Independent Harness System For A Soft Boot

Abstract

Disclosed is a boot system having an outer boot including a securing system and a superior end that includes a cuff; an inner boot sized to fit between the outer boot and a foot area of a user inserted in the boot system; and a harness system having a flexible panel and a lace slidably engaged with the panel. The inner boot includes a tension capture element coupled adjacent to a superior end of the inner boot. The harness system is removably secured to the outer boot.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A boot system comprising:
 an outer boot comprising a securing system and a superior end that includes a cuff;   an inner boot sized to fit between the outer boot and a foot area of a user inserted in the boot system, wherein the inner boot comprises a tension capture element positioned generally on an upper, cuff end of the inner boot; and   a harness system comprising a flexible panel and a lace slidably engaged with the panel, wherein the harness system is removably secured to the outer boot,   wherein the outer boot comprises at least one feature positioned along an upper edge region of the cuff that is at least partially complementary to and aligned in position with a lower edge region of the tension capture element on the inner boot.   
     
     
         2 . The boot system of  claim 1 , wherein the harness system is further removably secured to at least a part of the inner boot. 
     
     
         3 . The boot system of  claim 1 , wherein the panel of the harness system wraps about at least a part of the inner boot. 
     
     
         4 . The boot system of  claim 3 , wherein the harness system provides variable amounts of compression around the at least a part of the inner boot upon sliding engagement of the lace with the panel. 
     
     
         5 . The boot system of  claim 3 , wherein the panel discontinuously wraps about the at least a part of the inner boot and forms at least one gap in the panel. 
     
     
         6 . The boot system of  claim 5 , wherein the harness system comprises a first lacing element disposed on a first side of the at least one gap and a second lacing element disposed on a second, opposite side of the at least one gap, wherein the first and second lacing elements have an alignment that is horizontally off-set. 
     
     
         7 . The boot system of  claim 6 , wherein the lace extends sequentially through the first and second lacing elements and forms a zigzag configuration relative to the panel. 
     
     
         8 . The boot system of  claim 6 , wherein application of tension to the lace forces the at least one gap to narrow. 
     
     
         9 . The boot system of  claim 6 , wherein the harness system further comprises a third lacing element disposed on the first side of the at least one gap and a fourth lacing element disposed on the second, opposite side of the at least one gap, wherein the third and fourth lacing elements have an alignment that is horizontally off-set from one another and from the first and second lacing elements. 
     
     
         10 . The boot system of  claim 9 , wherein the lace extends sequentially through the third and fourth lacing elements and forms a zigzag configuration relative to the panel. 
     
     
         11 . The boot system of  claim 9 , wherein application of tension to the lace forces the at least one gap to narrow. 
     
     
         12 . The boot system of  claim 9 , wherein the lace comprises a single looped lace anchored to the panel at a first end and anchored to the panel at a second, opposite end forming a first lace portion and a second lace portion, the first lace portion capable of being tensioned independent of the second lace portion and the second lace portion capable of being tensioned independent of the first lace portion. 
     
     
         13 . The boot system of  claim 12 , wherein the first lace portion forces an upper portion of the at least one gap to narrow and the second lace portion forces a lower portion of the at least one gap to narrow. 
     
     
         14 . The boot system of  claim 12 , wherein the single looped lace loops through a handle at a superior end of the harness system. 
     
     
         15 . The boot system of  claim 12 , wherein distal regions of the first and second lace portions extend through and are releasably secured to a portion of the tension capture element. 
     
     
         16 . The boot system of  claim 15 , wherein the tension capture element comprises a first and a second tightening track. 
     
     
         17 . The boot system of  claim 16 , wherein the first tightening track captures the first lace portion and the second tightening track captures the second lace portion. 
     
     
         18 . The boot system of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second tightening tracks are molded into a single tension capture element. 
     
     
         19 . The boot system of  claim 18 , wherein the single tension capture element is coupled to the inner boot by at least one fixation element extending through a corresponding aperture. 
     
     
         20 . The boot system of  claim 1 , wherein the tension capture element positioned generally on the upper, cuff end of the inner boot is positioned on at least one of a medial side and a lateral side of the inner boot. 
     
     
         21 . The boot system of  claim 20 , wherein the tension capture element is accessible external to the outer boot without adjusting the securing system of the outer boot.