Footwear with removable foot-supporting member

An article of footwear comprising:

• an upper for covering at least a portion of a foot of a wearer;
• a foot-supporting member that is removably-received by said upper, said foot-supporting member being formed of a resilient material and having a lower surface located opposite a foot-engaging surface, said lower surface being at a first elevation in a forefoot region of said foot-supporting member and said lower surface being at a second elevation in a heel region of said foot-supporting member, said second elevation being above said first elevation to define a recess below said heel region, and said foot-supporting member including a downward cant from a medial to a lateral side of said foot-engaging surface, said foot-supporting member also having a first thickness in said forefoot region and a second thickness in said heel region, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness;
• and
• a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a midsole, a portion of said midsole forming an upward protrusion within said footwear that mates with said recess for supporting said heel region of said foot-supporting member, and said sole structure including a first region and a second region, said first region being located in a rear-lateral corner of said sole structure and being more compressible than said second region.

An article of footwear comprising:

• an upper for covering at least a portion of a foot of a wearer;
• a foot-supporting member that is removably-received by said upper, said foot-supporting member being formed of a shock attenuating and energy absorbing material and having:
• a lower surface located at a first elevation in a forefoot region of said foot-supporting member and at a second elevation in a heel region of said foot-supporting member, said first elevation being less than said second elevation to define a recess below said heel region, said foot-supporting member also having a first thickness in said forefoot region and a second thickness in said heel region, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness,
• a foot-engaging surface located opposite said lower surface, said foot-engaging surface being at a third elevation in said forefoot region and at a fourth elevation at said heel region, said third elevation being less than said fourth elevation,
• a downward cant extending from a medial to a lateral side of said foot-engaging surface, and
• a region of reduced support in a medial forefoot area of said foot-engaging surface, said foot-supporting member being substantially formed of a first material and said region of reduced support including a second material, said first material being less compressible than said second material;
• and
• a sole structure attached to said upper, said sole structure including a midsole, a portion of said midsole forming an upward protrusion within said footwear that mates with said recess for supporting said heel region of said foot-supporting member, and said sole structure including a first region and a second region, said first region being located in a rear-lateral corner of said sole structure and being more compressible than said second region.

An article of footwear, comprising:

• an upper for covering at least a portion of a foot of a wearer;
• a foot-supporting member that is removably-received by said upper, said foot-supporting member being formed of a resilient material and having a foot-engaging surface with a downward cant extending from a medial to a lateral side of said foot-supporting member, and said foot-engaging surface including a region of reduced support located in a medial forefoot area, said foot-supporting member also having a first thickness in a forefoot region and a second thickness in a heel region, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness, said foot-engaging surface being contoured to include:
• a depression in a heel region for receiving a heel of the foot;
• a depression in an area generally underlying fourth and fifth metatarsal heads of the foot;
• a first elevated region in an area generally underlying a medial arch of the foot;
• and
• a second elevated region in peripheral areas of said foot-engaging surface and in at least said heel region;
• and
• a sole structure attached to said upper.

An article of footwear, comprising;

• an upper for covering at least a portion of a foot of a wearer;
• a foot-supporting member that is removably-received by said upper, said foot-supporting member being formed of a resilient material and having a foot-engaging surface with a downward cant extending from a medial to a lateral side of said foot-supporting member, and said foot-engaging surface including a region of reduced support located in a medial forefoot area, said foot-supporting member also having a first thickness in a forefoot region and a second thickness in a heel region, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness, and said foot-supporting member including a lower surface located opposite said foot-engaging surface, said lower surface being at a first elevation in a forefoot region of said foot-supporting member and said lower surface being at a second elevation in a heel region of said foot-supporting member, said first elevation being less than said second elevation to define a recess located under said heel region;
• and
• a sole structure attached to said upper.

An article of footwear, comprising:

• an upper for covering at least a portion of a foot of a wearer;
• a foot-supporting member that is removably-received by said upper, said foot-supporting member being formed of a resilient material and having a foot-engaging surface with a downward cant extending from a medial to a lateral side of said foot-supporting member, and said foot-engaging surface including a region of reduced support located in a medial forefoot area, said foot-supporting member also having a first thickness in a forefoot region and a second thickness in a heel region, said first thickness being greater than said second thickness;
• and
• a sole structure attached to said upper, and said sole structure including a first region and a second region, said first region being located in a rear-lateral corner of said sole structure and being more compressible than said second region.