Sports boot for snowboarding and an assembly of such boot with a snowboard binding

A sports boot adapted for snowboarding, said sports boot comprising:

• a relatively flexible upper for receiving a lower part of a leg of a user of the boot, said upper capable of cooperating with an upper rear support member of a binding system for supporting at least a rear portion of said upper, said upper extending along a longitudinal vertical plane;
• a relatively rigid pressure distribution element extending to, secured to, and covering at least a rearmost point of said relatively flexible upper, said rearmost point being positioned within said longitudinal vertical plane, said pressure distribution element being positioned substantially entirely above an upper half of the boot and being isolated from all other rigid parts of the boot to retain flexibility of said rear portion of said relatively flexible upper, said pressure distribution element distributing pressure exerted on the lower part of the leg of the user by said upper rear support member of the binding system.

A snowboard boot comprising:

• an upper extending along a longitudinal vertical plane, said upper having a lower portion, an ankle portion, and a portion above said ankle portion, said upper having a size and shape adapted to receive a lower part of a leg of a user of the boot, said upper capable of cooperating with an upper rear support member of a binding system for supporting at least a rearmost portion of said upper, said upper being relatively flexible for facilitating walking and for facilitating lateral movement of said upper during snowboarding;
• a pressure distribution element attached to and covering at least a point of said rearmost portion of said relatively flexible upper of said longitudinal vertical plane, said pressure distribution element being made of a material relatively more rigid than said relatively flexible upper, said pressure distribution element being substantially entirely positioned in said portion of said upper above said ankle portion and being isolated from other rigid parts of the boot to enable said upper to retain said lateral movement facility during snowboarding, said pressure distribution element being adapted to distribute pressure exerted on the lower part of the leg of the user by the upper rear support member of the binding system.