Unitary strap for use in a soft boot snowboard binding

An asymmetrical binding strap member for securing a snowboarding boot in a snowboard binding, the snowboarding boot including a central longitudinal axis extending in a shin-to-toe direction, the binding strap member having an outer periphery, the binding strap member comprising:

• an ankle section including an upper edge on the outer periphery and a lower edge on the outer periphery, the ankle section having a width extending from the upper edge to the lower edge thereof;
• a toe section including an upper edge on the outer periphery and a lower edge on the outer periphery, the toe section having a width extending from the upper edge to the lower edge thereof, the toe section and ankle section each having a midpoint in a lateral dimension, wherein the midpoint of the toe section is offset from the midpoint of the ankle section relative to a longitudinal axis of the binding strap member;
• and
• a midsection joining the ankle section and the toe section, the midsection being configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboarding boot when secured in the snowboard binding, the midsection including an outer edge on the outer periphery and an inner edge on the outer periphery, the outer and inner edges of the midsection interconnecting the lower edge of the ankle section to the toe section, wherein the midsection has a width extending from the outer edge to the inner edge thereof that is less than the width of one of the ankle section and the toe section.

A unitary binding strap member for securing a snowboarding boot in a snowboard binding in one of a plurality of secured positions, the binding strap member comprising:

• an ankle section having upper and lower edges;
• a toe section having an upper edge;
• and
• a midsection joining the ankle section and the toe section, the midsection including an inner edge interconnecting the lower edge of the ankle section to the upper edge of the toe section, thereby defining a medial opening between the ankle and toe sections that is configured to overlie a portion of an instep on a medial side of the snowboarding boot, wherein the midsection is constructed and arranged to provide the medial opening with a variable radius of curvature, thereby allowing the ankle section to move relative to the toe section to accommodate any one of the plurality of secured positions, wherein the midsection further comprises an outer edge interconnecting the lower edge of the ankle section to an outer side of the toe section, thereby defining an outer edge of the binding strap member, with the outer edge of the binding strap member being inwardly sloping from the ankle section to the toe section.

An asymmetrical, unitary binding strap member comprising:

• an ankle section having a lateral edge and a medial edge, the ankle section extending in a lateral-medial direction between the lateral edges and the medial edge, the ankle section being configured and arranged to engage a portion of a snowboard boot;
• a toe section having a lateral edge, a medial edge and a toe section midpoint substantially midway therebetween, the toe section being configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot;
• and,
• a midsection having a lateral edge, a medial edge and a midsection midpoint substantially midway therebetween, the midsection connecting the ankle section to the toe section, the midsection being configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot;
• wherein, in the lateral-medial direction, at least one of the toe section midpoint and the midsection midpoint is located closer to one of the lateral edge and the medial edge of the ankle section.

An asymmetrical, unitary binding strap member for engaging a snowboard boot, the snowboard boot having an imaginary line extending along the front surface thereof in a shin-to-toe direction and being disposed approximately midway between medial and lateral sides of the snowboard boot, the unitary binding strap member comprising:

• an ankle section having a lateral edge, a medial edge and an ankle section midpoint substantially midway therebetween, the ankle section being configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot;
• a toe section having a lateral edge, a medial edge and a toe section midpoint substantially midway therebetween, the toe section being configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot;
• and,
• a midsection having a lateral edge, a medial edge and a midsection midpoint substantially midway therebetween, the midsection connecting the ankle section to the toe section, the midsection being configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot;
• wherein, when the binding strap member is tightened about the snowboard boot, a distance separating the imaginary line of the snowboard boot and at least one of the ankle section midpoint, the midsection midpoint and the toe section midpoint is different from a distance separating the imaginary line of the snowboard boot and another of the ankle section midpoint, the midsection midpoint and the toe section midpoint.

An asymmetrical, unitary binding strap member for engaging a snowboard boot, the snowboard boot adapted to secure a rider's foot therein, the rider's foot having a first metatarsal from which the rider's big toe extends and a third metatarsal from which the rider's third toe extends, the unitary binding strap member comprising:

• an ankle section disposed at one end of the binding strap member and configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot;
• a toe section disposed at another end of the binding strap member and configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot, the toe section including a medial side edge that is to be disposed approximately over the rider's first metatarsal and a lateral side edge that is to be disposed approximately over the rider's third metatarsal when the rider's foot is in the snowboard boot and when the unitary binding strap member engages the snowboard boot;
• and,
• a midsection connecting the ankle section to the toe section and configured and arranged to engage a portion of the snowboard boot.