I wore this bootie, and recommended it to my patients, for foot health and protection. It was ideal because it was the only at-home footwear that stayed on without putting any pressure on the foot. Yes, there is a completely unnecessary elastic band around the ankle, just above the foot, but on earlier versions, it was very easy to open the sheath and snip it, relieving the pointless pressure points. Now they've sewn the elastic into the body of the boot, and you can't get rid of the elastic. This is obviously a cost vs quality issue because it has allowed them to delete the fabric cowling that the elastic used to snug about the ankle. As I said, the elastic is completely unnecessary because the boot stayed up Just fine without it. Now there are no insulated booties for persons with neuropathy. Thank you, China, for ruining another once-great product to save less than 2 cents per unit. If you're looking for a good bootie that won't reduce circulation in your feet, this isn't it anymore. Please rank this posting as helpful and maybe they'll get the message.