I’ve never worn insoles in my running shoes before, I’ve always been a bit wary of anything that interferes with the running shoes I know and love, but when I was given the opportunity to try out some Sole Footbeds (they’re a Canadian company, I think that’s what they call insoles…) I was intrigued to find out more.

Sole are a peformance footwear specialist and claim they can help minimise your risk of injury.  Given I’ve had a fair few injuries over the last 12 months, I thought they would definitely be worth trying out.

The footbeds I tried are the Active Medium, which is part of their signature range, and they’re quite unique in that they’re heat moulded to your feet to give a bespoke fit.   After trimming them to fit your trainers (which may not be needed as they come in standard shoe sizes), you pop them in the oven for a couple of minutes and then immediately position them in your trainers and put them on your feet.  It’s dead cosy!

In the oven!

The science bit:

The mouldable base layer is orthopaedic and adapts to your foot to give a customised fit.  This means the foodbeds can:

• Reduce plantar fascia strain
• Encourage good alignment of the feet and lower legs
• Improve balance and provide natural, shock-absorbing heel support (ideal for someone who literally falls over their own feet, ahem)
• Gently lift your arch into its optimal position

These ones are perfect for active types because they have the added benefit of Polygiene odor control technology (no smelly feet), Softec shock-absorbing cushioning (a bouncy feel) and a moisture-wicking topsheet (dry tootsies).

My thoughts:

So far I’ve been impressed with these insoles, my feet have quite high arches so I’ve really noticed the additional support and they’re really comfy.  There was a brief moment of panic when I realised I had the oven on wayyyyy too high (watch that cause it’s inadvisable to set your house on fire), but after successfully heating and installing them into my trainers they really do fit like a glove.  It’s a bit soon to tell if they will offer added protection against injury but I really them, they gave my trainers a new lease of life, and will be getting another pair when they wear out.

I was kindly given a pair of Sole Footbeds to try out, all views are my own