An invention pertaining to footwear is described, including a flexible protection plate, an insole, and a shoe with three forefoot pads and three toe compartments. The sections of the protection plate are hinged or separated to allow a greater degree of independent movement of the three main groups of muscles and bones in the forefoot in response to varying walking, hiking and running 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 outersole, midsole and upper, are also described in which the forward portion is divided into three toe compartments that are configured to allow independent articulation of corresponding individual toes and/or pairs of toes inserted in the footwear.

An article of footwear for climbing is disclosed. The article of footwear includes a sole structure including at least an outsole and having a concave shape; and an upper secured to the sole structure. The upper includes a textile including an active region and a secure region, the active region being between a lateral side of the upper and a medial side of the upper at least in an area of the upper at a toe side of an area corresponding to a ball of a foot disposed in the article of footwear. The article of footwear provides for stretchability in the active region and support in the secure region.

Climbing shoe that comprises a shoe-upper shaped so as to accommodate and cover substantially the user's entire foot; a sole made of polymeric material, which is fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover at least the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and at least a first tensioning band, which is made of elastomeric material and extends obliquely on the outer side and on the bottom of the shoe-upper, so as to connect the tip and the inner front side of the shoe-upper directly to the rear part of the shoe-upper, in the area above the calcaneus of the user's foot, passing over the bottom of the shoe-upper beneath said sole.

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 climbing shoe comprising a substantially sock-shaped shoe-upper, so as to completely cover the foot of the user; a front sole which is fixed on the bottom part of the shoe-upper so as to cover the tarsal-phalangeal region of the sole of the foot; a rear sole which is separate and spaced apart from the front sole and is fixed on the bottom part of the shoe-upper so as to at least partly cover the talus-calcaneus region of the sole of the foot; and a substantially ribbon-shaped medial tensioning strip which is made of elastomeric material and is fixed on the bottom part of the shoe-upper so as to extend substantially along the center line of the sole of the foot, from the shoe-upper area under the front sole up to the shoe-upper area under the rear sole following an arched trajectory.

A shoe wrap for a shoe and a method for manufacturing a shoe are disclosed. The shoe wrap includes an outsole portion having a toe portion disposed at an anterior end of the outsole portion, a toe rand portion at least partially connected to the outsole portion at a lateral side of the outsole portion and extending in an anterior direction beyond the toe portion of the outsole portion, a medial portion connected to a medial side of the outsole portion, and a heel rand portion connected to a heel portion of the outsole portion. The method includes disposing a main body on an outsole portion of the shoe wrap, folding at least a heel rand portion of the shoe wrap up a back of the main body, and folding a toe rand portion of the shoe wrap about a toe box of the main body.

Articles of footwear include upper components and/or sole components. In some examples, the articles of footwear and/or sole structures may include features making them well suited for obstacle course type athletic events (e.g., by providing enhanced traction for various obstacle course events, such as wall climb events, rope climb events, etc.). As some more specific examples, articles of footwear and/or components thereof may include one or more of: (a) a ground-contacting surface having a plurality of large grooves, a plurality of small grooves, and relatively flat and/or smoothly curved base surfaces between the grooves; (b) a medial sidewall having a concave exterior surface, e.g., in the midfoot area; (c) a medial sidewall having enhanced traction features, e.g., in the midfoot area; and/or (d) a medial instep component (e.g., medial eye stay reinforcing component) having enhanced traction features.

An article of footwear for climbing is disclosed. The article of footwear includes a sole structure including at least an outsole and having a concave shape; and an upper secured to the sole structure. The upper includes a textile including an active region and a secure region, the active region being between a lateral side of the upper and a medial side of the upper at least in an area of the upper at a toe side of an area corresponding to a ball of a foot disposed in the article of footwear. The article of footwear provides for stretchibility in the active region and support in the secure region.

A climbing shoe comprising a substantially sock-shaped shoe-upper, so as to completely cover the foot of the user; a front sole which is fixed on the bottom part of the shoe-upper so as to cover the tarsal-phalangeal region of the sole of the foot; a rear sole which is separate and spaced apart from the front sole and is fixed on the bottom part of the shoe-upper so as to at least partly cover the talus-calcaneus region of the sole of the foot; and a substantially ribbon-shaped medial tensioning strip which is made of elastomeric material and is fixed on the bottom part of the shoe-upper so as to extend substantially along the center line of the sole of the foot, from the shoe-upper area under the front sole up to the shoe-upper area under the rear sole following an arched trajectory.

Articles of footwear include upper components and/or sole components. In some examples, the articles of footwear and/or sole structures may include features making them well suited for obstacle course type athletic events (e.g., by providing enhanced traction for various obstacle course events, such as wall climb events, rope climb events, etc.). As some more specific examples, articles of footwear and/or components thereof may include one or more of: (a) a ground-contacting surface having a plurality of large grooves, a plurality of small grooves, and relatively flat and/or smoothly curved base surfaces between the grooves; (b) a medial sidewall having a concave exterior surface, e.g., in the midfoot area; (c) a medial sidewall having enhanced traction features, e.g., in the midfoot area; and/or (d) a medial instep component (e.g., medial eye stay reinforcing component) having enhanced traction features.