Abstract: Described is a shoe, in particular an athletic shoe. The shoe can include a sole and a shoe upper. The shoe upper can include (a.) a lateral portion; (b.) a medial portion; and (c.) intermediate portion between the lateral portion and the medial portion. The intermediate portion can include a cupped portion uncoated by a first coating portion on the lateral portion and a second coating portion on the medial portion. When the shoe upper is separate from the sole at least a majority of the cupped portion may be cupped above surrounding areas of the shoe upper.

Abstract: A roofing shoe traction chassis system has a roofing shoe traction chassis with a toe strap, foot strap and heel strap coupled thereto for securing a shoe to the chassis. The chassis also has a detachable traction sheet configured for attachment to the base of the roofing shoe chassis. The roofing shoe traction chassis can be quickly donned over a pair of shoes allowing a user to wear a more comfortable and better ventilated shoe. The detachable traction sheet can be changed out as the traction layer is worn. An exemplary roofing shoe traction chassis has a strap support that extends up from a support plate and has a toe strap and foot strap aperture to receive and retain the toe and heel straps respectively. The support plate may also have post apertures for receiving and retaining heel strap posts.

Abstract: A heel traction device for attachment to a heel of a shoe or a boot comprises a traction platform formed of a flexible rubber material. The traction platform has a first face for contacting a ground surface and a second face for attachment to the heel of the shoe or boot. The traction platform defines a plurality of openings formed therethrough for receiving a traction element in each of said openings. A support band is connected to the traction platform for securing the traction platform to the shoe or a boot. The support band has a rear portion for attachment to a rear portion of the shoe or the boot and two opposing side portions for attachment to side portions of the shoe or the boot. Each of the side portions define a slot formed therethrough for receiving a strap.

Abstract: A shell for a ski boot of the kind comprising an outer shell made of a substantially rigid material and an inner liner made of a substantially soft material is provided. The shell is provided with a gaiter made of a waterproof material, and the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell and the gaiter extends beyond the upper edge of the shell. Preferably, the base of the shell comprises a removable portion so that a through-opening is obtained in the base of the shell, which through-opening guarantees an easy access to the inner space of the shell for accurate securing of the gaiter to the inner surface of the shell.

Abstract: A heel insert is provided for an article of footwear that includes an upper defining a foot-receiving cavity having an ankle opening. The heel insert includes a base. The heel insert includes a spine extending outward from the base to a tip of the spine such that the spine extends upward along a posterior wall of a heel region of the upper toward the ankle opening when the base is operatively connected to the heel region. The tip of the spine is moveable relative to the base between a first position and a second position along a longitudinal axis of the article of footwear. The heel insert includes a spring operatively connected to the spine such that the spring biases the tip of the spine toward the first position of the tip. The tip of the spine is resiliently deflectable toward the second position against the bias of the spring.

Abstract: A composite cleat includes a first component and a second component. The first component is made of a first material and is formed a first connecting portion extended along a longitudinal axis and a ground contact surface disposed at one end thereof. The second component is made of a second material different from the first material and is formed a second connecting portion fixedly connected with the first connecting portion and a threaded stud disposed at one end thereof.

Abstract: A sole of a sole structure includes an upper wall portion disposed on an upper side, a lower wall portion disposed on a lower side and spaced away from the upper wall portion, and a pair of sidewall portions that extend substantially in a vertical direction between the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion, that have a vertical zigzag shape, that are coupled to the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion, and that extend in a longitudinal direction along the outer peripheries of the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion. The upper wall portion and the lower wall portion and a pair of sidewall portions are resin-made wall members with a predetermined thickness and form an interior space. Each of the sidewall portions has concave parts recessed inwardly and convex parts protruding outwardly and it is compressible in the vertical direction.

Abstract: Footwear for covering a foot of a wearer includes an outsole configured for supporting the foot of the wearer, an upper secured to the outsole and configured for covering the foot of the wearer, an insole located above the outsole within the upper, a midsole located above the outsole and below the insole and first and second laterally adjacent shanks located above the outsole and below the insole. The first shank angles forward and outward from the heel portion to a lateral side of the middle portion and the second shank angles forward and outward from the heel portion to a medial side of the middle portion to form an acute angle therebetween and provide balance and torsional stability for sides of the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A shoe having an interchangeable heel is disclosed. The shoe has a sole, a receiving recess, and a heel. The receiving recess is in a heel area of the shoe below an insole of the sole. The heel has a key on a top side of the heel configured to engage the receiving recess. The key is movable within the receiving recess between a released position and an engaged position. In the engaged position each key first engagement portion is engaged with one of the receiving first engagement portions and each key second engagement portion is engaged with one of the receiving second engagement portions to join the key to the perimeter and the heel to the sole. In the released position each key first engagement portion is aligned with one of the receiving non-engagement recesses and the key is removable from the receiving recess.

Abstract: A footwear includes a shoe sole, a shoe upper member coupled on the shoe sole, and a toe guider device which includes first and second spacers. Bottom ends of the first and second toe spacers are retained by the shoe sole while top ends of the first and second toe spacers are retained by the shoe upper. The first toe spacer is retained for being worn between first and second toes of a wearer. The second toe spacer is retained for being worn between second and third toes of the wearer.

Abstract: An upper for an article of footwear may include a first knit layer, a second knit layer, and a third layer located between the first knit layer and the second knit layer, the third layer including a material with a melting point of 150° C. or less, where the first knit layer and the second knit layer are secured via the material of the third layer. A first zone may be included, where the first knit layer, the second knit layer, and the third layer are coextensive in the first zone. A second zone may be included, where the first knit layer, the second knit layer, and the third layer are coextensive in the second zone. The first zone may have a first stretch resistance and the second zone may have a second stretch resistance, where the first stretch resistance is greater than the second stretch resistance.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for a shoe sole for relieving pressure from a wearer's metatarsal heads. In one aspect, a shoe sole comprises a shoe outer sole comprising a shaft region, a ball region, and a toe region. The shaft region underlies metatarsal shafts of the wearer and comprises a first lower surface, the ball region underlies metatarsal heads of the wearer and comprises a second lower surface, and the toe region underlies phalanges of the wearer and comprises a third lower surface. The second lower surface is raised relative to the first lower surface and the third lower surface.

Abstract: A footwear protector includes an elastic layer, an abrasion-resistant layer coupled with the elastic layer, at least one fastener layer coupled with the elastic layer, and a coupler coupled with at least one of the layers and configured to couple with a portion of footwear.

Abstract: Footwear with a heel portion having a clasp member with resilient arms having locking tabs that engage with locking slots in a receptacle member in a main portion, when the heel portion abuts against the main portion. The locking tabs disengage from the locking slots when simultaneously squeezed together by a tool that extends through locking tab access holes on both sides of the main portion. The locking tab access holes are too small for a child's fingers to enter. The clasp member and receptacle member can be in either the heel portion or the main portion.

Abstract: An article of footwear flat pattern upper having an upper portion and a footbed portion is provided. The upper portion and the footbed portion are integrally continuous, such that the upper portion lateral side converges with the footbed lateral side. The flat pattern includes nested same-sided article of footwear with a reduced surplus portion there between. The articles of footwear includes the following continuous portions: the first medial side with a toe end, the toe end with a lateral side, the lateral side with a heel end, and the heel end with the second medial side. The first medial side and the second medial side are joined to form dimensional article of footwear.

Abstract: A traction cleat assembly for a golf shoe includes a hub and removable cover affixed to the hub body in a fixed position with mated sealing engagement between the hub and removable cover defining a, the hub body including a minor driven fitting comprising one of a female fitting and male fitting defined in the hub bottom surface, and the cover top surface including a minor driving fitting for mating engagement with the minor driven fitting to define mated engagement therebetween.

Abstract: A midsole traction device is described. The midsole traction device comprises a first base portion; a second base portion and a flexible connector portion connecting the first base portion to the second base portion. The first base portion comprises a first traction aid on a first side of the midsole traction device. The second base portion comprising a second traction aid of the first side of the midsole traction device. The second traction aid is different to the first traction aid.

Abstract: A footgear barrier and a foot covering incorporating a footgear barrier. The footgear barrier is sized and shaped to be placed around a user's ankle and over the footgear, such as an athletic shoe, to block the gaps between the user's ankle and the footwear and reduce the amount of debris that may pass through the gaps. The footgear barrier may be incorporated within a foot cover such as a sock, such that the barrier is secured within an upper portion of the sock.

Abstract: A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes a heel region, a forefoot region, and a mid-foot region disposed between the heel region and the forefoot region. The sole structure also includes a fluid-filled chamber including a first barrier layer cooperating with a second barrier layer to define a fluid-filled segment extending along a medial side of the sole structure within the heel region, a second fluid-filled segment extending along a lateral side of the sole structure within the heel region, and a web area disposed between and connecting the first fluid-filled segment and the second fluid-filled segment. The first barrier layer is attached to the second barrier layer within the web area.

Abstract: Footwear used for high performance activities such as running can be adhesively attached to the plantar surface of feet rather than uppers or straps. The upper surface of the protective layer of the footwear can have adhesive regions that secure the foot to the footwear and other regions that are not adhesively coupled to the foot. The adhesive regions can be under the heel, along the lateral side of the foot, under the first through fifth metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints and around the perimeter of the foot above the plantar surface.