Method of manufacturing a midsole for a shoe and construction therefor

A method of manufacturing a peripheral wrap for a shoe midsole to be attached to a shoe outsole, the wrap composed of a plastic closed cell foam material, the wrap having a contoured outer surface comprising at least a portion of an outer peripheral surface of the midsole and an inner surface to be placed in contact with the peripheral surface of a core portion of the midsole, the wrap being separate from said outsole, said method comprising the steps of:

• placing a sheet stock of plastic closed cell foam material to form the peripheral wrap into a mold having opposing first and second surfaces;
• contacting one surface of the plastic closed cell foam material with the first surface of the mold;
• contacting the opposite surface of the plastic closed cell foam material with the second surface of the mold;
• and
• forming the contoured outer surface of the wrap on the one surface of the plastic closed cell foam material by moving the first and second surfaces of the mold toward one another to compress the plastic closed cell foam material between the first and second surfaces of the mold whereby the compressive forces producing the contoured outer surface of the wrap are directed substantially perpendicular with respect to the peripheral surface of the core portion of the midsole.