The present invention provides an outsole, comprising, at least one recess located at a ground engaging or outer surface of the outsole and having: (a) a depth of between 10% to 95% of the maximum thickness of the outsole; and (b) an area that covers between 10% to 95% of the entire ground engaging or outer surface of the outsole.

The present invention provides a method of producing the composite comprising: a) melt blending the matrix with the fibers to produce a melted composite, b) injecting the melted composite into a mold and allowing the melted composite to solidify and, c) removing at least a portion of the outermost layer of a composite such that the fibers protrude from the surface of the composite. Also provided is composite produced by the methods of the invention comprising soft and hard fibers embedded in a soft rubber-like matrix, wherein the fibers protrude from the composite's surface. In specific embodiments, the composite comprises carbon fibers and poly(p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fibers in a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix, wherein the fibers protrude from the composite's surface. Slip-resistant product comprising the composite are also provided.

Climbing shoe comprising: a shoe-upper which is shaped to accommodate and substantially cover the entire foot of the user; a sole made of polymeric material, which is fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover at least the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and a shoe-upper elastic tensioning system, which tightens the shoe-upper on the foot of the user; the ogival front part of the shoe-upper being provided with a tip (6) and, respectively, with an outer front side and an inner front side that are arranged on opposite sides of the tip so as to flank the forefoot of the user on both sides; the elastic tensioning system comprising a plantar tensioning band, which is made of elastomeric material, is firmly fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper underneath the sole, and is shaped so as to connect the tip and the outer and inner front sides of the shoe-upper directly to a saddle-shaped patch, separate and distinct from said plantar tensioning band, which is made of soft and flexible material and is placed on the rear part of the shoe-upper, in the area over the calcaneus of the user's foot.

One or more aspects of the present disclosure provide articles of manufacture and components of articles that incorporate an optical element that imparts a structural color to the component or the article. The component comprises a thermoplastic polymeric material, and can include or be made to have a textured surface.

A sole structure for an article of footwear includes a forefoot region disposed adjacent an anterior end, a heel region disposed adjacent a posterior end, and a mid-foot region disposed intermediate the forefoot region and the heel region. The sole structure further includes fluid-filled bladder having a first segment extending along a medial side in the heel region, a second segment extending along a lateral side in the heel region, and a web area disposed between the first segment and the second segment. Additionally, the sole structure includes an outer sole member having an upper portion extending from a first end in the forefoot region to a second end in the heel region. The second end of the outer sole member is received on a first side of the web area. The outer sole member also includes a rib extending downwardly from the upper portion and defining a cavity.

An article of footwear and method of making an article of footwear are disclosed. The article includes an outsole having an outsole member. The outsole member includes a first piece and a second piece. The first piece is spaced from a base by a first vertical distance. The second piece is spaced from the base by a second vertical distance, the first vertical distance being greater than the second vertical distance.

The invention generally relates to removable outsole cushion attachments and shoe covers that are cushioned and disposable. The removable outsole cushion attachments and shoe covers can be used by healthcare professionals and others to achieve comfort and eliminate or at least reduce the fatigue associated with standing for long periods of time.

Described herein is a shock absorbing apparatus configured for use in a sole or insole for footwear. The device is generally provided in a raised structure equipped with air flow holes, a gripped bottom, and a smooth top.

An item of footwear comprises an upper adapted to receive a foot of the wearer and having a front-end portion. An outsole forms a bottom surface of the item of footwear, the outsole being single-piece monolithic and having a concave outsole shell receiving in its outsole concavity at least part of the front-end portion. A midsole being single-piece monolithic may be in direct-attach connection between the upper and the outsole, the midsole having a concave midsole shell between the concave outsole shell and the front-end portion, the concave midsole shell receiving in its midsole concavity at least part of the front-end portion. A shock-absorbing pad may be between the concave shell and the front-end portion of the upper, the shock-absorbing pad being made of a material attenuating an impact force by at least 60% in a flat surface impact test, single drop of a 8.5 kg mass, at 1.0 m/s velocity.

Multi-layered structures and methods for producing them are disclosed.