In the mid-1960s, the performance footwear market was limited with no real options specific to training. There were spikes for competitions, but nothing for warm-up, cool-down, or everyday exercise. Recognizing this need, Karhu developed the Trampas to meet the demands of track and field athletes looking for a comfortable shoe to wear outside of competition. The Trampas was the first of its kind and set the standard for future training shoes.