A system, method, and apparatus for replicating the experience of snow skiing on dry land using a roller land ski with an ability to move and stop consistent with mechanics of an actual snow ski. Each land ski includes a rigid platform with a binding for engagement with a specialized boot, a pair of biased omnidirectional casters supporting said rigid platform, but mounted to a top surface of said platform, and a pair of trucks with a plurality of wheels along its curved axles. A pair of specialized boots constructed out of flexible lightweight material with a stiff support structure to fortify a user's foot and ankle from the forces created by the land ski are included in this system. The method includes calibration and selection of materials for both the board and boot in order to achieve the desired experience.

A system, method, and apparatus for replicating the experience of snow skiing on dry land using a roller land ski with an ability to move and stop consistent with mechanics of an actual snow ski. Each land ski includes a rigid platform with a binding for engagement with a specialized boot, a pair of biased omnidirectional casters supporting said rigid platform, but mounted to a top surface of said platform, and a pair of trucks with a plurality of wheels along its curved axles. A pair of specialized boots constructed out of flexible lightweight material with a stiff support structure to fortify a user's foot and ankle from the forces created by the land ski are included in this system. The method includes calibration and selection of materials for both the board and boot in order to achieve the desired experience.

An adjustable ski binding adapter apparatus that adapt a snowboard boot for use with alpine ski bindings. The ski binding adapter apparatus includes a back support pivotally coupled to a sole plate, where the back support pivots to aid in stepping into the ski binding adapter apparatus. The sole plate is adjustable for length. Adjustable strap assemblies are coupled to the sole plate and the back support and snugly encircle and restrain the boot in the ski binding adapter apparatus. The back support and the sole plate are configured to conform to ski boot standards and attach to a conventional ski binding.

A sport board binding system includes a receiver configured to be secured to a deck of a sport board, a boot, and an intermediate locking member. The receiver defines a channel extending inward from a periphery of the receiver. The boot is configured to be worn by a user and includes an engagement mechanism. The intermediate locking member includes a lower head connected to an upper head by way of a neck with the lower head selectively housed within the channel of the receiver and the upper head selectively housed within the engagement mechanism of the boot.

Provided herein are various embodiments for a boot for releasable engagement with a binding having a downwardly facing ledge and a toe strap. The boot preferably contains a sole, a toe portion, and a heel portion. The boot preferably also contains a heel retaining device extending rearwardly from the heel portion of the boot and having an upwardly facing engagement surface at the top of the device which engages with the downwardly facing ledge of the binding to prevent vertical movement of the boot relative to the binding while allowing forward horizontal movement of the boot relative to the binding.

A binding apparatus for a snowboard is provided including a base plate having a pivot portion, an elongate arm member, and a cuff member for receiving a portion of a rider's boot or leg. The base plate may be affixed to the snowboard such that a boot may be coupled to a footbed thereof at an angle relative to the lateral axis of the snowboard. The elongate arm member is pivotably coupled to the pivot portion of the base plate at a first end portion thereof, and the cuff member is coupled to the elongate arm member. The elongate arm member is configured to pivotably rotate about an axis of rotation of the pivot portion such that the elongate arm member and cuff member coupled thereto are capable of moving fore and aft of a lateral axis of a snowboard.

A binding apparatus for a snowboard is provided including a base plate having a pivot portion, an elongate arm member, and a cuff member for receiving a portion of a rider's boot or leg. The base plate may be affixed to the snowboard such that a boot may be coupled to a footbed thereof at an angle relative to the lateral axis of the snowboard. The elongate arm member is pivotably coupled to the pivot portion of the base plate at a first end portion thereof, and the cuff member is coupled to the elongate arm member. The elongate arm member is configured to pivotably rotate about an axis of rotation of the pivot portion such that the elongate arm member and cuff member coupled thereto are capable of moving fore and aft of a lateral axis of a snowboard.

A binding apparatus for a snowboard is provided including a base plate having a pivot portion, an elongate arm member, and a cuff member for receiving a portion of a rider's boot or leg. The base plate may be affixed to the snowboard such that a boot may be coupled to a footbed thereof at an angle relative to the lateral axis of the snowboard. The elongate arm member is pivotably coupled to the pivot portion of the base plate at a first end portion thereof, and the cuff member is coupled to the elongate arm member. The elongate arm member is configured to pivotably rotate about an axis of rotation of the pivot portion such that the elongate arm member and cuff member coupled thereto are capable of moving fore and aft of a lateral axis of a snowboard.

Sports shoe (4) having a strap (28) able to pass over the top of a foot or able to pass over an instep, and at least one securing means (30), the strap including a first free end (29A) connected to the at least one securing means (30) and a second free end (29B) connected to the at least one securing means (30), the at least one securing means (30) being able to collaborate with a binding device (3) attached to a sliding board (2) so as to transmit a force at least downwards onto the first free end (29A) and onto the second free end (29B) of the strap (28).

An article of footwear with adjustable stiffness is provided. The article of footwear in the form of a snowboard boot is provided with adjustable tensioning systems that are disposed on either side of an inner liner of the snowboard boot. The adjustable tensioning system includes a comb body structure having flex portions made of a plurality of extending fingers with a flexibility that can be controlled by the adjustable tensioning system. Depending on the level of tension applied by the tensioning system, or lack thereof, a range of flex profiles having varying amounts of stiffness are available to the wearer to adjust the overall stiffness of the snowboard boot.