We get asked the question a lot: "What's the most comfortable insole you carry?" And while we definitely understand the reason for the question (after all, we all just want to find the insole that's most comfortable for us), determining what insole is the most comfortable depends on a few different factors that can cause our recommendation to change from person to person.
Today, we want to walk through a few of the key considerations that we think everyone should keep in mind when looking for their new favorite insoles, and we'll make a few general recommendations along the way.
Cushioning, or Support?
The first thing we typically ask our customers when they're shopping for their first insole is whether they expect their insoles to focus on cushioning or support. That's not to say that an insole can't have both, but rather it tells us which category should be the primary focus of our product recommendations.
When a customer prioritizes cushioning, we know that they value pressure relief and shock absorption the highest. This might be because they spend long periods of time standing, or perhaps they experience foot fatigue on a regular basis, or they've tried cushioned insoles before and liked them, or any other situation where a good amount of cushioning is the preference for a product recommendation.
Similarly, when a customer prioritizes support, we know that they value proper biomechanical support the highest. This might be because they suffer from conditions such as plantar fasciitis or overpronation, or because they've worn orthotic arch supports previously and found them effective, or because their podiatrist recommended an arch support, or any other situation where good foot support is the priority focus.
In general: We find that most customers prefer a good blend of both cushioning and support. Arch supports come in three different levels of rigidity: rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible (read more about arch support rigidity). Both flexible and semi-rigid supports offer proper foot support without the support being overly rigid (which could be potentially uncomfortable if you're not expecting it). Combine this flexible/semi-rigid support with a moderate amount of cushioning for a good mixture of features that will work in most shoe types.
At this point in our considerations, we've found that the Superfeet Everyday Comfort Insole and the OC9 Cushioned Insole are most comfortable recommendations. The Superfeet insole offers good, semi-rigid support for the heel and arch while also providing moderate cushioning throughout. The OC9 insole offers a fully flexible arch support while also providing maximum cushioning and pressure relief from heel to toe.
How Much Support?
Even if cushioning is the preferred focus, almost everyone will benefit from having proper foot support in their shoes. In this case, we typically need to make a decision between a fully flexible support, a fully rigid support, or a semi-rigid support. So which one's the best?
For most people, a semi-rigid arch support is the best choice. This type of support will provide firm support throughout the heel and arch while also allowing the foot to flex normally, giving an ideal combination of support without limiting foot movement. This level of support works for needs ranging from everyday comfort to standing and even to foot conditions such as plantar fasciitis, making it a great middle ground in terms of support level.
We'll carry the Superfeet Everyday Comfort Insole recommendation forward from our previous section, but we'll also add the PowerStep Pinnacle Insole to our recommendations list here. The PowerStep insole offers great foot support and moderate cushioning throughout, and is easily one of our customer's favorite semi-rigid insoles.
A fully rigid arch support is the best choice for those who are used to wearing firm orthotics, need extra-firm support for advanced foot control or pain relief, or are going off of a podiatrist's recommendation for firm orthopedic insoles. This type of support can take some getting used to, and is typically only recommended when we need to limit foot flex as much as possible, such as for severe cases of plantar fasciitis or for maximum foot control & support.
Our #1 recommendation for rigid arch support insoles is the Superfeet Copper Insole. This insole will provide excellent heel-to-toe support, while the memory foam cushioning layer throughout the insole provides good cushioning.
Lastly, a flexible arch support is the best choice for those who find even a semi-rigid support to be too stiff, or in cases where a customer isn't seeking any sort of prominent foot support. If you're wary of having any sort of firm support in your shoes, a flexible arch support will give you some support (which will genuinely help with overall comfort) without the support being stiff at all.
We'll also carry forward our OC9 Cushioned Insoles recommendation from earlier, but we'll add the PowerStep ComfortLast Insoles to our recommendations list. The PowerStep insole will provide a nice shape for good support while remaining fully flexible and also offering excellent cushioning throughout.
How Much Cushioning?
Many people start off thinking that more cushioning = more comfort, which we definitely understand. However, the reality is that what you're really looking for is a combination of volume and thickness that will work well in your shoes.
Thick insoles offer the most cushioning of any insole (and thus the most pressure relief & cushioned comfort), with the drawback being that they run the risk of taking up so much room inside your shoes that your shoes become too tight to wear. We typically only recommend thick insoles for especially roomy shoes, such as boots, oversized footwear, or other similar kinds of shoes.
Our top thick insoles are the 10 Seconds 3030, 10 Seconds 3810, and 10 Seconds 3210 insoles. Each offers maximum plush cushioning, with the 3030s offering flexible support, the 3810 offering semi-rigid support, and the 3210 offering rigid support.
Thin insoles offer less cushioning than the average insole, with the tradeoff being that they fit better in tighter-fitting footwear that a standard insole would take up too much room in. These insoles are great for dress shoes, minimalist running shoes, cleats, and other low-profile shoes.
Our top recommendations here are the FORM Ultra-Thin Insoles and the Superfeet Sport Ultralight Insoles. The FORM insoles offer super thin cushioning and a semi-rigid support, while the Superfeet insoles offer thin cushioning with a rigid support. There's not many options for a low-profile, flexible support insole, with the Spenco Total Support Gel Insoles being the best match.
A final note on cushioning level: Cushioning thickness (or volume) is different from cushioning density (or stiffness). Just because an insole is thick doesn't mean that it's soft. An insole with firmer cushioning is better for full-foot support, while an insole with softer cushioning is better for pressure relief and shock absorption.
Our top "soft" cushioned insole is the FORM Memory Foam Insoles, while our top "firm" cushioned insole is the Superfeet Copper Insoles. The FORM insoles will provide super-plush memory foam cushioning from heel to toe, while the Superfeet insoles will offer firm cushioning on top of a think layer of memory foam padding for a combination of stiffness and pressure relief.
Conclusions: The Most Comfortable Insole
So, what's the most comfortable insole, then?
If we had to nominate just a single product for this category without any context, we'd have to recommend the Superfeet Everyday Casual Support Insoles. These insoles simply offer the best combination of cushioning and support which will make them the most comfortable insole for most people.
That said, your preferences might be different, and we absolutely recommend following your preferences when choosing your next insole. Our Insole Guide offers additional information about choosing an insole beyond what this article covers, our Insole Recommender can help narrow down insole choices based on your preferences, and our team is always happy to help, too!