Janis Risch

When Protalus popped up in my social media feed, I was skeptical and thought the price was high for non-orthopedic insoles. But my feet were at a low point, and the 90-day guarantee gave me the confidence to try them. I'm glad I did.

While not a miracle cure, they have certainly returned me to the world of walking and are by far the best solution I have tried to date, which includes everything from $300 custom-made orthotics to insoles from the Walking Store, Obeo, Superfeet and a few I've forgotten.

One of the reasons they are superior to the custom-made orthotics I purchased is that Protalus has a more versatile profile. In my experience, custom-made orthotics may be custom-made for your foot, but they aren't custom-made for real-life shoes, therefore limiting their usefulness. And, because the custom-made are expensive, you aren't likely to purchase multiple pairs, which means you will either over wear them or be reluctant to take the time to switch them from one shoe to another.

Some other problems I have had with custom-made orthopedics: the foot padding has been so thick that it creates pressure and numbness on the top of my foot. Or, with the three-quarter arch supports, my heel comes out of the shoe, unless I remove the existing bottom of the shoe, in which case there isn't enough padding under the ball of the foot.

In contrast, Protalus provides a good amount of support AND cushioning AND fits in a wide range of shoes. As you can see, I went for the 5-pack, and find that switching shoes regularly keeps the shoe comfortable and allows the insole time to recuperate. One last word, while I opted for the T100 with the expectation that I would be using it in non-athletic shoes, I found that the M100 fits in fashion boot after sizing up.