Replacement Insoles: A Simple Change with a big difference

[Mags]

One day, I am talking to a person I am friendly with at work. She mentioned how she had been training for a marathon and even after replacing her shoes, her feet and knees are still hurting. I asked if she had replaced the factory insoles? She said she hadn't. Never occurred to her but she will give it a try.



A week later, I get a very nice e-mail thanking me for the suggestion. The knees no longer hurt and she can't believe the difference it made.

A light bulb went off.

How many other people don't know to replace the factory insoles? Something simple I learned many years ago, but is not obvious to everyone.

So I wrote an article about it (cause that's what I do on a rainy Colorado day when I playing catchup when being away for a week! :D)

If anyone is intrerested, here it it:
http://www.pmags.com/replacement-insoles-a-simple-change-with-a-big-difference

Probably info most of you know...but maybe not... :o

[Slo-go'en]

What gets me is you pay enough for a pair of boots, so why don't they give you decent insoles to begin with? To pay $200 for boots and then have to spend another 50 on insoles is a bit of an insult.

[Mountain Mike]

It is amazing what a difference a good pair on insoles make. I would say I was able to increased milage by 15% because my feet hurt less.

[Kerosene]

Kind of like paying $50,000 for a nice performance car shod with sub-standard tires.

[Don H]

I've heard that they put cheap insole in good shoes because they are intended to be replaced by what works best for you.

[Franco]

Most shoes/runners work fine with my feet as they are , however..
a lot of people do have some foot problem , just not the same...
so what is the point, for a boot manufacturer, to give your exact fit when it is just for you and the small percentage of other guys that have exactly your same problem ?
Incidentally, that is why custom boots cost more.
Franco

[yaduck9]

Superfeet and tieing my shoes differently elimenated my problem with blisters and pinched feet.

http://www.backpacker.com/skills-how-to-lace-boots-prevent-blisters/slideshows/143

[Mags]

I've heard that they put cheap insole in good shoes because they are intended to be replaced by what works best for you.

That's what I've heard, too.

As Franco said, different people different feet.

The factory insoles are still pretty crappy, though. :D

[4Bears]

Thank you Mags, nice article. Insoles on new shoes are only designed to last about 6 months, 1) for cost, 2) to get you to buy more shoes. In manufacturing it is called designed obsolescense.