Abstract: Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same. Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes at least an outsole and a heel assembly. The heel assembly includes a heel dampening system, an upper heel layer that includes a cushion aperture, and a lower heel layer. The heel dampening system includes a heel dampening layer configured to at least partially absorb an impact force and a cushioning projection that extends from the heel dampening layer and at least partially through the cushion aperture in the upper heel layer.

Abstract: Heel dampening systems and footwear including the same. Articles of footwear include an upper and a sole assembly. The sole assembly includes at least an outsole and a heel assembly. The heel assembly includes a heel dampening system, an upper heel layer that includes a cushion aperture, and a lower heel layer. The heel dampening system includes a heel dampening layer configured to at least partially absorb an impact force and a cushioning projection that extends from the heel dampening layer and at least partially through the cushion aperture in the upper heel layer.

Abstract: Support plates, and footwear soles and articles of footwear containing the same. The support plate generally may provide one or more of heel cushioning, arch support in a midfoot region of the support plate, and integral medial and lateral legs extending from the midfoot region of the support plate towards an anterior end of the support plate. An article of footwear may include a support plate at least partially embedded within a sole assembly, such as a midsole thereof. The support plate may be configured to provide energy return and arch support to a wearer of the article of footwear. The support plate may include a domed structure with radially extending arms extending from a central heel portion, where the domed structure provides heel cushioning to the wearer when a force is transmitted through the midsole to the domed structure.

Abstract: A footwear sole includes a shank with a honeycomb reinforcement structure, heel aperture and rib receptacle in the bottom side of a front region of the shank. A fabric sheath surrounds the shank. Polymers are formed in the rib receptacle, in the heel aperture and on the top side of the shank. A foot bed insert is used with the shank. The foot bed insert includes a fabric upper layer, a foam forefoot component, a foam matrix connected to the foam forefoot component, a heel cradle and a heel strike region.

Abstract: Footwear includes a shaft and a shell connected to the shaft. The shaft includes an expandable portion adapted to expand to facilitate ease of entry and exit of a heel of a foot into and out of the shell. The expandable portion is surrounded by a material forming the shaft.

Abstract: Boots with external heel counters are disclosed herein. An external heel counter can include a heel counter body that is configured to form at least a portion of an external surface of a boot, where the heel counter body is configured to extend around a heel portion of the boot between an outsole of the boot and an upper of the boot. An external heel counter can further include a spur rest configured to support a yoke of a spur. Boots having an outsole and an upper, where the upper is configured to receive a wearer's foot, can receive and couple with an external heel counter according, wherein the external heel counter is configured to support the wearer's heel when the wearer wears the boot.

Abstract: Footwear includes a shaft and a shell connected to the shaft. The shaft includes an expandable portion adapted to expand to facilitate ease of entry and exit of a heel of a foot into and out of the shell. The expandable portion is surrounded by a material forming the shaft.

Abstract: Boots having an appearance indicative of a particular style or construction can be constructed with portions of the boot that have an appearance and characteristics directed toward functionality other than appearance or style. Portions of a boot that are not generally visible when worn, for example, with pants or coveralls, include the shaft or chimney of the upper portion of the boot. The shaft of such boots can be constructed of materials that are generally waterproof or fluid-resistant, making the boot easier to clean and mitigating against dirt, mud, or other soiling factors from adhering to such portions of the boot. In combination with a generally visible portion of the boot, such as the vamp and toe box, having an indicative appearance, such boots allow for a wearer to both present footwear having a particular style and fluid-resistant or waterproof characteristics.

Abstract: Boots with spur stability systems are disclosed herein. A spur stability system can be configured to couple with a boot having an upper and an outsole, where the spur stability system includes at least one strap stability structure that is configured to resist motion of a spur strap relative to the boot when a spur is operatively attached to the boot with the spur strap. The spur stability system can have an upper strap coupled to the spur, in contact with at least one stability structure on the external surface of the upper. The spur stability system can additionally have a lower strap coupled to the spur, in contact with at least one stability structure on the external surface of the outsole.

Abstract: Boots with external heel counters are disclosed herein. An external heel counter can include a heel counter body that is configured to form at least a portion of an external surface of a boot, where the heel counter body is configured to extend around a heel portion of the boot between an outsole of the boot and an upper of the boot. An external heel counter can further include a spur rest configured to support a yoke of a spur. Boots having an outsole and an upper, where the upper is configured to receive a wearer's foot, can receive and couple with an external heel counter according, wherein the external heel counter is configured to support the wearer's heel when the wearer wears the boot.