Rapid-entry footwear comprised of a unified material
A rapid-entry shoe having a sole portion and a rebounding portion being comprised of the same material and being a unified structure. The rapid-entry shoe has a collapsed configuration in which a perimeter of the topline is expanded and an uncollapsed configuration in which the perimeter of the topline is unexpanded, and the rapid-entry shoe is biased by the rebounding portion toward the uncollapsed configuration.
1. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
a sole portion;
an upper coupled to the sole portion, the upper defining a topline; and
a rebounding portion, the rebounding portion extending in an upward and rearward direction toward a rear portion of the upper;
wherein the rebounding portion defines a window at the rear portion of the upper, the window being closed with the upper but further being devoid of any heel counter;
wherein the sole portion and the rebounding portion are comprised of a common material and are a unified structure;
wherein the rapid-entry shoe has a collapsed configuration in which a perimeter of the topline is expanded;
wherein the rapid-entry shoe has an uncollapsed configuration in which the perimeter of the topline is unexpanded;
wherein the rapid-entry shoe is biased by the rebounding portion toward the uncollapsed configuration;
further comprising a rear stabilizer, wherein:
the rear stabilizer is coupled to the rebounding portion;
the rear stabilizer is more rigid than the rebounding portion;
the rear stabilizer extends around the rear portion of the upper; and
the rear stabilizer is configured to prevent inward deflection of the rebounding portion when the rapid entry shoe is deformed to the collapsed configuration.
2. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 1 , wherein the rebounding portion or the rear stabilizer comprises a narrowed neck portion.
3. A rapid-entry shoe comprising:
a sole portion;
an upper coupled to the sole portion, the upper defining a topline;
a rebounding portion, the rebounding portion extending in an upward and rearward direction toward a rear portion of the upper; and
a rear stabilizer coupled to the rebounding portion and configured to prevent inward deflection of the rebounding portion;
wherein the rear portion of the upper comprises a window being devoid of any structure that prevents resilient deformation of the window;
wherein the sole portion and the rebounding portion are comprised of a common material and are a unified structure;
wherein the rapid-entry shoe has a collapsed configuration in which a perimeter of the topline is expanded;
wherein the rapid-entry shoe has an uncollapsed configuration in which the perimeter of the topline is unexpanded;
wherein the rapid-entry shoe is biased by the rebounding portion toward the uncollapsed configuration;
wherein the rear stabilizer is more rigid than the rebounding portion.
4. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 3 , wherein the rebounding portion or the rear stabilizer comprises a narrowed neck portion.
5. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 3 , wherein the rebounding portion comprises a deflection feature configured to disperse deflection of the rebounding portion along a line, area or volume.
6. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 3 , wherein the rebounding portion is configured to be deformed by a downward force of less than about 20 pounds and is further configured to resist being deformed by a downward force of less than about 1 pound.
7. The rapid-entry shoe of claim 3 , wherein the common material comprises a styrene-butadiene copolymer.