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Archmolds Maximum Custom Insoles
Long Term Report November 23, 2006
After
four months and 50 mi (80 km) of use
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.
For more details about this product, please read my Initial
Report.
Initial Impressions
To read about my initial impressions of these insoles, please read my
Initial
Report.
Impressions after two months of field use
To read about my impressions of these insoles after the first two
months of field use, please read my Field
Report.
Field Information
For detailed descriptions of my experiences with these insoles during
the first two months of testing, please read my Field
Report.
Since writing my field report, I have used the Archmolds Maximum Custom
Insoles on two backpacking trips.
The first backpacking trip was a two day/one night trip at Portola
Redwoods State Park, CA. The elevations were between 400 to 1000 ft
(122 to 305 m) and the temperatures were between 52 to 76 F (11 to 24
C). The hike covered about 3 mi (5 km) the first day and 9 mi (14 km)
the second day.
The second backpacking trip was a two day/one night trip at Henry Coe
State Park, CA. The elevations were between 1500 to 2900 ft (457 to 884
m) and the temperatures were between 43 to 70 F (6 to 21 C). The hike
covered about 6 mi (10 km) each day.
I did not have any incidents or experiences with the Archmolds Insoles
different than those reported in my field report during these two
backpacking trips.
Summary of feelings about these insoles after four months of field
testing
I am very happy with these insoles after four months of field testing.
They are extremely comfortable, and the initial problems I had with my
boots feeling too tight due to the added thickness of these insoles
have gone away. Even after four months of backpacking, the insoles
remain cushiony, supportive, and almost odor-free. These most recent
two months of testing have confirmed what I reported in my Field
Report; I have not had any incidents or changes of opinion to
report.
The one thing I was unable to report on in my field report was how easy
or difficult they are to wash and dry. I recently washed and dried them
solely for the purpose of testing, since they did not appear dirty and
only had a very mild odor to them. I did not find any washing
instructions on the insoles or packaging, so I just put some water and
liquid laundry detergent in a basin and let them soak for about 15
minutes, and then I
rinsed them. I set them out to air-dry, since I don't know if they can
be put in the dryer. They did not dry overnight, but I attribute that
to the cold damp environment I live in - hardly anything dries
overnight. They did dry during the next day. Before washing them, they
had a very slight foot odor to them. After washing them, the slight
foot odor is completely gone, and they just have a very slight rubber
odor to them. Overall I'd say they're easy to wash, and washing them is
effective in removing any odors they may have picked up. They don't dry
quickly in a cold, damp environment, but they also don't take days to
dry.
Conclusion
I highly recommend the Archmolds Maximum Custom Insoles for use in
hiking boots. I was skeptical at first, since I didn't feel there was
any problem with the insoles that came with my hiking boots. However,
after using the Archmolds insoles for four months now, I can say with
certainty that they have eliminated foot aches after long backpacking
days, and they are keeping my boots almost odor-free. I will continue
to use them every time I go hiking or backpacking, and, if they should
ever wear out, I will probably purchase a new pair.
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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