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.

Footwear is provided including a protective toe element in the form of a rigid protective toe guard nested in a recess defined by a sole component so that the toe guard is of a low profile and has an at least partially closed bottom which cleanly transitions to an upper surface of the sole component. The footwear and its components provide impact and crushing force resistance, yet the footwear is low profiled and flexible enough to provide enhanced mobility and comfort to a wearer.

A one-piece, triangular shoe insert for use in pointed-toe shoes where the toe box extends beyond the tips of the toes. The insert is small enough to fit into a toe box of a pointed toe shoe and not cram the toes. The insert is large enough so that the insert remains in place within a pointed toe box due to friction. The insert is made of a dense but resilient material, so that it also remains in place within a toe box due to expansion of the material against the surface of the interior, curved underside of the toe box. The insert may remain in a shoe for the life of a shoe, or it may be removed by wedging one's index finger or a blunt object such as a flat-edge screwdriver underneath the insert and pulling it out. Upon removal from a shoe, the resilient material from which the one-piece insert is made springs back to its original shape, and the one-piece insert may be reused.

An apparatus for making an article of footwear is provided. The apparatus may include a last shaped to resemble a human foot and being formed at least in part from a susceptor material that is thermally reactive to an electromagnetic field. The apparatus may also include an induction coil disposed proximate to the last and configured to produce an electromagnetic field that causes the susceptor material in the last to increase in temperature by induction heating.

A last for forming an upper of an article of footwear includes a first portion including a lateral side and a medial side that opposes the lateral side, and a second portion connected with and extending upward and transversely outward in an angled manner away from the first portion such that a terminal end of the second portion is distanced from the first portion. An exterior surface of the last can include a plurality of three dimensional structural surface components disposed over at least 50% of the exterior surface of the last.

A track and field shoe can include an upper, a sole structure, and a toe plate. The upper can include a medial side portion, a lateral side portion, and a toe box portion. The sole structure can be attached to the upper and can include a spike plate. The spike plate can have an anterior portion and a posterior portion. The toe plate can be attached to an anterior portion of the toe box portion of the upper and can include a hard and smooth outwardly facing surface. One or more portions of the toe plate can be exposed from an exterior surface of the upper.

Disclosed are an improved outsole and method of making the same. This method provides increased flexibility and comfort, more efficient material utilization, greatly improved protection to the wearer, and aesthetic appeal. More specifically, the improved outsole includes an integrally connected rigid material and toe cap.

An upper for an article of footwear includes a spray formed first layer including a first material, and a second layer including a second material, the second layer being adhered to the first layer. A transition zone is defined at a transition between the first layer and the second layer, and the transition zone includes a mixture of the first and second materials.

A last for forming an upper of an article of footwear includes an exterior surface, where the exterior surface includes a plurality of three dimensional structural surface components disposed over at least 50% of the exterior surface of the last.

A method of forming an upper for an article of footwear includes providing a first material layer over a shoe last, providing a second material layer over the first material layer such that the first and second material layers adhere to each other at an interface between the first and second material layers, where one or both of the first material layer and second material layer is provided by spray forming a polymer material onto the last. The material layers are removed from the last and turned inside out such that the first material layer includes an exposed surface that forms an exterior surface of the upper.