Western-type boot pac with insulated waterproof construction

Claim 1

An article of footwear for use by a wearer engaged in outdoor activities during inclement or very cold weather conditions and requiring periods of horseback riding in which the wearer must place his feet in saddle stirrups and exert downward pressure on the stirrups in the arch area of each foot in order to maintain his position in the saddle, said article of footwear including a foot enclosing portion and a leg enclosing portion for enclosing the foot and the lower portion of the leg of the wearer, said foot enclosing portion including a riding toe of tapering and pointed construction simulative of a western style riding toe to facilitate insertion of the foot enclosing portion into a stirrup and to facilitate removal therefrom without accidental entanglement, a sole extending rearwardly from the riding toe and including a high arch supporting area immediately in front of the breast of a high riding heel to facilitate retention of a stirrup in the high arch supporting area, a rigid shank in said high arch supporting area with the forward end of the shank terminating at the forward end of the high arch supporting area and substantially rearwardly of the riding toe whereby the forward portion of the foot enclosing portion remains flexible, said sole, heel, high arch supporting area, riding toe and the remainder of the foot enclosing portion and the leg enclosing portion including an outer layer of flexible, resilient, waterproof material of unitary construction and an inner layer of fabric material, said leg enclosing portion and the portion of the foot enclosing portion above the sole including an intermediate layer of flexible, resilient, foam cellular insulating material, said sole including an intermediate layer in the form of a shape sustaining midsole having the rigid shank mounted fixedly therein to distribute forces exerted on the stirrup over a large surface area of the bottom of the foot of a wearer.