Pressure Distributing Side Entry Footwear

An article of footwear, comprising:

• a sole that forms a footbed along an interior of the article of footwear;
• an upper coupled to the sole, the upper comprising a toe portion, a heel portion, an open inner portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion, and an open outer portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion opposite from the open inner portion;
• and
• a fastening mechanism comprising a flexible or stretchable fastening band, a first fastening component disposed in proximity to a first distal end of the fastening band, and a second fastening component disposed in proximity to a second distal end of the fastening band, wherein the first fastening component is configured to engage with a first upper fastening component disposed on the toe portion of the upper and in proximity to the open inner portion, wherein the second fastening component is configured to engage with a second upper fastening component disposed on the toe portion of the upper and in proximity to the open outer portion, and wherein the fastening band is configured to extend from the first upper fastening component, across the open inner portion, around the heel portion, across the open outer portion, and to the second upper fastening component to secure the article of footwear onto a foot of a user.

A method of putting on an article of footwear, comprising:

• providing an article of footwear comprising a sole that forms a footbed along an interior of the article footwear, an upper comprising a toe portion, a heel portion, an open inner portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion, and an open outer portion disposed between the toe portion and the heel portion opposite from the open inner portion, and a fastening mechanism comprising a flexible or stretchable fastening band, a first fastening component disposed in proximity to a first distal end of the fastening band, and a second fastening component disposed in proximity to a second distal end of the fastening band;
• sliding toes of a user's foot inwardly at an angle into the toe portion through the open inner portion or the open outer portion;
• and
• rotating the footwear, a heel of the user's foot, or a combination thereof to engage the heel of the user's foot with the heel portion.