An article of footwear including an upper having a strap assembly with a plurality of straps, where a plurality of the straps have outsole connectors, and at least one removable connecting member is configured to interconnect a plurality of the straps. The article of footwear also includes a sole including a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of through-holes positioned on the sole, where the plurality of the straps including the outsole connector are inserted through a corresponding one of the through-holes until a bottom surface of each outsole connector is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the sole to secure the strap assembly to the sole, and at least two of the straps are interconnected by the at least one removable connecting member.

The invention relates to a self-assembled shoe and a method of manufacturing thereof. The self-assembled shoe comprises one or more locking systems for connecting a shoe base with one or more shoe components. The locking system is manually releasable upon actuation by a user at an actuating portion of the shoe base, and is substantially covered from view from an exterior of the shoe when assembled. The locking system further comprises an actuator arranged to be in direct contact with a medium of shoe base at the actuating portion, such that actuation at the actuating portion of the shoe base is directly transmissible through the shoe base medium to the actuator of the locking system to thereby actuate the locking system. The invention also relates to a covering member adapted to substantially cover one or more recesses defined by a female locking member of the locking system for the self-assembled shoe as described above. The covering member comprises one or more extensions configured to conform with the respective one or more recesses thereby, when the covering member is arranged to engage the female locking member, the one or more extensions are receivable by the respective one or more recesses to substantially cover the one or more recesses.

A dual-hardness outsole includes a front section, a middle section, and a rear section, at least the middle section of the outsole including a wedge having a bottom surface which extends below another bottom surface of at least one of the front and rear sections such that the wedge carries more weight than the other bottom surface. The outsole comprises a hard portion and a soft portion that are secured to each other and together form the wedge, a cross-sectional profile of the hard and soft density portions being such that a center portion of the wedge is softer than opposite lateral portions thereof.

A footwear construction is provided including an upper joined with a sole assembly having a dynamic strap system that extends over the upper to secure the footwear on a wearer's foot. The sole assembly includes strap channels for the strap system, which can be free-floating relative to at least a portion of the exterior surface of the upper, and a foxing band encircling a substantial portion of the upper.

A bimodal shoe having a bimodal structure, the bimodal structure configured to selectively snap to at least one of a second position and a first position. The bimodal structure is a bendable structure that selectively snaps into the first position upon being subjected to a first bending force, and that selectively snaps into the second position upon being subjected to a second bending force, where the first bending force has an opposite direction to the second bending force. A downward force applied to a heel counter of the bimodal shoe while holding portions of the shoe forward from the bimodal structure stationary causes the bimodal structure to snap out of the second position.

A footwear including an outsole portion; an insole portion, wherein an upper surface area of the midsole portion being operable for contacting a wearer's foot; a midsole section, the midsole section is disposed between the outsole portion and upper or strap portion, wherein the midsole section is configured to be operable for absorbing a shock imposed on the footwear; a predetermined amount of fluid; a fluid compartment disposed in the midsole section, wherein the fluid compartment is configured to house the predetermined amount of fluid, in which a perimeter area around the fluid-filled compartment comprises a translucent or clear material, and wherein the housed fluid can be seen or observed through the compartment; and in which an upper surface area of the fluid-filled compartment that is into engagement with a top layer of the midsole portion comprises a pliable material that is configured to stretch under pressure.

In some embodiments, a shoe assembly comprises a vamp and a sole. The vamp includes a middle section, and the vamp and the middle section are formed of a continuous piece of a first molded material. The vamp also includes a first aperture and a second aperture. The sole includes a forefoot section and a heel section that are joined by a midfoot section. The forefoot section, the heel section, and the midfoot section are formed of a continuous piece of a second molded material. The second molded material is an EVA-based material. The first aperture of the vamp receives a part of the forefoot section and the second aperture receives a part of the heel section. When the shoe assembly is placed on a flat surface, the forefoot section is in direct contact with the flat surface.

A foldable shoe includes a first sole section located under the ball of a wearer's foot including a first outsole portion and a first footbed. The foldable shoe further includes a second sole section located under the heel of a wearer's foot, the second sole section including a second outsole portion and a second footbed. An upper section extends from the first sole section, and a hinge is connected to the first sole section and the second sole section and is configured to fold the foldable shoe from a first position, to be worn, to a second position, for storage. A first magnetic material disposed in the first sole section and a second magnetic material disposed in the second sole section creates a magnetic connection to retain the foldable shoe in first position or second position.

A protective plate for footwear provides protection that is flexible. A protective plate may include a forefoot plate having a ball, middle and lateral section that are configured to move and flex to enable a better feel on uneven terrain. A protective plate may extend from the forefoot to the heel and include a midfoot protective plate and a heel protective plate. Sections of the protective plate are hinged or separated to allow for a greater degree of independent movement of the three main groups of muscles and bones in the forefoot in response to walking, hiking and running on various terrain. A separate insole is described that incorporates the forefoot protection plate and that can be inserted into and removed from footwear in order to provide additional protection as needed. A shoe including outer-sole, midsole and upper, are also described having a flexible protective plate.

A sandal, also known as a slide, having a base and a foot cover. The base has a top surface upon which a human foot rests and a periphery defined by a peripheral heel end, and a peripheral toe end. Further, the base has a longitudinal extent measured from the heel end to the toe end. On the periphery of the base, there are first and second opposed peripheral sides, the first peripheral side having at least one pin and the second peripheral side having at least one pin. The foot cover, which is selectively detachable from the base, has at least one tapered opening for receipt of the at least one pin on the first peripheral side and at least one tapered opening for receipt of the at least one pin on the second peripheral side.