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Archmolds Maximum Custom Insoles
Initial
Report July 13, 2006
Tester's Information
Name: Liz Neely
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight: 145 lb (65.8 kg)
Email address: liz at armory dot com
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Tester's Background:
I've been day hiking for many years, and started backpacking in 2005.
My hiking and backpacking has been primarily in the San Francisco Bay
Area of California, on designated trails, with occasional stream
crossings. My backpacking
trips have ranged in length from two to four days and have all been in
state and national parks in the San Francisco Bay area. The
temperatures I encounter range from 25 F (4 C) to 80 F (27 C), the
elevations are between sea level and 7500 ft (2286 m), and my pack
weight is between 28 to 36 lbs (13 to 16 kg).
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Archmolds
Year of Manufacture: 2006
URL: http://www.archmolds.com/
Listed Weight: not available
Measured Weight: 4 oz (113 g) for the pair; this is for women's size
10.5-11/men's size 9-9.5
Available Sizes: men's 6-15.5, women's 4.5-12.5
MSRP: $37.95
Product Description:
The Archmolds Maximum Custom Insoles are removable insoles that are
intended to
replace the original insoles that came with a pair of shoes or boots.
Archmolds has two versions of these insoles, Maximum and Standard. I am
testing the Maximum. The difference between the two versions is
that the Maximum are 3mm and the Standard are 1.5mm. Archmolds
recommends the Maximum for running shoes, tennis shoes, work boots,
hiking boots, etc. They recommend the Standard for tighter shoes where
the Maximum won't fit, and for more casual shoes.
The word Custom in the product name refers to the feature of this
product that allows you to Heat Mold them to custom fit them to your
shoes and feet. The Heat Molding process involves heating the insoles
in an oven to soften them, then putting them in your shoe or boot while
they are still hot, then putting your shoe or boot on your foot so that
as the hot
insole cools down, it conforms to the shape of your shoe and foot. The
Molding process can be
done up to five times.
The insoles come with what the manufacturer calls Advanced Ag. This
refers to the fact that they have Antibacterial Nano Silver imbedded
into the topsheet of the insole. This kills over 650 types of bacteria,
including those that cause odor.
The manufacturer lists the following additional features of these
insoles:
- Performance
Increase endurance & eliminate fatigue
Improve balance & weight transfer
- Health
Improves circulation
Kills over 650 different bacteria with Advanced Ag
- Comfort
Reduces pain in knees, hips, ankles & feet
through better alignment
Eliminates blisters & hot spots
- Aids in the relief of Plantar Fasciitis, Heel Spurs, Runner's
Knee,
Over Pronation, Knee/Back Pain
The manufacturer offers the following guarantees:
- Fit
Archmolds offers a 120 Day Fit Guarantee. If, after 120 days, the
consumer is not satisfied for any reason, the insoles may be returned
to the original place of purchase for a full refund, with no questions
asked.
- Cushion
Archmolds offers a two-year cushion Guarantee. If the Polyurethane
cushioning diminishes, breaks down, or packs out at any time during
the first two years of use, the insoles can be returned directly to
Archmolds and a replacement pair will be sent free of charge.
Initial Impressions:
The insoles arrived on July 8, 2006. They came in a retail box made of
plastic, shown at the top of this report. They arrived in perfect
condition.
I put the insoles in my boots to see how
they fit and I was a bit surprised to find that there is a slight gap
between the end of the insole and the end of my boot. I can feel this
gap with my fingers if I put my hand all the way inside my boots and
feel around the toe end of the insole/boot. However, I cannot feel this
gap with my feet/toes, so I don't think it will be a problem for using
these insoles. The reason this surprised me is that my boots are
true-to-size at Women's size 10.5, while these insoles are listed as
Women's size 10.5-11, so I expected the insoles to either be a tight
fit or to require trimming to fit them into my boots.
The insoles came with instructions on the heat molding process. I was a
bit
concerned about this process because it involves heating them up, then
putting
them in my boots while still hot, to mold them to my foot shape. The
issue I was concerned with was trying to get them into my boots while
they
were still hot enough. Because my boots don't open up very widely, it
takes me
some time to put insoles into them. However, this turned out not to be
a problem. Following the instructions, I preheated my oven to 225 F
(107 C) and put one insole in the oven (the instructions indicate to do
one insole at a time.) The insole has a white tab on it that turns
black when the insole is at the correct temperature. I checked once a
minute, and after two minutes, the tab had turned black. I was able to
remove the insole from the oven without the use of a potholder. It was
hot to the touch, but not so hot that I felt any discomfort in touching
it. I got it into my boot as quickly as I could, then followed the next
step in the instructions, which was to put my foot in the boot, wearing
a sock, and stand on the insole for one minute. The insole made my foot
very warm, but not to the point of discomfort. Even after the one
minute was up, the insole was very warm, so I believe this process
would work even if it took me a minute or two from the time I removed
the insole from the oven to the time I got it fully installed in my
boot. I repeated this process with the other insole and the other boot.
I can definitely feel the difference now that these insoles are
customized to my feet; rather than feeling a little lumpy in places
where they went one way and my foot went another way, I can feel that
they are the same shape as the bottom of my foot.
One concern I have about these insoles is that they are much thicker
than the insoles that came with my boots, and they make my boots feel
tight along the top where the laces are. I will have to experiment with
the laces when I'm out on the trail to see if I can find a proper
adjustment of the laces such that the boots don't feel quite so tight
on top, but that my feet also don't start slipping around due to looser
laces. I will report on this in my Field Report.
Test Strategy:
Comfort and Fit:
I will be evaluating how comfortable my feet feel with these insoles in
my boots. I will be looking for any discomfort, such as a tight feeling
due to the insoles taking more space than the original insoles, or any
other discomfort that I never felt in my boots prior to using these
insoles. As mentioned above, I will also report on whether I can find a
comfortable lace adjustment such that the tops of my boots don't feel
too tight, but that my feet also don't slip around in my boots due to
looser laces. I will also be looking for any added comfort, such as a
more
cushiony feeling under my feet or more arch support, than I felt before
using these insoles. I will also be noting whether the insoles stay in
place
or slip around inside my boots.
Convenience:
I've already determined that while my boots are a little difficult to
install insoles in, due to their not opening very widely, these insoles
are not any more difficult to install than the insoles that came with
the boots. I will be looking at how easy or difficult it is to clean
these insoles when they get dirty or smelly, and I will
also note if they take an excessive amount of time to dry after being
wet.
Durability:
I will be looking for signs of wear and also whether the cushioning
gets matted down and starts to feel less cushiony over time, and
whether the arch support gets squished down.
Odor:
These insoles have Advanced Ag, which is something the manufacturer
claims kills bacteria that cause odor. While I don't typically have
excessive odor in my boots, I do have some odor as would be expected. I
will be doing the "sniff test" to see if these insoles have reduced or
eliminated the odor after hiking in the boots all day. I will also
remove the insoles and smell them to see if the insoles themselves
remain odor-free due to the Advanced Ag feature.
Heat Moldable Sub Layer:
The Heat Moldable feature of these insoles is designed to make them fit
my feet and boots exactly right. I have already determined that the
Molding process is very easy
to perform, and can be done in less than 10 minutes once
my oven is preheated. After hiking in these boots, I will be able to
report on what I feel this customization has added for me.
In addition to the questions I will focus on above, I will report on
any other issues and features I encounter while testing these insoles
Thank you to BackpackGearTest.org
and Archmolds for giving me the
opportunity
to test the Archmolds Maximum Custom Insoles.
Read more reviews of Archmolds gear
Read more gear reviews by Liz Neely
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