Described are shoes for ball sports including an upper having an outer surface. An actuator is configured to change at least one surface property of a portion of the outer surface of the upper, and a sensor is configured to be sensitive to movements of the shoe. A processing unit is connected to the actuator and the sensor and configured to process sensor data retrieved from the sensor and to cause the actuator to change the at least one surface property of the portion of the outer surface of the upper if a predetermined event is detected in the sensor data.

An article of footwear defining a forefoot region, a midfoot region, a heel region, a lateral side, and a medial side includes an upper, a heel element, and a sole structure. The upper includes an outer surface, and the heel element is secured to the upper proximate to the heel region. The upper includes a knit fabric forming a first knit zone having a first elasticity, a second knit zone having a second elasticity, and a third knit zone having a third elasticity. Each of the first elasticity, the second elasticity, and the third elasticity are different.

Various articles, such as footwear, apparel, athletic equipment, watchbands, and the like, and methods of forming those articles are presented. The articles are generally formed, in whole or in part, using rapid manufacturing techniques, such as laser sintering, stereolithography, solid deposition modeling, and the like. The use of rapid manufacturing allows for relatively economical and time efficient manufacture of customized articles. Portions of the articles may be manufactured using rapid manufacturing and those portions may be joined with portions formed using conventional, non-rapid manufacturing techniques. The methods may also include performing a scan of an appropriate body part of a user, such as a foot, in order to create a customized article of footwear for the user.

An article of footwear may include a knitted component formed of unitary knit construction. The knitted component includes a sock portion and a tongue portion. The sock portion has a hollow structure (a) forming an ankle opening in a heel region of the footwear and (b) extending between the heel region and a forefoot region of the footwear to define a void within the footwear for receiving a foot. The tongue portion has an elongate configuration (a) extending through at least a portion of a length of a throat area of the upper and (b) including two knit layers that lay adjacent to each other

An improved article of footwear is disclosed herein. The footwear includes a sole, an upper, laces, and an adaptable/repositionable eyelet system. The upper of the footwear is disposed on the sole, where the upper contains a cavity that is configured to receive a foot. The eyelet system includes a cord and at least one eyelet. The cord is partially disposed between the upper and the sole, and the at least one eyelet is slidably coupled to the cord. The laces are slidably coupled to the at least one eyelet, such that the laces, the eyelet, and the cord are disposed proximate to the surface of the upper. As the laces are tightened, the at least one eyelet is repositioned along the cord to a location that is optimal for a foot disposed within the cavity formed by the upper.

An article of footwear has an auxetic sole structure formed from members surrounding apertures. The members may have a trapezoidal geometry. Adjoining members are hingedly connected, so that they can rotate with respect to each other in the plane of the sole structure. The rotation allows the auxetic sole structure to expand when tension is applied.

Articles of footwear having an upper that includes a tensile support structure are described. The tensile support structure is formed by a plurality of strands that are arranged in a chain-linked configuration. The chain-linked arrangement of the strands assists with distributing tensile forces over portions of the upper of the article of footwear and helps to conforms the upper to a foot of a wearer upon the application of tension.

An upper for an article of footwear is configured to be connected to a sole structure. The upper includes a knitted component having a base portion that is configured to be disposed adjacent the sole structure. The base portion defines an interior surface and an exterior surface of the knitted component. The base portion defines a base portion passage between the interior surface and the exterior surface. Also, the upper includes a tensile strand that extends through the base portion passage.

An article of footwear is provided, which may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may include an elastic skin material forming at least a portion of an external surface of the upper. In addition, the upper may include substantially inelastic reinforcing material selectively located adjacent portions of the elastic skin material, wherein the elastic skin material is more elastic than the substantially inelastic reinforcing material.

An article of footwear having printed structures disposed on the article by a three-dimensional printer is disclosed. The printed structures include extended portions and fastener receiving portions. The extended portions are at least partially embedded in the upper. The fastener receiving portions are at least partially spaced apart from an exterior surface of the upper.