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Reviews > Footwear > Footbeds and Insoles > Superfeet TrailBlazer Insoles > Test Report by Duane LawrenceSuperfeet Trailblazer Insoles
Product Test by Duane Lawrence Initial Report March 30, 2017 Long Term Report August 7, 2017 Tester Information Name: Duane Lawrence Email: duanesgear (at) yahoo (dot) com Location: Sparwood, British Columbia Canada Gender: Male Age: 44 years Height: 5’9” (175 cm) Weight: 160 lbs (73 kg) I have been an avid outdoor enthusiast for over 25 years. I enjoy a verity of outdoor activities including mountaineering, day hikes, multiday backpacking trips, river and ocean kayaking, backcountry skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking and rock climbing. I have climbed throughout British Columbia, the United States and when opportunity presents itself in Europe and India. I carry a wide variety of gear depending on the type and length of trip. I am a search and rescue team member in the Southern Canadian Rockies and am part of the swift water, rope rescue and avalanche technical teams and ground search team. Product Information & Specifications Manufacturer Superfeet Worldwide Inc. Model Trailblazer Comfort Max Web Site www.superfeet.com MSRP $49.95 Measured Weight 61 g (2.15 oz) each Trimmed Weight 59 g (2.08 oz) each Measured Length 285 mm (11.22 in) Size Tested US Men’s Medium Available Sizes Small, Medium, Large Colour Orange Manufacture In South Korea Guarantee 60 Day Comfort Life Expectancy 12 months or 500 miles (805 km) Design and First Impressions Superfeet Trailblazer Comfort Max insoles, specifically designed for hiking boots, are made utilizing a multi-layer system comprised of an EVOLyte carbon fiber stabilizer heel cup on the bottom, Areospring dual comfort foam, impact pad, and a full-length dual-density foam layer with a fabric antimicrobacterial coating on the top. The insoles are designed, according to the website, utilizing podiatric medicine, the health care specialty that provides comprehensive medical treatment of the foot. The design incorporates a structured heel cup that encapsulates the heel maximizing natural shock absorption, a stabilizing rear foot support, and a combined firm foam layer and stabilizer cap that increases support. There is more detailed information on the web site that talks about how bone, ligaments, joints and supportive tissues work together. Also, how they have used the study of the foot and its movement in the design of each of their insoles. The information is very easy to follow and not so in-depth that I didn’t want to finish reading it. The web site also has a little information about the effects of an unstable foot on the body. Looking at the insoles I can easily see the separate layers and components that went into the design. A hard plastic heel cup on the bottom forms a supported mold for the heel with a gel pouch under the heel, a foam midlayer that runs the length of the insole and a thin fabric on top. The heel cup is very defined and the plastic heel cup that runs about two-thirds the length of the insole also looks like it will be very supportive for my foot arch. Pushing down on the insole I can distinctly see the shock absorption nature of the design and the added cushioning from the gel support. Superfeet have also incorporated a fun topographical map design onto the top of the insole and a camouflage pattern on the bottom. On the back of the instruction card Superfeet also has some general information about the product. They recommend trying gradually using them increasing the duration of use from 1-2 hours the first day to 2-3 the next and so on until the users feet are used to the product. They note that in some instances it could take a week or so to get accustomed to the insoles. If the users feet experience pain they actually recommend returning to the original insoles. The guarantee is limited to comfort for 60-days and the warranty states specifically that Superfeet provides its products “as is and with all faults”. Once I read the details it basically meant that there is only a comfort guarantee and nothing else. Surprisingly I found instructions on cleaning the insoles, never did that before. Anyway if I ever decided to clean them I would need to hand wash with mild soap in lukewarm water using a tooth brush. I can honestly say it would never have occurred to me to wash my insoles but apparently I can if I am inclined to do so. Lastly they included some information on what can affect the Superfeet experience. They list five general potential influences including brand of footwear, model and size; volume of the shoe; sock thickness; lacing method; and, having a non-removable insole or sock liner. Instructions The insoles span a fairly wide range of foot sizes and therefore need to be trimmed to fit. Included in the box was a very simple to following set of instructions for sizing the insoles. They first recommend trying the insole making sure the heel fits the heel cup and the width and length are adequate. The next steps show how to trim the insoles in four simple steps. 1. Remove the old insole. 2. Line it up on top of the Superfeet insole. 3. Mark the shape of the old insole with a felt pen on the top of the Superfeet insole. 4. Trim along the outside of the traced line. They recommend always to trim it large, then try it and trim it again as needed. They also note that the insole should be able to shift about 1/16 of an inch or 2 mm so that the insole can work with the natural movement of the foot inside the shoe. The process took me about 10 minutes to complete and was very simple. Summary These insoles look to be well constructed. Placing my foot onto the insole, they feel comfortable and very supportive. The design looks, as far as I am able to determine by looks alone, like they will be nice to wear and I really hope they will make hiking a pleasure throughout the day and ease the tired feet experience I usually have at the end of a long hike with a heavy pack. I’m looking forward to testing these out and reporting back. Check back in a few months for a full evaluation of the Superfeet Trailblazer insoles. Test Conditions
During all of my hikes including the 28 km (17 mi) hike with a pack and the 6 days of
glacier travel with crampons, my feet were in the best shape I have ever
experienced. Normally after a long hike I could not wait to get off my feet and
out of my boots but with the Superfeet the fatigue that I would have expected
was just not there. Similarly with my 8-day trip on the Nemo glacier,
where I would have expected very tired feet, I did not notice any foot fatigue
at all. Thank you to Superfeet and Backpackgeartest.org for the opportunity to test the Trailblazers Comfort Max Insoles. Read more reviews of Superfeet gear Read more gear reviews by Duane Lawrence Reviews > Footwear > Footbeds and Insoles > Superfeet TrailBlazer Insoles > Test Report by Duane Lawrence |