A boot, such as a ski boot, may include a lower portion or shell that is configured to accommodate a foot and an upper portion or cuff that extends upward from the lower portion and that is configured to accommodate a lower leg of a wearer. The boot may also include a tightening system that is coupled with the lower portion of the boot in order to close and tighten the lower portion about the foot. The tightening system includes a reel based closure device and a tension member that is operably coupled with the reel based closure device so that an operation of the reel based closure device effects tensioning of the tension member. The tightening system also includes a plurality of guide members that route or direct the tension member along a path and a terminal member that is fixedly coupled with the tension member.

A protective footwear includes a foot engagement portion, a lower-leg engagement portion, and a cable closure system. The lower-leg engagement portion defines a cable end interface and a buckle interface. The cable closure system is configured to facilitate at least partially securing the protective footwear to a leg of a wearer. The cable closure system includes a buckle assembly configured to releasably couple to the buckle interface and a cable extending between the cable end interface and the buckle assembly. The cable has a first end coupled to the cable end interface and an opposing second end coupled to the buckle assembly.

A device for aiding putting on a ski boot includes a flexible attachment member removably attached to the ski boot. The flexible attachment member includes a strap retention member at a front end. An end of a main strap is attached at a rear end of the flexible retention member. The other end of the main strap is threaded through the strap retention member and through a loop positioned on a tongue of the ski boot. The main strap is pulled to move the tongue toward the front of the ski boot to increase the opening into the ski boot. After the tongue is in an open position, the ends of the main strap are attached to one another to keep the tongue in an open position. A pair of side straps attached to the main strap can be pulled upwardly on either side of the ski boot to aid in pulling the ski boot onto the foot of the wearer.

Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for improving physical activity performance analysis, and more specifically to a system and method for using motion, pressure and position sensors embedded in equipment or footwear of a user to assess physical activity performance. The sensors can collect pressure related data, transmit the data to a server for processing, and the user can receive feedback based on their performance.

A composition contains a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU-1), obtained or obtainable by reaction of an isocyanate composition (IZ) containing MDI with a polyol composition (PZ), and hollow glass microspheres. The polyol composition (PZ) contains at least one polyol (P1) selected from polytetrahydrofurans having an average molecular weight Mn in the range from 900 to 2,000 g/mol. The polyol composition (PZ) also contains a chain extender (KV1), selected from 1,2-ethandiol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,4-butanediol and 1,6-hexanediol. Ski shoes, preferably ski boots, particularly preferably the outer shell of a ski boot, can be based on such a thermoplastic polyurethane. Corresponding processes can be used for producing ski shoes.

Sports boot element comprising all or part of a wall designed to form at least part of a lateral and/or frontal and/or rear and/or lower wall of a sports boot, characterised in that all or part of its wall comprises a material (10) comprising a polymer (11) and a hollow microball (12) filler.

A cross-country skiing kit with a cross-country ski binding and with a cross-country ski boot, wherein the crosscountry ski binding, for articulated connection of a cross-country ski boot to a cross-country ski, is provided with a substantially unyielding binding main body which has a stand surface for a sole of the cross-country ski boot, with a holder device which has a seat for pivotable arrangement of the cross-country ski boot about a pivot axis extending in the transverse direction of the binding main body, with an elastically deformable resetting element for resetting the cross-country ski boot from an upwardly pivoted position in the direction of the stand surface of the binding main body, wherein at least one substantially unyielding elevation is provided on the stand surface of the binding main body, to the rear of the pivot axis in the longitudinal direction of the binding main body, with which elevation the sole of the cross-country ski boot in its unloaded state is arranged at a distance from the stand surface of the binding main body.

An article of protective wear such as a boot (10) includes a flexible shell (14) with an opening (16) extending between two parts (20, 22) of the shell that (14) can move relative to each other to open or close the opening (16). The boot (10) has one or more releasable closure elements (24) for holding the first and second parts (20, 22) closed and a mechanical tightening mechanism (28, 30) that allows tightening of the first and second parts (20, 22), but resists separation between them. The boot (10) also includes a one-way hook-and-loop fastening system (38, 40) attached to the first and second parts (20, 22) that is configured to resist relative sliding between the first and second parts (20, 22) to a looser condition, but to allow relative sliding between the first and second parts (20, 22) to a tighter condition.

An article of protective wear such as a boot (10) includes a flexible shell (14) with an opening (16) extending between two parts (20, 22) of the shell that (14) can move relative to each other to open or close the opening (16). The boot (10) has one or more releasable closure elements (24) for holding the first and second parts (20, 22) closed and a mechanical tightening mechanism (28, 30) that allows tightening of the first and second parts (20, 22), but resists separation between them. The boot (10) also includes a one-way hook-and-loop fastening system (38, 40) attached to the first and second parts (20, 22) that is configured to resist relative sliding between the first and second parts (20, 22) to a looser condition, but to allow relative sliding between the first and second parts (20, 22) to a tighter condition.

Sports boot including a shell and a liner, the shell extending upward so as to at least partially surround the lower leg of a user and including at least one tightening device configured to tighten the lower leg of the user. The tightening device includes the following: a first strap portion attached to the shell using a first anchoring mechanism; a second strap portion; mechanism configured to pair the first strap portion with the second strap portion; adjusting mechanism configured to adjust the length of the first strap portion or the length of the second strap portion; and a second anchoring mechanism configured to optionally connect the second strap portion to the shell.