Tricouni is the brand name of a metal nail used on mountain climbing shoes. Widely used in the past by mountain climbers and soldiers, it offers improved gripping on various surfaces. The Tricouni nail was invented in 1912 by a jeweler from Geneva, Félix-Valentin Genecand, alias "Tricouni" (1878–1957). [ (search "Tricouni n'est plus" (without quotation marks) on the Journal de Genève, and access to the death notices of 21.01.1957), and also his necrology in the SAC-Jahrbuch: "Félix Genecand, genannt "Tricouni" (1878-1957), Louis Seylaz, p. 158 of the french version, or p. 159 of the german version". In the "brief biography" of the external links the indicated year of birth (1879) is incorrect: the SAC-Jahrbuch gives 1878, and the notice in the Journal de Genève recalls that he recently celebrated his 78th birthday. Genecand was also a well known alpinist (several mountains were named after him: Mount Genecand in Antarctica, Tricouni Peak in Canada). Tricouni nails are also referred to as hobnails, boot nails, cleats and shoe studs.
See also Crampons Cleats
References
External links
Tricouni's brief biography. In Le Messager: Genevois, 16 January 2014, p. 24.