A ski boot which creates a vacuum between the boot and user's foot, ankle and lower calf. The boot includes a rigid shell formed in sections which permit articulation, and padded liners are mounted within the shell. A flexible sheath secured to the shell forms an hermetical seal about the calf of the user. Means is provided for maintaining a partial vacuum within the boot. The partial vacuum causes both contraction of the boot shell and expansion of the foot to establish a close fit of the foot within the boot. The boot provides lateral stiffness while permitting forward flexing, and the close fit permits the user to achieve precise control during skiing.

A hydraulic regulated, space adjustment device for use within the interior of a footwear to adjust to specific space requirements of a foot as they vary during usage comprising a plurality of compartment which permits shifting of hydraulic fluid in response to forces applied to the footwear. The said device further comprises channels, flow regulating valves, and hydraulic fluid insertion means.

The present invention is directed to a 3-D insert to be disposed in a skate boot so as to eliminate or reduce the gap between the posterior section of the Achille's heel and the boot liner.

In an inner shoe (10) for ski-boots comprising a sole (18) and an upper (16) which includes a padding (24) enclosed in an inner (26) and outer (28) lining, the shoe (10) is of the rear-entry type whereby it has a rear opening (20) extending from the top end (22) of the upper (16) up to the sole area and the shoe has not the usual front opening which can be covered by a tongue.

A boot comprising a sole with an upper which includes an asymmetrical medial and lateral quarter. Strategically located pads are provided on the inner of the upper on opposite sides of the metatarsal in the vamp area and around the ankle. Flexible compressible inserts are provided in the medial dorsal area and in the posterior lateral area, providing compression and extension in the sagittal plane. A scewered lacing arrangement is provided with the lower segment of the lacing extending with the median axis of the lacing approximately at the fourth metatarsal bone and the upper segment of the lacing being provided in the anterior area of the ankle. A light-weight tongue follows the contours of the gap formed by the lacing and is connected to the lateral quarter of the upper along the side thereof and at the front is anchored to a toe box which has a rear edge forming a parabolic outline coincident with the joints between the metatarsus and the phalanges. A footbed is provided which has a deep heel cavity, a pronounced parabolic arch and a cuboid bump.