Abstract: An outsole for an athletic shoe includes a central traction portion having a plurality of transverse grooves, each groove including forward facing and rearward facing groove walls. Forward facing and rearward facing traction elements are located on the respective groove walls. In a preferred embodiment the traction elements are each tapered along a central axis. In a further embodiment a peripheral region of the sole includes a second plurality of larger traction elements. The larger elements each taper along a central axis sloping outward from the central portion. The central portion is raised with respect to the peripheral region, so that its traction elements may contact the ground despite the greater height of the larger traction elements of the peripheral region.