A hockey skate includes a fiber-reinforced, composite frame, or an injected plastic frame, including a boot form and integral pedestals that serve as a blade-holder. The pedestals are integral with the bottom of the boot sole and are optionally spaced relatively far apart to provide a long span between them. An optional bridge assembly may be used to connect the blade to the pedestals. The bridge assembly may provide increased stiffness and vibration damping, as well as customized fit options.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

A boot form for a hockey skate is made of multiple plastic materials having different hardness properties, or different flexural moduli, and is formed via an injection-molding process or another similar process. One or more of the plastic materials may be reinforced with fibers of glass, carbon, aramid, or another stiffening material to strengthen one or more regions of the boot form. For example, pellets of a first plastic material having a flexural modulus of approximately 190 MPa (e.g., a polyamide elastomer block amide) may be injected into a mold to form a softer upper region of the boot form. And pellets of a second plastic having a flexural modulus of approximately 20,000 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12 with long glass fibers) may be injected into the mold to form a stiffer lower region of the boot form. Additional skate components may then be attached to the boot form.

A boot form for a hockey skate is made of multiple plastic materials having different hardness properties, or different flexural moduli, and is formed via an injection-molding process or another similar process. One or more of the plastic materials may be reinforced with fibers of glass, carbon, aramid, or another stiffening material to strengthen one or more regions of the boot form. For example, pellets of a first plastic material having a flexural modulus of approximately 190 MPa (e.g., a polyamide elastomer block amide) may be injected into a mold to form a softer upper region of the boot form. And pellets of a second plastic having a flexural modulus of approximately 20,000 MPa (e.g., a Nylon 12 with long glass fibers) may be injected into the mold to form a stiffer lower region of the boot form. Additional skate components may then be attached to the boot form.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

A hockey skate includes a fiber-reinforced, composite frame, or an injected plastic frame, including a boot form and integral pedestals that serve as a blade-holder. The pedestals are integral with the bottom of the boot sole and are optionally spaced relatively far apart to provide a long span between them. An optional bridge assembly may be used to connect the blade to the pedestals. The bridge assembly may provide increased stiffness and vibration damping, as well as customized fit options.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a skater (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the skater and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface (e.g., ice). At least part of the skate boot and optionally at least part of one or more other components (e.g., the skating device) may be constructed from one or more materials (e.g., foams) molded by flowing in molding equipment during a molding process (e.g., injection molding or casting). This may allow the skate (or other footwear) to have useful performance characteristics (e.g., reduced weight, proper fit and comfort, etc.) while being more cost-effectively manufactured. Other articles of footwear are also provided.

A skate boot includes a boot shell having first and second opposite side portions cooperating to define a foot receiving opening therebetween. The first and second side portions have a facing portion extending from the foot receiving opening. A band having a first end portion is received in the boot shell and attached to the boot shell at or adjacent the second side portion. The band extends across an interior of the boot shell and is slidingly received through an opening defined in the first side portion so as to have a second end portion of the band extending outside of the boot shell. The second end portion of the band defines an aperture for receiving a lace.