Impact reduction footwear through heel and metatarsal cavities

An article of footwear, comprising:

• (a) a footbed layer;
• (b) a midsole layer having a forefoot region and a hindfoot region, the forefoot region including an air cavity on a proximal face of the midsole layer, the proximal face of the midsole layer being attached to the footbed layer, wherein:
• the midsole layer has a longitudinal bisecting axis that divides the midsole layer into a medial half portion and a lateral half portion,
• the air cavity has a substantially uniform first depth in a first portion and a substantially uniform second depth in a second portion that is less than the first depth,
• the air cavity is entirely defined by the first and second portions of the air cavity,
• the first portion of the air cavity is entirely disposed within the medial half portion of the midsole layer,
• the second portion of the air cavity is present both in the medial half portion of the midsole layer and in the lateral half portion of the midsole layer, such that the second portion of the air cavity spans across the longitudinal bisecting axis of the midsole layer, and
• the air cavity is filled with a cellular urethane foam insert;
• and
• (c) an outsole layer that is attached to a distal face of the midsole layer.

An article of footwear, comprising:

• (a) a footbed layer;
• (b) a midsole layer having a forefoot region and a hindfoot region, the forefoot region including an air cavity on a proximal face of the midsole layer, the proximal face of the midsole layer being attached to the footbed layer, wherein:
• the midsole layer has a longitudinal bisecting axis that divides the midsole layer into a medial half portion and a lateral half portion,
• the air cavity has a substantially uniform first depth in a first portion and a substantially uniform second depth in a second portion that is less than the first depth,
• the air cavity is entirely defined by the first and second portions of the air cavity,
• the first portion of the air cavity is entirely disposed within the medial half portion of the midsole layer,
• the second portion of the air cavity is present both in the medial half portion of the midsole layer and in the lateral half portion of the midsole layer, such that the second portion of the air cavity spans across the longitudinal bisecting axis of the midsole layer, and
• the air cavity is filled with a cellular urethane foam insert;
• and
• (c) an outsole layer that is attached to a distal face of the midsole layer, wherein:
• the outsole layer comprises a forefoot piece and a hindfoot piece,
• the hindfoot piece includes a first extension on a first side of the hindfoot piece extending forward toward the forefoot piece and a second extension on a second side of the hindfoot piece extending forward toward the forefoot piece, and
• the first extension extends farther forward than the second extension.