Patent ID: 8171654

Claim:
An article of open-toe footwear comprising: a sole member having an upper and lower surface region extending a particular two dimensional length and width substantially corresponding to the plantar surface of a user's foot, wherein the sole member includes a plurality of recesses extending transversely through the sole member between the upper and lower surface regions at independent locations; and a retaining system releasably coupled to the sole member via the plurality of recesses, wherein the retaining system comprises: a strap member configured to extend from the sole member over the dorsal surface of the user's foot between the plurality of recesses; and a plurality of coupler members configured to releasably engage the strap member to the sole member at each of the corresponding recesses across which the strap member extends, wherein the releasable engagement between the strap member and the plurality of coupler members includes a chocking of the coupler member against the sole member with respect to the strap member; and wherein the strap member further includes end regions which releasably engage with the plurality of coupler members within the plurality of recesses, and wherein the end regions include female threaded regions, and wherein the coupler members include corresponding shaped male threaded regions, and wherein the end regions and a corresponding adjacent portion of the strap member are cylindrically shaped, and wherein a diameter of the end regions is greater than a diameter of the corresponding adjacent portion of the strap member.