XTERRA Footwear (part of the offerings from parent company 20 Degrees North) is the brainchild of triathlon runners and high-end footwear designers Ashley Brown and T.J. Gray. They've designed some notable shoes in their day, including Puma cleats exclusively for Johnny Damon when he was with the Bo-Sox, award-winning basketball shoes for Knicks' player Stephon Marbury and even lacrosse sticks that they crafted for Brine, the nation's largest seller of lacrosse and hockey equipment.

After designing a myriad shoes and equipment, Brown and Gray decided to launch their own company to create their own niche in the outdoor recreation market. Since this was something they loved, they poured their heart and soul into the design. Research and development was key, and they spent a lot of time studying and pouring over design ideas before committing to anything.

They began their research for what would become XTERRA shoes by watching footage and studying photos of big cats' paws, discovering that their pads - not claws - wrapped around rocks and uneven terrain to give them better stability. This led them to steer away from the common design of putting hard teeth and large pieces on the bottom of the shoes to conquer stability, which adds weight and can wear the runner out faster. Instead, they fitted the bottom of heir shoes with lightweight, blown-rubber traction pads and grooves to make them work more like paws. The company also used an injection-molded manufacturing process that is generally associated with Crocs (CROX), not high-performance sneakers. This resulted in a trainer that is almost two ounces lighter than competitors'.

Now Brown and Gray had their innovative design, and the key was to get it out into the public eye. This is where XTERRA was finally brought to the surface. In 2007, 20 Degrees inked a deal with Team Unlimited, the Maui firm that runs the XTERRA races, and is selling its shoe under the XTERRA name. The Maui location is also the inspiration for 20 Degrees' name: Hawaii is found at 20 degrees latitude.

So, what's in the future for XTERRA footwear and 20 Degrees? New hiking sandals and slides are in the works, and their dedication to cutting edge innovation and design will keep them at the forefront of this exclusive market. Keep your eye on XTERRA, and your feet in the lightweight comfort of their shoes!