What insoles? Quality vs price for winter use

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Jan 16, 2016
139
15
127.0.0.1
So I'm in the market for a pair of insoles. I know our current conditions arn't exactly what we expect from winter but I want to get a pair of winter inners as I'm thinking about a trip to colder regions.

What would you recommend based on the following four categories.

1) high end - money is no object
2) value for money - high end.
3) value for money - budget end.
4) low end - budget
 
Dec 6, 2013
417
5
N.E.Lincs.
I don't suffer a lot from cold feet but something I have used for the past couple of years is neoprene insoles, I found I can make 3 pairs from one laptop case bought at the £ shop.

D.B.
 

Goatboy

Full Member
Jan 31, 2005
14,956
17
Scotland
If you're looking for cosy factor then I'd look at either some sheepskin ones or it you know someone who works with wool then get them to knock up some felt footbeds.
Both will insulate your feet from the cold ground and also help to manage any moisture through perspiration.
You will have to be careful of how much room there is in your boots though. Take up too much volume with the footbeds and your boots will be to tight, this will affect circulation in your feet, which if restricted will make your feet feel cold (will also hurt), remember that your feet will expand during walking/exercise so maybe wait 'till afternoon before getting the initial fitting to make sure enough room will be left.
You can pick up old sheepskin jackets from charity shops and make footbeds, mits, hats, allsorts. Have made some great thermal mats/underblankets from old sheepskin jackets.

Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
 

Tonyuk

Settler
Nov 30, 2011
933
81
Scotland
So I'm in the market for a pair of insoles. I know our current conditions arn't exactly what we expect from winter but I want to get a pair of winter inners as I'm thinking about a trip to colder regions.

What would you recommend based on the following four categories.

1) high end - money is no object
- Sorbothane Pro's, arch support like superfeet but not just hard bits of foamy plastic, with the red shock absorbent throughout, got these in the boots im wearing now, quality. If you have a medical condition needing proper orthic insoles see a physio.
2) value for money - high end.
- Again i'm a fan of sorbothane, they do insoles starting at about £6 to about £18, all have a decent bit of foam in them for insulation and comfort.
3) value for money - budget end.
- Decathalon do a good range of insoles including some of those heat molding ones.
4) low end - budget
- Take the current insole that came with the boot out, put it on a decent roll-mat and cut the shape out, instant free comfy insole but can get a bit sweaty if its not cold out and they don't last too long. There are a load of gel insoles on ebay for cheap, they seem to be okay-ish.

Hope any of this helps, remember to try anything first before buying to make sure they fit.

Tonyuk
 

trubliphone

Member
Mar 10, 2014
12
2
USA
I don't recall any brand names, but personally I use high-end insoles and low-end shoes. For whatever reason, I go through shoes really quickly: one pair per season. I guess I'm just tough on them. So it's not worth it for me to buy nice shoes. I do, however, like comfort, and so I buy nice insoles. When one pair of shoes wears out, I just swap the nice insoles into the new pair of not-nice shoes and keep hiking.
 

quietone

Full Member
May 29, 2011
820
93
Wales
I also bought spare insoles for my lundhags from L&M. I also made some out of some thick felted wool hats that the missus found on the interweb. They were dirt cheap clearance stock.

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk
 

themaninthebush

New Member
Mar 31, 2016
2
0
uk
I wouldnt waste your money on custom insoles because they can often over support and therefore a big waste of money if they don't correct bio mechnical problems.
 

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