Yellow Superfeet

Last October, we posed this question to our facebook fans: What is the best piece of equipment you have ever owned? We were surprised to see that one of our first responses was for Superfeet. Most people would expect a stick, or pair of skates, to be someones favorite piece of gear. Yet here we were, with a surprising answer, and a perplexed look on our faces. We were later linked to his review on Superfeet to read all about his experiences, and the curiosity only grew.

We later reached out to Superfeet, hoping to demo a pair for ourselves. They gladly obliged, and supplied a pair of yellow Superfeet for our review. Read on for our thoughts and experiences, and leave a comment for us if you’ve used Superfeet and want to share your experiences.

Specs:

For a little background on me, I’m a six-foot tall skater weighing 190 pounds. I have a medium arch on my foot, which also slightly supinates. The yellow Superfeet were tested in CCM U+ 10 skates. You can currently purchase yellow Superfeet for your skates at Inline Warehouse for $35.95.

Fit:

Superfeet come in various sizes, all of which are trim to fit. The best way to do this is to take out the old footbed, trace an outline onto the Superfeet with a pen, and cut off the excess material. After trimming, slide the Superfeet insole back into your skate the same way you would with a stock insole.

Once I had my new insoles ready to go, I laced up my skates and took a walk around the locker room. The new support for my arches was noticed immediately, and while it felt different than the stock CCM insole, it was not an uncomfortable feeling. My CCM skates had previously been a little tight on the outside of my feet, right in the mid-foot area. The addition of Superfeet increased this tightness slightly, and caused additional uncomfortableness. It’s not something that is noticeable out on the rink during a shift, but after sitting on the bench a few minutes the feeling will come back.

For reference, however, the Superfeet definitely improved the fit of my CCM V08 converted inline skates, which became a bit looser as they broke down. That all being said, I believe the insoles will improve your fit greatly if the skate you’re using is slightly wide. However, if the boot is already too narrow for your foot, I don’t think Superfeet will have a positive impact on fit.

Performance:

As a product that perhaps isn’t on the top of everyone’s must have list, the yellow Superfeet have really out performed my expectations. While I seem to have pretty good agility on the ice, losing an edge on a quick cut was a problem I faced at least once per game. It was a tiresome problem to deal with, but I didn’t think there was a simple resolution. Since switching to the Superfeet insoles, I can now make sharper and faster cuts, turns, and even stops. While even the best skaters will lose an edge sometimes, using Superfeet has definitely decreased the frequency of the problem for me.

Beyond cutting and turning, my acceleration and speed has improved as well. I find I’m generally a pretty fast skater, but with the addition of Superfeet, it feels like more leg power is being used in my stride than with the stock insoles. As the diagram to the right illustrates, the foot collapse I would experience with stock insoles inhibited my ability to use my most powerful stride. Superfeet eliminated this issue for me, and improved my stride to utilize more energy.

While I did see improvements in these areas, it’s also wise to be realistic about expectations. If you’re generally a slow skater, this product isn’t going to make you a fast one. However, if you’re competitive and missing races to pucks by a couple inches or feet, you might notice that you win a few more races as your agility and stride improve.

Durability:

I have been skating with the Superfeet insoles for a couple months now, and so far they seem about as durable as any stock insole. The biggest issue I have run into is in moving them back and forth between ice and inline skates. Removing them and putting them back in repeatedly has caused several wrinkles in front of the solid heel support as this area flexes and bends. It seems to make no difference when I’m skating, but if I continue this process, I could see that area of the insole becoming so worn that it eventually tears or disrupts comfortability. My recommendation would be to simply buy an additional pair of Superfeet for each pair of skates if you run into an issue like this.

No other durability issues have been experienced thus far. The Diamond Venting system on the insole aligns with the venting system on the outsole of certain skates such as the CCM U+ Crazy Light or Bauer Vapor APX. They stand up to moisture well, and dry quickly to boot. I typically leave the insole in the boot and only make a change prior to the next game. It makes no difference, however, as the insole even feels dry immediately following a game.

Bonus:

It could be part of my slight suppination, or the 15+ years of reckless hockey I’ve played, but I’ve had bad knees for as long as I can remember. Playing hockey has always been incredible for me, but sometimes the added knee pains and aches after games make me question how long I can continue to play for. The biggest bonus for me though, and the reason I’ll continue to use Superfeet, is due to the reduced knee pain following games. It’s an incredible feeling for me to go to lay down in bed the night after a hockey game and not feel the knee pain that I’ve grown accustomed to. The only difference I’ve made is adding Superfeet, and it has definitely become a product I’ll stand by and continue to use.

For more information on Superfeet for hockey, check out the official Superfeet website. If you’re interested in grabbing a pair for yourself, or for a friend, you can pick them up at Inline Warehouse for $35.95.

We want to hear about your experiences with Superfeet too! Share your story in the comments and let us know how you feel about these insoles.

Tags: Gear, Insoles, Reviews, Superfeet, Superfeet Yellow