Tragedy in the South Tyrolean mountains: inventors of the barefoot shoes die in the event of an accident

Tragedy in the South Tyrolean mountains: inventors of the barefoot shoes die in the event of an accident

In a tragic accident, Robert Fliri, the inventor of the revolutionary barefoot shoes, lost his life in a mountain accident in the South Tyrolean Alps. The 48-year-old outdoor enthusiast fell 300 meters in depth on Wednesday near the northern Schwemser tip from a height of around 3400 meters, which led to his serious injuries. Despite the surrounding alarm of the mountain rescue, all help came too late, and he died at the scene of the accident, as was reported at krone.at

a pioneer of barefoot running

Fliri, who grew up in Naturns in South Tyrol, developed the "Five Fingers" barefoot shoes, which enclose the foot like a glove and ensure maximum freedom of movement. The idea came up during his time at the design academy in Bolzano, and the shoes were launched in 2005 by Vibram. The success was not long in coming: they quickly became bestsellers, and Fliri received great recognition when the New York Times in 2007 chose barefoot shoes to one of the best inventions of the year. During the marathon runs in New York in 2009, they have already been indispensable, such as