GEAR
THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN OUTDOOR KIT
Sole comfort
There’s something of a trade secret when it comes to hiking footwear: the insoles that come with hiking shoes or boots aren’t usually particularly good. Given the relative expense of some footwear this might seem like a bit of a cheek, but actually there’s a fairly good reason why this is the case.
Better insoles mean more expense in producing the footwear, leading to even higher retail prices, something both manufacturers and shoppers are keen to avoid. That said, the increase in cost might be worth it were it not for one key thing – everybody’s feet are different. If shoe and boot manufacturers supplied an insole that was a perfect performer for one type of foot, there would be far more feet that it didn’t fit, leading the majority of purchasers to have to buy replacement insoles anyway. So they take a ‘one-average-size-fits-all’ approach, keeping costs down on the assumption that if you need a specific insole treatment, you’ll buy an aftermarket set.
Superfeet is one of the best-known and most respected aftermarket insole brands out there. But until now its products have mostly (although not entirely) been concerned with correcting foot issues – high or low arches for example – or improving performance in various activities from hiking to running and snow sports. Now its new Active Cushion insoles have been introduced with one single focus – to improve cushioning and comfort for your feet. We slipped a pair into our boots to give them a test and see if they live up to the promise, and were surprised to discover just how much goes into the humble insole…
5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Cramming so much cushioning into something so thin isn’t easy, and requires a not insignificant amount of clever technology and engineering. An ‘Aerolyte Dual Comfort Layer’ (which provides optimal cushioning to help your foot relax in the shoe) sits over a ‘Responsive Forefoot Zone’ at the front and an ‘Energizing Heel Cushion’ at the rear to maximize energy transfer, disperse impact, reduce excess vibration, and fight fatigue. And throughout the insoles Superfeet’s patented ‘Adaptive Comfort Technology’ helps your feet move the way they’re supposed to.
The Active Cushioning insoles are available in three arch heights – low, medium and high. So whatever shape your feet are, you can benefit from the new insoles’ cushioning on your hikes.
The upper layer of the Active Cushioning insoles is made from Superfeet’s ‘M
