A boot-type orthopedic or sports footwear usable for controlled walking with stiffening for the lower extremities of legs, comprises: a sole provided with a substantially vertical rear positioning element; a first pair of rear half-hulls, each of which is hinged onto the sole and which cover, when in the closed position, an ankle and part of the lower portion of a leg, i.e. the calcaneal-tibial-tarsal zone, of an individual who is wearing the footwear; a second pair of front half-hulls, each of which is hinged onto the sole and which cover, when in the closed position, at least an upper part of a foot of the individual who is wearing the footwear.

A shell for a ski boot of the kind comprising an outer shell made of a substantially rigid material and an inner liner made of a substantially soft material is provided. The shell is provided with a gaiter made of a waterproof material, and the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell and the gaiter extends beyond the upper edge of the shell. Preferably, the base of the shell comprises a removable portion so that a through-opening is obtained in the base of the shell, which through-opening guarantees an easy access to the inner space of the shell for accurate securing of the gaiter to the inner surface of the shell.

A ski boot, including an outer boot (200) and an inner boot (100); the outer boot (100) comprise a sole (110) and a vamp (120), the sole (110) being integral; the vamp (120) includes a right side portion (122) of the vamp and a left side portion (123) of the vamp, the right side portion (122) of the vamp and the left side portion (123) of the vamp being hinged on the sole (110) such that the same may rotate relative to the sole (110) between an open state and a closed state; the outer boot (100) further includes a locking device (130) and a locking wire (140); the locking wire (140) surrounds the vamp (120) at a plurality of locations on the vamp (120), may be buried in the locking device (130) so as to keep the right side portion (122) of the vamp and the left side portion (123) of the vamp in the closed state, and may be released from the locking device (130) to allow the right side portion of the vamp (122) and the left side portion of the vamp (123) rotate to the open state. Therefore, the ski boot may facilitate a skier putting on and taking off the outer boot (100).

A shell for a ski boot of the kind comprising an outer shell made of a substantially rigid material and an inner liner made of a substantially soft material is provided. The shell is provided with a gaiter made of a waterproof material, and the lower edge of the gaiter is secured to the inner surface of the shell and the gaiter extends beyond the upper edge of the shell. Preferably, the base of the shell comprises a removable portion so that a through-opening is obtained in the base of the shell, which through-opening guarantees an easy access to the inner space of the shell for accurate securing of the gaiter to the inner surface of the shell.

A ski boot, including an outer boot (200) and an inner boot (100); the outer boot (100) comprise a sole (110) and a vamp (120), the sole (110) being integral; the vamp (120) includes a right side portion (122) of the vamp and a left side portion (123) of the vamp, the right side portion (122) of the vamp and the left side portion (123) of the vamp being hinged on the sole (110) such that the same may rotate relative to the sole (110) between an open state and a closed state; the outer boot (100) further includes a locking device (130) and a locking wire (140); the locking wire (140) surrounds the vamp (120) at a plurality of locations on the vamp (120), may be buried in the locking device (130) so as to keep the right side portion (122) of the vamp and the left side portion (123) of the vamp in the closed state, and may be released from the locking device (130) to allow the right side portion of the vamp (122) and the left side portion of the vamp (123) rotate to the open state. Therefore, the ski boot may facilitate a skier putting on and taking off the outer boot (100).

Footwear for use during a specialized activity such as skiing, cycling, skating and many other sports or industrial uses, and provides a dorsal element engaging the dorsal aspect of the foot for enabling the user to control relative to the plantar aspect the maximum height of the arch of the foot at substantially all times during the activity regardless of the position or orientation of the foot. A pivotal arm is mounted on a frame attached to the planter aspect for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the foot and is compressed by an adjustable element operable by the user.

The inventive subject matter shown and described is directed to an item of footwear with a tensioning system, comprising: a shell for enclosing a foot and at least a portion of a lower leg; a pair of opposing edges generally aligned along the top of foot portion of the shell and/or a front lower leg portion, the edges generally aligning with a longitudinal axis of the foot and/or lower leg, the opposing edges defining opposite sides of the shell; a foot retraction system comprising a tension path and at least two anchor points disposed along the path on the opposite sides of the shell and supporting at least one tensionable cable section disposed along the path, at least one anchor point comprising a tensioning mechanism, the tensioning mechanism allowing for adjustable tensioning of the cable section, the anchor points being arranged on opposite sides of the shell that support the edges, at least one being on a lateral or medial side of a boot and not on the top of the foot and front of the lower leg, so that tensioning of the cable causes the opposing edges to converge together. The inventive subject matter is particularly suitable for use in boots for snow and skating sports or any other such sport where sliding movement of the foot or leg relative to the item of footwear is undesirable and where secure coupling of the item to the foot and leg facilitates transfer of power to a board, ski, skate blade, set of skate wheels, etc., that is coupled to the item.

The inventive subject matter shown and described is directed to an item of footwear with a tensioning system, comprising: a shell for enclosing a foot and at least a portion of a lower leg; a pair of opposing edges generally aligned along the top of foot portion of the shell and/or a front lower leg portion, the edges generally aligning with a longitudinal axis of the foot and/or lower leg, the opposing edges defining opposite sides of the shell.

Ski boot comprising a rigid shell which is shaped so as to accommodate the foot of the user, and has a lower part structured to couple with a ski binding device; a rigid cuff which is shaped so as to surround the lower part of the leg of the user, and is pivotally jointed to the shell thus to be able to pivot about a rotation axis substantially perpendicular to the midplane of the boot, and shell closing means adapted to selectively tighten the shell on the foot of the user; the shell comprising a substantially basin-shaped casing which is superiorly provided with a main opening from which the leg of the user comes out, and with a longitudinal slit that branches from said main opening and extends along the casing towards the front tip of the shell; the shell closing means being placed at the longitudinal fissure.

There is disclosed a ski boot system. One embodiment includes right and left side portions formed by a longitudinal split with a hinged connection therebetween. The open configuration allows placement of an inner liner into the shell. The closed configuration restricts removal of the liner from the shell. A selectively fastenable connector and/or a selectively locking sheath extend between the right and left side portions. The selectively fastenable connector and/or the selectively locking sheath permit selective positioning of the shell between open and closed configurations. The liner of a ski boot includes a wall of material defining inner and outer surfaces. The outer surface defines an exterior having dimensions sized to compressively fit within the shell. The inner surface defines an interior having dimensions sized to receive a foot. Other embodiments are disclosed.