Patent ID: 8046935

Claim:
A footwear apparatus comprising: a flexible one piece member for removable attachment to a footwear device, the flexible member having a top edge portion and a bottom edge portion, a first side member, a second side member and a middle member between the top and bottom edge, the middle member being disposed between the first and second side members; an end portion at an outer edge of each the first and second side members, distal from the middle member; and a lace attachment member in at least one of the end portions; wherein each of the top and bottom edge portions are substantially parallel to each other along the middle member, and each bottom edge portion is angled upwards relative to the top edge portion from a point beginning at the middle member and continuing to the end portion; the top edge portion forming an opening configured to engage a user's leg, and the bottom edge portion forming an opening configured to engage a top portion of the footwear device; and a pair of first brush members, each first brush member attached to an inside portion of each of the first and second side members adjacent to the bottom edge portion, each brush member having a thickness sufficient for an outer surface of the brush member to slidably engage a corresponding surface of the footwear device; and a taper support device disposed vertically along a substantially centerline of the middle portion from the top edge to the bottom edge, the taper support device being a semi-rigid member and configured to substantially stiffen the middle portion from the top edge to the bottom edge.