A tongue of an article of footwear is split into two pieces having an upper and lower section. The lower section is built into/a part of the footwear as it is fixedly attached to a vamp and/or throat of the footwear such as of a sneaker. The upper end is removably attachable to the footwear along a straight line (line of demarcation) between the upper and lower pieces. This straight line extends generally horizontally. The upper end of the lower region of the tongue and the lower end of the upper region of the tongue have fastening mechanisms designed/configured to removably attach the upper and lower regions to each other along a horizontal axis.

A sports shoe including a shell, adapted to receive the foot of a user in use, provided with a longitudinal front opening adapted to facilitate the insertion of the foot of the user, a covering tongue to cover at least the front opening, the covering tongue including at least a first rigid portion, adapted to extend, in use, at least at the instep of the foot of the user, and which can be connected to the shell through fixing means. The tongue further includes at least a second rigid portion, adapted to extend, in use, at the front part of the lower leg of the user, the second portion being rotatable with respect to the first portion in the instep region of the foot of the user, the tongue further including selective locking means for selectively locking/unlocking the rotation of the second portion with respect to the first portion.

A sports shoe including a shell, adapted to receive the foot of a user in use, provided with a longitudinal front opening adapted to facilitate the insertion of the foot of the user, a covering tongue to cover at least the front opening, the covering tongue including at least a first rigid portion, adapted to extend, in use, at least at the instep of the foot of the user, and which can be connected to the shell through fixing means. The tongue further includes at least a second rigid portion, adapted to extend, in use, at the front part of the lower leg of the user, the second portion being rotatable with respect to the first portion in the instep region of the foot of the user, the tongue further including selective locking means for selectively locking/unlocking the rotation of the second portion with respect to the first portion.

A skate includes a boot having a toe portion with a toe portion connector on at least one of its inner and outer surfaces. A tongue is mountable within the boot of the skate. The tongue at its lower end has a pressing member with cooperating first and second segments. The tongue has a tongue connector on at least one of the first and second segments. At least one of the first and second segments is foldable to engage the first segment with the inner surface of the toe portion and the second segment with the outer surface of the toe portion, and to engage the tongue connector with the toe portion connector to removably connect the tongue to the toe portion.

A skate includes a boot having a toe portion with a toe portion connector on at least one of its inner and outer surfaces. A tongue is mountable within the boot of the skate. The tongue at its lower end has a pressing member with cooperating first and second segments. The tongue has a tongue connector on at least one of the first and second segments. At least one of the first and second segments is foldable to engage the first segment with the inner surface of the toe portion and the second segment with the outer surface of the toe portion, and to engage the tongue connector with the toe portion connector to removably connect the tongue to the toe portion.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure. The article of footwear further includes a first member that extends away from the sole structure. The first member at least partially defines a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. Moreover, the second member has a body, a first support arm, and a second support arm. The body is attached to the first member such that the first member and the body cooperate to define a void that is configured to receive a foot. The body is also attached to the sole structure. The first support arm is attached to the first member on the medial side, and the second support arm is attached to the first member on the lateral side.

An article of footwear includes a sole structure. The article of footwear further includes a first member that extends away from the sole structure. The first member at least partially defines a medial side and a lateral side of the article of footwear. Moreover, the second member has a body, a first support arm, and a second support arm. The body is attached to the first member such that the first member and the body cooperate to define a void that is configured to receive a foot. The body is also attached to the sole structure. The first support arm is attached to the first member on the medial side, and the second support arm is attached to the first member on the lateral side.

Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps. In one representative embodiment, a shoe includes: (a) a sole; (b) an upper, extending above the sole, that includes a front section, a left side, a right side, a rear section, and a tongue that originates from the front section and extends rearwardly between the left side and the right side; (c) a left elastic strap that extends from a left side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the left side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the left side of the upper; and (d) a right elastic strap that extends from a right side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the right side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the right side of the upper, with the left elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the left side of the tongue and the right elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the right side of the tongue.

Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps. In one representative embodiment, a shoe includes: (a) a sole; (b) an upper, extending above the sole, that includes a front section, a left side, a right side, a rear section, and a tongue that originates from the front section and extends rearwardly between the left side and the right side; (c) a left elastic strap that extends from a left side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the left side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the left side of the upper; and (d) a right elastic strap that extends from a right side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the right side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the right side of the upper, with the left elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the left side of the tongue and the right elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the right side of the tongue.