Footbeds for mountaineering boots

I have experimented with aftermarket footbeds (SOLE and Superfeet) for my various boots, especially my mountaineering boots which are hard on my feet after a long day. Unfortunately they all seem to add a lot of volume and lift my heel out of the pocket, which is a recipe for blistery misery. This might be mitigated a little with thinner socks, but I haven't really wanted to go that way...

Does anybody have any other footbeds they like, esp. that are not so thick? The factory inserts are great fit-wise, just not supportive or cushioning at all.

(Or, am I barking up the wrong tree, do I just need tougher feet?)

Hell no I don't think you need tough feet. Damn hippies :)

I'm not a hardman or anything but I found the best thing was to get fit for boots by a reputable shop. I did the same thing as you. Socks, footbeds, liners, praying to God. I had the Mountaineer in KV NY fit me for mountaineering boots and backpacking boots... I could walk for days now. I think it's finding the brand that fits your feet.

Good point, though I never feel like I can tell who is a competent boot fitter!

To be clear, it's mostly that the soles of my feet feel like they have taken a pounding after a big day. Perhaps that's a symptom of poor fit (insufficient arch support?) and you're right, I should investigate that possibility if I find a good fitter!

I am not totally sold on that explanation as my hiking boots are great, it's only my mtn boots (nepal evo) that hammer my feet. They are the same brand and the fit feels very similar, the nepal evos seem to have a very hard sole.

But I'm open to convincing!

Have you tried the Sole Chris Davenport edition? It's a lot thinner than the other versions, and it's insulated. I had the same issue, and those worked out well for me.

Factory insoles generally suck on all shoes in my experience. I end up replacing most of them.

Which Superfeet did you try? They make thinner ones.

superfeet.com/en-us/insoles…

For what it's worth, just about every shoe company provides a crap insole with their shoes/boots; this is especially so with hiking/climbing boots because they assume that most users have custom orthotics or insoles that they already use.

I've had good luck with green Superfeet. They support my arch nicely and are made to take up volume in your shoe. Superfeet has a whole line of high volume insoles that come in different arch heights as well.

Also, check with a local ski shop if you have one near you. Most dedicated ski shops will sell thin, insulated insoles that will heat mold to your feet. I found that I fit my ice climbing/mountaineering boots the same way I fit AT boots.

I had forefoot pain with Lowa Tibet trekking boots that required some orange superfeet, and I never needed insoles before. The Lowa Weisshorn mountaineering boots did not have the same issue, similar but of course very different build. Weisshorn seems like a narrower boot than normal. I cannot layer or wear thick socks, but I do not need to in the lower 48.

The insoles should be insulating in a mountaineering boot, so changing to a joggers or hikers Superfeet insole will lose you the insulating properties. Superfeet makes a Chili insole if I remember, maybe red hot, that has the insulating heat reflective layer, but the specs for that one didn't look right so I never tried it.

The general advice to try all boots before you buy is sound. Wear a pack for an hour in the store, walk up inclined surfaces. Insoles made custom are pricey, and will cost more than finding the right boot.

Patrick Shyvers wrote:Good point, though I never feel like I can tell who is a competent boot fitter! To be clear, it's mostly that the soles of my feet feel like they have taken a pounding after a big day. Perhaps that's a symptom of poor fit (insufficient arch support?) and you're right, I should investigate that possibility if I find a good fitter! I am not totally sold on that explanation as my hiking boots are great, it's only my mtn boots (nepal evo) that hammer my feet. They are the same brand and the fit feels very similar, the nepal evos seem to have a very hard sole. But I'm open to convincing!

Are you sure the Nepals are the boot for you? I had a pair and liked them but couldn't get them perfect. I got a pair Baturas and they were worse. Something just didn't feel right. The last mistake I made was buying the Batura 2.0s when they came out. I'm a 46 but tried a 45. Luckily I sold those to a friend and went to the shop. The guy who fit me is a friend too, I'm sure that helped, but he said your feet are Scarpa feet. It turns out i have wide feet with high arch so Scarpa is the way to go.

If you're ever in the NE I could point you to a couple good shops :)

Faulted Geologist wrote:The insoles should be insulating in a mountaineering boot, so changing to a joggers or hikers Superfeet insole will lose you the insulating properties.

I'm open to the possibility of being wrong, but I'm pretty sure the insoles that came from the factory in my $$ LS boots are just thin crappy foam with no special insulating properties. Subjectively I didn't feel colder with Superfeet.

Which super feet did you try? The carbons (black) are ultra thin and hardly bigger than a regular insole. I worked outdoor retail for 5 years and I never came across anything thinner with any sort of support

Superfeet have a 60 day no questions asked guarantee. No reason not to try them. I've been using orange for years in Nepal Evo's and love them. Replace them every other year since they don't get daily use.

Make sure you fit them correctly and don't just go by the size. There's a fit guide with the instructions and if your "heel overhangs" you need to size up.

As has been noted - many different volumes are available.

One option that is overlooked is orthotics. Some health insurance plans cover the cost of orthotics and it's worth a look into your plan and see if it does (if you have health insurance). Even if it doesn't cover it 100%, it's worth the bit of extra cost if you can get the coverage.

When I got mine done, a mold of my feet was provided with the insoles so that anyone in the future could build off of that mold. I've had a few pairs made over the years for different applications, and the usually end up costing just a little more than Superfeet insoles. You can then tailor your insoles exactly how you want them. I like thin cushion for mountain and ice boots, but thicker cushion only under the forefoot for approach shoes. This method lets me do that for almost no extra cost. I feel that the little cost now is worth it for the extra support will that will hopefully help prevent collapsing arches and other foot problems later in life.

It's pretty sweet and worth looking into!

Bill Kirby wrote:The guy who fit me is a friend too, I'm sure that helped, but he said your feet are Scarpa feet. It turns out i have wide feet with high arch so Scarpa is the way to go.

That surprises me, I didn't spend much time with Scarpa mountain boots because their AT boots feel like a vice around my forefoot. Perhaps their mountain boots and AT boots fit very differently?

I tried all the SOLEs and the green & orange superfeet. Looks like I can't try on the black superfeet anywhere nearby. Maybe I'll go back and try on the thinnest SOLEs again with a slightly thinner sock.

DavisMeschke wrote:Also, check with a local ski shop if you have one near you. Most dedicated ski shops will sell thin, insulated insoles that will heat mold to your feet. I found that I fit my ice climbing/mountaineering boots the same way I fit AT boots.

Good idea, I actually already did this for my AT boots too. Hell, I wonder if I could just swap those into my mountain boots...

I don't use insoles in my AT boots (TLT 6's) because they fit my feet so well, but if I wanted to, my insoles fit perfectly into them. It's worth trying to find something that can pull double, even triple-duty as inserts for hiking, climbing and skiing.

Worth adding, I have feet with a big instep, so I've had problems with having my circulation cut off by my boots. I switched to the black superfeet, and went with very thin socks. I'm a huge fan of darn tough, and use their Nordic and ski socks, which are designed to be low profile. Made a huge difference for me.

jdejace wrote: I'm open to the possibility of being wrong, but I'm pretty sure the insoles that came from the factory in my $$ LS boots are just thin crappy foam with no special insulating properties.

Are you sure about this?
From point of view of physics all foams have about the same thermal insulation that depends only on the thickness of an insole.

jdejace wrote: I'm open to the possibility of being wrong, but I'm pretty sure the insoles that came from the factory in my $$ LS boots are just thin crappy foam with no special insulating properties. Subjectively I didn't feel colder with Superfeet.

I am at work still, else I would verify, but I remember a thin silver space blanket material on the underside of my stock Lowa Weisshorn insoles. That layer is why I decided to keep them in the boot and not replace them. The boot is comfortable as is for me. Will look tomorrow and post pics.

Patrick; I see you live in FOCO. Drive up to Estes with your boots and see Steve Komito. HIs shop is located a few doors down from the post office.

KZ