Patent ID: 8528234

Claim:
An article of footwear, comprising: a sole; and a thong portion including a first end portion, a second end portion and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion; wherein the first end portion, the second end portion, and the intermediate portion of the thong portion define an outer surface of the thong portion; the first end portion associated with a first portion of the sole; the second end portion associated with a strap, the strap being configured to wrap around a portion of a foot; the thong portion including a forward portion that is oriented towards a front of the article of footwear and a rearward portion that is oriented towards a rear of the article of footwear; the thong portion including a first side portion and a second side portion extending between the forward portion and the rearward portion; the forward portion and the rearward portion each having a substantially smooth outer surface; and the thong portion including a first groove set in the first side portion; wherein the thong portion includes a plurality of connecting portions that extend between adjacent portions of the thong portion that are separated by grooves of the first groove set; at least one of the connecting portions having a cross-sectional shape including at least one concave edge.