A first item of footwear is provided including a midsole; an upper, releasably coupled to the midsole; and a sole releasably coupled to the midsole. A second item of footwear is provided including a sole; an upper, releasably coupled to the sole; and a toe support releasably coupled to the sole. A third item of footwear is provided including: a sole; a first upper portion attached to the sole; and a second upper portion releasably coupled to first upper portion, such that the second upper portion can be coupled to the first upper portion while the shoe is being worn.

A footwear construction including a support cage that wraps an upper to provide an adaptive fit to accommodate a variety of foot shapes and to adapt to changes in foot shape during a gait cycle, while providing exceptional stability and support. The footwear can include an upper, a support cage and a sole assembly. The upper can be joined with the sole assembly and can include an exterior. The sole assembly can define a recess extending across a width of the sole assembly from a medial side to a lateral side. The support cage can be constructed from a semi-rigid but flexible polymeric material, disposed over the exterior of the upper and free floating relative to the exterior of the upper. The support cage can include a sole bridge that extends transverse to a longitudinal axis of the footwear, through the recess defined by the sole assembly.

A variety of devices for protecting a user's foot from injury are disclosed. In one instance, the device is an external metatarsal protection device for a shoe or boot, having a sole with a first surface for supporting a wearer's foot and a second surface for contacting a ground area, an upper affixed to the sole, and an integral toe cap. An interior surface of the upper and the first surface of the sole define a receptacle for receiving the wearer's foot. The external protection device is incorporated along an exterior surface of the upper and is positioned to protect at least a metatarsal region of the wearer's foot. In an instance, the external protection device has injection-molded first and second layers of material, with the cushioning elements formed on a surface of the first layer and a plurality of grooves defined on a surface of the second layer.

A shoe comprises a flexible shell having an internal space and a sole body accommodated in the shell. The shell includes a bottom wall portion and a peripheral wall portion. The bottom wall portion and a portion of the peripheral wall portion adjacent to the bottom wall portion define a lower space which is a space of the internal space in which the sole body is disposed. A portion of the peripheral wall portion located above the portion adjacent to the bottom wall portion forms an upper space of the internal space that is a space in which the wearer's foot is inserted. The bottom wall portion covers a lower surface of the sole body and thus has an external surface configuring a tread of the shoe.

A shoe comprises a flexible shell having an internal space and a sole body accommodated in the shell. The shell includes a bottom wall portion and a peripheral wall portion. The bottom wall portion and a portion of the peripheral wall portion adjacent to the bottom wall portion define a lower space which is a space of the internal space in which the sole body is disposed. A portion of the peripheral wall portion located above the portion adjacent to the bottom wall portion forms an upper space of the internal space that is a space in which the wearer's foot is inserted. The bottom wall portion covers a lower surface of the sole body and thus has an external surface configuring a tread of the shoe.

An article of footwear includes a dynamic support member that provides support to a foot. The support member is external to the article. The support member provides dynamic support by tightening around the foot when a user applies a strong enough force against a base portion of the support member. The support member includes several lateral gaps that facilitate increased flexibility for some portions of the support member.

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

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

An interchangeable shoe. The interchangeable shoe includes a base, where the base includes a footbed, and an upper. The interchangeable shoe also includes an attachment, where the attachment releasably attaches the upper to the base, The attachment includes a groove in the footbed and a rail attached to the upper, where the rail is configured to be inserted into or removed from the groove.

Insole (34) for footwear, the insole (34) comprising an anterior arch support (48); and an anterior reinforcing bridge (54) having a raised section (56) for providing resistance against compression of the anterior arch support (48).