Foot covering with divided sole

A foot covering, comprising:

• a thin, flexible compartment for receiving a foot of an intended user, the compartment having a forefoot section, a mid-section, and a heel section;
• the compartment having a top surface for securing the foot and a ground-facing surface having a sole divided into at least two portions comprising at least a midfoot portion and a paired forefoot portion divided therefrom;
• wherein the forefoot sole portion has a coverage area extending from a proximal edge configured to extend just proximally to at least four of the five metatarsal heads of the foot of the intended user, at least one metatarsal head being the first metatarsal to a distal edge configured to extend at about the second proximal row of phalanges;
• wherein each pair of sole portions is divided along a flexural line running generally transverse to the longitudinal axis of the foot covering, and wherein the sole portions and flexural line, in combination with the flexible compartment, have a material construction and are arranged so as to facilitate a close conforming of the foot covering to the foot of the intended user through plantar flexion to dorsiflexion foot movements;
• and
• a rigidifier that is disposed over at least over a midfoot section of the ground-facing surface, the rigidifier configured in the ground-facing surface so as to cause resistance against the arch of the foot and help the covering mirror the arch of the foot of the intended wearer for better fit against the arch in plantar flexions.