A sole assembly is provided including multiple compression units entrapped in a midsole and adjacent an outsole to efficiently distribute forces and to assist in correct foot motion during a gait cycle. The multiple compression units can be linked to one another to assist the foot in moving through an appropriate foot motion during a gait cycle. A heel compression unit can be linked to an arch compression unit, which can be linked to one or more forefoot compression units, which can be linked to a toe compression unit. The linking of the heel compression unit, the arch compression unit, and the forefoot compression unit to one another can resist torsional movement of the units between one another, thereby providing a more stable foot support, while still providing impact-attenuation and force distribution through the sole assembly.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can include a set of apertures that is formed along various surfaces of the sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system, forming generally circular patterns throughout the sole member. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member.

Sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) and articles of footwear include heel-supporting areas and/or forefoot-supporting areas that include a central area (e.g., a central recessed area) and a plurality of surrounding rings. Additionally or alternatively, the sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) may include bands of material defined by recessed grooves to provide a bumpstop type impact-force attenuating structure.

An article of footwear including an upper and a sole secured to the upper, where the sole includes an upper surface. A support member is positioned on the sole, and includes at least one portion positioned a designated distance above the upper surface of the sole to form a space between the support member and the sole, where the portion of the support member moves through the space and toward the upper surface of the sole when pressure is applied to the portion of the support member, and flexes away from the upper surface when pressure is decreased or released from the portion of the support member.

An outsole for an article of footwear includes a plantar surface and a peripheral surface surrounding the plantar surface. The outsole for an article of footwear also includes an annular cleat set including a first plurality of traction elements arranged in series about a central axis on the plantar surface. The outsole for an article of footwear further includes one or more radial cleat sets each including a second plurality of the traction elements aligned along a respective radial axis intersecting the central axis. At least one of the second plurality of the traction elements includes a peripheral cleat formed on the peripheral surface.

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.

An article of footwear includes an upper and a sole structure with a sole member. The sole member can include a set of apertures that is formed along various surfaces of the sole member. The sole member can be manufactured using a customized cushioning sole system, forming generally circular patterns throughout the sole member. A user's foot morphology and/or preferences may be used to design the sole member.

An article of footwear is provided and includes an upper having a bottom surface and a length and a sole secured to the bottom surface of the upper and including a midsole and an outsole, the outsole including a peripheral stabilizing member extending outwardly from the upper along a periphery of the upper from a medial side to a lateral side of the upper, the peripheral stabilizing member having a width and a length that are each at least 20% of the length of the upper.

Sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) and articles of footwear include heel-supporting areas and/or forefoot-supporting areas that include a central area (e.g., a central recessed area) and a plurality of surrounding rings. Additionally or alternatively, the sole structures (e.g., midsoles and/or outsoles) may include bands of material defined by recessed grooves to provide a bumpstop type impact-force attenuating structure.

A sole structure for an article of footwear comprises a midsole system with a plurality of cushioning units, each having multiple cushioning layers configured to work together as a system to absorb a compressive load, such as a dynamic compressive load due to impact with the ground, in stages of progressive cushioning according to the relative stiffness values of the layers. Various midsole systems disclosed include isolated cushioning units, linked cushioning units, sole layers having stanchions interfacing with the midsole system, midsole systems with sole layers having keyed and unkeyed portions overlying a bladder, and midsole systems with vertically-stacked cushioning units disposed in inverted relationship to one another.