Custom or non custom insoles are there any real benefits with non custom ones?

[markyhiker]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone knows if the expense of custom insoles is worth it or do non custom insoles actually work just as good or not? Iv been wanting to buy some arch support insoles to help myself when im on my trails.. are custom ones only for those with specific problems or something? Anyone know... thank you guys

[da fungo]

I've never tried custom insoles, but I have found that some off the shelf insoles are a great improvement over those that come in the shoes and boots, even by manufacturers like Merrell and New Balance. I've had really good experience with Superfeet Green insoles.

[WalksInDark]

+1 to what da fungo said.

Additionally, most of the people who I know who have bought custom insoles (or orthotics as they are called) have paid from $300 to $600.....and stopped wearing them within 3-4 weeks of starting to use them.

Apparently, when you get your foot arch properly supported/corrected, it is not all that comfortable for awhile.

[Rick Hancock]

I've never used "Custom Insoles" but I do use and like Super Feet. Long wearing not too expensive. They take a little getting use to as they feel kinda stiff at first or feel like their filling up your shoe.

[Kerosene]

Unless your feet are very poorly formed, you should be able to get by with a pair of heat-molded insoles for $30-$35.

[Fussymary]

A second vote for Superfeet Green - I wear them in all of my shoes now. They last a long time and as a pronator, they have been very helpful for my hips.

[Bati]

If you need orthotics, they are well worth the cost, even if your medical insurance won't cover the $500 or so bill for the first pair. If you're just looking for arch support, you're probably OK with cheap non-custom insoles, or at least try these first. You need the real ones if you can't walk a mile without them or if the pain when you do keeps you awake at night, or if you have a noticeable limp, or if you wear holes completely through the soles of your shoes in a couple of months just by walking around town. If you have any problems similar to these, then go to a good podiatrist as soon as possible and make sure they use a cast, not a foam mold, for proper fitting.

If you're just looking for some foot relief when doing high-mileage days and your hard vibram soles don't wear out quickly, then spend a couple of years looking at superfeet types of insoles and save your money for other gear.

To follow up on WalkstoDark's comment, it takes time to get used to set of custom orthotics, just as it does for old-fashioned hard contact lenses or many other medical devices. You'll probably wear them for only an hour on the first day then for an extra half hour the next day, etc. Because you'll probably be using different muscles to walk, your body needs this time to adjust. Once adjusted, you won't be able to wear them on the weekends only; you'll be wearing them all the time.

[Wise Old Owl]

I agree with Bati... I use Solomon and remove the cheap pad.

[da fungo]

I agree with Bati... I use Solomon and remove the cheap pad.Wise Fowl brings up a really good point: If you're going to use off the shelf inserts or custom orthotics, REMOVE the standard insoles/inserts that came with the shoes and replace them with the new product.The first time I used inserts, I actually tried to put them in over the stock inserts. There was no room for a size 14 foot with that setup.

[litefoot2000]

I would also vote for the Superfeet. Just don't buy a cushioned orthotic as it will not hold the foot in a neutral position. You need something firm and supportive, not soft and squooshy. Is squooshy a word? Steer clear of Dr. Scholls, Spenco, Sof-Sole, etc. These are not what you need. And, of course, remove the existing foot beds to make room for the orthotics.

[markyhiker]

Thanks for your help i think what i will do is purchase some off the shelf ones for the time being and then maybe then invest in some custom ones if the off shelf ones arent up to scratch thank you

[peakbagger]

After a recommendation from several folks on VFFT I picked up some Montrail heat moldable insoles. They have some padding but a very firm arch support. I have been using the inserts that came with my new balances for years and they so not have enough arch support. It did take me a couple of weeks to get used to the Montrails more aggressive arch. I did most of a one day presidential traverse in the whites with them a few weeks back and they worked well.

[rocketsocks]

I wear 3/4 length orthodics that were molded from my foot....they work good for me, kinda expensive though. Have tried over the counter inserts over the years, and thus far the ones for my feet are the ones that were made to fit, is there any wonder?

not for nothin, but inserts are made symmetrical, left and right. It is unlikely that your feet are the same symmetry, and it is those small variations that make all the difference between comfort and discomfort...to my way of thinking.

[da fungo]

I wear 3/4 length orthodics that were molded from my foot....they work good for me, kinda expensive though. Have tried over the counter inserts over the years, and thus far the ones for my feet are the ones that were made to fit, is there any wonder?not for nothin, but inserts are made symmetrical, left and right. It is unlikely that your feet are the same symmetry, and it is those small variations that make all the difference between comfort and discomfort...to my way of thinking.Good point about foot differences. Before they moved manufacturing to China, Vasque used to sell boots with different sizes of insoles. I'd wear a regular in one boot and a high-volume insert in the other.

[calihoofer]

I use Cadence insoles which I find to have a great blend of support and cushion. My feet and knees are much happier. I have used all others in the past and the "supportive" ones are too hard for me. Cadence have as good or better support than the others but are much more comfortable. My physical therapist recommended them to me and it turned out my podiatrist carries them. I highly recommend them.

[Pedaling Fool]

Hello,

I was wondering if anyone knows if the expense of custom insoles is worth it or do non custom insoles actually work just as good or not? Iv been wanting to buy some arch support insoles to help myself when im on my trails.. are custom ones only for those with specific problems or something? Anyone know... thank you guys
Only you can answer that question. Some people seem very dependent on special footwear and some can just do with basic shoes with no special features/accessories.

I have a pair of custom made boots, because I've heard how they make hiking so much easier and I walked a couple thousand miles in them and I don't see it. I don't really use them any more and just buy off-the-shelf cheap shoes and I don't have any problems.

However, there are people that swear by certain footwear, especially custom made, so I don't know if they actually need them or if it's just a psychological thing.

All I can say is that I wear cheap shoes without any additional insoles and my feet do fine. I also carry a heavy pack.


However, I went through a period of extreme foot pain, but since then no problems. My philosophy is build of your feet and your wallet.

[Appbrookie]

I am sold on SuperFeet, I did alot of backpacking last Fall and my feet hurt all winter, I had plantar fasciitis. In March I tried the Orange Superfeet in my hiking boots and everyday Keens, 3-4 weeks later I had no pain. I now have Superfeet in my dress/athletic shoes, they are much cheaper than custom insoles, give them a try. As said before, the SuperFeet are initially uncomfortable, but stick with them a couple weeks and you will notice the difference.

[hikerboy57]

i have been very happy with green superfeet for my lasportiva trail runners

[da fungo]

I've always been with Pedaling Fool in using off the shelf shoes.However, I've always had a hard to fit, high volume foot. As I age, my feet are getting harder to fit, particularly as bunions progress. I'll probably try custom made boots as an alternative to bunion surgery.As rule of thumb, I ALWAYS try cheap alternatives before the expensive solution - even with medicine.

[calihoofer]

A non custom, off the shelf insole can work just as good or better than a custom insole in my opinion. It really depends on what your need is. For general support, improved fit and comfort and even treatment of the more common conditions like plantar fasciitis, heel pain, pain in the ball of the foot, and even some types of knee and hip pain, a good off the shelf insole can work great and save you lots of $. But if you have odd shaped feet or one foot is very different than the other or one leg is longer than the other then custom may be the way to go. Hope this helps.

[da fungo]

Kind of, pretty much mostly, on topic:Anyone else here of a parsimonious - make that cheap, nature who has tried to clean thier insoles, rather than replace them?After a 15 mile day hike on a rail trail earlir today, I noticed thay my Sperfeet Greens were starting to look like Blacks. So I'm soaking them in a solution of Shout stain remover, with a good brushing from time to time.Anyone got any related experience to share?

[Cherokee Bill]

I am 66-yo, good shape and have enjoyed MANY years as a Runner, Mtn Biker, Backpacker, etc., but all these activities and flat-feet have taken a toll. LONG-story Short, got to where I could not enjoy the outdoors w/o severe foot-pain! Was told that here in Lynchburg there was a fellow that did custom-inserts, and that he was so good, runners from across the US would fly-in to get fitted!!!! After my two sons tried him with success, I finally bit-the-bullet and made an appointment! DAMN! Got my life back, and am back to hiking, backpacking and Mtn biking (yea even at 66)!! SO, hell yes, custom-inserts, made/fitted by the RIGHT individual can Change your life.

[Slosteppin]

IMO, custom orthotics might be worth the cost if you have a specific problem. I was having severe pain on the outside of my right foot. My doctor was no help so I finally went to a foot doctor (podiatrist?) for help. For over $300 I did get custom orthotics made and carefully followed directions. I wore them for about three weeks after the break-in period. I have worn them about two hours in the last two months. Afterward my doctor told me that over half the people who get the custom orthotics quit using them within two months.
I recently hiked 90 miles in eight days with new Salomons and no foot pain. I should have saved my money. We are all different. What works for you might not work for me and vice versa.

[markyhiker]

thanks for the help guys :D

[English Stu]

I wouldn't change first off unless you have particular problem,you can soon waste some cash. I feel the best insoles should be the ones designed with the shoes. If you can get some insoles that are much the same if not identical they will be worth changing into after a few hundred miles. I reckon you feet will tell you when the insoles are crushed.Thicker insoles can alter the space for the feet leading to heel problems and blisters.

The shoe uppers usually last longer than the insoles.

[da fungo]

I wouldn't change first off unless you have particular problem,you can soon waste some cash. I feel the best insoles should be the ones designed with the shoes. If you can get some insoles that are much the same if not identical they will be worth changing into after a few hundred miles. I reckon you feet will tell you when the insoles are crushed.Thicker insoles can alter the space for the feet leading to heel problems and blisters.The shoe uppers usually last longer than the insoles.I have to strongly disagree with this. In some 40+ years of hiking, walking and marching, in everything from sneakers to hiking boots to Viet Nam era Army-issue crap boots, I've always found that stock insoles just frankly suck. The one exception was Vasque, before they started maufacturing in China. I and countless other posters here and elsewhere have wondered why shoe manufacturers spend ginormous sums of money researching shoe design, bio-mechanics, and materials, only to shave a few pennies in cost from the inserts. It's possible that they've concluded that the very fine differences in foot fit are so widely variable that it can never be properly addressed within the limits of our shoe sizing system, but it seems to be universally true.I do agree that shoes last longer than the stock inserts, but I throw them out anyway.