Fashion: Shoes: Hi-Tech: Sole
Removable Sole Shoes   (+6)  [vote for, against]
Leave the dirtiest part of your shoes at the door.

When you come home or step into someone's house and your feet are all wet or snowy (northern climes), you take your shoes off as a courtesy. For your own home it is a practicality, not wanting to track water all around. It becomes a bit of a juggling act on the front mat, having to remove your shoes without stepping in a damp spot left before you and soaking your socks.

Imagine a pair of shoes where you could drop the sole and still have covered feet. My shoes would have snap-on soles that could be released with a press on the back of them (easily done by the other foot). There would be a soft, thin, but waterproof mini-sole on the remaining part of the shoe to keep the shoe on, and your feet dry. Just enough to keep the shoe from flopping loose, with a bit of non-skid traction, and enough water protection so that standing on a damp mat would not soak your interior sock. The nice thing is if your soles run out, you could purchase just extra soles.
-- trekbody, Dec 19 2005

U.S. Pat. #4103440 http://www.freepate...ne.com/4103440.html
Close. [Shz, Dec 20 2005, last modified Dec 21 2005]

Tingley Rubbers http://home.att.net...ewartjf/tyclog.html
Worth a look, just for the name. [jurist, Dec 20 2005]

VIVO http://www.kk.org/c...archives/000913.php
Designed by a guy I know [moomintroll, Dec 20 2005]

I'm thinking slippers with snow-tread soles for walking to the garage this time of year.
-- Shz, Dec 20 2005


When I used to live in a wetter clime we often wore rubber overshoes, which perform much the same function as described by this idea. Strangely, people thought they looked inappropriate during the dry seasons.[link, of sorts]
-- jurist, Dec 20 2005


I was thinking something different than "rubbers" or galoshes. Easier to remove and put back on. Never have to touch them and get your hands wet and grimey.
-- trekbody, Dec 21 2005


I couldn't get the patent link to work - like the VIVO shoes - imagine those with snap-on soles.
-- trekbody, Dec 21 2005


I fixed the link. :)
-- Shz, Dec 21 2005


I couldn't understand a thing on that patent application - but I'll take your word for it - still since it was not yet in the halfbakery is a really a valid patent?
-- trekbody, Dec 21 2005



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