Shock Doctor Insoles : Put Your Best Foot Forward

There's nothing like chasing a two-year-old around all day to make you appreciate good footwear. After trekking, with nephew in tow, all nine acres of the new Georgia Aquarium or the 366,000 square feet of store at the local IKEA outpost, my legs and feet normally feel like I've hiked the Appalachian Trail. That's why I was so excited to try Shock Doctor's Ultra Arch Adjust insoles.

For a simple shoe insert, these babies have a lot of bells and whistles. They're designed to cradle and protect your foot, they have a patented technology for regulating in-shoe temperature, and they feature an added control bar in the heel for extra support. I like that the insoles come with density disks that allow me to fully customize the fit (for each foot).

I've been wearing my Shock Doctor insoles in a pair of New Balance cross-trainers, and am happy to report that they did a great job of absorbing shock, keeping my foot in place, and allowing me to stay on my feet longer.

The only initial concern I had about the insoles was the smell. They have a slightly new-fabricy tang when you first unwrap them, but it quickly disappears after the first time you wear them. And, thanks to a trademarked anti-microbial top layer, they remain odor-free even after multiple wearings. When it does come time to clean them, a simple scrubbing with mild soap does the trick.

Ultra Arch Adjust insoles come in several sizes, for both men and women, and can easily be trimmed to fit your exact shoe and style. Sure, at $40, they cost more than your average pair of Dr. Scholl's, but then they do much more, too. Shock Doctor does make a line of insoles called X-Active that are slightly cheaper ($25), but they're primarily for your typical athletic footwear (versus being able to use them in more rugged gear like hiking shoes and work boots) and are less customizable than the Ultras.

Bottom Line:   You won't find me walking far without them. --J. B.(Aug '06)

Price: $39.95

Manufacturer's Site: www.shockdoc.com

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