View Full Version : superfeet?
vtdrifter
02-16-2008, 00:04
I bought my trail runners today, and the shoestore guy also sold me a pair of Superfeet (the green ones, chosen by length, not by heel/arch size). He said they would help keep my feet from spreading, and properly support my arch, etc etc. He did assure me that I can return them, which brings me to my dilemna.
I'd never heard of them until he pointed them out. From what I've read on here tonight, most people have bought them AFTER having foot problems. I've got no foot problems that I know of, and am not particularly concerned about any possible foot spreading.
Basically, my question is thus: are Superfeet a good idea as a possible prevention method? Should I hold off and only get them if I have foot problems?
pyroman53
02-16-2008, 00:08
Keep em. Use em. They work. Prevent problems and walk easier.
ChinMusic
02-16-2008, 00:12
From my experiences with Superfeet I would keep them and use them.
hopefulhiker
02-16-2008, 00:14
I found that the green ones take some breaking in.. Personally I hiked from Damascus north with the blue ones, in trail runners, which are a little softer and they did a good job.. especially in PA....
Pedaling Fool
02-16-2008, 00:15
I've never used them or any type of shoe insert. Superfeet are kind of popular on the trail, I've heard mostly good reviews of them, but some who really didn't like them and some that even hated them.
WRT "feet spreading" what meant by that?
The green ones take up more room in the shoe, so if the shoe is sloppy, or your feet are flat and low volume (like mine), those are what you want to use. I've always had foot problems and Superfeet have worked for me. I've never heard of them as a prevention for foot problems (especially foot spreading, width-wise, or elongating, length-wise), but if they are comfortable, use them.
I've had both elongation and spreading (in the forefoot). It is quite typical for a flat footed person to experience these on a long hike. People with high arches, I've heard, don't have these problems as much as they do forefoot and heel bruising.
~
Basically, my question is thus: are Superfeet a good idea as a possible prevention method? Should I hold off and only get them if I have foot problems?
Notice that everyone responding to this thread so far is at least 2 or 3 times your age; myself included. So, take our advice with a grain of salt, as most of us have forgotten what it's like to be 18 years old. But that won't stop me from offering my two cents. ;)
At your age, you probably don't need the insoles. Your muscles and tendons are probably resilient enough to handle the pounding a thru-hike will give them, without breaking down.
That being said, you should know that most athletes (of any age), particularly runners, use orthotics. I learned this from a sports podiatrist, as I discounted the use of insoles as something only "old people" need. In the end, I gave into the Dr's suggestion (because I'm old) and I'm happy I did. They have helped me immensely.
Like you, I am concerned in the way you were fitted for Superfeet. Foot length is only one consideration. Arch height and distance from heel-to-arch are probably more critical factors in choosing the right support. My advice is try the insoles. If they cause pain, stop using them. You should not have to break-in your foot to fit the insole. Instead, go back to the store and try other sizes and styles, until you find the right match for your foot. Off-the-shelf insoles are made for average feet. We don't all have "average feet". Don't ruin your feet trying to make them fit an insole.
fiddlehead
02-16-2008, 03:14
I'm one of those who used them when i had a problem.
THey helped my problem (throbbing, aching arches when hiking hard and fast)
Once my problem went away and i wore out the superfeet, i never bought them again.
I will if i have problems again that i think they might help. In the meantime, I'll save my money.
Nearly Normal
02-16-2008, 04:44
I can't see how you will return them.
You remove the existing footbed and cut the superfeet to match.
There is a break in period.
If you bought the superfeet based on length, and not on fit to heal and arch, then go back to the store and get a pair that is fitted to your heal and arch.
Echoing other posts, superfeet work great for most people, but not for all. Yes, properly fitted they will help prevent your feet from spreading do the pounding they take, and the extra weight your body is carrying.
I had 2 pairs of custom orthotics but the superfeet work best for me. I use both the geen ones and blue ones depending on the volume of the shoe.
My foot problems got worse and worse as I got older but I think if I would have had better shoes and insoles when I was younger it would not have gotten so bad. I have arthric spurs on several places that don't bother me as much as it used to but maybe they could have been prevented.
Some people are bothered by superfeet but this would be evident by now, if they bothered you I mean.
Appalachian Tater
02-16-2008, 11:28
I think Superfeet work great but they must cost well under $1.00 to manufacture and have one of the highest markups of any hiking equipment other than those tiny rolls of toilet paper. No doubt a shoe salesman likes selling them.
Footslogger
02-16-2008, 11:29
I bought my trail runners today, and the shoestore guy also sold me a pair of Superfeet (the green ones, chosen by length, not by heel/arch size). He said they would help keep my feet from spreading, and properly support my arch, etc etc. He did assure me that I can return them, which brings me to my dilemna.
I'd never heard of them until he pointed them out. From what I've read on here tonight, most people have bought them AFTER having foot problems. I've got no foot problems that I know of, and am not particularly concerned about any possible foot spreading.
Basically, my question is thus: are Superfeet a good idea as a possible prevention method? Should I hold off and only get them if I have foot problems?
======================================
First off, SuperFeet are not for everyone. Your initial comment concerns me though, having been trained by the SuperFeet company to fit and sell their products (prior life). ALL SuperFeet are supposed to be sold based on the width of your heel and then trimmed to length ...NOT vice versa.
With that out of the way, I would tell you that SuperFeet (if they are right for you) are primarily designed to accomplish 2 functions: First, they stabilize your heel as it strikes the ground at the beginning of a stride. Second, they support the arch and prevent (or at least inhibit) relaxation of the arch which leads to elongation of the foot.
Whether you have foot problems or not, SuperFeet are a great idea ...if they work for you. Just know that they do require a little "break-in" period. Most people who stick them in their shoes and start hiking develop some discomfort and even bruising on the lower, inside surface of the arch. Best bet is to carry them with you for the first week or two of hiking and alternate them with the factory insert until they feel natural.
Happy Trails ...
'Slogger
Blissful
02-16-2008, 11:59
I couldn't use them because I am very flatfooted and it hurt my arches. With a normal or higher arch, you'd probably do well with them. I went with Spenco hiker insoles and loved them.
AT-HITMAN2005
02-16-2008, 12:07
i used them. not only did they require some breaking in but your feet need some adjusting to them to.
i wore them prior to my hike at work(on my feet most of the day). would wear them a couple hours to start and then switch them out with the old inserts. then gradually over a couple weeks i would wear them longer until i was wearing them all the time. if your foot over-pronates its suppose to correct it.
They were too hard a feel for me and I returned mine. I just did not like them. But remember that footwear, more than any other gear other than alcohol stoves is given to extremely opinionated points of view. So, what may work (or not) for one is not necessarily the same for an other. You will just have to go your own way.
I am one of those younger guys who started wearing Superfeet and have much healthier feet because of them. After many years of road marches in the Marine Corps, I have a severe falling arch. My instep spreads so much that it expands lateraly almost a half inch, requiring me to wear very wide footwear. (Regular cut Montrails are WAY too narrow and would bruise my feet to the point of being difficult to walk). My foot would also extend about 3/4's of a size from sitting to standing.
In 1999, I hiked the AT without Superfeet where the word was that they would bruise your feet and you wouldn't be able to walk.
Well, here's the deal. You MUST give them break-in time. Superfeet generally recommends wearing them no more than an hour of walking time or twice that standing) each day for the first week. Walk no more than 2 hours or so per day for the second week. And use your discretion by the third.
If you have narrow heels and high arches, your break-in will be less. If you have wide heels and relatively flat feet (like my bearpaws), expect considerably more, upwards of a month. But if you go out there and just hike with unshaped Superfeet, you will most likely bruise your feet, possibly severely.
But when broken in, they hold your heel nicely and greatly reduce expansion. I have hiked another 3000 or more miles since I started wearing Superfeet in 2001 at age 29. My foot health has improved substantially and their hiking comfort is dramatically improved - once they're broken in.
take-a-knee
02-16-2008, 12:48
My daughter, who was 14yo at the time, was running X-country and having pain in both arches. A shoe salesman at REI reccommended the green Superfeet and they helped her feet a great deal. She now uses them in her hiking boots, she forgot them on one hike and had a lot of foot pain. I should add that her feet are fairly flat (low arches). I reccommend going to a locally owned running store that actually hires runners and trains them properly to fit shoes. Someone there should be able to help.
vtdrifter
02-16-2008, 15:27
Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll take them back to the store and re-evaluate the fit. Then I'll give them a shot and see how my feet like them!
ChinMusic
02-16-2008, 16:12
Thanks for all the advice guys! I'll take them back to the store and re-evaluate the fit. Then I'll give them a shot and see how my feet like them!
I agree strongly with Slogger in that width is the #1 priority with regards to Superfeet. I had issues with blisters on the sides of my heels for years and just figured that was the way it was. I would routinely duct tape up my heels.
After I got Superfeet my heel blisters never came back. They may not work for everyone but they do for me.
They didnt work great for me. I was hiking from davenport to hot springs and the made the biggest blisters. I took them back to REI and they gave me my money back.
ChinMusic
02-16-2008, 16:38
They didnt work great for me. I was hiking from davenport to hot springs and the made the biggest blisters. I took them back to REI and they gave me my money back.
vtdrifter - This just shows how feet are such an individual thing. What works for one might harm another. You just never know. I'm 49 and STILL trying to figure out what works best for me.
these are torcher devices. Avoid at all costs.
I bought my trail runners today, and the shoestore guy also sold me a pair of Superfeet (the green ones, chosen by length, not by heel/arch size). He said they would help keep my feet from spreading, and properly support my arch, etc etc. He did assure me that I can return them, which brings me to my dilemna.
I'd never heard of them until he pointed them out. From what I've read on here tonight, most people have bought them AFTER having foot problems. I've got no foot problems that I know of, and am not particularly concerned about any possible foot spreading.
Basically, my question is thus: are Superfeet a good idea as a possible prevention method? Should I hold off and only get them if I have foot problems?
I would approach Superfeet, or any after market orthotics, as a means to tweak shoe characteristics. Cushioning, arch, volume, pronation, stiffening and supporting the sole, and cupping/cradling the heel are some of the characteristics that can be altered by orthotics. Does everyone need to change every pair of shoes they buy by adding orthotics? NO! Does everyone need orthotics? NO! Can many people benefit from orthotics? YES! Do U need to wait until foot problems develop before U use orthotics? NO! Are orthotics only used by people who have problems with their feet or shoes? NO! Is age the best determination for using orthotics? NO!
My advice: wear the same pair of shoes for a little while with them and a little while without them. What do your feet tell U? One word of warning: U will have different results with different types of orthotics and different types, brands, sizes, and styles of shoes. Lastly, get to know the characteristics of your feet to help with better orthotic and shoe selections. Make shoe choices based on purchasing shoes that are manufactured to support the characteristics of your feet! If u visit some of the hardcore running and hiking gear websites that sell shoes U will often find detailed descriptions of the type of feet that specific shoes were designed for.
I started out with the green ones. Way too aggresive for me, but the blue one's work fantastic for me. I have low arches and narrow heels. I have tried several aftermarket insoles and found that superfeet work the best for me. My friend manages an outfitter in Maryville,Tn and just as Footslogger replied, they are suppossed to be fit by heel width.
...they are suppossed to be fit by heel width.
Actually they are supposed to be fitted by arch length which is measured by a brannock device. For most people, this is pretty close to their overall foot length, but some folks I've measured have as much as 2 1/2 sizes of difference between their arch length and foot length. These folks are often poorly fitted with Superfeet and get no help, or perhaps are even harmed, by their superfeet.
Has anyone ever tried the pink superfeet for women? I have a pair, they do seem to align me better but they are hard as rocks.
Footslogger
02-17-2008, 13:14
Has anyone ever tried the pink superfeet for women? I have a pair, they do seem to align me better but they are hard as rocks.
===============================
FWIW ...SuperFeet are not meant to be soft or feel like padded foot beds. The principle behind them is stabilization and support. We are born with padding on the bottom of our feet/heels. SuperFeet are supposed to keep the foot where it belongs in your footwear so that your natural padding can do its job.
Just sayin ...
'Slogger
:cool:
I bought my trail runners today, and the shoestore guy also sold me a pair of Superfeet (the green ones, chosen by length, not by heel/arch size). He said they would help keep my feet from spreading, and properly support my arch, etc etc. He did assure me that I can return them, which brings me to my dilemna.
I'd never heard of them until he pointed them out. From what I've read on here tonight, most people have bought them AFTER having foot problems. I've got no foot problems that I know of, and am not particularly concerned about any possible foot spreading.
Basically, my question is thus: are Superfeet a good idea as a possible prevention method? Should I hold off and only get them if I have foot problems?
i went from taking 12 to 16 ibprofens a day to no ibprofens a day after using superfeet inserts on long distance hikes,i dont hit the trail without them:cool:neo
Ok, to re-open this thread, What about the Orange Superfeet? They say they are recommended for hiking and walking. They supposedly offer toe area shock absorption.
My biggest problem has been numbing of certain toes, with severe, sharp, burning pain in the ball of the foot, at the base of the numb toe.
Very recently I have also experienced some knee pain, above (just proximal to) the patella. This was after a very short, easy hike, but in an old pair of trail runners.
I often hear of the pros and cons of blue vs green Superfeet, anyone have any experience with Orange?
Actually they are supposed to be fitted by arch length which is measured by a brannock device. For most people, this is pretty close to their overall foot length, but some folks I've measured have as much as 2 1/2 sizes of difference between their arch length and foot length. These folks are often poorly fitted with Superfeet and get no help, or perhaps are even harmed, by their superfeet.
So true, BP. I tried wearing them and found that the support is almost an inch forward of where I needed it to be. It was like hiking with a stick across/under my foot right where I needed to plant some weight. After an hour I gave up the idea, but had to suffer with the resulting foot pain for two days.
ChinMusic
04-21-2008, 14:05
So true, BP. I tried wearing them and found that the support is almost an inch forward of where I needed it to be. It was like hiking with a stick across/under my foot right where I needed to plant some weight. After an hour I gave up the idea, but had to suffer with the resulting foot pain for two days.
I know they take awhile to break in, at least mine did. I felt some discomfort for the first day or two. After that break-in period my boots had never felt so good.
YMMV
sweetpeastu
04-21-2008, 14:50
Whether you have foot problems or not, SuperFeet are a great idea ...if they work for you. Just know that they do require a little "break-in" period. Most people who stick them in their shoes and start hiking develop some discomfort and even bruising on the lower, inside surface of the arch. Best bet is to carry them with you for the first week or two of hiking and alternate them with the factory insert until they feel natural.
Happy Trails ...
'Slogger
I got superfeet recently in my new boots and I didn't realize they had a break in period and I did 16 some miles in them this past weekend and I got this horrible pain (like as if my foot were being pinched our....gouged) on the inside of my arch. ( I have flat feet and bunions...which is why i went to the superfeet b/c they prevent my forefoot from hurting so much). Its really good to know that its not my new boots!!!!
Ok, to re-open this thread, What about the Orange Superfeet? They say they are recommended for hiking and walking. They supposedly offer toe area shock absorption.
My biggest problem has been numbing of certain toes, with severe, sharp, burning pain in the ball of the foot, at the base of the numb toe.
Very recently I have also experienced some knee pain, above (just proximal to) the patella. This was after a very short, easy hike, but in an old pair of trail runners.
I often hear of the pros and cons of blue vs green Superfeet, anyone have any experience with Orange?
I was at REI yesterday, buying Superfeet for my son's new "low quarters." ("Dad, can they make a more uncomfortable shoe?") We looked at both the green (which I've always bought) and the orange. I don't know if the orange or new or not - I don't recall seeing them before. The biggest difference I saw was that the orange offer a little more cushioning under the ball of the foot than the green. He tried both on, and decided that the orange felt a little better... We'll see how the cushioning holds up....
sweetpeastu
04-21-2008, 16:33
can anyone else speak to having nasty rubbed spots (they never actually turned in to blisters...they were just nasty rubbed/hot spot type things) on the inside of my arch...and it spread down the side of the inside of my foot from my arch...
SHould I just keep trying to break them in...? Any advice?
whitefoot_hp
04-21-2008, 17:55
SteveJ, i have found the orange to be horribly stiff on the ball of the foot!
SteveJ, i have found the orange to be horribly stiff on the ball of the foot!
yowch...something to watch for...thanks for the feedback, whitefoot...he doesn't report 'till June 30, so we have some time...just have to get him wearing them to break them in!
I'm surprised there aren't more insole choices. I got some made by a company called Sidas that I really like, but they aren't available anymore. Most boots come with cheap insoles, so buying good insoles is a Good Thing. Insoles also help take up some of the excess volume inside the boot.
whitefoot_hp
04-21-2008, 18:27
yowch...something to watch for...thanks for the feedback, whitefoot...he doesn't report 'till June 30, so we have some time...just have to get him wearing them to break them in!
i think the orange had amazing arch support, and the package said that they were the most rigid out of the choices. i loved them, but 2-3 days into a hike i would just get no cushion whatsoever near the ball of the foot, but the heel was great. i was wearing well cushioned socks, too. i thought about cutting them in half and designing a hybrid with gel near the ball of the foot, but i ended up leaving them at neels gap mid way through my last hike.