Provided are, among other things, shoes having elastic tongue-securing straps. In one representative embodiment, a shoe includes: (a) a sole; (b) an upper, extending above the sole, that includes a front section, a left side, a right side, a rear section, and a tongue that originates from the front section and extends rearwardly between the left side and the right side; (c) a left elastic strap that extends from a left side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the left side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the left side of the upper; and (d) a right elastic strap that extends from a right side of the tongue and: (1) extends through a loop that is securely attached to the right side of the upper and has a distal end securely attached to the sole, and/or (2) has its distal end securely attached to the right side of the upper, with the left elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the left side of the tongue and the right elastic strap having a proximal end fixedly attached to the right side of the tongue.

A shoe may include an upper portion constructed from a continuous textile (e.g., a knit textile) that includes an elastic region and a structural region. The elastic region may be positioned about a perimeter of an opening into a cavity configured to receive a wearer's foot, and the elastic region may be configured to secure the shoe to a wearer's foot. The elastic region may have a first elasticity that is greater than a second elasticity of the structural region. In an unworn configuration, the elastic region may cause a tread surface of a sole of the shoe to have a continuous curvature. In a worn configuration, substantially all of an intermediate section of the tread surface may contact a surface on which the shoe is placed. The elastic region may improve the performance of the shoe, including the comfort and durability.

A footwear retention elastic device is provided and may comprise a band body comprising a planar structure with a first side surface and a second side surface opposite that of the first side surface. The band body may further comprise a first terminal end and a second terminal end opposite that of the first terminal end. The band body may comprise a protective layer disposed upon the first side surface such that the protective layer covers at least a majority of the first side surface of the band body. The band body may comprise a buffer layer disposed upon the second side surface such that the buffer layer covers at least a majority of the second side surface of the band body.

An article of footwear includes an upper that has a body extending over at least a portion of a first side and a second side of the upper. A laceless fastening system includes a strap having an anchored end fixed at the second side and a distal end selectively remote from the upper. A first fastener is fixed to an outer surface of the body on the first side. The first fastener is less elastic than the body. A segmented second fastener is fixed to the inner side of the strap. The segmented second fastener includes a proximal segment and a distal segment closer to the distal end of the strap than the proximal segment and spaced apart from the proximal segment along the strap by an exposed portion of the strap. The segmented second fastener is less elastic than the strap.

Climbing shoe comprising: a shoe-upper shaped to accommodate and substantially cover the entire foot of the user; a polymeric-material sole fixed to the bottom of the shoe-upper so as to cover the front part of the bottom of said shoe-upper; and a sagittal tensioning band made of elastomeric material, which connects the toe 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 underneath the sole; the sagittal tensioning band being substantially Y-shaped, so as to extend longitudinally along the tarsus-phalangeal portion of the bottom of the shoe-upper while remaining underneath the sole, and then forking into two branches that extend obliquely along the two lateral sides of the shoe-upper, up to reach the rear part of the shoe-upper.

Disclosed is a running shoe (1) having a lateral side and a medial side. The running shoe (1) has a heel area (FB), a forefoot area (VB), a midfoot area (MB). The front end of the forefoot area (VB) forms a shoe tip (4) and the rear end of the heel area forms a heel edge (5). The running shoe (1) comprises a shoe sole (3) and an upper (2), the upper (2) having a textile base material. In addition, the running shoe (1) has a group of tension straps with at least one compressing tension strap (11, 12, 13, 14) and a group of pulling straps with at least one compressing pulling strap (15, 16). The group of tension straps is arranged in the heel area (FB) and in the midfoot area (MB) of the running shoe (1), and the group of pulling straps is arranged in the forefoot area (VB). In this case, the at least one tension strap (11, 12, 13, 14) is configured in such a way that it exerts an inwardly directed compression force in the worn state. In addition, the at least one tension strap (11, 12, 13, 14) is arranged in such a way that, in the worn state, it runs along a non-expanding line (LONE—line of non-extension) of the wearer's foot.

A rapid-entry shoe with a sole portion and a footbed that slide, pivot or translate relative to each other to provide both an open configuration (for ease of donning or doffing by a foot) and a closed configuration (for securement of a foot).

An upper of an article of footwear including a dynamic material configured for topographic transformation to alter at least one of a fit, an insulation, or a ventilation, of the article of footwear.

A shoe may include an upper portion constructed from a continuous textile (e.g., a knit textile) that includes an elastic region and a structural region. The elastic region may be positioned about a perimeter of an opening into a cavity configured to receive a wearer's foot, and the elastic region may be configured to secure the shoe to a wearer's foot. The elastic region may have a first elasticity that is greater than a second elasticity of the structural region. In an unworn configuration, the elastic region may cause a tread surface of a sole of the shoe to have a continuous curvature. In a worn configuration, substantially all of an intermediate section of the tread surface may contact a surface on which the shoe is placed. The elastic region may improve the performance of the shoe, including the comfort and durability.

A fastening mechanism for an article of footwear, the fastening mechanism including a tensioning member having a member opening, a first tensioning element extending along a first side of an upper of the footwear, and a second tensioning element extending along a second side of the upper, opposite the first side. The first and second tensioning elements are operatively coupled with the tensioning member about the member opening. The fastening mechanism is configured to be moveable between a loosened configuration, in which the first and the second tensioning elements are tensioned to a first tension, to a tightened configuration, in which the first and the second tensioning elements are tensioned to a second tension that is greater than the first tension, when the tensioning member is rotated relative to the article of footwear.