An article of footwear may have an upper with a knitted component. Alone or in combination, the knitted component may include regions with different degrees of stretch-resistance; the knitted component forms a collar with a half-gauge knit; the upper includes a strand with sections that are inlaid within the knitted component, and the sections are positioned immediately adjacent to each other; the strand forms a plurality of loops, pairs of the loops are positioned immediately adjacent to each other and configured to receive a lace; and the knitted component includes a thermoplastic polymer material, and the strand is unbonded to the thermoplastic polymer material.

A collapsible rear portion of a rapid-entry shoe comprising an energy set zone having increased hardness or resiliency to bias the collapsible rear portion from an open configuration for easy donning and doffing toward a closed configuration. A method of making such a rapid-entry shoe having a collapsible rear portion is also disclosed.

An upper for an article of footwear is configured to be connected to a sole structure and is configured to receive a foot. The upper includes a knitted component having a strobel portion that is configured to be disposed underneath the foot. The strobel portion defines an interior surface and an exterior surface of the knitted component. The strobel portion defines a strobel passage between the interior surface and the exterior surface. Also, the upper includes a tensile strand that extends through the strobel passage.

A method of making an article including links includes a step of generating a link pattern according to a pre-selected portion of the article. The link pattern includes a plurality of link indicia that correspond to a plurality of links. After associating each link from the plurality of links with a link indicia from the plurality of link indicia, a plurality of threads may be threaded through the plurality of links to form a link matrix. The link matrix may be associated with the pre-selected portion of an article to make an article including links.

Aspects herein are directed to, among other things, a knitted component for an article of footwear. The knitted component includes a knitted base layer secured to a knitted net layer. The knitted net layer may have a yarn defining cells with openings through which the knitted base layer is exposed. A thermoplastic polymer material, which may initially form yarn that forms the knitted net layer or the knitted base layer, may at least partially fuse the knitted base layer to the knitted net layer. In some aspects, the knitted component further includes one or more inlaid strands at least partially arranged between the knitted base and net layers. The inlaid strands may also include a thermoplastic polymer material that is at least partially melted during heating of the knitted component and, when cooled, fuses the inlaid strands to the knitted base layer and knitted net layer.

Aspects herein are directed to, among other things, a knitted component for an article of footwear. The knitted component includes a knitted base layer secured to a knitted net layer. The knitted net layer may have a yarn defining cells with openings through which the knitted base layer is exposed. A thermoplastic polymer material, which may initially form yarn that forms the knitted net layer or the knitted base layer, may at least partially fuse the knitted base layer to the knitted net layer. In some aspects, the knitted component further includes one or more inlaid strands at least partially arranged between the knitted base and net layers. The inlaid strands may also include a thermoplastic polymer material that is at least partially melted during heating of the knitted component and, when cooled, fuses the inlaid strands to the knitted base layer and knitted net layer.

A shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, is provided having a first portion and a second portion that are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric, wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion the knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.

A shoe upper for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, is provided having a first portion and a second portion that are jointly manufactured as a knitted fabric, wherein only one of the first portion and the second portion the knitted fabric is reinforced by a coating of a polymer material applied to the shoe upper.

In general, one or more aspects of the disclosure relates to an athletic shoe comprising an upper and a sole. The sole further comprises an upper midsole, a lower midsole and a plate disposed between the upper midsole and the lower midsole. The plate comprises a toe region having a planar shape. The toe region is encapsulated between the upper midsole and the lower midsole. The plate additionally comprises a heel region having a contoured incurvature. The heel region protrudes externally from between the upper midsole and the lower midsole to form a sidewall that encompasses a heel region of the upper midsole. The unique combination of the two shapes of the plate provides comfort and stability as well as enhanced energy return in the heel with less force upon the heel of the wearer and with the sidewalls provides stability and then the planar forefoot shape placed between the two midsoles offers propulsion, at the metatarsal flex and toe area during the gait cycle.

In general, one or more aspects of the disclosure relates to an athletic shoe comprising an upper and a sole. The sole further comprises an upper midsole, a lower midsole and a plate disposed between the upper midsole and the lower midsole. The plate comprises a toe region having a planar shape. The toe region is encapsulated between the upper midsole and the lower midsole. The plate additionally comprises a heel region having a contoured incurvature. The heel region protrudes externally from between the upper midsole and the lower midsole to form a sidewall that encompasses a heel region of the upper midsole. The unique combination of the two shapes of the plate provides comfort and stability as well as enhanced energy return in the heel with less force upon the heel of the wearer and with the sidewalls provides stability and then the planar forefoot shape placed between the two midsoles offers propulsion, at the metatarsal flex and toe area during the gait cycle.