A shielding cup is provided for use with a self-fusing member or collapsible heat-concentrating accessory. The shielding cup is attached to a shoe heel as a temporary fix for a worn heel tip. The cup can be attached to the heel by a self-fusing member that binds to itself. The cup can also be attached by using a heat source and collapsible heat-concentrating accessory to concentrate heat on the heat-shrink version of the shielding cup. The cup can also be press fit on to the heel tip without the use of a self-fusing member or collapsible heat-concentrating accessory. Embodiments of the cup that can be press fit on to the heel tip include a rigid portion adjacent the base of the cup that engages the heel tip and a flexible portion extending away from the base of the cup. The flexible portion can be achieved by tapering the sidewalls of the cup along a longitudinal axis of the cup. Some embodiments of the cup that can be press fit on to the heel tip include a widened base having an outer periphery that is larger than an inner periphery.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

A shoe includes a shoe upper and a sole coupled to the shoe upper and that includes a lower surface comprising a first material. A heel insert is embedded in a heel portion of the sole and includes a second material having a coefficient of friction less than a coefficient of friction of the first material, such as less than half. The heel insert may include projections made of a low-friction material such as nylon or UHMW whereas the sole is made from rubber. The projections may be embedded in a frame that seats within an inverted U-shaped channel defined by the sole.

The present invention comprises ornamental interchangeable defensive comfort devices for high heeled shoes and low heeled shoes. The defensive compact shoe comfort device has also a unique glow in the dark components which can be included but not limiting to in the bow section of the device making it completely different from any defensive shoe device. The defensive compact shoe comfort device has an elastic band which is used to secure the defensive compact shoe comfort device to the high heel. The elastic band is located at the bottom of the compact shoe comfort device. At the center of the compact shoe comfort device is a decorative bow. The compact shoe comfort device also provides a flap which is inserted into the back of the shoe and keeps the compact shoe comfort secured to the high heel shoe and the back of the foot with comfort because of the gel strip that is attached to the flap of the compact shoe comfort.

A shoe includes a shoe upper and a sole coupled to the shoe upper and that includes a lower surface comprising a first material. A heel insert is embedded in a heel portion of the sole and includes a second material having a coefficient of friction less than a coefficient of friction of the first material, such as less than half. The heel insert may include projections made of a low-friction material such as nylon or UHMW whereas the sole is made from rubber. The projections may be embedded in a frame that seats within an inverted U-shaped channel defined by the sole.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure that has a heel portion with a rear, a lateral side, and a medial side. The article of footwear includes a heel extender that has a rear segment disposed at the rear of the heel portion, a lateral arm disposed at the lateral side of the heel portion, and a medial arm disposed at the medial side of the heel portion. The heel extender has a protuberance that establishes a rearmost extent of the article of footwear. The sole structure has a first hardness and the protuberance has a second hardness greater than the first hardness.

A removable footwear device is provided to support a foot and ankle of a user. The device includes a footwear retaining mechanism configured to releasably retain a heel portion of a footwear article, while not retaining an arch portion and a toe portion of the footwear article. The device also includes a support base configured to support the foot and ankle, and to raise the foot to a position for operating a motor vehicle. The footwear retaining mechanism is mounted to the support base.