Athletic shoe with break-away high top

Claim 1

A convertible athletic shoe comprising: (a) a sole portion; (b) an upper fixed to the sole portion including a heel portion, side portions and a toe portion, wherein the upper defines an ankle opening and a tongue opening and wherein the upper includes a lace border adjacent the tongue opening having a series of lace holes formed therein; (c) a shoe lace threaded through the lace holes in the upper for securing the shoe to the wearer's foot when the lace is tied; (d) a detachable high top releasably secured to the upper for converting the shoe from a low top shoe to a high top shoe, the high top including an ankle cuff adapted to wrap around the wearer's ankle, wherein the ankle cuff includes a lower edge portion which overlaps the heel portion of the upper and a pair of connecting straps having at least one lace opening formed therein, wherein the connecting straps extend generally forwardly from the ankle cuff and overlap the lace border of the upper so that at least one lace opening in each connecting strap aligns with at least one lace hole in the upper, and wherein the shoe lace can be threaded through the lace opening in the connecting strap to aid in securing the detachable high top to the upper; and (e) cooperative fastening means including first and second fastener components attached respectively to the heel portion of the upper and the lower edge portion of the ankle cuff for releasable securing the high top to the upper.