In an item of footwear having a sole and an upper, the sole includes at least one upper layer, which is directed towards the upper, and at least one lower layer, which is directed away from the upper. The upper layer and the lower layer are made of materials having different levels of elasticity, density or hardness. The side of the sole which is directed towards the upper forms a bearing surface for the foot, with a heel zone and a ball-of-the-foot zone. The lower layer passes through the upper layer at least in part such that a bearing surface is formed by regions of the lower layer and of the upper layer. This construction makes it possible to combine the different materials' properties in the region of the bearing surface.

An insole and/or outsole for a shoe such as an athletic shoe or cleat that includes a multilayer channeled assembly designed at preventing the transfer of heat from extremely hot ground surfaces, most notably synthetic turf, to the foot. In one embodiment, the insole includes a channeled layer of solid material with a very low thermal conductivity, preferably silicon or cork, as the base material beneath a layer of heat resistant felt preferably made of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers. The channeling in the base layer allows for air pockets to be created within the insole itself that makes the heat resistant felt more resistant to (i.e., more efficient at preventing) the transfer of heat. In another embodiment, the outsole for a shoe such as an athletic shoe or cleat includes a base layer of channeled solid material with low thermal conductivity, preferably silicon, cork, or polystyrene, below a layer of heat resistant felt preferably made of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers. This assembly is encased within a solid plastic mold that extends up to the base of the upper of the shoe or cleat and allows for little or no pressure to be put on the assembly itself. The studs for the cleats are preferably molded out of the plastic encasing itself.

A plate for an article of footwear includes a substrate, a first strand portion attached to the substrate via first stitching, and a second strand portion disposed on the first layer. The first strand portion includes first segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a first layer on the substrate. The second strand portion includes second segments that each extend between two different locations along the substrate to form a second layer on the first layer.

A sole structure and an article of footwear that includes an upper midsole component, a lower midsole component, and a plate. The lower midsole component includes a raised portion that acts as a fulcrum or pivot point. The raised portion may be attached to the plate. The plate may be able to pivot in response to forces on the lateral side and the medial side.

According to the present invention there is provided a training shoe with a rigid sole plate 6 situated on top of and attached to a highly compliant soft sole part 7. It is used as a training and racing tool for a person who aims to increase the resilience of their leg muscles and joints, through running and walking. The shoe is configured to receive the foot of a wearer with the plate having one or more grooves directly underneath the distal part of the calcaneus 20, the navicular bone, the cuboid 21, the cuneiform bones and the metatarsal bones 22 of the wearer. On impact, during such activities as running, the sole plate enhances the function of the wearer's leg muscles and plantar fascia. It supports the arch of the foot and provides both shock absorption and energy return. It assists in training programmed to provide optimal loading. In this way it is instrumental in the prevention of overstrain on the musculoskeletal structures of the legs and lower back of the wearer during standing, walking, running and jumping.

The present invention regards a footwear sole including a first component and a base group constrained to the midsole component and provided with a second component or support component as well as a third component or tread component including a plurality of stud elements.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure. The sole structure includes a plate that has a heel portion, a midfoot portion, a forefoot portion, and an extension portion. The extension portion extends forward of the forefoot portion and forward of a foremost extent of upper. The plate includes a first plate layer establishing an outer surface of the plate and extending in each of the heel portion, the midfoot portion, the forefoot portion, and the extension portion, and a second plate layer interfacing with the first plate layer and extending in the forefoot portion and the extension portion. A bending stiffness of the second plate layer is greater than a bending stiffness of the first plate layer.

Golf shoes having improved constructions are provided. The golf shoes include upper, midsole, and outsole sections. The upper may be made of a soft, breathable leather material. The midsole includes an upper region formed from a first material such as a foamed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA); and a lower region formed from a second material such as a foamed ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), wherein the materials have different hardness levels. A fiber-reinforced composite plate may be disposed in the midsole. The outsole contains different traction members arranged in a precise geometric structure that helps provide improved stability and traction.

A sole structure for an article of footwear having an upper includes an outsole having a ground engaging surface and a midsole member disposed between the outsole and the upper. The midsole member has a pocket extending from a heel region to a forefoot region and a sole plate disposed within the pocket. The sole plate extends from the heel region into the forefoot region. In the heel region, the sole structure is shaped to define an entry region that is configured to increase contact at the ground engaging surface during a heel strike. The entry region defines an angled portion that is angled at an entry angle relative to a flat ground surface. The midsole member is a supercritical foam.

A sole structure includes an outsole having a ground surface as a lower surface; a midsole stacked on a top of the outsole and made of an elastic material; and a supporter provided around a middle of the midsole in a thickness direction, and extending longitudinally to include a heel region corresponding to a heel of a foot. The supporter includes a base provided in a central region of the heel region in a foot width direction, and a corrugated side provided continuously with each side of the base in the foot width direction, and including a ridge with its apex located above the base, and a groove provided continuously with a rear of the ridge with its bottom located below the base at the rear of the heel region.