Footwear with external heel counter

1. Footwear comprising, in combination:

a sole;

an upper secured to the sole for covering a foot of the footwear wearer; and

an external heel counter located at a rear of the upper and configured to be located behind a heel of the foot and forms a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear;

wherein the heel counter comprises a polymeric material;

wherein portions of the upper located laterally adjacent to the heel counter comprise leather;

wherein the heel counter has a generally hour glass shape including a substantially straight bottom, an arcuate and convex top, and opposed arcuate and concave lateral sides each connecting the bottom and the top; and

wherein a lateral width of the top is larger than a lateral width of the bottom so that the top of the heel counter partially extends along lateral sides of the footwear but the bottom of the heel counter does not extend along the lateral sides of the footwear.

2. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the heel counter comprises rubber.

3. The footwear according to claim 2 , wherein the heel counter comprises molded rubber.

4. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the portions of the upper adjacent the heel counter are stitched over and to the lateral sides of the heel counter and a portion of the upper located adjacent to and above the top of the heel counter is stitched under and to the top of the heel counter.

5. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein the heel counter is more rigid than the portions of the upper adjacent the heel counter.

6. The footwear according to claim 1 , wherein an external surface of the heel counter is provided with raised ridges.

7. The footwear according to claim 6 , wherein the raised ridges are triangular shaped in a vertical cross section and are triangular shaped in a horizontal cross section.

8. The footwear according to claim 4 , wherein the portion of the upper located adjacent to and above the top of the heel counter comprises leather.

9. Footwear comprising, in combination:

a sole;

an upper secured to the sole for covering a foot of the footwear wearer;

an external heel counter located at a rear of the upper and configured to be located behind a heel of the foot and forms a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear;

wherein the heel counter comprises a polymeric material;

wherein portions of the upper located laterally adjacent to the heel counter comprise leather; and

wherein at least the portions of the upper located laterally adjacent to the heel counter are stitched over and to lateral sides of the heel counter.

10. The footwear according to claim 9 , wherein the heel counter comprises rubber.

11. The footwear according to claim 10 , wherein the heel counter comprises molded rubber.

12. The footwear according to claim 9 , wherein the portion of the upper located adjacent to and above the heel counter is stitched under and to a top of the heel counter.

13. The footwear according to claim 9 , wherein the heel counter is more rigid than the portions of the upper adjacent the heel counter.

14. The footwear according to claim 9 , wherein the heel counter has a generally hour glass shape including a substantially straight bottom, an arcuate and convex top, and the opposed lateral sides which are each arcuate and concave and connecting the bottom and the top.

15. The footwear according to claim 14 , wherein a lateral width of the top is larger than a lateral width of the bottom so that the top of the heel counter partially extends along lateral sides of the footwear but the bottom of the heel counter does not extend along the lateral sides of the footwear.

16. The footwear according to claim 9 , wherein an external surface of the heel counter is provided with raised ridges.

17. The footwear according to claim 16 , wherein the raised ridges are triangular shaped in a vertical cross section and are triangular shaped in a horizontal cross section.

18. A boot comprising, in combination:

a sole;

an upper secured to the sole for covering a foot of the boot wearer;

an external heel counter located at a rear of the upper and configured to be located behind a heel of the foot and forms a portion of an exterior surface of the footwear;

wherein the heel counter comprises a polymeric material;

wherein portions of the upper located laterally adjacent to the heel counter each comprise leather and a portion of the upper located adjacent to and above the heel counter comprises leather;

wherein the heel counter has a generally hour glass shape including a substantially straight bottom, an arcuate and convex top, and opposed arcuate and concave lateral sides each connecting the bottom and the top;

wherein a lateral width of the top of the heel counter is larger than a lateral width of the bottom of the heel counter; and

wherein the portions of the upper located laterally adjacent to the heel counter are stitched over and to the lateral sides of the heel counter and the portion of the upper located adjacent to and above the heel counter is stitched under and to the top of the heel counter.

19. The boot according to claim 18 , wherein the heel counter comprises rubber.

20. The boot according to claim 19 , wherein the heel counter comprises molded rubber and an external surface of the heel counter is provided with raised ridges.