It's kind of like the old maxim that you can pick two out of three options, but you can't have all three options or at least have them all function well.
We use that all the time at work. You want it done good, fast, or cheap? Pick any 2.
As a materials engineer, I'm used to trade-offs. In steels, strength, ductility, toughness, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, fatigue, high temperature properties, etc, etc. etc. So many come in and want high properties in every test, failing to understand trade offs. We have a name for this alloy. Unobtanium. It's our most commonly requested grade.
For instance, on the fundamental trade-off between strength and ductility in metal, I tell customers to picture a see-saw. You can improve one at the expense of the other. Even in the same exact lot of steel, just by varying the heat treatment. If you want it at higher strength, you're going to lose ductility.
I can't change that. It's physics. And you tell me how you want it optimized. That's our options here and now. But over time, we can and do can make across the board improvements. They don't negate trade-offs, you still have a see-saw. But with a higher fulcrum.
While yes, Vibram is a brand name which has various rubber compounds (and various tread patterns), my general experience with Vibram branded soles is that it's a softer, grippier rubber that wears pretty quick, when compared to other soles. YMMV.
