Abstract: A skate includes a skate boot with two opposed boot side portions extending from heel and ankle portions to a forward edge of the boot side portions. A forward-most eyelet is the eyelet closest to the forward edge. A toe cap is connected to the skate boot at a front end, and the toe cap has toe cap side portions extending rearwardly to a rear edge of the toe cap disposed forward of the forward-most eyelet. A toe cap extension extends rearwardly from the rear edge of the toe cap and over a portion of the boot side portions defined rearward of the forward edge and below the forward-most eyelet. The toe cap extension engages the portion of the skate boot and allows movement of at least the skate boot rearward of the forward-most eyelet during formation of the skate boot or use thereof.

Abstract: A skate is disclosed, with a boot defining a foot receiving region. The boot includes a boot shell having a heel portion and side portions extending from the heel portion, the side portions of the boot shell defining a foot receiving opening, each side portion having an upper edge defining a part of a periphery of the foot receiving opening. A liner defines an inner layer of the boot at least partially surrounding the foot receiving region, the liner having an ankle portion, and upper segments extending upwardly from the ankle portion of the liner. Each of the upper segments extending over at least part of a respective one of the upper edges of the boot shell. The upper segments each define a seamless area extending continuously from the ankle portion of the liner and wrapping over the respective upper edges.

Abstract: A tendon guard for a skate boot includes (a) a structural guard frame configured to protect an Achilles tendon of a wearer of the skate boot; and (b) a mount configured to join the guard frame to a shell of the skate boot. The mount includes a mount flex portion having sufficient flexibility to permit rearward movement of an upper portion of the frame in response to application of a rearward force on the upper portion by a lower leg of the wearer during plantarflexion. The mount flex portion has sufficient resiliency to urge the upper portion back toward a resting position when the rearward force is relieved.

Abstract: A tongue for a skate boot includes a body having a first segment and a second segment at a lower end. One or both of the first and second segments are displaceable toward the other to a sandwiched position. The first and second segments overlap in the sandwiched position and position part of a toe portion of the boot between the first and second segments. The first segment includes two mating tabs spaced apart from each other, and the second segment includes two segment apertures spaced apart from each other. In the sandwiched position, the first segment engages an inner surface of the part of the toe portion and the second segment engages an outer surface, two toe portion apertures are aligned with the two segment apertures; and the two mating tabs pass into the two toe portion apertures and into the two segment apertures.

Abstract: A skate includes a boot having a toe portion with a toe portion connector on at least one of its inner and outer surfaces. A tongue is mountable within the boot of the skate. The tongue at its lower end has a pressing member with cooperating first and second segments. The tongue has a tongue connector on at least one of the first and second segments. At least one of the first and second segments is foldable to engage the first segment with the inner surface of the toe portion and the second segment with the outer surface of the toe portion, and to engage the tongue connector with the toe portion connector to removably connect the tongue to the toe portion.

Abstract: A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

Abstract: A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

Abstract: A skate includes a boot having a toe portion with a toe portion connector on at least one of its inner and outer surfaces. A tongue is mountable within the boot of the skate. The tongue at its lower end has a pressing member with cooperating first and second segments. The tongue has a tongue connector on at least one of the first and second segments. At least one of the first and second segments is foldable to engage the first segment with the inner surface of the toe portion and the second segment with the outer surface of the toe portion, and to engage the tongue connector with the toe portion connector to removably connect the tongue to the toe portion.

Abstract: A skate including a tridimensional skate boot shell with a sole insert embedded in or received in the skate boot shell such that at least part of a thickness of the sole portion is defined under the sole insert, and a holder under the skate boot shell configured for retaining a ground-engaging skate element. The holder is connected to the sole insert by at least one fastener extending through the at least part of the thickness of the sole portion. A method of manufacturing a skate boot is also discussed.

Abstract: A skate boot shell including a tridimensional outer sub-shell made of a first material, the outer sub-shell including a first sole portion connected to first heel, ankle and side portions; a tridimensional inner sub-shell received within and connected to the outer sub-shell, an outer surface of the inner sub-shell being complementary to an inner surface of the outer sub-shell, the inner sub-shell being made of a second material different from the first material; and a tridimensional reinforcement sub-shell made of a third material different from the first and second materials and bonded inside at least one of the inner and outer sub-shells.

Abstract: A two-part hockey stick having a hockey stick blade and a hockey stick shaft joined together at a joint. The hockey stick has a blade with a neck, a heel, and a toe. The joint has a male joint portion on an end of the shaft, which has heel and opposed toe walls, each of which extend away from a distal surface of the shaft and terminate at a mating surface. The heel wall is disposed on a side of the joint adjacent to a heel of the blade, and is longer than the toe wall. The mating surface extends between the heel and toe walls. The joint also has a hollow female joint portion disposed in a neck of the blade. The male joint portion mates with the female joint portion, thereby joining the shaft to the blade and forming the hockey stick.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell, including shaping tridimensional outer and inner sub-shells, and bonding the shaped sub-shells together through lamination. The lamination is performed after the sub-shells are shaped and includes applying heat to the sub-shells and/or pressure on one of the sub-shells toward the other against a mold surface. A skate with three sub-shells is also discussed.

Abstract: A two-part hockey stick having a hockey stick blade and a hockey stick shaft joined together at a joint. The hockey stick has a blade with a neck, a heel, and a toe. The joint has a male joint portion on an end of the shaft, which has heel and opposed toe walls, each of which extend away from a distal surface of the shaft and terminate at a mating surface. The heel wall is disposed on a side of the joint adjacent to a heel of the blade, and is longer than the toe wall. The mating surface extends between the heel and toe walls. The joint also has a hollow female joint portion disposed in a neck of the blade. The male joint portion mates with the female joint portion, thereby joining the shaft to the blade and forming the hockey stick.

Abstract: A two-part hockey stick having a hockey stick blade and a hockey stick shaft joined together at a joint. The hockey stick has a blade with a neck, a heel, and a toe. The joint has a male joint portion on an end of the shaft, which has heel and opposed toe walls, each of which extend away from a distal surface of the shaft and terminate at a mating surface. The heel wall is disposed on a side of the joint adjacent to a heel of the blade, and is longer than the toe wall. The mating surface extends between the heel and toe walls. The joint also has a hollow female joint portion disposed in a neck of the blade. The male joint portion mates with the female joint portion, thereby joining the shaft to the blade and forming the hockey stick.

Abstract: A two-part hockey stick having a hockey stick blade and a hockey stick shaft joined together at a joint. The hockey stick has a blade with a neck, a heel, and a toe. The joint has a male joint portion on an end of the shaft, which has heel and opposed toe walls, each of which extend away from a distal surface of the shaft and terminate at a mating surface. The heel wall is disposed on a side of the joint adjacent to a heel of the blade, and is longer than the toe wall. The mating surface extends between the heel and toe walls. The joint also has a hollow female joint portion disposed in a neck of the blade. The male joint portion mates with the female joint portion, thereby joining the shaft to the blade and forming the hockey stick.

Abstract: A skate including a tridimensional skate boot shell with a sole insert embedded in or received in the skate boot shell such that at least part of a thickness of the sole portion is defined under the sole insert, and a holder under the skate boot shell configured for retaining a ground-engaging skate element. The holder is connected to the sole insert by at least one fastener extending through the at least part of the thickness of the sole portion. A method of manufacturing a skate boot is also discussed.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a skate boot shell, including shaping tridimensional outer and inner sub-shells, and bonding the shaped sub-shells together through lamination. The lamination is performed after the sub-shells are shaped and includes applying heat to the sub-shells and/or pressure on one of the sub-shells toward the other against a mold surface. A skate with three sub-shells is also discussed.