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Flexing Test Explained: iso 24266 Test Methods for Whole Shoe
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Flexing Test Explained: iso 24266 Test Methods for Whole Shoe

Nov 05, 2026


The whole shoe flexing test is a vital performance indicator that influences the service life of finished footwear. Crack formation, sole separation and upper crease damage will occur when footwear undergoes repeated bending during daily walking activity. After long‑term flexing movement, the shoe structure becomes impaired and visually defective. For these reasons, accurate and reliable flexing testing is critical for footwear quality control and performance verification.

The ISO 24266 whole shoe flexing test serves as a standardized procedure for determining flexing durability of complete footwear. It delivers practical and repeatable test performance.

This article shares flexing tester for whole‑shoe flexing testing complying with ISO 24266.



What Is the Whole‑Shoe Flexing Test ISO 24266 ?



The whole shoe flexing test under ISO 24266 applies to finished footwear including sports shoes, casual footwear, work safety shoes and many other shoe types. The footwear specimen is repeatedly flexed through a specified angle about its normal flexing line by a test machine. After a predetermined time or number of flexes the footwear is subjectively assessed forsigns of damage.

This document specifies two test methods for the determination of the flexing durability of whole shoes. The two methods might not give comparable results.

Method A


A means of firmly clamping any type of footwear at the heel and toe. A number of toe clamps will be necessary to ensure all sizes of footwear can be clamped securely.

A system of flexing the footwear about its flexing line at a rate of (140 ± 10) cycles per minute through a range of flexing angles.

A means of recording either the number of flexes or the duration of the test providing the speed of the machine is constant and known.
5.1.2 Vernier callipers, to an accuracy of better than 0,02 mm.

Method B


The flexing angle can be adjusted between 0° to 55°. The flexing frequency can be adjusted between 100 cycles to 300 cycles per minute.


Sample holder shall be able to fasten the sample firmly to ensure it will not loosen during test. The inclination angle of sample holder is adjustable to make sure test sample can be under normal condition without flex in any directions when the machine is at the minimum flex angle.



Which Machine Is Suitable For ISO 24266 Whole‑Shoe Flexing Test?



GESTER provides two series of whole‑shoe flexing testers for ISO 24266 compliance: Whole Shoes Flexing Tester GT-KA01-2 and Shoes Flexing Tester GT-KA01-3.

GT‑KA01‑2 Whole Shoes Flexing Tester supports ISO 24266 Method A.


This tester features acrylic noise‑reduction safety cover and low‑friction linear‑slide heel fixtures with touch‑screen control interface. It fits sports shoes, casual footwear and safety‑protection shoes.


GT‑KA01‑3 Shoes Flexing Tester complies with ISO 24266 Method B.


Each clamp station is equipped with cooling fans to prevent thermal property shift of footwear materials under continuous high‑speed flex cycles. It is widely adopted for finished‑shoe flex‑durability assessment in footwear‑manufacturing factories and third‑party testing laboratories.


Item

GT-KA01-2 Whole Shoes Flexing Tester

GT-KA01-3 Shoes Flexing Tester

ISO 24266 Method
 Method A
 Method B
Bending Angle
 0~90° adjustable
 0~55° adjustable
Test Speed
 0–50°: 60~230 rpm
50–90°: 60~140 rpm
 230 ±10 rpm adjustable
Station Options

2 stations (GT-KA01-2B)

4 stations (GT-KA01-2A)

2 stations (GT-KA01-3A)

4 stations (GT-KA01-3B)

Power Supply
 1∮AC 220V, 50/60Hz, 3A
 1∮AC 220V, 50/60Hz, 8A


During testing workflow, complete footwear specimen is secured with matched shoe last and heel fixture inside test chamber. The machine executes reciprocating cyclic bending around shoe’s natural forefoot flex‑line under preset angle, speed and cycle count. After finishing predefined flex cycles, operators take specimens out and inspect for sole cracking, delamination or upper crease damage for performance judgment.



Advantages and Limitations of the Whole‑Shoe Flexing Test Method



Analysis of Advantages


As an internationally‑recognized standardized footwear‑testing procedure, ISO 24266 whole‑shoe flexing test possesses multiple merits. It delivers repeatable test observations for direct comparison between different footwear samples. Test‑condition setup workflow is relatively straightforward to implement. The cyclic‑bending mechanism simulates mechanical fatigue generated during real‑life human walking. Hence, test findings carry high practical reference value for footwear product development and incoming‑quality control.

Comparison with Other Evaluation Methods


ISO 24266 whole‑shoe flexing test generates more practically relevant data than sole‑material strip flex tests. Traditional visual assessment can be combined with digital image‑analysis technology for crack‑length measurement. Automated image‑recognition systems improve objectivity for crack‑size measurement, yet automated inspection solutions demand high capital input and well‑trained operating personnel. Organizations can choose suitable evaluation workflows according to their laboratory budget, sample throughput requirement and quality‑control objectives.



Conclusions



As an important standardized footwear‑quality test, ISO 24266 whole‑shoe flexing test offers good quantification capability and real‑use simulation.



FAQ



Q1: What is ISO 24266 whole shoe flexing test used for?


A: ISO 24266 specifies the test method to evaluate the resistance of whole footwear to repeated flexing. It checks for cracking, separation, delamination and other damage on the upper, sole and bonding parts after continuous bending cycles, which is an essential test for footwear durability assessment.

Q2: What is the difference between GT-KA01-2 and GT-KA01-3 whole shoe flexing tester?


A: Both models are whole shoe flexing testers compliant with ISO 24266. GT-KA01-2 is the whole shoes flexing tester, while GT-KA01-3 is the shoes flexing tester with adjusted fixture and configuration, suitable for different shoe types and test setup requirements.

Q3: Does ISO 24266 require a specific flexing angle and cycle speed?


A: Yes. ISO 24266 defines standard flexing angle, bending frequency and test cycles. The test parameters can be adjusted according to the footwear product specification, and the GESTER flexing testers support parameter setting to meet the standard requirements.

Q4: What failure signs do inspectors look for during the ISO 24266 flexing test?


A: Common failure observations include sole cracking, upper crack, adhesive peeling, delamination between layers, broken stitching and other visible structural damage after the preset flexing cycles.

Q5: Do I need to condition shoe samples before starting ISO 24266 flexing test?


A: Yes. Pre-conditioning of test samples under specified temperature and humidity environment is required before testing, to eliminate the influence of ambient moisture and temperature on the flex test result.

If you need further information about ISO 24266 whole‑shoe flex‑test standards or are sourcing whole‑shoe flex‑testing equipment, feel free to contact GESTER.


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