Patent ID: 8631589

Claim:
An article of footwear having an upper and a sole structure secured to the upper, the upper comprising: a lace region defining a plurality of lace-receiving elements; a lower region where the sole structure is secured to the upper; and a plurality of strands extending from the lace region to the lower region, the strands being secured to the upper in the lace region and the lower region, and the strands being unsecured for a distance of at least five centimeters in an area between the lace region and the lower region; the upper further includes a first layer and a second layer that each extend from the lace region to the lower region, the first layer and the second layer are unsecured to each other for said distance of at least five centimeters in the area between the lace region and the lower region; wherein the strands are located between the first layer and the second layer through at least said distance of at least five centimeters; and wherein the strands include a first strand and a second strand, ends of the first strand and the second strand being proximal to each other in the lace region, and opposite ends of the first strand and the second strand being distally spaced from each other in the lower region.