides a result from a molded outsole. Treat this as a question to resolve with the laboratory, not proof that either supplier’s finished sole performs better.
Set Acceptance Criteria Before Bulk Production
Agree on the required method, specimen, reporting unit and acceptance limit before testing. Confirm any retesting rules and how the approved sample will be identified. Do not assume that one published number is a universal requirement for every sports shoe.
Abrasion is one part of an evaluation plan. Grip, flexing, bonding and assembled-shoe performance require their own checks for the intended use. A laboratory abrasion result alone is not a certification of the complete shoe.
A Testing Brief You Can Send
Product and use: provide the sole model or drawing, sport, intended surface and destination market.
Sample identity: confirm the component, compound, color, batch and whether samples are molded soles or material sheets.
Test request: state the method and edition, laboratory, reporting unit and any agreed preparation or conditioning requirements.
Acceptance and approval: specify the agreed limit, sample quantity, retesting terms and link to the bulk production specification.
Buyer Questions
Does a harder sole automatically pass an abrasion test? A hardness value cannot replace abrasion test evidence. Keep the properties separate when comparing samples.
Read the EVA midsole hardness and density guide.
Can I predict outdoor wear life from one report? Use it as evidence for the stated laboratory conditions. Review the intended surface and finished-shoe evaluation separately; do not convert one result directly into a promised service life.
Review Your Next Sole Project
Browse existing-mold sports shoe soles.
Send Tread Soles your preferred model, size breakdown, quantity and testing requirements. Sampling options, test availability, charges and timing need to be confirmed for your project.