Patent Application
20080250671
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of footwear, and more specifically, to a wading boot with strategically placed studs.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fishing or wading boots are sometimes manufactured with metal studs on the outsole. The purpose of the metal studs is to provide additional “grip” or stability when walking on slippery surfaces on the river bottom. These studs are usually located in the toe area and/or the heel area of the outsole. The problem with this type of stud placement is that when the boots are worn indoors or in boats with wood floors, they will scratch the floor surfaces. When worn on aluminum boat floors, the metal studs on the bottom of the boot can cause the wearer to slip and fall down. Another problem with this design is that through ordinary wear and tear, the studs will eventually push through the midsole, thereby creating an uncomfortable elevated bump under the foot bed everywhere a stud is located.
The present invention solves all of these problems by strategically placing the studs only within the “gulch” area of the outsole, directly beneath the wearer's instep. In this manner, the wearer can achieve the control necessary to navigate slippery surfaces (such as wet rocks), while avoiding contact between the studs and the floor when worn indoors or in a boat. In addition, the wading boot of the present invention avoids the problems associated with wear and tear because the studs ordinarily are not in direct contact with the ground.
The background art includes examples of studs or cleats placed on the bottoms of fishing or wading boots, but none of these previous inventions contemplates placing the studs solely within the “gulch” area of the outsole. Examples of the background art include U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,264 (Lyden, 2005) (article of footwear with detachable cleats); U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,377 (Schneider, 1991) (fishing waders with removably attachable spikes and cleats), and U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,077 (Coles, 1972) (shoe with removably attached cleats). In each of these examples, the studs (or cleats or spikes) are placed in the toe area and/or the heel area of the outsole, but not in the “gulch” area directly underneath the instep. In fact, prior art would suggest not placing the studs in the “gulch” area because the studs would not ordinarily make contact with the ground in that position.
The present invention is a wading boot comprising an outsole and a plurality of studs, wherein the outsole comprises a gulch area, and wherein the studs are located solely in the gulch area of the outsole. The gulch area of the outsole is located directly underneath the instep of the foot of the wearer of the boot. When the boot is worn on a flat surface, the toe and heel areas of the boot are in direct contact with the flat surface, but the studs are not.
In a preferred embodiment, the studs are comprised of carbide, but they can be made of any suitable material. The studs may be co-molded into the outsole, or they may be removably attached to the outsole.
As mentioned above, studs have for some time been integrated into the outsoles of fishing or wading boots in order to ensure secure footing on slick rocks. With the present invention, the studs are located solely within the “gulch” area of the outsole, directly underneath the wearer's instep. As such, the studs are not in contact with the ground when worn on a flat surface and, therefore, will not scratch floors or cause the wear and tear problems discussed above.
Furthermore, when standing on a wet rock or log, the wearer can position the boot so that the studs in the gulch area are in direct contact with the rock or log, thereby providing the stability that is needed. Because the majority of the wearer's weight is directly above the instep portion of the foot, placing the studs in the gulch area of the outsole ensures that the wearer's weight is directly above the studs, further adding to the stability afforded by this design.
Because the studs do not come into contact with the ground when the boot is worn on a flat surface, the present invention provides the additional advantage of feeling like a regular wading boot without studs when worn outside the river. Thus, the wading boot of the present invention provides the benefits afforded by studs without the problems associated with them.
Preferably, the studs 3 are co-molded into the outsole 1, which can be made of rubber, felt, or any other suitable material. Alternately, removable studs can be used, such as those described in U.S. Patent Application Pub. No. 20050269878 (Lefgren).
For the reasons described above, the wading boot of the present invention possesses numerous advantages over prior art in that it provides for longer lasting studs and reduces damage to indoor and boat floor surfaces, while still providing added stability over slick surfaces such as rocks and logs when desired.
Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
