US Patent 11950656 Removeable shoe toe box insert

The present disclosure is directed to a toe box insert configured to provide support between a wearer's toes and the end of a footwear. An exemplary toe box insert comprises a compressible material. The compressible material can be characterized by a firmness, a flexibility, and a springback. The firmness can provide rigidity to the footwear even when a force is applied on the toe box insert by a wearer. The flexibility can cause the toe box insert to indent in response to a force applied on the toe box insert by the wearer. The springback can cause the toe box insert to return to an original shape after a force applied by a wearer ceases.