Hiking Boot Insoles
If you hike regularly, you may have taken the step to buy boots made just for hiking, but not all hiking boots are the same, and they come in a range of price points. However, even expensive hiking boots might not give you the support you need to have good body mechanics when hiking and avoid chronic pain or injury. Hiking boot insoles can be part of the solution to this common issue.
Do you need insoles for hiking?
Any hiking boots you buy will come with insoles from the factory, but if they are just a thin layer of fabric or are mostly flat and don't have a heel cup, they likely won't provide much support. Support is important so that you have a stable and secure step when you are hiking over uneven ground. Ill-fitting boots can cause other issues such as blisters, bunions, and hammer toes. You can address many of these problems by adding after-factory insoles to your hiking boots that have alignment technology, arch support, and help distribute pressure.
What are the best insoles for hiking boots?
We know that some insoles can affect how we walk and can help to prevent injury 1, even on even terrain. But not all insoles provide the same benefits. Hiking is an activity that has a high incidence of injury partially due to the uneven terrain and potential for fatigue. An insole that helps to keep your ankle in a neutral position as you navigate over changing terrain, while simultaneously providing arch support and distributing downward pressure will provide some of the basic conditions for injury prevention by allowing your feet to operate without misalignment or pressure adding to the problem. Look for insoles with alignment technology, some cushion, arch support, and pressure distribution, not just added cushion.
For Boots We Recommend:
The T-Series offers the greatest degree of cushion and arch support, can help redistribute pressure, and allow for better overall alignment. It is ideal for daily wear in regular volume shoes such as walking shoes, athletic trainers, and work boots. The T-Series incorporates Protalus's patented alignment technology to provide the stability and comfort you need.
Designed for casual or slip-on shoes with a non-removable insole.
Designed for casual or slip-on shoes with a removable insole.
Can you put insoles on top of existing insoles?
Yes, there are insoles that are made to fit over existing insoles but you must be sure they are made with this in mind. Adding a full-length insole that was meant to replace a factory insole over the top of a factory insole will likely cause issues with fit and function. Instead, look for an insole that is specifically made to fit over factory insoles, such as the Protalus M-75.
How long do hiking boot insoles last?
This is dependent on a number of factors such as the frequency of use, the way the insoles are manufactured, and how much heat and pressure they sustain during hiking. If the insole manufacturer states that the insoles will last for three months, that typically refers to regular, daily use. If you only hike once in a while they will likely last much longer. The best way to gauge their need for replacement is not to measure days on the calendar but to look for changes in the insole such as compressed padding or changes in insole shape. For more information about when to change Protalus insoles, read the article found here.
1. Bonanno, D., Landorf, K., Munteanu, S., Murley, G., & Menz, H. (2017, January 01). Effectiveness of foot orthoses and shock-absorbing insoles for the prevention of injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Retrieved January 28, 2021, from https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/51/2/86.short
Our Guarantee
We back our product with a 90-day insole guarantee, hassle-free shipping, and best-in-class customer service.
Alignment - Patented Heel Cup
Satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back!
We are so confident that you will love your insoles that we offer a full 90 day Love Them Or Your Money Back Guarantee. At any time during the first 90 days if you don’t love your new insoles, contact our Customer Service team for answers and solutions. If we cannot offer you a solution, we will accept the insoles back for a *full refund. Contact us directly for a return shipping label.
*Original shipping charges will not be refunded unless the return is a result of our error.
Try a pair Risk Free with our Money‑Back Guarantee
Free Exchanges
Does the size not fit you? No problem - we will happily exchange them. For up to 90 days after your initial purchase we exchange our product for a different size.
Free Returns
No matter how much you have used our insoles we will refund your full money at any time within 90 days from your purchase with no restocking fee.
90-day Money-Back Guarantee not applicable to Subscription orders.
Patented Technology Makes It Possible
The difference lies in our patented TRI-Planar technology. Other insole companies place a stump under the arch and call it support. Our insoles focus on the cause of the problem rather than the symptoms, designed to help your body maintain a neutral ankle joint position, while still allowing full ranges of healthy movement. Proper joint alignment improves movement efficiency, reduces fatigue, and prevents injury to help you do what you love.
Reduced Risk of Injury
The bones of the ankle and heel are most stable when they are positioned in alignment. If they shift away from a center alignment, they become less stable.
Imagine pressure being placed on those unstable structures over and over again while you walk, run, or work. That is where the injuries can take place.
Injuries can present as chronic pain in the foot, knees, hips, and back. They may also include acute injuries such as an ankle sprain.
Keeping your hindfoot in alignment allows not only your bones but also the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments to properly handle the pressure placed on them from your feet through your back.
Better Balance
Your ankles and feet work together to manage how weight is distributed as you move
If your heels and ankles are not in their proper positions, they cannot properly distribute weight and this may lead to a less stable walking motion.
When your ankles and heels are out of alignment, your muscles, ligaments, and tendons often have to step in to ensure proper alignment and balance.
When these muscles become fatigued, they may not be able to handle the task properly and you become more likely to fall or become injured.
Increased Energy Efficiency
As you walk and move, your kinetic energy moves from your feet up through your body.
This energy can be seen when walking in sand. Sand kicks up behind you with each step. It is moved by the energy created when you move your foot.
Fatigued muscles don't pass as much of that energy onto the next structure. That is why walking in sand is tiring; energy is being lost and your muscles become fatigued.
An aligned kinetic chain allows the highest quantity of energy to be transferred up through your body, giving you more power and helping you feel less tired.
Better Pressure Distribution
The body is designed to distribute pressure so that your muscles can primarily be concerned with movement.
When the skeletal system becomes misaligned, especially at the joint between the heel and ankle, pressure is no longer distributed across the structures that are most able to deal with it.
Instead, other structures, such as the ligaments in the knees, hips, and ankles, must take on the job and that can lead them to become fatigued, sore, or injured.
Protalus insoles correct the misalignment so you can avoid fatique and injury.
Comfort - Premium Materials
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Support - Signature Protalus ® Footbed
1 Year Product Guarantee
Effective for purchases made after 7/1/2023: If your insoles fail due to imperfections in the materials that go into the insoles or failure of those materials to perform due to compression or lack of fidelity to the original shape prior to 1 year from your purchase date, Protalus will replace the insoles for free. In the event that your insoles are no longer available due to a discontinuance of that model, Protalus will replace the insoles with a similar pair of equal value. Please note that all claims require proof of purchase and the original insoles to be shipped back to Protalus in Tualatin, Oregon and all claims must be approved by the Protalus customer service team prior to honoring this guarantee. customerservice@protalus.com. Limit one replacement per original purchase.
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“I love them. Before discovering these Protalus inserts I’d experience severe knee pain. With wearing Protalus inserts in every pair of shoes I own I no longer have any knee pain. I don’t wear shoes without them.” -Donald E.L.
