Importance

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Abstract

Articles of footwear (e.g., soft snowboard boots) that include low-profile lace guides that may provide closer and/or tighter wrapping of the quarters about the tongue are disclosed. The lace guide may have a lace channel adapted to guide a force from the lace upon tightening to provide leverage on the lace guide such that the edge of a quarter dives toward the tongue upon tightening of the lace. The lace guide may have a dogleg-shaped region such that a portion of the centerline running through an intermediate portion of the lace channel is disposed at a first height and a portion of the centerline running through the first end portion of the lace channel is disposed at a second height that is different from the first height. The lace guide may extend along a substantial length of a quarter, and thus, it may be beneficial for a single lace guide to have three or more openings configured to receive the lace. The lace guide may be configured and arranged on an article of footwear to protect the edges of the footwear quarters. The lace guide may also include one or more flex zones that increase the flexibility of the lace guide, and thus, the flexibility of the article of footwear.

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First Claim