Initial Report:
Spenco OAS Backpacker Footbeds

Date: August 12, 2005

Product Information
Product Tested: Spenco Outdoor Adventure Series Backpacker Footbeds
Manufacturer: Spenco Medical Corp.
Manufacturer Website: http://www.spenco.com/
Year of Manufacture: 2005
Sizes Available: Spenco 0-6 fits the full range of men’s and women’s sizes (sizing chart on the Spenco website)
Size Tested: 5 (fits men’s size 12-13)
Weight Listed: none
Weight as Delivered: 6.1 oz (173 g); right footbed is 2.9 oz (82 g), left footbed is 3.2 oz (91 g)
Warranty: One-year unconditional
MSRP: $30.

Product Description
According to the Spenco website, “the Spenco® Outdoor Adventure Series is a new line of footbeds that are designed specifically for the needs of outdoor enthusiasts. The unique combination of stability and cushioning provides the outdoor enthusiasts with the benefits needed to experience more – more comfortably.” The Spenco® Backpacker model “is for outdoor enthusiasts that are carrying heavy packs over unpredictable terrain for multiple days at a time. This intensity of outdoor participation needs a footbed with extra cushioning, support and the additional benefit of motion control to help you experience more – more comfortably.”

Product features are (according to information on the box the footbeds came in):

• OAS™ Stabilizer—a raised area on the inside edge of each footbed helps provide better support and stability.

• Cool Dry™ Technology—the wicking fabric on the top side helps to keep feet dry, to reduce hot spots and blisters.

• PolySorb Shox™—raised foam pads on the underside provide extra cushioning to absorb shock and help prevent over-pronation.

Initial Report
Initial Impressions—The Spenco Backpacker model (blue) is indeed a heavy-duty footbed compared to the footbeds that came with my Dunham Terrastryders boots (black) and the Superfeet Performance Insoles (green) that I have been using for some time. The Spenco Backpacker Footbed is clearly thicker. It has a lot of extra foam cushioning on the top and bottom and more lateral support on the inside edge. The thicker footbeds will probably affect how my boots fit, mostly in terms of volume. Their stiffness is much greater than the original insoles and about the same as the Superfeet. It definitely appears that the Spenco Backpacker Footbeds will make a difference in how my boots fit, feel, and perform.

Weight—The Spenco Backpacker Footbeds are a bit on the heavy side, 6.1 oz (173 g) per pair, compared to 3.5 oz (99 g) per pair for my Superfeet insoles, and 1.3 oz (37 g) per pair for my original insoles. For ultralight backpackers, who try to minimize boot weight, the extra weight of the Spenco Backpacker Footbeds is a significant factor. Interestingly, the left footbed weighed 0.3 oz (8.5 g) more than the right one.

Installation—The directions on the box say to remove the old insoles and replace them with the Spenco Footbeds, trimming them with a scissors if necessary. I found that I needed to trim about ¼-inch (6 mm) off of each footbed to get a good fit. After trimming the footbeds easily slip into my boots. To take them out, I slip a finger under the arch area and lift up.

Cleaning Instructions—“Hand wash with warm water, air dry.”

Test Plan
Test Locations And Conditions—I backpack nearly every week, so the Spenco Footbeds will see a lot of trail days in the next four months. Between backpacking trips I do numerous day hiking trips in the local Colorado Mountains. This fall I will be backpacking and day hiking in the canyonlands country of Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

I am an ultralight and super ultralight backpacker. My total pack weight is usually 10-20 pounds (4.5-9 kg), so the Spenco Backpacker Footbeds will not be used for real heavy-duty hiking conditions, in terms of weight. However, I do a lot of off-trail backpacking in really rough, steep conditions, so the footbeds will be subjected to some challenging conditions from that standpoint.

The testing environments will consist of: badlands desert, canyon country, forests, and high elevation alpine country. Expected terrains and conditions include: snow storms, strong winds, dust/rain storms, heavy rain, intense sun, low temperatures, high elevations with strong UV and intense thunderstorms, forest and desert trails, slickrock hiking, off-trail bushwhacking, scrambling, walking in water and mud, and hiking in snow. 

How The Footbeds Will Be Used—The Spenco Footbeds will be in my hiking boots every time I go out, which averages 3-4 days a week. I will put hundreds of miles on them in all types of terrains and conditions.

On each trip I will take a thermometer with me to measure the actual temperature so I can relate it to my comfort level while using the Spenco Footbeds.  In my notes for each trip, I will record the following data in relation to my comfort wearing the Spenco Footbeds: 1) temperatures, 2) estimated wind speed, 3) estimated humidity, 4) altitude, 5) precipitation (including what form), 6) trail (or no trail) conditions, 7) how the Spenco Footbeds were worn (boots used, type and number of socks, with or without gaiters, chaps, or rain pants), 7) my exertion level, 8) my comfort level in terms of how warm/cold, wet/dry, or cramped/comfortable my feet feel while using the Spenco Footbeds, and 9) any foot problems (blisters, hot spots, foot fatigue) that I had on each trip.

Factors Evaluated—The specific factors I will be evaluating the Spenco Footbeds for are as follows:

1. Materials, Quality And Construction:  Do the footbeds use high quality materials, and are they well constructed?
   
   

2. Fit: How do they fit in my wide boots? How much do they change how my boots fit, in terms of roominess in the toe box, actual width, heel counter width and support, and lack of heel lift?  How good is the arch support? How do they affect boot volume?
   
   

3. Comfort: Are the footbeds adequately padded for comfort? Are the footbeds adequately contoured and supportive? How do they work with pronated feet? How comfortable are they on different terrains, eg on rocky trails? How well do they maintain foot comfort and avoid blisters or other foot problems on high mileage days? (For me, most any footbed is comfortable for a “normal” 6-8 hour trail day, but hiking 12+ hours and 20+ miles/day is a different story.) Are they comfortable to wear in hot weather? Do the Spenco Footbeds provide better support and cushioning to make off-trail hiking in rocky terrain and steep downhills and sidehills easier on my feet?
   
   

4. Usability And Performance:  How do they affect boot stiffness, arch support, and heel cup snugness? On performance the main issues are foot comfort, and avoidance of foot fatigue or foot injuries (blisters, hot spots, etc). This will be a great comparison, because I am now having foot problems after high mileage days in the Terrastryders. Will the Spenco Footbeds eliminate these problems?
   
   

5. Durability: I do a lot of bushwhacking and off-trail hiking. How well do the footbeds hold up under constant rough use? Are there places where they come apart? How well do they hold up with repeated wetting and drying?  What is their expected life span?

My Expectations For The Spenco Backpacker Footbeds
I will test the Spenco Footbeds to determine whether the following expectations are met or not.

1. The Spenco Footbeds will be high quality and will not show any excessive wear, de-lamination, or other deterioration during the four-month test period.
   
   

2. The Spenco Footbeds will readily fit in my boots, and will not significantly change the sizing of my boots. If it does change the sizing, I can readily adjust for it by using thinner socks or other means.
   
   

3. The Spenco Footbeds will provide noticeably better foot comfort over a variety of terrains and conditions. I will not have any discomfort or fatigue that is caused by the footbeds.
   
   

4. The Spenco Footbeds will improve the performance of my boots, by means of better arch support, better lateral support, and proper stiffness. Better performance can be measured in terms of better foot support on steep slopes and rocky terrain.
   
   

5. The Spenco Footbeds will minimize foot fatigue from hiking on rocky trails and on high mileage days.

Reviewer
Name: Will Rietveld
Age: 62
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft (183 cm)
Weight: 170 lb (77 kg)
Foot Size: 11.5 EEEE
Email: willi_wabbit@bresnan.net
City & State: Durango, CO 81301
Location for Testing: Southwestern US (Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico).

Backpacking Background
I have been an avid backpacker for 47 years. I am retired and backpacking is my passion. During the summer I backpack nearly every week. During the fall, winter, and spring I backpack, day hike, snowshoe, or ski every week. I backpack in wilderness areas in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and occasionally in other western states.

Backpacking Style—I have been a lightweight backpacker for 30 years, an ultralight backpacker for six years, and have been experimenting with super ultralight backpacking for three months. My wife and I give presentations on ultralight backpacking in our local area, and have developed a website called Southwest Ultralight Backpacking (http://home.bresnan.net/~swultralight) to share information.

Acknowledgement
I would like to thank the Spenco Corp. and the Backpackgeartest Group for selecting me to participate in this test.

Will Rietveld