An article of footwear, such as a snowboard boot liner, made of deformable material has a rear tensioning system for reducing the volume of the footwear in the heel region. The footwear has a front tensioning system, such as a front lace, for closing an opening in the front of the footwear. A channeling element is positioned over the heel and a control element is secured to the footwear a distance away from the channeling element, for example, over the ankle or instep. A draw, such as a rear lace, winds through both the channeling element and the control element. Tightening the draw urges the control element toward the channeling element thereby reducing the volume of the footwear in the heel region. The draw may be tightened and locked independently or may have an eyelet through which a loop of the front lace may pass in order to transfer tensile forces from the front lace to the draw and maintain tension in the draw. Guides made of tubes or other structures position the eyelet proximate the top of the boot where the front lace is subject to the greatest tensile forces.