Who invented the waffle sole that influenced Nike’s early running shoes?

Bill Bowerman invented the waffle sole that influenced Nike’s early running shoes.

Bowerman was a track coach at the University of Oregon and a co-founder of Blue Ribbon Sports, the company that became Nike. Seeking better traction and a lighter design for runners, he experimented with a waffle iron belonging to his wife, Barbara.

The experiment produced a rubber sole pattern with raised squares that could grip the track while reducing weight. Bowerman’s idea became the basis for the Waffle Trainer and other early Nike running products. The waffle pattern became one of the company’s most important early innovations.

The sole was not invented by Phil Knight, although Knight co-founded the business with Bowerman. Nor should the waffle sole be confused with later Nike cushioning technologies such as Nike Air or React.