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Reviews > Footwear > Footbeds and Insoles > Spenco OAS Day Hiker > Jennifer Williams > Field ReportField Report: Spenco Day Hiker FootbedsTESTER BIO
Backpacking Background:
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Product Description: The Spenco Day Hiker Footbeds are shoe insoles from Spenco's Outdoor Adventure Series specifically designed for hiking and backpacking. See a detailed description in my Initial Report. Field information: Central and Northern California Coasts:
I used the insoles in the Tevas on a shorter 6-mile day hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This trail was comprised of loose, damp dirt with a few large rocks to scramble over. The weather was foggy at first and then cleared up for a sunny hike in 70 F (21 C) temperatures. Elevations were around 1000 ft (305 m) and there were very gradual elevation gains. For both day hikes I carried a small CamelBak weighing about 5 lbs (2.3 kg) and wore wool light hiking socks. I also used the footbeds in my sturdier Montrail Torre GTX hiking boots (see owner review) with wool hiking socks during a short, overnight backpacking trip in Big Basin State Park. These boots were also well broken in before I added the Spenco footbeds. I hiked 6 miles (10 km) each day and carried a 20 lb (9 kg) pack. Temperatures during the day were around 70 F (21 C). The trail consisted of packed dirt and both steep and gradual elevation gains ranging from 500 to 1000 ft (152 - 305 m). Field Evaluation: A little bit about my feet... I have long, narrow, low volume feet with very flat arches. I always use footbeds in my hiking shoes for the added support. I am typically looking for arch support, cushioning, and motion control/stabilization which I find is almost never sufficient in the insoles provided with most hiking shoes. Thus, my feet are picky and a bit wimpy. That said, I have really enjoyed testing the Spenco Day Hiker Footbeds so far. They do not alleviate all of my usual discomforts after many miles on the trails, but they performed better than other footbeds I have tried so far. On the first two day hikes during which I used the Spenco Day Hiker Footbeds, my feet stayed comfortable all day. I did not develop any sore spots or blisters. My feet felt well supported in all the right places. Both of these hikes were fairly easy with regards to elevation changes and terrain. However, even on easy hikes my feet get fatigued after many miles. With these footbeds my feet still felt a little tired at the end of the hikes, but not as much as in the past. One thing I particularly noticed was that the areas under my big toes that usually get very sore after a long hike were much less tender than usual. There definitely seems to be extra cushioning in that area of the footbeds. I have never found footbeds that provide adequate cushioning under my big toes, so this was a pleasant discovery. I also felt like there was more cushioning under the balls of my feet as well. Sometimes too much cushioning can be a bad thing if it results in extra friction or movement, but this is not the case with these footbeds. After using the footbeds on some day hikes I decided they were supportive enough to use on a short backpacking trip. My pack weight was within the specified load capability of the Day Hiker Footbeds so I was confident that they could handle such a trip. I took them out of the Tevas and inserted them into the Montrail boots with no problems. The first day of the trip involved many steep descents and ascents along the trail. The Spenco Footbeds felt just as comfortable in the different boots and kept my feet quite comfortable during the hike. I did notice that my feet were more fatigued at the end of the hike than they had been on the day hikes, but this was surely due to the extra pack weight and steep uphill and downhill hikes. Again, I had no specific sore spots or blisters. However, my left ankle began to hurt towards the end of the day. This pain had actually started the day before in a different pair of shoes and was very mild at the time. By the end of the first day it was slightly worse, but not very noticeable and I did not attribute it to the footbeds. The next morning my ankle felt fine and my feet had mostly recovered from their fatigue from the day before. The first part of the return trail was a fairly steep descent. The footbeds did not slip or feel loose in my boots. My feet stayed in place and felt secure while I scrambled over a few fallen trees and some large rocks. After about 1 mile (1.6 km) of descending, the trail began a gradual 5-mile (8 km) climb back to the trailhead. During this section of the trail my ankle began to hurt significantly more than the previous day. The pain was not debilitating at all, but it definitely slowed me down. During all of this my right foot and ankle felt fine until the end of the hike when I started developing a small blister on my right heel. I suspect this happened because I was favoring my left foot. Unfortunately, the pain in my left ankle made it difficult to evaluate the footbeds properly. While it is possible that the ankle pain and/or blister were related to the footbeds, but I am quite confident that the ankle pain was a preexisting condition that was present before I started this hike and was not the result of the footbeds. My right foot felt fine during the entire trip and I think the footbeds offered superior support and cushioning even while carrying a 20 lb (9 kg) pack. After the backpacking trip I put the Spenco Footbeds back in the Tevas and have worn them without any problems while walking around town. While switching shoes I inspected the footbeds for any wear and tear. They appear to be in great condition. There are imprints from my feet, but all of the cushioned areas are still supportive and do not appear to have compressed or lost their flexibility. The arch support has held its shape and the footbeds have not developed any foul odors. Overall, I think the Spenco Day Hiker Footbeds are very high quality insoles and look forward to testing them further. I think that these footbeds offer excellent cushioning for pressure points that other footbeds lack. They are very supportive without being too stiff and seem to help my feet last a little longer without getting tired. Likes:
Dislikes: None Long Term Test Plan: For the remainder of this test I plan to go on many more day hikes and one more light backpacking trip. I will be evaluating the durability of the footbeds after many miles on the trails. I will determine if the cushioning and support that they offer gradually wear down. I will be curious to see how these footbeds perform on another backpacking trip and whether I develop any pain again while wearing them? Hopefully I will not have any problems prior to starting the trip and will be able to evaluate them with more of a clean slate.
Reviews > Footwear > Footbeds and Insoles > Spenco OAS Day Hiker > Jennifer Williams > Field Report | |||