Long Term Report

Long Term Report

Shock Doctor UltraCustom Footbeds

June 14, 2005

Manufacturer: Shock Doctor
URL: http://www.shockdoc.com/
MSRP: $49.95 US
Year Model: 2004
Listed Weight: n/a
Measured Weight (women's size 6.5-7.5): 6.1 ounces for the pair (3.2 ounces for the left, and 2.9 ounces for the right)
Tester: Colleen Porter
Tester Shoe Size: women's 8
Tester Background: I have never used any kind of insoles or inserts before, other than cheapo $2 foam cushions from the corner drugstore. But at the tender age of thirty my feet have begun to show me less and less mercy, so I'm ready to see how much of a difference a good pair of insoles can make. I think my feet are very normal, but I do have high arches. I have broken both of my pinky toes in my lifetime - not recently, but they do occasionally ache and sometimes react strangely to some shoes. For a more complete biography of me & my backpacking style, see the end of the report.

Product Description: The UltraCustoms are insoles with at least eight different features. These features include: SR Foam, I-Shock pads in heel and forefoot, Control Bar to stabilize the heel and control pronation, Adaptive arch for all arch heights, metatarsal support, multi-layer composite foams, an anti-microbial Air/FX top cover to reduce friction & control odor, and Shockdome Technology to absorb impact. For a more detailed description, see my Initial Report.

Field Conditions: The UltraCustoms have been exclusively used in southern California, mostly in low-lying coastal areas, two excursions into the upper Mojave Desert, and the San Mateo Canyon Wilderness. Since I filed my Field Report they have seen almost nothing but on-trail use, some of which was downright hairy due to extensive trail damage from our unusually wet winter here in California. Temperatures have ranged from just above freezing into the mid 90's (around 35º C). Weather has ranged from torrential rains and high humidity to dry, windy and uncomfortably warm. Elevations have ranged from sea level to roughly 3,000 feet/914 meters. Although I have used them in multiple shoes, they have taken up almost exclusive residence in my New Balance 704's.

Performance: Looking back at my Initial Report, it seems my main concerns at the beginning of this test were with comfort, durability, and some of Shock Doctor's performance claims. So I'll go through those and then give a summary of my thoughts about the Ultra Custom insoles.

Comfort: At no time did the Ultra Customs ever cause me any discomfort. Twice I had some trouble with very minor blistering on the back of my left heel while using them in my New Balance 704's. It is possible that because the Ultra Customs take up more volume inside the shoe than the factory-standard inserts, my foot may have been riding a bit higher inside the shoe than I was accustomed to, thus causing my heel to rub the shoe a bit, but this is only a theory. The blistering, which was very minor and only happened twice, was not on a part of my foot that was actually touching the Ultra Custom insole.

Since the Ultra Customs feature an Adaptive Arch which is supposed to support all arch heights, I can only assume that either I have extremely high arches or that the Adaptive Arch doesn't quite live up to the claims. I have never had my feet professionally evaluated, but they seem to be of average width, probably average to lower volume, and since I have never owned a pair of shoes that gave adequate arch support, I have always assumed my arches were unusually high. When I use the Ultra Customs there are times when I can feel the Adaptive Arch make contact with the highest part of my arch, but the contact is minimal. My arches must also be longer than usual, as I can work a finger under my arch and slide it back and forth inside the shoe. That said, the Ultra Customs still offer more arch support than I have ever had before, as they do occasionally make contact with the inside of my arch.

The Ultra Customs also offer a feeling of security, in that my foot never feels like it is slipping around inside the shoe. They really do cup the foot well and keep it in place. This has been greatly appreciated on the rocky, root-infested, rubble-filled and water-damaged trails I have found myself on this year. Only once have I ever come close to turning my ankle while using the Ultra Customs, and that was on an extremely steep slope which was buried in dry, slick eucalyptus leaves. I suspect the superior stability provided by the Ultra Customs helped me keep my foot from twisting too far out.

Durability: I have put the Ultra Customs to moderate use, for a while averaging an hour-long run/walk four days a week along the creekside trail system that runs by my house. So far they are holding up well and I have noticed no deterioration in performance or appearance. In my Field Report I mentioned that after leaving the Ultra Customs in a hot car that the Metatarsal Dome pieces had begun to migrate, as the heat had softened the glue holding them in place. I simply reattached the pieces while they were still hot and since then they have stayed in place perfectly (I also haven't left them in a hot car again). The SR Foam (tm) in the footbed has permanently taken on the shape of the ball of my foot and my larger toes, as well as permanently compresssing under my heel, despite Shock Doctor's claim that it "recovers after use and re-forms to the foot's contour at every wearing." The anti-odor treatment seems to work, as I can hold them up to my nose and take a sniff without noticing much more than that they don't smell new anymore. They smell used, but not unpleasant.

Summary: The Ultra Customs are definitely a big improvement over the factory-issue insoles in my running and hiking shoes. I think that with the exception of the arch support, they mostly live up to their claims. They have been a pleasure to use and I have enjoyed testing them. Once they finally wear out, I may very well decide to invest in a pair of insoles, even though I never used aftermarket insoles before this test. I'd like to thank BGT and Shock Doctor for allowing me to be a part of this test series.

Tester Name: Colleen Porter
Gender: female
Age: 30
Height: 5'8"/1.73 m
Weight: 163 lb./74 kg (over 8 months pregnant right now)
Email address: tarbubble at yahoo dot com
Location: Orange County, CA

Backpacking Experience: I have been hiking for fifteen years, backpacking for eight. I've only been serious about it in the last three and a half years. I mostly hike on established trails – bushwhacking is rarely planned. I like gear to be simple and light, and I do make some of my own equipment. On my own I pack pretty light (about thirteen lbs/6 kilograms base weight) and am always trying to get lighter, but I am often on family trips with my three-year-old son and the weight usually doubles. My usual backpacking haunts are the San Gabriels, the Sierra Nevada, the Grand Canyon, and the Mojave and Colorado deserts.

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Reviews > Footwear > Footbeds and Insoles > Shock Doctor Ultra Custom Insoles > Colleen Porter > Long Term Report

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