Here at The Insole Store, we make hundreds of insole recommendations to our customers each and every month. Whether it’s for foot pain relief, sports, more comfort, more support, or even just to replace a worn-out pair of insoles, we get recommendation requests for a lot of different reasons, each with their own unique set of wants and needs that our recommendation needs to meet!
Today, we’d like to walk through our top-recommended insoles. These are the insoles that we find the most versatile in their usage, which – regardless of reason – always seem to make it into our recommendations regardless of the need. For those just starting their search for the perfect insole, these are a great place to start! And for those who have already found a great fit, we’d love to know how your insoles stack up against these!
PowerStep Pinnacle
The PowerStep Pinnacle Insole is by far our #1 most-recommended insole. And for good reason: The Pinnacle simply is one of the most well-rounded insoles ever made – a great combination of support, cushioning, durability, and fit – that makes it a great choice for almost any activity, lifestyle, or foot pain.
The Pros
Most important of the Pinnacle’s pros is its versatility. The Pinnacle is an extremely versatile insole, and can be used for a wide range of purposes and in a wide range of footwear. Looking for cushioning and support? The Pinnacle’s got you covered! How about support for your everyday wear that will also work in your gym shoes? The Pinnacle’s got you covered! Need an insole that will address plantar fasciitis, over-pronation, and stability? You get the drill. One insole addresses a wide range of needs.
The other most important factor is how the Pinnacle is really built to address the average needs of most people. It features a semi-rigid arch support – solid enough to provide good support, but flexible enough to allow for natural movement during your day-to-day. It features a moderate amount of cushioning – enough to alleviate pressure on the foot, absorb normal impact shock, and provide a comfortable platform for the foot, but not so much as to make it too bulky for most shoes. It really is the perfect benchmark for what most people want, which makes it great in its own way.
The Cons
There’s only two major drawbacks to the Pinnacle.
First: The lack of strike padding under the heel and ball-of-foot does make the Pinnacle less desirable for any activities in which impact shock absorption is key, such as running, basketball, or tennis. While the
Second: Being good at nearly everything does mean that it’s not specialized in anything. Those looking for very firm support, fully flexible support, maximum cushioning, minimal cushioning, metatarsal support, or great impact shock absorption will probably find the Pinnacle lacking in one way or another. That’s simply because the Pinnacle is designed to meet most needs, which means that it features semi-rigid support, moderate cushioning, and lacks a met pad and strike padding.
Our Thoughts
We probably include the Pinnacle in at least 9 out of every 10 recommendations we make. It’s simply too versatile to ignore. Whether it’s for plantar fasciitis, for over-pronation, for added comfort, for added support, or for daily use in your everyday shoes, the Pinnacle will work extremely well. The only time we tend not to recommend the Pinnacle is for any high-impact activities, where other insoles with strike padding tend to make for a better choice.
Spenco Total Support Original
The Spenco Total Support Original Insoles – which used to go by the name Spenco Polysorb Total Support Insole – has been a long-time favorite of many people for a long time now, and continues to become a favorite for new buyers every day. With a shape that’s made itself the foundation of the Spenco footwear line, the Spenco Total Support Original offers a blend of comfort and support that so many love.
The Pros
Similar to the Pinnacle, the Total Support Original offers a moderate amount of cushioning throughout the length of the insole, which is combined with a nice heel cup and semi-rigid arch support (again, a good mix of support and flexibility) for good support and stability. The semi-rigid support and moderate cushioning puts this insole in the “extremely versatile” list as well: it provides a good amount of cushioning and support that will suit the needs of most people looking for an insole.
A major difference between the Pinnacle and the Total Support Original is the addition of two features: a metatarsal pad, and padding along the underside of the insole. The padding on the underside will absorb additional impact shock before the insole’s top cushioning ever has to, meaning that the Total Support Original makes a much more effective athletic insole compared to an insole without this padding. And the metatarsal pad will add just a touch of extra support and cushioning under the metatarsals of the foot in a way that isn’t too intrusive.
With a slightly thinner overall profile compared to the Pinnacle and a more breathable design, we’ll also add here that we find that the Total Support Original will fit in more shoe types (these work in a lot of tighter-fitting and minimalist shoes) and will keep your foot cooler.
The Cons
The very same metatarsal pad that we added in the “pros” could be a con for some: If you’re looking for really good metatarsal support, the Total Support Original isn’t the best pick. The metatarsal pad is too flat to really provide what we’d consider excellent metatarsal support.
We should also talk about the strike padding on the underside of the insole, too. While we definitely see the Total Support Original as a step up over the Pinnacle for athletics due to the strike padding on the Total Support Original, the strike padding is stiff. This means that it doesn’t absorb as much impact shock as a full foam or gel strike pad, which are much better at absorbing and dissipating shock.
Our Thoughts
We can definitely understand why the Total Support Original has remained one of the most popular insoles for decades. With an incredible versatility, the Total Support Original will work for most needs and almost all shoe types. Ultimately, however, we think that the Total Support Original doesn’t go far enough with some of its features: Its metatarsal pad isn’t as supportive as other metatarsal insoles, and its shock padding isn’t as shock-absorbent as other athletic insoles. Still for most people, this insole will provide great value.
Superfeet Everyday Casual
The Superfeet Everyday Casual Support Insoles are one of the newer additions to the Superfeet insoles lineup, but it’s quickly become a welcome piece of our arsenal when it comes to product recommendations. A firm arch support combined with a memory foam footbed gives a great combination of cushioned comfort combined with maximum support and stability.
Pros
The memory foam cushioning throughout the insole provides a great amount of cushioning that will help absorb pressure on the feet during wear and use. Additionally, the memory foam used in the Everyday Casual insoles – MemoryCloud memory foam – holds up extremely well under repeated use and doesn’t lose its ability to “spring back” as quickly as most memory foams do.
The firm arch support is also a nice plus. Featuring a nice, deep heel cup and arch support in one piece, your foot will have the proper support and alignment it needs with every step you take. Unlike semi-rigid or flexible arch supports, which flex with use, the rigid support of the Everyday Casual insoles will ensure maximum support throughout any activity.
Lastly, the Everyday Casual insoles have a slimmer and more contoured profile compared to other similar insoles, which allows them to fit nicely into even tighter-fitting footwear.
Cons
At a price point of $65, the Superfeet Everyday Casual Insoles are on the higher end when it comes to typical insole prices. That said, we fully believe in the quality and design of the Superfeet insoles and believe that you’ll be fully satisfied with the product even at this price. Still, for those on a limited budget, the price point is admittedly quite high.
Additionally, the Everyday Comfort lacks strike padding at the heel and ball-of-foot, making them less than ideal for high-impact activities where additional shock absorption under the heel and ball-of-foot are extremely important.
Our Thoughts
For everyday use for comfort and support, the Superfeet Everyday Comfort is at the top of its class. The memory foam cushioning and firm support make a great combination that allows for maximum support while still giving plenty of plush cushioning, and we think that anyone seeking support, stability, or cushioning will find the Everyday Comfort a good fit. Still, we think that the price is rather steep compared to its peers and believe that its lack of strike padding rules it out for most high-impact activities.
PowerStep Bridge
The PowerStep Bridge Insole is one of the newer additions to the PowerStep insoles lineup, and one that we’ve found fits a variety of different needs. Featuring memory foam padding, an adaptable arch support, and an extremely lightweight design, this insole is quickly becoming a favorite for many.
Pros
The Bridge features a relatively unique take on insole designs. Memory foam cushioning is combined with PowerStep’s energize foam to give an incredibly shock-absorbant and cushioned body, while the arch frame adapts to your foot shape to provide a more customized fit. The result is an extremely comfortable insole that can be used in most footwear and for almost any use.
We’ll draw special attention to the adaptable arch of the PowerStep Bridge. The arch structure adapts to the unique shape of your foot and arch, allowing you to achieve a personalized fit that supports your foot regardless of arch height.
Additionally, the energize foam used throughout the insole is extremely lightweight, making this entire insole extremely lightweight compared to other insoles. Combined with the shock-absorbing properties of the insole, this makes it great for athletics or any other use where having an extremely lightweight insole is important.
And finally, at a price point of just $31.50, the Bridge is easily on the lower end when considering average prices for arch support insoles.
Cons
Those seeking or needing firm support may find the support that the Bridge provides a bit lacking. While we’ve found that the Bridge is suitable for most applications – from athletics to pain relief – those who want a firm support for maximum foot support and stability will find the Bridge too flexible.
Our Thoughts
The PowerStep Bridge has quickly become one of our favorite insoles. The combination of materials, features, and price point make it an easy recommendation for most people. Whether for plantar fasciitis relief, your running shoes, or just general comfort, the Bridge insoles are an extremely versatile and comfortable insole.
FORM Maximum
Rounding out our top 5 most-recommended insoles is the FORM Maximum Support Insole. Quickly earning its place as a customer favorite, the FORM Maximum features a moderate amount of cushioning throughout, a semi-flexible arch support and deep heel cup, and a heat-moldable footbed that allows for a customized fit from day 1 of wearing.
Pros
The heat-moldable design of the FORM insoles is a huge advantage over traditional wear-moldable insoles in that they allow you to achieve a more customized fit from the very first day of wear. Most insoles take several weeks of wear to adapt to your foot, which can be uncomfortable at first; the FORM heat moldable insoles, on the other hand, can be heat-molded, which allows the insoles to adapt to the shape of your foot from the very first time wearing them.
Similar to the PowerStep Pinnacle, the FORM Maximum also provides a nice medium level of cushioning and support. The moderate layer of cushioning provides great comfort and pressure relief, while the semi-rigid support provides good arch support while still remaining somewhat flexible. This makes the FORM Maximum a great option for a wide range of needs, from pain relief to everyday comfort.
Lastly, FORM offers a 100-day Satisfaction Guarantee on their heat-moldable insoles, which far exceeds any other brand’s satisfaction guarantee (the average guarantee is 30 days). They’re so confident that you’ll love their product that they’ll give you 100 days to determine whether you’re happy with them, which is something that you won’t find with any other brand, period.
Cons
Those looking for an insole for athletics or other high-impact activities will find the lack of any strike padding on the FORM Maximum Insoles to be potentially problematic. While the top-layer cushioning works well for everyday wear and use, high-impact activities may cause discomfort, especially in the heel and ball-of-foot.
Similar to the Pinnacle, the FORM Maximum also suffers a bit from not being a specialized insole in and of itself. Those looking for firm or flexible support, plush or minimal cushioning, or other features may find the Maximum a bit lacking.
Our Thoughts
There’s a lot to love about the FORM Maximum insoles, and it’s a great, well-rounded insole that we recommend to many for anything from pain relief to general comfort. But its most unique feature is the heat-moldable aspect, which certainly is a huge plus; while many insoles can take a few weeks for your feet to truly adjust to, the FORM Maximum can be fitted to the shape of your foot in only two minutes, allowing you to achieve perfect comfort from day 1.
Conclusions
These 5 insoles make our “most recommended” list due to a combination of their incredible versatility, excellent performance, and customer satisfaction. If you’re not sure where to get started when choosing an insole, we really don’t think you can go wrong with any of these 5 for most uses and needs.
As always, if you are looking for a personalized product recommendation, we’re happy to make a recommendation based on your individual goals and needs! Just give us a shout!