US20150113831A1 - Water repellant footwear cover - Google Patents

Abstract

A water repellant footwear cover for insertion over cleated footwear including an upper component and a sole component. The upper component includes a foot insertion opening and the sole component includes several apertures, namely, two front through-holes for receiving a pair of front or toe cleats typically associated with cleated footwear, two rear through-holes for receiving a pair of rear or heel cleats typically associated with cleated footwear, a front cleat opening for receiving a group of front cleats, and a rear cleat opening for receiving a group of rear cleats. The upper component and sole component preferably are made up of a layered system of materials including an outer nylon layer, a middle neoprene layer, and an inner nylon layer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates generally to a water repellant footwear cover and, more particularly, to a water repellant footwear cover designed to fit over athletic footwear, typically cleated footwear, worn during play in outdoor sports like rugby, football and soccer.
• Serious athletes train in any weather, and many athletes plan and train in sports that take place in the cooler and rainier seasons of the year. The inclement weather of those seasons has an adverse effect on athletic footwear and, in turn, greatly affects athlete performance in a number of ways. In such conditions, moisture accumulates in the footwear, and when the weather is cool, this results in cold, wet feet.
• Anyone who has played rugby, football, or soccer in mud, rain, or snow while training in a colder climate like Canada during cold, raining winters knows the distraction of painfully cold feet. This distraction can be worsened from one day to the next, particularly when playing in a tournament as oftentimes an athlete is putting on wet footwear for game two because the footwear did not have sufficient time to fully dry from the previous day. There's nothing quite like putting a nice dry sock into cold wet footwear and going back out into the near-freezing rain and mud, waging a mental war against the elements while trying to defeat the opposing team. Beyond the physical pain, the sensation of cold wet footwear interferes with an athlete's focus, especially when the wind picks up.
• In the past, athletes have put plastic grocery bags over their footwear or they have worn cumbersome socks for insertion into their footwear. To remove moisture, or to dry out the footwear, athletes sometimes put their footwear in a dryer which may damage the footwear.
• Athletes feel most comfortable when they have proprioception of their feet. They also perform their best when their footwear is lightweight. Athletes are not at peak performance when their footwear is cold, wet, and/or heavy. Thus, it is desirable to provide a solution whereby footwear is kept dry, thereby keeping athletes' feet dry and light. The solution preferably should not unnecessarily encumber the athletes' footwear and preferably preserves proprioception.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• One embodiment of the present invention relates to a water repellant footwear cover. The footwear cover preferably includes an upper component and a sole component.
• The upper component material may be manufactured as a single piece of material.
• The material may be folded in such a way to create a seam where the material may be attached to itself by a bonding agent and reinforced by heat tape. The upper component preferably includes an ankle or foot insertion opening for inserting an athlete's foot and footwear therein and may include an elastic band extending around the circumference of the opening. The foot insertion opening allows the user to slip the water repellant footwear cover over his or her foot and the athlete's footwear, and the elastic band secures the water repellant footwear cover around the athlete's ankle to keep water and moisture out of the footwear.
• The upper component also preferably includes a screen print on either or both the exterior and interior thereof. The screen print on the upper component may be placed on the exterior of the upper component in the medial and/or lateral midfoot regions of the foot where an athlete would typically strike the ball during play. These areas are typically called the “strike zones.” The strike zones are those areas on the footwear where athletes in sports like soccer often control and/or strike the ball during play. The screen print is positioned in the strike zones to provide athletes with improved control in wet conditions and to increase durability of the cover in the strike zones, where contact with a ball may be made most frequently.
• The interior of the upper component also may include a screen print, though it may be a differently patterned screen print than the screen print found on the exterior of the footwear cover. The screen print on the interior of the upper component provides an anti-slip function, aids in preventing moisture travel, and helps to wick perspiration from the athlete's foot.
• The sole component includes one or more apertures. More particularly, the sole component includes two front through-holes, two rear through-holes, a front cleat opening, and a rear cleat opening. These apertures may be reinforced with a sealing perimeter or screen print which increases the durability of the apertures where footwear cleats are inserted into and out of the cleat openings as the present water repellant footwear cover is taken on and off during regular use.
• The interior of the sole component may also include a screen print to likewise provide an anti-slip function so as to keep the sole component from slipping on the cleated footwear, and to increase the durability of the present cover.
• The upper component and sole component preferably are made up of a layered system of materials including nylon and neoprene. The layered system in the preferred embodiment is made up of an outer nylon layer, a middle layer of neoprene, and an inner nylon layer. The outer nylon is preferably a diamond-nylon laminate which has a thin profile yet still remains durable and water resistant. The neoprene is preferably a hyper-compressed neoprene which is lightweight and provides thermoregulation, keeping the feet warm when it is cool outside and cool when it is warm outside. The inner nylon layer is preferably a nylon jersey knit which likewise has a thin profile but will maintain comfort and provide stretchability.
• The upper component and sole component are preferably attached to each other by a bonding agent. This attachment may be further strengthened by heat tape in the preferred embodiment. The result is a footwear cover wherein the various apertures listed above will align with cleats on athletic footwear. Preferably the front and rear through-holes receive the front or toe cleats and the rear or heel cleats typically associated with a majority of the cleated footwear available today. The front cleat opening and rear cleat opening are positioned and located to receive the remaining cleats on the front and rear of the athletic footwear, respectively. When the apertures receive the various cleats on the cleated footwear, the water repellant footwear cover will be secured to the athlete's cleated footwear.
• The position and location of the apertures associated with the sole component are such that they will allow the present footwear cover to fit over approximately 80% of the different types of cleated footwear presently in the marketplace, principally blade, 6-stud, and 8-stud cleated footwear.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 illustrates a lateral side elevation view of one embodiment of the present water repellant footwear cover constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 illustrates a medial side elevation view of the water repellant footwear cover ofFIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded perspective view of the upper component and sole component of the water repellant footwear cover ofFIGS. 1 and 2.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a bottom plan view of the water repellant footwear cover ofFIGS. 1-3.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the upper component seam taken along line5-5 ofFIG. 3 showing the layered material structure of the upper component and the seam assembly.
• FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged partial plan view of one embodiment of a screen print for use on the present water repellant footwear cover constructed according to the teachings of one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers wherein like numerals refer to like parts,FIG. 1 illustrates the lateral side of a waterrepellant footwear cover1 constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 2 illustrates the medial side ofcover1. As best shown inFIG. 3, thepresent footwear cover1 includes anupper component3 and asole component5. Theupper component3 includes an ankle or foot insertion opening7. The foot insertion opening7 may further include anelastic band9 which extends completely around the circumference of theopening7, theband9 being attached toupper component3 by any suitable means such as by sewing, heat sealing or other means. Theelastic band9 helps to strengthen the waterrepellant footwear cover1 in the vicinity of the foot insertion opening and allows thecover1 to fit snugly to a wearer's ankle. Theelastic band9 has strength; it stretches and rebounds very well; and it also creates a seal around ankle opening9 which will further aid in preventing water or moisture entry.
• Theupper component3 may further includeexterior screen print11.Exterior screen print11 may be located on the lateral side of theupper component3 of thepresent footwear cover1 in thelateral midfoot region21 as seen inFIG. 1.Exterior screen print11 may also be additionally or alternatively located on the medial side of theupper component3 of thefootwear cover1 in themedial midfoot region23 as seen inFIG. 2. Theexterior screen print11 is typically placed inregions21 and23 because those regions are the “strike zones”, that is, the regions where athletes in sports like soccer often control and make contact with the ball most frequently. Withoutexterior screen print11, the composition of waterrepellant footwear cover1 may be wet and slick in rainy weather conditions such that the athlete has minimal ball control when striking the ball.Exterior screen print11 is positioned in the strike zones to provide athletes with improved control in wet conditions.Exterior screen print11 may also provide durability in reinforcing the strike zones that may come into contact with the ball more often than other foot regions, thus protecting the material of the waterrepellant footwear cover1.
• In the present embodiment,exterior screen print11 is preferably a plastisol ink which is laid on top of the material formingupper component3 thereby forming a somewhat raised surface. It may be applied any number of times in order to achieve a specific thickness and to maximize its effectiveness and durability. Alternatively,exterior screen print11 may be a different screen print composition other than plastisol ink, or it may be arranged oncover1 in an alternative pattern other than that illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2. The size, shape, and positioning ofexterior screen print11 is designed and configured to help increase ball control and durability of theupper component3.Exterior screen print11 may cover more or less of the surface area ofupper component3.
• FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view ofupper component3 andsole component5, as well as a means for attaching theupper component3 andsole component5. As shown inFIG. 3, theupper component3 may be manufactured as one piece of material and folded over to form aseam63.Upper component3 may be attached to itself alongseam63 by a bonding agent57 (illustrated inFIG. 5) and may be reinforced byheat tape59 positioned on either or both the interior and exterior sides of theseam63.Heat tape59 may be tape in the preferred embodiment, although other seam tapes or seam-reinforcing structures are envisioned. Theupper component3 andsole component5 also may be attached to one another by bondingagent57 using the same structure as illustrated in FIG.5. Again, this attachment may be secured byheat tape59. In a preferred embodiment, all seams are double-reinforced and completely waterproof. They are preferably butt glued together with an aggressive adhesive such asbonding agent57 then, using proprietary technology,heat tape59 is bonded over the seams effectively creating an incredibly durable waterproof seal.
• In alternative embodiments,upper component3 may have aseam63 located elsewhere other than as illustrated inFIG. 3, or multiple seams may be used, or no seam at all, depending on howupper component3 is manufactured.
• FIG. 4 illustratessole component5.Sole component5 includes two front through-holes13, two rear through-holes15, afront cleat opening17, and arear cleat opening19. Theopenings13,15,17 and19 may be formed during the manufacturing process by any suitable means. In the present embodiment, the apertures may be reinforced by a sealingperimeter27. Sealingperimeter27 may be a reinforced rubber, additional material, some type of elastic or stretchable material or a screen print positioned on top of the material formingsole component5 as will be hereinafter further explained. Theupper component3 and/orsole component5 may further include an interior screen print12 (illustrated inFIG. 6) located on the inner surface ofupper component3 or ascreen print65 located onsole component5 adjacent to the cleated footwear as will be hereinafter further explained.
• The two front through-holes13 and two rear through-holes15 are preferably positioned and located onsole component5 to align with two front ortoe cleats29 and two rear orheel cleats31, respectively, of most cleated footwear. When the two front/toe cleats29 and two rear/heel cleats31 align with the two front through-holes13 and the two rear through-holes15, the twotoe cleats29 and the twoheel cleats31 will be received into the respective through-holes13 and15. Approximately 80% of cleated footwear in the marketplace today have toe and heel cleats positioned and located substantially similar to the twofront cleats29 and tworear cleats31 illustrated inFIG. 4. It is recognized and anticipated that the through-holes oropenings13 and15 can be positioned and located onsole component5 at any location so as to match up and align with the toe and/or heel cleats associated with any cleated footwear. It is also recognized that one or more of theopening13 and/or15 can be eliminated or expanded into asingle opening13 and/or asingle opening15 depending upon the specific cleated footwear over which thepresent cover1 will be inserted.
• Sealingperimeter27 is preferably a screen print positioned over, along and around the peripheral edge portions of all of the openings associated withsole component5 such asopenings13,15,17 and19. Thescreen print27 can be of any thickness sufficient to provide additional strength to the perimeter edge portions of the respective openings and it likewise serves to help secure thecover1 to the footwear around the twofront cleats29 and tworear cleats31 while the wearer is at rest or active. It is also applied specifically to increase the durability of the cutouts oropenings13,15,17 and19. In a separate alternative embodiment, as previously indicated, a single front through-hole13 and/or a single rear engaging through-hole15 may be sufficient to engage asingle toe cleat29 and/or asingle heel cleat31.
• Front cleat opening17 andrear cleat opening19 are positioned and located onsole component5 to align with a front group ofcleats33 and a rear group ofcleats35 typically found on cleated footwear. When thefront cleat group33 andrear cleat group35 align with thefront cleat opening17 andrear cleat opening19, the group ofcleats33 and35 will be received into thelarger openings17 and19 respectively. Cleated footwear in the marketplace today may have varying group configurations of thefront cleats33 and therear group35. Nevertheless, thefront cleat opening17 andrear cleat opening19 are sufficiently stretchable to receive a plurality of different front and rear cleat group configurations, including approximately 80% of those commonly found in the marketplace.
• Like theopenings17 and19, the sealingperimeter27 should likewise be sufficiently stretchable to receive each of the front group ofcleats33 and the rear group ofcleats group35. This further secures the waterrepellant footwear cover1 to the footwear around thecleats33 and35 while the wearer is at rest or active.
• Use of the present waterrepellant footwear cover1 is accomplished by having an athlete wearing cleated footwear insert his or her foot into thefoot insertion opening7 and thereafter maneuvering and manipulating thecover1 such that the toe andheel cleats29 and31 extend through the front and rear through-holes13 and15 and such that the front and rear group ofcleats33 and35 extend through theopenings17 and19. Theindividual openings13,15,17 and19 can be individually manipulated to properly receive and secure the respective cleats therethrough and to make sure that the sealingperimeter27 around each opening is in proper position adjacent the respective cleat(s). Therespective openings17 and19 may need additional adjustment to receive the front and rear groups ofcleats33 and35 depending upon the cleat configuration associated with the cleated footwear. When properly positioned, theelastic band9 will securely hold thepresent cover1 around the athlete's ankle.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of theupper component seam63 showing one embodiment of the material structure of theupper component3 as well as the seam assembly constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention. Either or both ofupper component3 and thesole component5 may be composed of thelayered material system41 as illustrated inFIG. 5. In this particular embodiment, layeredsystem41 includes amiddle neoprene layer51, anouter nylon layer53, and aninner nylon layer55. It has been found that this particular combination oflayered materials41 acts as an excellent water repellant; it provides comfort to the wearer; it preserves proprioception; it is lightweight; and it is a four-way stretch material. This combination of materials is also lighter when wet as compared to other material combinations and it repels a greater percentage of the moisture that would otherwise get the athlete's feet wet. More particularly, the use of neoprene, in general, as the middle layer reduces impact velocity; it is lightweight, form fitting and stretches easily; it provides technical compression; it is weather resistant and resists degradation from sunlight, ozone, oxidations, rain, snow, sand, dust and is usable over a wide temperature range; it has excellent thermoregulation properties; and it is used in both wet suits and dry suits to keep the wearer warm when it's cold and cooler when it's hot.
• Outer nylon layer53 may be a diamond-nylon laminate known for its water repellant, high abrasion, cut and puncture resistant qualities, thin profile, durability, stretch, comfort and overall integrity. Furthermore, it provides temperature stability to help thermoregulate the waterrepellant footwear cover1. In a preferred embodiment, the diamond-nylon laminate may be approximately 0.55 mm thick. In an alternative embodiment, theouter nylon layer53 may be a different variety of nylon, for example, ballistic nylon. Alternatively, its thickness may be greater than or less than 0.55 mm thick.
• Neoprene layer51 may be a hyper-compressed neoprene. The hyper-compressed neoprene reduces impact velocity, and it provides thermoregulation and compression. Furthermore, it is lightweight and weather resistant. As a result, it will help keep an athlete's feet warm in cool weather and cool in warm weather without being unnecessarily cumbersome. In a preferred embodiment, the hyper-compressed neoprene may be approximately 1.5 mm thick. In an alternative embodiment, theneoprene layer51 may be a different variety of neoprene, for example, C Foam or K Foam neoprene. Alternatively, its thickness may be greater than or less than 1.5 mm thick.
• Inner nylon layer55 may be a nylon jersey knit. The nylon jersey knit provides comfort to the wearer, protectsneoprene layer51, and it has a thin profile and is durable. The nylon jersey knit also has excellent stretch properties to provide an easy slip-on capability for the wearer. In a preferred embodiment, the nylon jersey knit may be approximately 0.45 mm thick. In an alternative embodiment, theinner nylon layer55 may be a different variety of nylon, for example, ballistic nylon. Alternatively, its thickness may be greater than or less than 0.45 mm thick.
• In alternative embodiments, layeredsystem41 may includemiddle neoprene layer51,outer nylon layer53,inner nylon layer55, and other layers of nylon, neoprene, or other material. In still other alternative embodiments, layeredsystem41 may include fewer layers as compared tolayers51,53 and55 illustrated inFIG. 5 including a single layer of material so long as the material or materials selected provide adequate water-resistant properties.Outer nylon layer53,middle neoprene layer51, andinner nylon layer55 may be attached by any suitable means such as by an adhesive, or they may be otherwise bonded or connected together using known methods.
• FIG. 6 illustrates an enlarged partial view ofinterior screen print12 associated with the interior ofupper component3 constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention.Interior screen print12 may extend throughout the interior ofupper component3, or any portions thereof, and may include ahexagonal pattern61 as illustrated inFIG. 6. Thehexagonal pattern61 may again be overlaid onto the interior surface of theupper component3 and may be a plastisol ink. During testing, it was noted that water may have a tendency to ingress around the surface of the cleats if theopenings13,15,17 and19 slipped relative to their proper position. If this occurs, water may wick up the nylon fabric on the inside ofupper component3. Use of thehexagonal pattern61 compartmentalizes thenylon fabric55 so that water has a more difficult time wicking up the fabric in a capillary action. In addition, thehexagonal pattern61 also provides a gripping feature to help keep the waterrepellant foot cover1 from slipping when positioned over the cleated footwear. In some embodiments,hexagonal pattern61 may include other screen print designs. For example, in the present embodiment, as illustrated inFIG. 6,hexagonal pattern61 includes a logo inside the respective hexagons.
• The interior ofsole component5 may likewise include an interior screen print overlaid onto various portions thereof such as theoptional screen print65 illustrated inFIG. 3. In this particular embodiment, the screen print may include a logo design such as the logo seen within each of the respective hexagons associated withpattern61 illustrated inFIG. 6. Thescreen print65 can be applied to the central portion of thesole component5 as illustrated inFIG. 3, or it can extend throughout the interior ofsole component5, or it can be applied to any other portion thereof. It is also recognized and anticipated that thescreen print pattern65 can likewise take on other screen print designs includingscreen print design12 illustrated inFIG. 6. Position and location of thescreen print65 as illustrated inFIG. 3 provides an anti-slip function for the wearer and helps to prevent slippage between thecover1 and the cleated footwear during an athlete's play in competition. In addition, as illustrated inFIG. 4, an optional screen print pattern, such asscreen print67 can likewise be overlaid onto various portions of the exterior surface of thesole component5. As illustrated inFIG. 4,screen print67 likewise takes on the form of the logo associated with the respective hexagons illustrated in hexagonal pattern61 (FIG. 6) and is likewise positioned and located on a central portion ofsole component5 as illustrated. Here again,screen print67 can take on a wide variety of other screen print designs includingscreen print pattern61 illustrated inFIG. 6. Use ofscreen print67 on the exterior ofsole component5 provides an additional gripping feature associated with thecover1 when an athlete has their foot on top of the ball. This prevents slipping in wet or rainy conditions and further provides maximum ball control in wet conditions.
• It is recognized and anticipated that all of the screen printing patterns and features associated with thepresent cover1 such asscreen prints11,12,65 and67 are optional and may or may not be included on the respective upper andsole components3 and5. It is also recognized and anticipated that thevarious screen prints11,12,65 and67 may likewise be replaced with other patterns and that such patterns may be used in various combinations on various portions of the upper andsole components3 and5 depending upon different applications of thepresent cover1. It is also recognized that thepresent cover1 will likewise achieve its desired goals of keeping an athlete's cleated footwear dry regardless of whether screen prints are used as described above.
• A number of system-wide alternatives exist with respect to thepresent cover1. For example, in one alternative embodiment, the waterrepellant footwear cover1 may be either semi-permanently or permanently attached to cleated footwear such that both the cleated footwear and thepresent cover1 can be packaged and sold as an integral unit. In addition, as stated above, the position and location of therespective openings13,15,17 and19 associated with thesole component5 can be positioned, located and rearranged so as to align with any number of different types of cleated footwear configurations including blade, 6-stud, 8-stud, or any other cleated footwear types. In addition, thepresent cover1 can be designed and manufactured so as to overlay cleated footwear worn in other sports such as baseball, golf and the like. Still further, it is also recognized and anticipated that thepresent cover1 can likewise be used in association with non-cleated footwear of all types.
• Thus, there has been shown and described several embodiments of a novel water repellant footwear cover. As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of the present invention are not limited by the particular details of the examples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that other modifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur to those skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similar terms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of “optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the present invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

Claims (33)

What is claimed is:

1. A water repellant footwear cover for covering an article of footwear having a cleated sole with at least one front cleat and at least one rear cleat, the water repellant footwear cover comprising:

an upper component including an opening through which footwear may pass;

a sole component attached to said upper component including at least one front through-hole and at least one rear through-hole;

wherein said front through-hole is positioned and located for receiving at least one front cleat associated with a cleated sole; and

wherein said rear through-hole is positioned and located for receiving at least one said rear cleat associated a cleated sole.

2. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein said cover is comprised of an outer nylon layer, a middle neoprene layer, and an inner nylon layer.

3. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 2 wherein said outer nylon layer is a diamond-nylon laminate.

4. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 2 wherein said inner nylon layer is a nylon jersey knit.

5. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 2 wherein said middle neoprene layer is a hyper-compressed neoprene.

6. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein said sole component further includes a front cleat opening positioned and located for receiving a group of cleats associated with a cleated sole.

7. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein said sole component further includes a rear cleat opening positioned and located for receiving a group of cleats associated with a cleated sole.

8. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein said opening through which footwear may pass further includes an elastic band extending therearound to secure said cover to a wearer.

9. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein the exterior of said upper component further includes at least one screen print.

10. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein the interior of said upper component includes a screen print.

11. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 9 wherein said at least one screen print is positioned and located in a strike zone.

12. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 10 wherein the screen print includes a hexagonal pattern.

13. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein the exterior of said sole component includes a screen print.

14. The water repellant footwear cover of clam1 wherein the interior of said sole component includes a screen print.

15. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 1 wherein said upper component and said sole component are integral.

16. A water repellant footwear cover for covering an article of footwear having a cleated sole with at least one toe cleat, at least one heel cleat, a group of front cleats and a group of rear cleats, the water repellant footwear cover comprising:

an upper component including an opening through which footwear may pass;

a sole component attached to said upper component including at least one front through-hole, at least one rear through-hole, a front cleat opening, and a rear cleat opening;

wherein said front through-hole is positioned and located for receiving the at least one toe cleat;

wherein said rear through-hole is positioned and located for receiving the at least one heel cleat;

wherein said front cleat opening is positioned and located for receiving a group of front cleats; and

wherein said rear cleat opening is positioned and located for receiving a group of rear cleats.

17. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein said cover is comprised of an outer nylon layer, a middle neoprene layer, and an inner nylon layer.

18. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 17 wherein said outer nylon layer is a diamond-nylon laminate.

19. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 17 wherein said inner nylon layer is a nylon jersey knit.

20. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 17 wherein said middle neoprene layer is a hyper-compressed neoprene.

21. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein said opening through which footwear may pass further includes an elastic band extending substantially around the circumference of said opening for further securing said cover to a wearer.

22. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein the exterior of said upper component further includes at least one screen print.

23. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 22 wherein said at least one screen print is positioned and located on the medial midfoot region of the upper component in the vicinity of the strike zone.

24. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 22 wherein said at least one screen print is positioned and located on the lateral midfoot region of the upper component in the vicinity of the strike zone.

25. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein the interior of said upper component includes a screen print.

26. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 25 wherein said screen print includes a hexagonal pattern.

27. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein the interior of said sole component includes a screen print.

28. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 27 wherein said screen print is positioned and located on a central portion of the sole component.

29. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein the exterior of said sole component includes a screen print.

30. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 29 wherein said screen print is positioned and located on a central portion of the sole component.

31. The water repellant footwear ofclaim 16 including a sealing perimeter extending around the periphery of at least one of said front and rear through-holes and said front and rear cleat openings.

32. The water repellant footwear ofclaim 31 wherein said sealing perimeter is a screen print.

33. The water repellant footwear cover ofclaim 16 wherein said upper component and said sole component are integral.

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