Insoles for trekking?

Jake D said:

Can anyone recommend any insoles for trekking over rough terrain and
stoney footpaths? (Something that doesn't cost a fortune)? How about
those cheap odour-eaters? Is there anything wrong with those?

They're designed primarily to eat odour, not to cushion shock, so I
doubt they'd be any better for cushioning than what you already have.

You might actually be better looking at a boot/shoe/sandal with a
stiffer outsole, because that's probably the best way to deal with rough
ground. Insoles are thin and flexible so a sharp point poking into it
will still be sharp and poky feeling to your foot.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

You might actually be better looking at a boot/shoe/sandal with a
stiffer outsole, because that's probably the best way to deal with rough
ground. Insoles are thin and flexible so a sharp point poking into it
will still be sharp and poky feeling to your foot.

Thank you for the comments. Sorry; I should probably clarify more: I
wasn't really expecting to find an insole that would protect against
sharp objects penetrating the sole; just some that are comfortable and
durable for long hikes (some of which are over rough terrain).

The trekking boots I use have reasonably flexible soles (which I like)
yet they are thick enough to prevent most sharp objects penetrating.
Unfortunately, the insoles that were factory-installed didn't last
long. That's why I'm looking for cost-effective replacement insoles

Jake D

Jake D said:

Thank you for the comments. Sorry; I should probably clarify more: I
wasn't really expecting to find an insole that would protect against
sharp objects penetrating the sole; just some that are comfortable and
durable for long hikes (some of which are over rough terrain).

The trekking boots I use have reasonably flexible soles (which I like)
yet they are thick enough to prevent most sharp objects penetrating.

I don't particularly mean actually sticking through the material, but a
stiffer sole will distribute the load across the entire sole unit rather
than letting it push at a single spot. That tends to lead to less tired
feet (though on smooth ground they're more tiring, you can't have it
both ways).

Quoted message said:

Unfortunately, the insoles that were factory-installed didn't last
long. That's why I'm looking for cost-effective replacement insoles

Define "cost-effective"... Quite a lot of people find expensive insoles
very cost-effective, because they find them very good! "Superfeet" fall
into the costly but very well regarded category. If you just want
something cheap then steal a pair from an old pair of trainers.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Jake D said:

The trekking boots I use have reasonably flexible soles (which I like)
yet they are thick enough to prevent most sharp objects penetrating.
Unfortunately, the insoles that were factory-installed didn't last
long. That's why I'm looking for cost-effective replacement insoles

The standard insoles that come with boots aren't much more than just
cardboard, and, as you've found out, don't do much.

As a rule the more comfortable insoles are also thicker, so a lot
depends on the fit of the boot. A thicker insole will, naturally,
reduce the internal volume more than a thinner one, so if the boots are
at all tight as they are then your choices are more limited.

Sorbothane Shockstoppers are, I believe, well regarded, but may be just
a bit thick. Superfeet are just ridiculously expensive, approaching
half the price of the boot itself in my case, and that's just for the
regular (not custom-fit) insoles. I use Cush'n'Step, also by
Sorbothane, and they do the job well enough while also being relatively
thin. A decent supplier should let you try them on if you take your
boots in.

Colin

I use these
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/cat_id/FOOTBEDS/product-Superfeet-Synergizer-Green-Capsule-12342.htm

They were v good for a 50 mile race that i did earlier this year and
the practice hikes. Some shops do custom fit insoles for a bit more.
If i were more flush, I'd have gone for them.

I would also recommend surgical spirit on the feet for a few weeks
before walking and talc in the socks. After 50 miles I had one
blister. (my first for years) My mate had 11.

Colin MacDonald said:

Superfeet are just ridiculously expensive, approaching
half the price of the boot itself in my case, and that's just for the
regular (not custom-fit) insoles.

True, but people use them anyway. I don't use them in my heavier boots,
but for light footwear I find they really help with my excessive
pronation, which unchecked can cause considerable discomfort in feet and
knees over a long day. That's worth paying to avoid IMHO: mileage
varies, of course.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

Colin MacDonald said:

Superfeet are just ridiculously expensive, approaching
half the price of the boot itself in my case, and that's just for the
regular (not custom-fit) insoles.

True, but people use them anyway. I don't use them in my heavier boots,
but for light footwear I find they really help with my excessive
pronation, which unchecked can cause considerable discomfort in feet and
knees over a long day. That's worth paying to avoid IMHO: mileage
varies, of course.

Fair point. I had a look at them in a shop once and thought "£30? For
that?? You must be kidding!" but if it's the best solution for someone
then it's their cash. I reckon if I was spending that kind of money on
insoles I'd try the ones at http://www.yoursole.co.uk, which you custom
fit at home. Of course, they could be rubbish.

Colin

Colin MacDonald said:

Fair point. I had a look at them in a shop once and thought "£30? For
that?? You must be kidding!" but if it's the best solution for someone
then it's their cash. I reckon if I was spending that kind of money on
insoles I'd try the ones at http://www.yoursole.co.uk, which you custom
fit at home. Of course, they could be rubbish.

What will work depends what you want doing. Making something that
happens to be the same shape as my foot won't actually do anything to
work against my over-pronation problem, so I can't really see those
working for me. Feet have evolved to a shape that works entirely
without footbeds, of course, so in this case I think that fit is
possibly being optimised to a rather pointless degree (but I don't know
enough about biomechanics for that to be any more than a sneaking
suspicion).

Having said that, since Superfeet are designed to optimise gait, if
yours is fine to start with then there's pretty much no point buying them.

Horses == Courses, as usual.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Bitstring <[email hidden]>, from
the wonderful person Colin MacDonald <[email hidden]> said

Quoted message said:

Jake D said:

The trekking boots I use have reasonably flexible soles (which I like)
yet they are thick enough to prevent most sharp objects penetrating.
Unfortunately, the insoles that were factory-installed didn't last
long. That's why I'm looking for cost-effective replacement insoles

The standard insoles that come with boots aren't much more than just
cardboard, and, as you've found out, don't do much.

Hey, that's slightly unfair .. they're CORRUGATED cardboard, sometimes
even plastic, and one side is often furry too! 8>.

Quoted message said:

As a rule the more comfortable insoles are also thicker, so a lot
depends on the fit of the boot. A thicker insole will, naturally,
reduce the internal volume more than a thinner one, so if the boots are
at all tight as they are then your choices are more limited.

Yep, that's the main problem. I use Sorbothane insoles (and thick
Smartwool trekking socks), but you have to allow for that when buying
the boots. Some older boots (where I didn't) will give me black toenails
&/or bruising on the top of the foot, if I try to shove the thicker
packing materials in.

--
GSV Three Minds in a Can
Google may be your friend, but groups.google.com posters definitely aren't.

My old feet are giving me a lot of trouble now in boots - I get a lot
of pain in my toes after a while on the hill and that is not because
the boots are too small; it happens with all but the softest of boots
and I have 5 different type pairs to try (B1 through to B-1 if that
exists).

The reason for joining in is that I have custome made insoles -
orthotics - hard plastic moulded which is meant to correct something
(can't remember if it is over or under pronation). What these do is to
stop me getting pain in the instep with ordinary day to day walking.
However I am beginning to suspect that they may be the cause of the
severe discomfort I get in my toes when on the hillls - not proved it
yet, but there are to be some days on the hills shortly lugging various
pairs of boots around to try different combinations.

Rob

Peter Clinch said:

If you just want
something cheap then steal a pair from an old pair of trainers.

Thanks for that tip: I can't imagine why I didn't think of that. I
just found a nice pair of insoles that I removed from a pair of
elasticated shoes some time back, because they were too tight. Good
job I kept them! They even have some arch support.

Jake

Having just moved over to superfeet, after years of sorbothan, I can see why
they get raved about.
The price was still a big pill to swallow, but when I compared it to the
price of my boots, and the comparative price of sorbs, they definitely feel
far more comfortable when hitting the rough stuff, and perversely my walking
pace seems to have speeded up as well.
Weird

"Rob G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My old feet are giving me a lot of trouble now in boots - I get a lot
of pain in my toes after a while on the hill and that is not because
the boots are too small; it happens with all but the softest of boots
and I have 5 different type pairs to try (B1 through to B-1 if that
exists).

The reason for joining in is that I have custome made insoles -
orthotics - hard plastic moulded which is meant to correct something
(can't remember if it is over or under pronation). What these do is to
stop me getting pain in the instep with ordinary day to day walking.
However I am beginning to suspect that they may be the cause of the
severe discomfort I get in my toes when on the hillls - not proved it
yet, but there are to be some days on the hills shortly lugging various
pairs of boots around to try different combinations.

Rob

On Tue, 02 May 2006 14:58:55 +0100, Peter Clinch
<[email hidden]> wrote:

"Superfeet" fall

Quoted message said:

into the costly but very well regarded category.

Yep. Love my green Superfeet. Use them all the time, now on to my
second pair.

Also have played with ShockDocs. See
<http://www.backpackgeartest.org/shockdoc/>.

Andrew