Foot support systems (and articles of footwear including them) include a midfoot flex component, such as a bi-stable spring element, that moves the article of footwear/sole structure/foot support component/midfoot flex component between an open position/foot insertion or removal configuration and a closed position/foot supporting configuration and vice versa.

An upper for an article of footwear includes an upper body having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The upper body defines a throat between the first side and the second side. Further, the upper body defines an opening extending through the second side. The upper includes a lace extending across the throat between the first side and the second side. The upper further includes a dynamic support coupled to the upper body at the first side. The dynamic support extends across the throat from the first side to the second side. The dynamic support extends through the opening formed in the second side. The lace is attached to the dynamic support at the second side to apply tension on the dynamic support toward the second side when the lace is tightened.

Articles of footwear may include an upper formed from one or more upper parts, wherein at least one upper part defines an ankle-containing portion of the upper and at least one upper part (the same upper part or a different upper part) defines an instep-containing portion of the upper. The foot-insertion opening of the upper (which may include a closure system) may extend: (i) from a first side of an ankle-containing portion of the upper, (ii) around a rear heel or ankle area of the upper, (iii) along a second side of the ankle-containing portion of the upper, and (iv) to an instep-containing portion of the upper. One or more additional straps (e.g., an ankle strap, one or more interior bootie straps, etc.), fasteners, and/or locks may be provided to engage the upper/footwear with the wearer's foot.

A system includes an article of footwear and a remote system. The article of footwear includes an adaptive configured to be adjusted to one of a plurality of configurations based on a command received from a processor circuit. The remote system includes an electronic data storage, configured to store a user profile including the plurality of configurations, and a processor configured to prompt, on a user interface, a user to put on the article of footwear, receive, via a wireless transceiver, a signal from the article of footwear indicating that the article of footwear has been placed on the foot of a wearer, access, one of the plurality of configurations based on a user selection, and transmit the one of the plurality of configurations as selected. The processor circuit causes the adaptive component to be configured according to the one of the plurality of configurations.

New forms of fasteners are disclosed. In some embodiments, some such fasteners include a new form of magnetic zipper or other track fastener, with two tracks of interlocking pieces moved together by magnetic force. In some embodiments, at least one of the interlocking pieces, of one of the zipper tracks, includes at least one exterior edge, interlocking with a complementary edge of another interlocking piece included in the other zipper track, when the interlocking pieces are moved into place by magnetic force. The techniques of the invention are applicable to a wide variety of applications, incorporating many different materials. For example, in some contexts, some embodiments allow rapid closing of articles, such as gym bags or sports apparel, with minimum effort, and leading to an extraordinary custom-fit to a user's preferences.

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.

Methods and apparatuses are provided for closure of footwear. According to an example embodiment, an article of footwear that automatically secures to a user's foot includes a sole and a closure mechanism with a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the closure mechanism is attached to the sole. The second portion extends away from the sole. Deformation of a surface of the closure mechanism actuates the closure mechanism such that it automatically moves from a first stable position to a second stable position. In the second stable position, the closure mechanism conforms to and applies a force to at least one of an upper surface of the article of footwear and an upper surface of a foot of a user of the article of footwear.

An article of footwear has a flexible upper, a sole, a bite line, a heel region, a forefoot region, a medial side, a lateral side, and a flap. The article of footwear is secured using a closure system that may be tightened and loosened. The flap is coupled to the article of footwear proximate the bite line and is configured to interact with the closure system. The closure system secures the flap to the upper when the closure system is tightened.

A shoe having a toe portion, a heel portion and first and second sides, the shoe including a sole, an upper and a closing mechanism extending from a top portion of the upper down along the first side of the shoe and then horizontally between the sole and the upper around the toe portion, around the second side and around the heel portion.

A shoe includes a flexible, bistable heel flap to facilitate access to a foot-receiving cavity of the shoe. The flexible, bistable heel flap moves between an open stable position and an upright position suitable for use. At the open stable position, the flexible, bistable heel flap bends away from the foot-receiving cavity of the shoe. A fastener may secure the flexible, bistable heel flap in the upright position suitable for use.