SURE-GRIP International, previously known as SURE-GRIP Skate Company,
was founded in 1936 by John L. Wintz. SURE-GRIP was first known for its
rubber inlay wheel it invented for conventional rollerskates in 1937.
The wheels were manufactured from gear fibre with rubber inlays. The
fibre gave the wheels long wear and the rubber inlays gave them grip.
The inlays basically were O-rings. It revolutionized the skating
industry by replacing the often slippery wood wheel. Therefore,
SURE-GRIP became an appropriate name for the company and the wheel as it
truly gave the user a ?sure grip.? The wheels were so successful that
it gave the company its introduction into an industry in which it would
later prove to become an innovative leader.
SURE-GRIP was also a tool and die shop. Having many tools and machines, experiments were part of the daily routine. In 1945, the first SURE-GRIP skate was manufactured. This skate was a far cry from the eighteen (18) conventional models and eleven (11) inline models that are in production today.
Then came a long line of innovations in design and engineering, such as the use of light aluminum alloys. SURE-GRIP became a leader in the Research and Development of new materials and alloys to not only continuously improve its products, but to also bring the public the finest quality products at a reasonable price.
In 1947, SURE-GRIP came out with the "Double Action" skate which improved the handling of its skates dramatically. By introducing the large rubber cushion and rubber pivot insert concept for use in the skates trucks, skaters gained a lot of maneuverability and better turning capability. This rubber cushion system is still used in SURE-GRIP skates today! Also in that same year, SURE-GRIP introduced lightweight aluminum plates, which led to the development of the toe-stop, which not only allows one to stop, but, compete creatively as well.
In the middle to late 1970?s, SURE-GRIP saw a dramatic change in the
skating industry. The country was
turning to leisure time activities and roller skating was becoming a
large part of those activities. This was when SURE-GRIP introduced, for
the first time in the history of skating, an outdoor skate that was
mounted on a running shoe. SURE-GRIP called this skate the ?Jogger.?
The ?Jogger? swept the country from California to New York and was a tremendous success and propelled SURE-GRIP to a new high. In the same year, the SURE-GRIP engineers designed a roller skate with ski bindings, adaptable to any ski boot, hence the skate was called the ?Roller Ski.?
Since then, the company has been known to produce the finest quality and safest rollerskating products in the world.
With the rise of roller hockey in 1992 and the public cry for quality
roller hockey products, SURE-GRIP again came to the forefront and began
manufacturing roller hockey frames or chassis for players use. The
H-400TM hockey frame, created in early 1994, represented a radical
departure from the standard plastic frames that players had. This
chassis set the standard by which all future chassis were to be judged
by. The H-400TM was the very first chassis to be made using a double
voided, 7000 series aluminum extrusion. In addition, the computer
enhanced desgigned frame was the first to have left / right contoured
mounting platforms for
performance and comfort. Each year, SURE-GRIP has continued to improve
upon its hockey frames by using advanced and exotic materials, such as
Carbon Fibre Graphite (as used in the new H-605-CFTM) in their
products and new innovations in design to create the best roller hockey
frames on the market.
SURE-GRIP prides itself on products which are durable and of high
quality which can take the beating from any recreational roller rink,
street, or roller hockey match, or race. All SURE-GRIP skates are made
to have
interchangeable parts so they may be easily replaced and last a very
long time.
Sure-Grip wants everyone to skate safely, creatively, and have fun. That?s why SURE-GRIP has never once changed its philosophy of making a better skate product for its customers. SURE-GRIP has always been a leader and innovator in an industry that has grown up so much in the past 60+ years. Its future, we believe, is unlimited. New items are always on the drawing board for future ideas to make rollerskating the number one sport that we truly believe it is!
