Patent ID: 7370440

Claim:
A shoe, said shoe comprising: a shoe upper having an ankle portion and an instep, said instep comprising an instep top, a first instep side and a second instep side, said first instep side opposite said second instep side; at least one instep strap, said instep strap comprising a strap body, a first strap end and a second strap end, wherein said first strap end is anchored to the shoe upper at the first side of the instep, said instep strap adapted for crossing over the instep top; a plurality of channels disposed around a portion of the ankle portion of the shoe upper; a cord comprising a first cord end, a second cord end, and a cord body, said first cord end connected to the second side of the instep, said cord body disposed through said plurality of channels so that the cord body substantially extends around at least a portion of the ankle portion of the shoe upper, said second cord end disposed through a particular channel of the plurality of channels that is disposed in proximity to the first side of the instep; wherein the second strap end is adapted for passing under a portion of the cord body in proximity to the second side of the instep, disposing a portion of the strap body for engagement with the portion of the cord body for cinching the cord body around at least a portion of the ankle portion, and disposing a portion of the strap body for attachment in proximity to the first strap end.