Superfeet Run Support Low Arch Insoles are replacement insoles designed for use with low-volume shoes like trail runners. Formerly called Superfeet Carbon, I’ve been using them for the past decade to prevent plantar fasciitis, a common condition among hikers that causes pain in the heel and bottom of the foot.
The problem with most trail runners is that their factory insoles are made with cheap foam (left above) that provides no arch support. The problem is exacerbated further if you wear zero-drop trail runners (particularly Altras Lone Peaks), since most have very low stack heights that don’t have much depth for cushioning or internal support.
Plantar fasciitis is caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia, a band of tissue that runs from the heel to the toes and supports the arch of the foot. Its primary cause is a repetitive strain to the plantar fascia, which occurs when it is repeatedly flexed during activities like hiking and running. Depending on the shape of your foot, micro tears can form in the fascia when it is stretched, causing inflammation and stabbing pain in the heel.
Plantar fasciitis recovery can take 9-12 weeks. Given the lack of blood flow to the fascia, there’s very little you can do, treatment-wise, to shorten the healing interval despite resting, taking anti-inflammatories, physical therapy, or adding more support to your footwear in the form of insoles. Once it’s healed, you’ll do anything to prevent a reoccurrence, which is where using an insole comes into play. The problem with trail runners, besides their lack of arch support, is that they are low-volume shoes that cannot accommodate a thick insole without making them too tight to wear.
That’s why Superfeet created the Run Support Low Arch Insoles, which are thin enough to fit inside trail runners or road running shoes. It’s a two-piece insole with a thin foam layer on top for comfort and a carbon fiber chasis on the bottom that runs from the front of the arch to the heel. The carbon fiber layer is molded so that the insole fills the arch of your foot, reducing the amount of arch compression and fascia irritation that occurs when you walk.
As I said, I’ve been using these insoles for many years in a variety of trail runners, including La Sportiva Ultra Raptors, Wildcats, Jackals, and Bushidos; in Altra Lone Peaks and Timps, and Saucony Peregrines and they haven’t changed the fit. I also haven’t had a recurrence of Plantar Fasciitis since using these Run Support Low Arch Insoles which is why they’re a cornerstone of my hiking footwear system. Highly recommended!
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