Abstract: A shoe last and method for forming a shoe which is particularly constructed to be worn with and matingly interface with a wearer's custom-shaped sock. The shoe last includes a body having a backpart and a forepart connected to the backpart and extending forwardly therefrom. The last has a last bottom portion for abuttingly contacting and interfacing with a sole of a shoe. The last bottom portion has a bottom shape corresponding to the bottom shape of a custom-shaped sock when positioned on the foot of a wearer. The sole of a shoe formed from the last has a custom-contoured shape corresponding to and substantially mating with an overlying custom-shaped sock when positioned therein.

Abstract: A shoe last and method for forming a shoe which is particularly constructed to be worn with and matingly interface with a wearer's custom-shaped sock. The shoe last includes a body having a backpart and a forepart connected to the backpart and extending forwardly therefrom. The last has a last bottom portion for abuttingly contacting and interfacing with a sole of a shoe. The last bottom portion has a bottom shape corresponding to the bottom shape of a custom-shaped sock when positioned on the foot of a wearer. The sole of a shoe formed from the last has a custom-contoured shape corresponding to and substantially mating with an overlying custom-shaped sock when positioned therein.

Abstract: A footwear system for providing enhanced protection and comfort to the foot of a wearer by reducing impact and shearing forces normally received by the foot. The footwear system has a knit sock and a shoe. The knit sock overlies and contacts the shoe and includes a ball portion, a heel portion, and an arch portion disposed between the ball and heel portions. Each of the ball and heel portions is formed of thicker knit fabric than the arch portion thereby providing a greater amount of protection and cushioning to the ball and heel of the foot of the wearer than to the arch portion. The shoe includes a sole having a ball portion, a heel portion, and a raised arch portion for contacting and interfacing with the respective overlying portions of the sock.

Abstract: A footwear system for providing enhanced protection and comfort to the foot of a wearer by reducing impact and shearing forces normally received by the foot. The footwear system has a knit sock and a shoe. The knit sock overlies and contacts the shoe and includes a ball portion, a heel portion, and an arch portion disposed between the ball and heel portions. Each of the ball and heel portions is formed of thicker knit fabric than the arch portion thereby providing a greater amount of protection and cushioning to the ball and heel of the foot of the wearer than to the arch portion. The shoe includes a sole having a ball portion, a heel portion, and a raised arch portion for contacting and interfacing with the respective overlying portions of the sock.

Abstract: The anatomical isotonic sock and method for knitting the sock provide enhanced protection and cushioning comfort to the foot of the wearer and is form-fitting and remains so after prolonged periods of use and numerous launderings. The sock has a knit foot and includes a relatively thick density of terry loops formed of at least three terry yarns in the ball and heel portions of the foot for supplementing and protecting the fatty pads so as to provide a therapeutic and preventative benefit to the foot of the wearer. A relatively thin density of terry loops formed of at least one terry yarn is knit in an arch portion and an instep portion of the foot and an intermediate density of terry loops formed of two terry yarns is knit in a toe portion.

Abstract: A cushioning pad of heavy fabric thickness (P-2), including double terry loops (T-1 and T-2), is formed in the high pad area (12) at the medial portion of the rear of the leg (L) to provide cushioning characteristics in this area to protect the rear of the lower leg of the wearer from chafing by the upper edge of a snowboarding boot. A pad of maximum fabric thickness (P-3), including triple terry loops (T-1, T-2 and T-3) is provided in the high splice area (13) above the heel (14) and defines a locking pad to force the wearer's foot forwardly into the boot when the foot is inserted into the boot to provide a firm fit of the foot of the wearer in the boot. Pads of heavy fabric thickness (P-2) are provided in the ball (18) and toe (15) to cushion the toes of the wearer and to absorb shocks in the ball area when landing after completing flip-over operations or maneuvers.