A sole structure for an article of footwear includes an outer sole element, an inner sole element, and a membrane. The outer sole element has a first top surface and a recess formed in the first top surface. The recess is defined by an inner peripheral surface extending from the first top surface. The inner sole element is disposed within the recess and has a second top surface and an outer peripheral surface extending from the second top surface. The outer peripheral surface is spaced apart from and opposing the inner peripheral surface of the outer sole element to form a channel between the inner sole element and the outer sole element. The membrane is joined to the first top surface of the outer sole element to sealingly enclose the channel and define a chamber.

A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

A sole structure may include chambers and a transfer channel containing an electrorheological fluid. Electrodes may be positioned to create, in response to a voltage across the electrodes, an electrical field in at least a portion of the electrorheological fluid in the transfer channel. The sole structure may further include a controller including a processor and memory. At least one of the processor and memory may store instructions executable by the processor to perform operations that include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-inhibiting levels at which flow of the electrorheological fluid the through the transfer channel is blocked, and that further include maintaining the voltage across the electrodes at one or more flow-enabling levels permitting flow of the electrorheological fluid through the transfer channel.

A molded article (M) contains a molded article (M-1) made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-1) and a foamed pellet material made of a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-2). The molded article (M-1) has a softening temperature TS (TPE-1) that deviates by no more than 25° C. from the processing temperature TP (TPE-2) of the thermoplastic elastomer (TPE-2). The softening temperature is determined by TMA in accordance with ISO 11359-3:2014. A process can be used for producing the molded article. The molded article can be used for application in the sports, industry, medicine, sports medicine, safety, automotive and consumer goods field, especially as a shoe sole, a part of a shoe sole, a bicycle saddle, a cushioning, a mattress, an underlay, a grip, a protective film, or a component in automobile interiors and exteriors.

Climbing shoe comprising: a shoe-upper shaped so as to accommodate and cover substantially the user's entire foot; a sole made of polymeric material, which is fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover at least the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and at least a first tensioning band, which is made of elastomeric material and extends obliquely on the outer side and on the bottom of the shoe-upper, so as to connect the tip and the inner front side of the shoe-upper directly to the rear part of the shoe-upper, in the area above the calcaneus of the user's foot, passing over the bottom of the shoe-upper beneath said sole.

Climbing shoe comprising: a shoe-upper shaped so as to accommodate and cover substantially the user's entire foot; a sole made of polymeric material, which is fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover at least the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and at least a first tensioning band, which is made of elastomeric material and extends obliquely on the outer side and on the bottom of the shoe-upper, so as to connect the tip and the inner front side of the shoe-upper directly to the rear part of the shoe-upper, in the area above the calcaneus of the user's foot, passing over the bottom of the shoe-upper beneath said sole.

Climbing shoe comprising: a shoe-upper which is shaped to accommodate and substantially cover the entire foot of the user; a sole made of polymeric material, which is fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover at least the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and a shoe-upper elastic tensioning system, which tightens the shoe-upper on the foot of the user; the ogival front part of the shoe-upper being provided with a tip (6) and, respectively, with an outer front side and an inner front side that are arranged on opposite sides of the tip so as to flank the forefoot of the user on both sides; the elastic tensioning system comprising a plantar tensioning band, which is made of elastomeric material, is firmly fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper underneath the sole, and is shaped so as to connect the tip and the outer and inner front sides of the shoe-upper directly to a saddle-shaped patch, separate and distinct from said plantar tensioning band, which is made of soft and flexible material and is placed on the rear part of the shoe-upper, in the area over the calcaneus of the user's foot.

Climbing shoe comprising: a shoe-upper which is shaped to accommodate and substantially cover the entire foot of the user; a sole made of polymeric material, which is fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover at least the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and a shoe-upper elastic tensioning system, which tightens the shoe-upper on the foot of the user; the ogival front part of the shoe-upper being provided with a tip (6) and, respectively, with an outer front side and an inner front side that are arranged on opposite sides of the tip so as to flank the forefoot of the user on both sides; the elastic tensioning system comprising a plantar tensioning band, which is made of elastomeric material, is firmly fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper underneath the sole, and is shaped so as to connect the tip and the outer and inner front sides of the shoe-upper directly to a saddle-shaped patch, separate and distinct from said plantar tensioning band, which is made of soft and flexible material and is placed on the rear part of the shoe-upper, in the area over the calcaneus of the user's foot.

Provided is an injection molded article composed of an elastomer composition including: a plurality of styrene-based thermoplastic elastomers that include a first styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer that is a block polymer having a mass average molecular weight of 300,000, and a second styrene-based thermoplastic elastomer that is a block polymer having a polyethylene block exhibiting crystallinity; and a plasticizer.

An article of footwear includes an injection molded outsole of a first material having a durometer reading of at least 28 to at most 38 on the Asker C scale, an injection molded insole of a second material having a durometer reading of at least 28 to at most 38 on the Asker C scale, and an upper, at least a section of a peripheral edge of the upper being sandwiched between the insole and the outsole.