The Insole Test

Insoles are funny little things. Most of our walking and running, and boots, come with removable insoles. Typically, we buy a pair of shoes and wear them until they wear out—without ever thinking about the insoles under our feet. You may think insoles are similar but they differ quite a bit. They range from rigid to flexible, cushioned to hard, no arch to high arches, low to high heel cups, one material to multiple substances, cheap to expensive, and in a multitude of coverings.
     Take the ones out of your shoes. Are they flimsy? Do they easily bend in half? Are they lifeless with little structure to offer support? Are they flattened out? Do they look like squashed cardboard? If so, your shoes came from the “we-cut-corners-on-the-insole” shoe company. Toss them out and get a new pair. The old one may be contributing to foot problems including blisters and foot pain.
     Your local running, backpacking, and sporting goods stores all sell replacement insoles—as do most drug stores. Most are better than the ones that came in the shoes. Most offer features including cushioning, arch support, and heel control. Newer types can be heated in an oven and then after standing in them, mold to the shape of your feet. A partial list includes Shock Doctor, Sof Sole, Sole Custom Footbeds, Spenco, Superfeet, Hapad, and RxSorbo. Your local stores sell many of these. If you suffer from flimsy insoles, check them out.