Patent ID: 6993860

Claim:
A boot comprising: a sole; a high upper, the upper having an upper opening extended forwardly by a longitudinal opening; a tongue blocking the longitudinal opening, the tongue having a lower portion adapted to extend over a wearer's instep and an upper portion adapted to extend along a wearer's lower leg, the lower and upper portions of the tongue being connected by an intermediary portion, the intermediary portion including a concavity in a longitudinal plane of the tongue; the tongue having a main flexible panel, a semi-rigid reinforcement being affixed to the main flexible panel, the reinforcement having an elongated body extending substantially along a longitudinal median line and over a length of the panel, the reinforcement having at least one extension, at least said one extension originating from the elongated body in an area of the lower portion or the upper portion of the tongue, and extending rearwardly of the instep and at least within the intermediary portion; a slit is formed between an inner edge of at least said one extension and an outer edge of the elongated body of the reinforcement.