A ski boot including a rigid foot-case that accommodates a user's foot, a rigid cuff, which is pivotally joined to the foot-case so as to be able to rotate about a reference axis substantially perpendicular to the midplane of the ski boot, and foot-case closing means which are adapted to selectively close/tighten the foot-case against the user's foot. The foot-case closing means includes an oblong, transversal locking band that extends transversally to the midplane of the ski boot and has a first end firmly fixed to a first lateral side of the foot-case, and a manually-operated coupling assembly, which is adapted to connect the second end of the transversal locking band selectively and alternatively to the foot-case or to the cuff, at a second lateral side of the foot-case opposite to said first lateral side.

Ski boot comprising a rigid shell which is shaped so as to accommodate the foot of the user, and has a lower part structured to couple with a ski binding device; a rigid cuff which is shaped so as to surround the lower part of the leg of the user, and is pivotally jointed to the shell thus to be able to pivot about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the midplane of the boot, and shell closing means adapted to selectively tighten the shell on the foot of the user; the shell comprising a substantially basin-shaped casing which is superiorly provided with a main opening from which the leg of the user comes out, and with a longitudinal slit that branches from said main opening and extends along the casing towards the front tip of the shell; the shell closing means being placed at the longitudinal fissure.

The inventive subject matter shown and described is directed to an item of footwear with a tensioning system, comprising: a shell for enclosing a foot and at least a portion of a lower leg; a pair of opposing edges generally aligned along the top of foot portion of the shell and/or a front lower leg portion, the edges generally aligning with a longitudinal axis of the foot and/or lower leg, the opposing edges defining opposite sides of the shell; a foot retraction system comprising a tension path and at least two anchor points disposed along the path on the opposite sides of the shell and supporting at least one tensionable cable section disposed along the path, at least one anchor point comprising a tensioning mechanism, the tensioning mechanism allowing for adjustable tensioning of the cable section, the anchor points being arranged on opposite sides of the shell that support the edges, at least one being on a lateral or medial side of a boot and not on the top of the foot and front of the lower leg, so that tensioning of the cable causes the opposing edges to converge together. The inventive subject matter is particularly suitable for use in boots for snow and skating sports or any other such sport where sliding movement of the foot or leg relative to the item of footwear is undesirable and where secure coupling of the item to the foot and leg facilitates transfer of power to a board, ski, skate blade, set of skate wheels, etc., that is coupled to the item.

A buckle includes a base and a grip lug. The base underside can be placed against and fastened to a boot shell. The base upper side has at least one first receiving extension. In an engagement position a swivel element on the lug is latched at least in certain regions in the first receiving extension to form a swivelable first latching connection, to permit swiveling the lug in the engagement position from an open into a closed engagement position by the swivel element. At least one first latching extension is on the base upper side, and the lug has at least one latching element corresponding thereto. In the closed position, the latching element is latched at least in certain regions on the first latching extension to form a releasable second latching connection, to secure the lug against leaving the engagement position and against swiveling into the open position.

Ski boot comprising: substantially rigid foot-casing, which is adapted to accommodate the foot of the user; a substantially rigid cuff, which is adapted to surround the lower part of the leg of the user, and is hinged on the foot-casing so as to be able to swing about a transversal rotation axis, which is substantially perpendicular to the boot midplane; an oblong-shaped tongue, which is arranged longitudinally to close the upper part of the foot-casing; and a foot-casing closing assembly, which is adapted to close/tighten the upper part of the foot-casing on the foot of the user and comprises: a first fairlead member, which is located on the hinge that connects the cuff to the foot-casing; a plurality of second fairlead members, which are arranged along a first major longitudinal edge of the tongue, in part integral with the foot-casing and in part integral with the tongue; and a cable winding winch, which is located on the cuff or on the tongue and is provided with a flexible cable, which comes out from the cable winding winch itself, engages in freely slidable manner and in succession said first and said second fairlead members, and has the distal end fastened to the tongue or to the foot-casing.

A differentially tightenable ski boot includes a lower shell and an upper cuff that is pivotally coupled with the lower shell. The ski boot includes a first tightening system that is coupled with the lower shell and a second tightening system that is coupled with the upper cuff. Each tightening system includes a reel based closure device, a tension member that is operably coupled with the reel based closure device, and at least one guide member that routes or directs the tension member along a path about the lower shell or upper cuff. The first tightening system and the second tightening system are operable independently of each other to independently and differentially tightening the lower shell and the upper cuff.

A fastening assembly adapted to be applied to a sports article provided with a pair of flaps to be moved mutually towards/away. The assembly includes a traction cable which can be constrained with a first end portion to a flap of the pair of flaps and which can be associated with the other flap of the pair of flaps, and a reel-based tightening device including a winding mechanism having a reel with which there is associated a second end portion of the traction cable, the reel being rotatable around a first rotation axis to tension the second end portion of the traction cable. The reel-based tightening device is adapted to be constrained to a flap of the pair of flaps through pivot means defining a second rotation axis, distinct and separate with respect to the first rotation axis, around which the reel-based tightening device can oscillate in use.

A reel-based tightening device includes a housing case defining a housing seat, a spool housed rotatable around a first rotation axis in said housing seat and provided with annular groove to allow the winding of a traction cable, a knob assembly rotatably mounted on said housing case around a second rotation axis parallel to said first rotation axis and operatively connected to said spool through drive means, locking means configured to lock the rotary position progressively achieved by the spool by rotating the knob assembly so as to obtain the gradual winding and unwinding of the cable around said spool, and selective release means which can be actuated by a user so as to free the rotation of said spool and allow the quick release of the cable.

A differentially tightenable ski boot includes a lower shell and an upper cuff that is pivotally coupled with the lower shell. The ski boot includes a first tightening system that is coupled with the lower shell and a second tightening system that is coupled with the upper cuff. Each tightening system includes a reel based closure device, a tension member that is operably coupled with the reel based closure device, and at least one guide member that routes or directs the tension member along a path about the lower shell or upper cuff. The first tightening system and the second tightening system are operable independently of each other to independently and differentially tightening the lower shell and the upper cuff.

A tightening device for tightening a ski boot includes an elongate panel having a proximal end and a distal end. The elongate panel is positioned about the ski boot's shell between opposing sides of the shell. A tensioning mechanism is coupled with the proximal end of the elongate panel. A tension member is operably coupled with the tensioning mechanism so that an operation of the tensioning mechanism adjusts a tension of the tension member. At least one guide member is coupled with, or positioned on, the proximal end of the elongate panel adjacent to the tensioning mechanism. The tension member is coupled with the guide member to route or direct the tension member between the opposing sides of the shell and along a portion of the elongate panel.