An article of footwear includes a sole structure and an upper that is attached to the sole structure. The upper defines a cavity that is configured to receive a foot of a wearer. The upper is at least partially defined by a textile. The textile includes a first area that is substantially smooth. The first area defines a reference boundary that conforms to the cavity. The textile includes a second area. The second area includes a plurality of projection structures that project away from the reference boundary and outwardly from the cavity at varying heights. The second area includes a plurality of recess structures that recess away from the reference boundary and inwardly toward the cavity. The plurality of projection structures and the plurality of recess structures are in an alternating arrangement across the textile.

An upper structure for a shoe improves foot fit and hold of an upper at the time of turn motion. In an upper 2 that covers a foot of a shoe wearer, an expandable part 20 is provided at a midfoot region M that corresponds to a midfoot portion of the foot, and a non-expandable part 21 is provided at a lateral side region and a medial side region except for the midfoot region M. A boundary portion 22 between the expandable part 20 and the non-expandable part 21 has a substantially flat or flush surface. At the boundary portion 22, respective end portions 20E, 21E of the expandable part 20 and the non-expandable part 21 are sewn together such that a seam does not appear on the boundary surface. The shoe may further include an outsole having at least one groove in a particular triangular region on a bottom surface of the outsole.

Provided is a first cushioning material layered between an outer portion and an inner portion, and extending linearly from a forward position of a forefoot F of a wearer of a shoe, through a position corresponding to an MP joint at least on a medial side of the wearer's foot, toward a position rearward of the MP joint. The first cushioning material is configured such that a line width of a rearward cushioning portion in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction is greater than a line width of a forward cushioning portion.

An article of footwear includes a sole, an upper, and a dispensed component. The upper is coupled to the sole and includes an instep. The dispensed component extends over the instep from a medial side of the upper to a lateral side of the upper.

An upper for a sports shoe includes a plurality of areas. The areas include a medial area, a lateral area, a toe area, an instep area, a heel area, and a collar area. The upper includes at least one protrusion in at least four of the plurality of areas. The protrusions protrude from an outer surface of the upper.

An article of footwear having a multi-layer upper is provided. The upper has a medial side and a lateral side, and a toe end and a heel end. The upper has an inner booty, at least partially surrounded by an outer braided shell, made from a number of yarns that are braided together. In selected locations, a layer couples the inner booty and the outer braided shell together.

An article of footwear includes projection members providing sensory feedback. The projection members are movable relative to an upper of the article of footwear. When the upper encounters a surface of an object, the projection members may be displaced in a direction towards wearer's foot. The projection members may be configured so that they are inserted into apertures located on the upper, and extend above an outer surface of the upper.

A shoe, in particular a sports shoe, having a sole connected to a shoe upper. The sole includes: a first sole part having a bottom plate arranged with a number of first damping elements; a second sole part having a cover plate arranged with a number of second damping elements; a connecting part having a number of interconnected plug connections. Each plug connection has a first plug directed downward and a second plug directed upward. The first plug engages in a section of the first damping element, and the second plug engages in a section of the second damping element. At least a number of the first plugs extends through an opening in the bottom plate so that, when the sole is deformed by the weight of the wearer, the first plug protrudes from the lower surface of the sole further than without application of the weight of the wearer.

A flexible insert for a sports shoe for kicking a ball which self activates upon the strike of a ball to deform in a manner that conforms to the struck curvature surface of the ball to assist in conforming the shoe surface material to the same struck area of the ball and increase the wearers' control and accuracy of the kicked ball. Following the strike the flexible insert reforms to its original shape and structure for the next strike.

An article of footwear is provided, which may include an upper and a sole structure. The upper may include an exposed outer layer forming at least a portion of an external surface of the upper. The upper may also include a polymer foam material selectively located on an inner side of the exposed outer layer and adjacent portions of the exposed outer layer, thereby forming padded portions of the upper. The padded portions of the upper may be located in areas of the article of footwear that correspond with predetermined bones of a foot of a wearer of the article of footwear.