Abstract: An improved toe guard for footwear and footwear so made are disclosed. The toe guard is non-metallic, reducing thereby risks associated with electrical shocks and the detonation of land mines. Preferably, the final composite from which the toe guard is molded is produced from an intermediate composite that is extruded while molten in strips from a die at the same time that fibers are advanced through the die together with and enveloped by the extruded strips. These strips are cut into predetermined lengths and the resulting sections are mixed and compacted in their molten state to provide the composite for the toe guard, this composite being such that the fiber is distributed in groups, adjacent increments of the strands of a given group being substantially parallel, but the strands of different groups being at random angles with respect to each other. Preferably, the toe guard is formed with a long top portion to provide protection extending beyond the toes.

Abstract: A speed lace structure for footwear that allows the footwear to be put on and tightened up quickly. The speed lace structure comprises lacer assemblies and rivet assemblies combinatively secured to a footwear quarter. Each lacer assembly is formed with a lacer loop portion having peripheral lips and with opposed fastening portions provided with central openings surrounded by a plurality of gripping teeth. Each lacer assembly is made of metal provided with a fine coating of a plastic, so as to render it smooth and very slippery. Each rivet assembly includes a capped eyelet serving as an anchoring stem to fit in and though the opposed central openings of the lacer assembly, and a deformable eyelet designed to fit into one of the opposed central openings and over the capped eyelet.