Runners rarely think about shoe insoles until something goes awry, which is in part what insoles should do: be forgotten, supportive, comfortable and not suck. Remind Insoles hits each of those points with ease.
I’ve been using Remind Insoles this spring in a mix of road and trail running. Roads, of course, are fairly consistent with asphalt or concrete, with maybe some rocks or cracks. Nothing too major other than constant pounding. Trails have a greater variety of risks including roots, rocks, tree limbs or other trippy things, mud, slick spots, wet leaves and uneven terrain.
Trail events have included the Devil’s Race Track, 3-day Grand Viduta and Smoke Rise events. All are on technical local trails. I’ve mixed up my shoes between Altra Lone Peak, Hoka Speedgoat and Arcteryx Norvan LD 3. Road events include the Strolling Jim half, Cookie Dash 5K and weekly work. I’ve slipped the Remind Cush and Medic insoles into my Brooks Ghost 15, Hoka Clifton 9 and older Clifton 8 shoes.
Additionally, during a four-day trip to New York City back in April, I wore the Remind Cush in my Ghost 15 and Baffin Copenhagen slip-on boots. Walking around the Big Apple wears on your feet, and we did plenty of walking there and in Brooklyn. On previous trips there I had some inexpensive insoles. In hindsight and comparison, those won’t be making a return. Remind also went with me to Florida for a few days of turkey hunting. They performed great in my Lacrosse boots tromping around near Chiefland.
Insoles are Necessary
Insoles that come with running and other shoes typically are cheap and virtually worthless.
They’re usually flimsy, thin, poorly constructed and won’t last long. They offer no support. You can run in them, on roads and trails, but they’re not going to be there in the long haul. Manufacturers of shoes are no different than any other in that they look for ways to cut costs. You can run in the insoles that come with the shoes, but there are better alternatives.
Insoles are big business, too. Go into any drugstore, grocery store or running store and you’ll find displays of insoles. In the first two, you’ll find popular brands we’ve know about for decades. House brands, too, often made by the same well-known brands but with different logos, names or minimal design. Nothing new about that, either. We could find branded Toasty Oats breakfast cereal just a few feet from the store-branded RoastieToastie Oats. The difference is cost and, in some instances, flavor (for the cereal) or features (for the insoles).
Insoles are necessary, though. Run in shoes without them and you’ll find out quickly just how important they are. Take the next step to better insoles from those that come with the shoes and you’ll see even better how they can help. And if you need them, custom molded orthotics from a specialist might be needed for special circumstances.
About Remind Insoles
Remind Insoles was founded by John Makens, a longtime skateboarder and admitted travel bum, and is located in San Diego and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Makens says on the Remind site that his goal “is to create the best quality products as a pain-free solution to help support out daily lifestyles and overall well being.” Makens grew up in Minnesota in the early 1980s and was heavily into skateboarding and snowboarding. He began working on Remind in 2008 to counter the effects of board riding all day and overcoming the fatigue and pain. Makens also knew runners and everyday life experienced similar problems.
He began thinking about what boarders do and how they do it, and working on his ideas for a supportive insole. That led to research into biomechanics, foot and joint alignment, support, cushioning and more. Makens tested early models with his boarding friends, and runners also picked up on them. From there, Remind Insoles grew and continues to do so.
The insoles have scads of different designs. My Cush model is Reflexology and the Medic is Clouds, which helps me keep up with which is which. Other insoles have myriad cool designs, too.
What’s Available
Remind started with versions for boarding but today offers multiple models for different activities. Whether you’re a boarder, runner, perhaps an angler or hunter who wears boots, or you have high impact requirements, versions are available. Also for everyday use, because plodding around the office, home, yard or city also impacts your feet, legs and health.
Models are designed to help with plantar fascitis, flat feet, high arches, low arches, regular arches or other foot and joint pain. A heat-moldable version allows you to customize the insoles to your feet. All of the insoles have bio-mechanical engineering to help align your feet while providing cushion and comfort. They’re available in 3mm, 4mm and 5mm thicknesses, and 6mm for the plantar fascitis model.
If you wear road or trail shoes with a high stack, consider the thickness of any insole before shoving them in. Additional height may not be in your wheelhouse. Similarly, if you wear shoes with zero drop, such as those from Altra or others, your heel and forefoot will be the same distance from the ground. Adding an insole may change that effect, as well. Be sure to consider these aspects.
My Testing
Over the course of the last 10 weeks since receiving my Remind insoles, we’ve had a variety of weather conditions in north Alabama ranging from cool conditions to rain to summer heat and humidity.
The Cush model I’ve been using has a medium arch, 4mm thickness, medium rigidity and mid-wide width. The Medic has a bit more stability, at 5mm thick with mid-high arch and rigidity. Neither needed any trimming, as the size 12.5 fit perfectly in all my shoes and Baffin boots in New York.
My first outings were around the neighborhood to make sure they were copacetic. No issues, no hotspots on toes, nothing on the sole that bothered me. Some insoles I’ve used in the past have had a surface texture that bothered me but these do not. I’ve worn them with Swiftwick Flite XT, Vision and Pursuit socks; each are a bit different in material and thickness. I didn’t have any issues in any situation with sweat, mud or creek crossings.
Concerning the sweat and water, the insoles held up well after multiple soakings. I’ve tossed both into the washing machine and let them air dry outside, too. No issues, separation or problems. During the Strolling Jim half, I got a blister on my little toe but it was from rubbing the shoe, and not the sole. During the Smoke Rise 10K, which was incredibly humid and included a couple of trickling creeks, the Arcteryx Norvan didn’t drain well. I could feel water and sweat squishing around but, again, didn’t have any problems.
The Norvan and Lone Peak shoes don’t have a lot of cushioning. The Remind Insoles were incredibly helpful in that regard. I wore the Cush during all thre days of the Grand Viduta, which has a bevy of terribly rocky trails. I was surprised on the third day, and the next day after, that my feet didn’t feel like ground chuck. I’m not a skinny-winny by any stretch, and have quite enjoyed the cushioning on the trails and roads.
I’ve been using the Cush and Medic in my running and everyday shoes. They’re good. Durable. Comfortable. Well-designed and helpful. I wear them in my Speedgoats when I go fishing or rumbling around for casual hikes. I like them a lot, and I think you will, too.
