Gear

I have only recently got 'Superfeet' and I appreciate what everyone is saying but I do think they helped.

However the first shop I bought them from never measured my feet and ended up giving me the wrong size, which did so much damage to my feet, I was crippled when finished my walk!

So I would only add that if you do get a set of 'Superfeet' make sure they’re the right size and the people selling them to you measure your feet and fit them for you. Other than that they really did help me!

Chris, I think you're absolutley right. Some people could see things like replacement insoles as the panacea to all their foot problems if all the advertising were to be believed without investigating your own personal needs.

Personally, I have discovered that no matter what the footware, be it boots, shoes, trainers or even wellies, as long as there is a good foot arch support that doesn't flatten out under load I can walk for miles without any discomfort or aches and pains at the end. Just lucky I guess.

Plenty to think about then.I'll certainly get my feet looked at before I lash out on superfeet and have a read of Chris' article on Bott fitting.( don't panic PW Scaryherb's are n't scared of aggressive flies!!). My boots are a good fit though but still need a bit of breaking in.

It's worth being picky about where you go for fitting. I had a pair of ski boot insoles done for me at Snow and Rock a few years back. They were happy enough to take the cash. However, I still felt that they weren't quite giving me the support I expected, so I went into Lockwoods in Leamington Spa a season or two later to see if they could be remoulded. The guy there took one look at my ankle/feet alignment and said that he wouldn't do it as I needed to get professional (ie Podiatrist) made insoles. He was right too, and the set I had made up have been a revelation.

I notice that Snow and Rock in Covent Garden have a swish looking physio centre on their top floor which is supposed to do all sorts of clever analysis of your gait in order to build correct orthotics. Has anyone used this ?

Incidentally, to give Lockwoods another free plug which they probably deserve, they also gave me (free) a fitting for my old Raichle boots which saved me having to buy a new pair. Needless to say I have always spent freely there when they let me !!

dt

Chris, I'm not sure that all they do is help with over-pronation. Isn't it the case that they cup the heel in such a way that the foot is better able to absorb shock? This might reduce foot fatigue?

John