A protector for protecting a skate (e.g., an ice skate) and a foot of a user (e.g., a hockey player) against impacts, such as from pucks (e.g., during shots, which can be powerful), to reduce risks of pain or injury from such impacts, in which the protector is fastenable to the skate, is configured to cover at least part of a skate boot of the skate, and may be designed to facilitate its use, including by facilitating the user donning (i.e., putting on) and doffing (i.e., removing) the skate (e.g., while the protector is fastened to the skate boot), and/or to look like the skate boot (e.g., so as to be relatively unnoticeable such that it can seem as if it is not there).

A skate boot comprising an outer shell including medial and lateral side portions for facing the medial and lateral sides of the foot. Each of the medial and lateral side portions has an upper edge. The skate boot also comprises a lace member mounted to either of the upper edges of the medial and lateral side portions. The lace member has at least one opening for receiving an insert. The lace member has a first flexion mode when no insert is received in the at least one opening and a second flexion mode when the insert is received in the at least one opening. The second flexion mode is different from the first flexion mode.

A liner for a skate boot that includes an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface is configured to be mounted to a shell of the skate boot. The inner surface includes a first material and an overlay of a second material covering a part of the first material. The overlay and another part of the first material not covered by the second material are configured to be exposed to a foot when the foot is placed in the skate boot.

A tongue for a skate boot includes a body having a first segment and a second segment at a lower end. One or both of the first and second segments are displaceable toward the other to a sandwiched position. The first and second segments overlap in the sandwiched position and position part of a toe portion of the boot between the first and second segments. The first segment includes two mating tabs spaced apart from each other, and the second segment includes two segment apertures spaced apart from each other. In the sandwiched position, the first segment engages an inner surface of the part of the toe portion and the second segment engages an outer surface, two toe portion apertures are aligned with the two segment apertures; and the two mating tabs pass into the two toe portion apertures and into the two segment apertures.

Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.

A skate includes a boot having a toe portion with a toe portion connector on at least one of its inner and outer surfaces. A tongue is mountable within the boot of the skate. The tongue at its lower end has a pressing member with cooperating first and second segments. The tongue has a tongue connector on at least one of the first and second segments. At least one of the first and second segments is foldable to engage the first segment with the inner surface of the toe portion and the second segment with the outer surface of the toe portion, and to engage the tongue connector with the toe portion connector to removably connect the tongue to the toe portion.

Disclosed is a closure system used in combination in any of a variety of applications including clothing, for example as a footwear lacing system comprising a lace attached to a tightening mechanism. The lace extends through a series of guide members positioned along two opposing footwear closure portions. The lace and guides preferably have low friction surfaces to facilitate sliding of the lace along the guide members so that the lace evenly distributes tension across the footwear member. The tightening mechanism allows incremental adjustment of the tension of the lace. The closure system allows a user to quickly loosen the lace and inhibits unintentional and/or accidental loosing of the lace.

A method for producing of a foot part for a sports shoe includes the steps of producing a flexible forming part for the shoe collar and shoe sole of the foot part, and joining the edges of the forming part along the shoe sole and around the toe cap. In addition, a foot part for a sports shoe and a sports shoe are provided. The foot part for a sports shoe includes a flexible forming part having edges joined along shoe soles and around a toe cap. The sports shoe includes the foot part.

A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

A skate (e.g., an ice skate) for a user (e.g., a hockey player). The skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of the user and a skating device (e.g., a blade and a blade holder) disposed beneath the skate boot to engage a skating surface. The skate boot may be constructed by molding (e.g., injection molding) so as to have useful performance and/or characteristics (e.g., reduced weight; enhanced fit, comfort and range of motion; enhanced appearance; etc.) while being cost-effectively manufactured.