3 Best Shoe Insoles For Hiking | Cushioned For Trails (2022)

People often complain that they get foot pain even when they wear hiking footwear. This is because the regular hiking footwear cannot provide enough arch support on the hiking trails. However, the best shoe insole for hiking can do wonders.

The hiking insoles provide the required arch support, stability, and comfort to your feet on the bumps, climbs, and descents. To make your movement free of pain and discomfort, we have reviewed the three best shoe insoles for hiking you can buy today.

Three Best Shoe Insoles For Hiking

1. Timberland PRO Anti-Fatigue Insole – Hiking Shoe Inserts

Timberland PRO anti-fatigue soles are designed to provide general support to arch and heels while letting you take maximum benefit from hiking. It is an all-rounder in-sole that is equally useful for normal and flat feet. Made from high-quality inverted cone foam, these are accommodative types of insoles that provide semi-rigid support to your feet. The most standout feature is its shock-absorbing ability.

It absorbs all the shocks keeping your feet cool and happy even on the bumpy and harsh trails. Plus, it provides excellent bounce keeping your energy bank full throughout the long day. We really loved the well-organized layout of the insoles. The support zones are located on the points where your feet will feel more pressure. This results in the improved biomechanics of your feet, giving you a pain-free movement.

Timberland Pro has a neutral arch that fits almost all foot shapes.  Additionally, the insoles have anatomically contoured footbeds giving your feet a hugging fit for maximum support and comfort. These insoles provide semi-rigid support and don’t come with a very deep heel cup. Therefore these insoles do not provide instant relief and are not ideal for people having progressed plantar fasciitis or severe heel pain.

However, these insoles provide significant relief in heel, leg, and ankle pain if used regularly. A decent range of standard men sizes is available in these soles. Women can trim the edges to make these insoles a perfect fit for their shoes.

If you are looking for semi-rigid support for your regular hiking boots, Timberland Pro Anti-relief is the best option for you. We found insoles incredibly comfortable in the bumpy and challenging trails-thanks to the supportive footbed and neutral arch support.

2. Sof Sole Men’s Full-Length Gel – Insert For Hiking Boots

Sof Athlete performance full-length insoles are designed to provide medium-level rigidity while running, hiking, training, or walking. These insoles are made for all-around use and can be used for everyday activities. These insoles feature a universal fit design that gives a hugging fit to almost all foot shapes.

These insoles use gel padding in the heel cup and in the footbed giving you maximum support and cushion while hiking. Unlike carbon fiber padding, these insoles are more bouncy and responsive, giving you maximum comfort on the bumps and uneven trails.

What we loved most about these hiking insoles is the hydrologix technology. It is a moisture wicking-feature that keeps your feet cool, dry, and hydrated throughout the day. Plus, it also reduces the smell causing bacteria keeping your shoes and feet odor-free. Keep in mind that shoes are designed for regular use, and they do not provide instant pain relief if you have severe pain in the ankle, heel, or leg.

Additionally, it has a deep heel cup that helps in spine alignment and prevents your heel, leg, and feet from developing any pain. The insoles are available in five standard sizes for men. These sizes are trim-to-fit, and you can trim the edges to get the perfect fit for your shoes.

If you are looking for an affordable pair of hiking insoles for regular use, Sof Athlete performance insoles are the best option. We really loved the deep heel cup and responsive gel padding that provides incredible cushion and support on challenging hiking trails.

3. Superfeet Trailblazer Insoles for Hiking Boots – High Volume Insole

Superfeet Trailblazer Insoles for hiking boots are functional insoles featuring professional-grade carbon fiber construction.  These insoles are designed to provide rigid support to the feet and are the best option for hiking on challenging trails. The insoles feature an EVOLyte carbon fiber and Aerospring foam combination. Evolyte carbon fiber is known for its high strength and stiffness and unmatched shock absorbing abilities.

EVOLyte is used in the base layer that provides incredible support to the upper layer of foam, making the insole incredibly bouncy and responsive. Plus, the aero spring foam is a 4mm thick foam layer that is used in long-distance running and hiking shoes. This foam layer is flexible yet supportive that cradles your feet for maximum cushion and support.

Another advantage of aero spring foam is that it is highly breathable that normalizes the foot’s temperature even under high stress. Plus, better air circulation keeps the shoe odor-free. What we loved the most is its deep-heel cup. The deep heel cup perfectly aligns your feet with ankle, knee, and hip bone and provides maximum stability on sloppy terrains.

We also found these insoles very comfortable on climbs and descents-thanks to impact-hell technology. It absorbs all the shocks and disperses the pressure for exceptional comfort. These shoes are a perfect choice for people having flat feet, fallen arches, and plantar fasciitis. However, people with higher arches might feel its support is too rigid and feel a bit uncomfortable.

Superfeet Trailblazer Insoles for hiking boots are highly recommended to professional athletes and people suffering from severe fallen arches and plantar fasciitis. The carbon fiber and high-density foam combo provide incredible stability and comfort on challenging trails.

FAQs

Why Don’t Hiking Boots Have Soft Insoles?

Hiking boots don’t come with soft or cushy insoles because on hiking trails, stability and grip are more important than the cushion. The hard and stiff insoles provide comfort by absorbing the shock and releasing the pressure from pressure points. Therefore the hiking boots have hard insoles for rigid support to provide stability on bumps, climbs, and descents.

What Hiking Insoles Help Sore Balls of Feet?

The pain between your arch and toes is called ball of foot pain and is caused by uneven weight distribution in this area. This pain is generally associated with obesity, plantar fasciitis, fallen arches, and arthritis. To help sore balls of feet, it is recommended to use semi-rigid insoles with deep heel cups. A deep heel cup aligns the foot with ankle, knees, and hip bone and results in equal weight distribution.

Which is the Best Insole for Hiking Stability?

Superfeet Trailblazer is arguably the best insole for hiking stability. These insoles feature high-density foam and EVOLyte carbon fiber construction, making them exceptionally supportive. They can absorb 100% shock giving you incredible stability on descents, climbs, and bumps. Plus, these soles have a deep heel cup for spine alignment that helps in alleviating joint, ankle, and knee pain.

What to look for in Hiking Insoles?

Since stability is more important than cushion while hiking, you should look for a semi-rigid to the rigid support level in the hiking insoles. Plus, you should look for deep heel cups and maximum arch support in hiking insoles.

How to Clean the Insole of a Hiking Boot?

Carefully take the insole out of the shoe. Sprinkle 1-2 spoons of baking soda on the soles and spray the water over the insole. Wait for 5-10 minutes. Baking soda will help with removing stains and bad odor. Use a soft brush to remove the stains. Then, rinse with water and let it dry.

How Long Should Hiking Boot Insoles Last?

In general, hiking boot insoles last for 250-300 miles for everyday use. You need to replace them after every six months. However, under pressure-use on more challenging terrains, insoles wear out quickly, and you need to replace them after every 2 to 3 months.

What Are The Best Brand Insoles For Hiking Boots?

WALKHERO, Timberland, SuperFeet, Samurai, and RooRuns are some of the best brand insoles for hiking insoles.

How Often Should I Change The Insoles In Hiking Boots?

It depends upon the quality of the insoles and your activity. For regular everyday use, hiking insoles last for up to 300 miles, and you need to replace them every six months. However, professional athletes who go hiking more often and in challenging conditions need to replace hiking insoles every 2 months.

Conclusion

Hiking insoles are used to provide additional comfort, support, and stability to the feet on uneven and challenging terrains. The factory insole of the hiking shoes does not provide the required support and stability and results in plantar fasciitis, heel pain, foot fatigue, and even leg pain. So it is recommended to use a high-quality hiking insole in the hiking shoes. Also, you can check out these best shoes for jump rope if you are an exercise freak.