Patent ID: 7543397

Claim:
An article of footwear comprising: an upper attached to a sole: a bootie forming an interior of the upper; an outer layer covering a substantial portion of the bootie; the outer layer including an opening on a lateral side of the article of footwear; the bootie attached to the outer layer only on a lateral side of the opening so that the bootie is otherwise unconstrained with respect to the outer layer and so that the bootie is displaceable with respect to the outer layer and the sole; the opening formed through the outer layer to divide the outer layer into a medial portion having a medial edge and a lateral portion having a lateral edge, wherein the medial edge and the lateral edge bound the opening; and the opening having an adjustable portion and a fixed portion, wherein the medial edge and the lateral edge are affixed to at least one additional layer of the upper in the fixed portion.