I like to think I have pretty baller feet. Aside from the occasional blister and hot spot, I haven’t had any issues with them. I’ve never really used insoles for comfort or arch support; they only come in handy when my shoes are way too big and I need to fill up some extra space. When Tread Labs offered to send me a pair of insoles, I decided to take a gander.
Tread Labs has an interesting approach to trying out what works for you. You never even have to leave the house. You give them your shoe size, shoe width and arch height. They send you two pairs of insoles. You try them on at home, wander around for a bit and keep the pair you like best.
Specs:
- 12mm heel cups concentrate the fatty pads beneath your heels for natural cushioning
- Molded polypropylene arch supports are indestructible and guaranteed for life
- 3mm top covers fit easily in shoes with removable insoles
- 30 durometer hybrid EVA cushioning ensures long term shock absorption
- 100% polyester top sheets have a low friction co-efficient for cooler feet
- Silver ion antimicrobial fabric treatment kills 99.9% of bacteria.
- Replaceable top covers add value.
- Made in the USA
I took my pair of insoles with my Oboz Footwear Emerald Peak shoes to Outdoor Retailer, and honestly? Removing the Oboz Footwear insoles might have been one of my dumber decisions of the trip. Countless miles of scampering across a hard concrete floor combined with the too stiff arch made my feet absolutely ache. I’ve tried out insoles from Superfeet before, and those felt like an extension of my foot compared to the Tread Labs soles. These were just so ridiculously stiff. When I acquired a pair of Ahnu Yoga Flex shoes on the second day of the show, my feet were so happy to slip into them.
I really wanted to love the Tread Labs insoles. It was such a pleasure working with the company. But these were so awful on my feet that I couldn’t wait to remove them when I got home.
Tread Labs has a free, at-home, try-on program so you can check these out for yourself, free of charge. If you keep one, it will cost you $75. If not, that’s okay; shipping is totally free.
