Cover
Me
A low cost shoe cover built to traverse through urban blizzards
1MILLION
Americans injured from slipping on ice during the winter (2016 National Center of Injury Prevention and Control)
$34BILLION
annually in hospital bills , physical, therapy and medication in the US
800,000
Hospitalized from slipping on ice in 2016
Most people in urban cities only own a few shoes. Boots are expensive and are only used during snowy seasons while taking a lot of space. Becoming an expensive and space taking issue.
ICED OUT
How might we walk on black ice with our existing shoes?
Market Research
Looking for existing solutions and what they were lacking. Overboots gave upper protection and sole wraps helped with traction. There was no solution for both protection of the shoe and increase of traction.
Flex points
Finding the heel, toe joints, and anterior side of the foot to be weak points that would require extra security in a shoe
First Steps
Exploring how to make a shoe fit in another shoe within. I also had to keep the materials low cost while keeping the user’s feet warm and dry.
Tight Details
Deciding keep a sleek minimal boot so the user would want to wear the boot more often. Less pieces also create less weak points. Keeping fastening minimal so the user stays stable but not struggle to put on the overshoe.
Single piece upper to reduce cost and maximizing durability
Single strap to tighten midfoot and heel
Quick release buckle with whistle to lock in heel
Pull chord to tighten midfoot and ankle
Too loose
neon color bars for visibility
Locks onto ankles and shins
Tightens on back and front
Tread made in Grasshopper
Co-molded metal studs to break into black ice
Grooves to allow water to flow out and for flexible grip
Injection molded rubber with
midsection cut out to reduce material and provide flexibility
Zero heel to toe drop to provide maximum underfoot feel
Single piece Neste RE polypropylene weave upper for warmth and dryness held together by single rear zig zag stitch
Adjustable heel cup lock with emergency whistle uses same elastic as double stitched eye stay to reduce cost
Wide opening for ease of entry and room to tighten on ankles
