Patent ID: 8112910

Claim:
A shoe system, comprising: a shoe having a sole with forward and rearward portions, said forward portion having opposed sides and including a plurality of spike elements, said rearward portion being void of spike elements; wherein said sole includes a front and a rear end, said sole forward portion and said sole rearward portion being integrally connected together generally at a midpoint between said front and rear end; a cover configured to span laterally between said opposed sides of said forward portion; said cover having opposed sides and including a lower layer, an intermediate layer, and an upper layer lowerly adjacent said spike elements; wherein said lower, intermediate, and upper layers of said cover extend between said sole front end and said midpoint between said sole front and rear ends; wherein said cover does not extend between said sole rear portion rear end and said shoe sole midpoint when said cover is lowerly adjacent said shoe sole forward portion; said lower layer includes a ground-contact face having a plurality of treads; and said ground contact face includes a rear section having a rearwardly upwardly sloped configuration so as to enhance walking smoothness when said cover is attached to said shoe sole forward portion; wherein said ground contact face rear section is situated lowerly adjacent said sole midpoint between said sole front and rear ends; means for removably coupling said lower, intermediate, and upper layers to said shoe; wherein said intermediate layer is constructed of silicone rubber; wherein said lower layer is constructed of rubber having a greater shore A value than a shore A value of the silicone rubber; wherein said upper layer is constructed of porous material; wherein said at least a portion of said intermediate layer and a portion of said lower layer are configured to interact with said spike elements when said cover is lowerly adjacent said spike elements; and wherein at least a portion of said lower layer is configured to separate said spike elements from a ground surface when said cover is lowerly adjacent said spike elements.