A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. A capacitive sensor, such as disposed within or upon the sensor housing, can be configured to provide the foot presence indication. In an example, foot presence can be detected using time-varying characteristics of a signal from the capacitive sensor.

An article of footwear can include a tensioning system with a multilayered upper and a relatively narrow strobel. One layer of the upper can be attached to an outer periphery of the strobel. Another layer of the upper can be attached to a portion of the sole structure. In addition, a lacing region can be formed by folding a laminated structure including the second layer. A third layer of the upper can provide a bootie within the article of footwear configured to receive a foot.

An article of footwear can include a tensioning system with a multilayered upper and a relatively narrow strobel. One layer of the upper can be attached to an outer periphery of the strobel. Another layer of the upper can be attached to a portion of the sole structure. In addition, a lacing region can be formed by folding a laminated structure including the second layer. A third layer of the upper can provide a bootie within the article of footwear configured to receive a foot.

A footwear article for watersports comprising a sole, a vamp in connection with the sole and an upper fixed with the vamp and the sole. A lacing system disposed on the upper, the lacing system comprises a lace, a first set of anchor points and a second set of anchor points. Said lacing system is disposed on an outer side of the upper and configured such that the lace crosses over itself fewer than six times between anchor points in the closed configuration; and wherein at least one of the vamp and the upper comprises a textured surface, and an upper comprises a strap adapted to extend around at least the perimeter of the upper.

A foot presence sensor system for an active article of footwear can include a sensor housing configured to be disposed at or in an insole of the article, and a controller circuit, disposed within the sensor housing, configured to trigger one or more automated functions of the footwear based on a foot presence indication. In an example, the sensor system includes a capacitive sensor configured to sense changes in a capacitance signal in response to proximity of a body. A dielectric member can be provided between the capacitive sensor and the body to enhance an output signal from the sensor.

An article of footwear comprising a side lacing pattern features laces ending on the same side of the footwear with both lace ends exiting from the side of an intermediate row of the footwear. The lace travels in a single pass between the upper and lower rows of eyelets, beneath the outer surface of the upper such that the lacing uses each eyelet once without overlapping, using right angle turns at each eyelet within the lacing pattern.

A lacing system of an article includes two laces that are routed through the article of footwear to provide two distinct fastening zones. A first lace can be routed through a first set of lace-receiving passages in a first fastening zone of a body of the article, and a second lace can be routed through a second fastening zone of the body. A method of lacing an article includes routing the first lace and the second lace through the lace-receiving passages of the respective zones.

An article such as an article of footwear includes a lacing system having two laces that are routed through lace-receiving passages in two distinct zones of a body of the article. A first lace can be routed through a first set of lace-receiving passages in a first zone, and a second lace can be routed through a second set of lace-receiving passages in a second zone. A method of lacing an article includes routing the first lace and the second lace through the lace-receiving passages of the respective zones.

An article of footwear includes a sole, an upper coupled to the sole and having an inner surface and an outer surface, the upper being configured to receive at least a portion of a human foot within an interior cavity at least partially defined by the upper, a plurality of eyelets disposed on the upper, each eyelet including a pair of openings disposed in the upper, and a cord threaded through the pair of openings of each eyelet of the plurality of eyelets such that the cord includes a series of unexposed portions and a series of exposed portions. The series of exposed portions are disposed more proximate to the outer surface of the upper than the inner surface of the upper.

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.