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Product Details
- Binding
- Health and Beauty
- Brand
- Powerstep Pinnacle
- Feature
- Heel cradle and platform guards heel on impact
- Label
- Powerstep
- Publisher
- Powerstep
- Studio
- Powerstep
- ItemDimensions
- Weight:63
- PackageDimensions
- Height:190
Length:1360
Weight:35
Width:440
Editorial Reviews
Encapsulated with two new foams the orthotic shell has satisfied more than a million consumers. Hypurcel foam that maintains its density and cushioning support covers the upper surface, and a soft EVA foam coats the undersurface. This exciting product provides comfort in an orthotic not available in todays market.
I have a high arch and was concerned at first that the arch in the Powerstep was not high enough to provide the benefits I needed, because some other medium-height supports did not help me. This turned out not to be a problem. After wearing the Powerstep for just a couple of days my heel problems were gone and my feet and knees felt well. Apparently the shape of the support is just right to provide the benefit.
(Incidentally, my main problem has been heel spurs. An insightful doctor told me that they would stop hurting after using arch supports for a couple of months. He was right! Heel cushions are not the solution - arch supports are.)
I have also used the Powerstep basic model, which is the same orthotic but without the additional padding. The Pinnacle is slightly more comfortable because of its softness. However, because of its additional thickness it fits in only one of my pairs of shoes, while the basic model fits in nearly all of them. If in doubt, buy the basic Powersteps, not the Powerstep Pinnacles.
The orthics are made of high quality plastic, which have lasted me for several months so far. They are not as rigid and strong as the $300 variety, but I think that for the price they are reasonably sturdy.
For several years I've looked for supportive and comfortable arch supports, and now that I've found the Powersteps I plan to stick with them. I recommend them highly.
I am now back here to buy two additional pairs so that I can add them to my regular shoes.
He was immediately attracted to the heel cushioning aspect of the Powerstep Pinnacles and went on to wear them for a couple of hours a day for several days. He said that they began alleviating his pain almost immediately. He felt the insoles repositioning his feet during the break in period and used that to guide him as to how long to wear them before taking a break. In any case, they've been show-tested and although he is not pain free he finds them very helpful and I am going to get him several more pairs here at amazon for distribution throughout his flock of footwear. If I were going to buy one pair only I probably would get them on ebay where several vendors offer them for about the same money with free shipping.
He typically wears Merrells, boots and outdoor sport type shoes, in a 10-10.5-11 size range. Swapping out the Merrell insoles with a pair of 10-10.5 size G Powerstep Pinnacles was simple and easy and did not require altering the insoles in any way.
Regarding the Superfeet Black, he did try them out. They are currently installed in a pair of his Merrell Chameleon mid height boots, which I notice he's not been wearing. When I asked him about the Superfeet he told me that because the Superfeet do not have the immediate cushioned feel of the Powersteps he doesn't feel inclined to persist with them. Now I just spent several minutes examining the two pairs of boots housing the new insoles and, to me, although the Superfeet are overtly sans cushion there really isn't a whole lot of what I would call cushioning in the Powersteps either. But apparently it makes all the difference for him.
I wanna say that I am profoundly grateful for all of the information freely available from the amazon community in these reviews. You folks surely are a generous bunch and I continue to be amazed by and very thankful for you.
The Powerstep Pinnacle is a decent insert worth the money IMO. Its basically a 3/4 inch hard plastic orthotic glued inside a foam insole and I use it in a pair of Brooks running shoes with no fit issues. The foam part of the insole seems like an afterthought and quite a few companies do a better job of cushioning, but the combined effect with the orthotic makes up for any short comings. and The arch support feels a bit odd at first. In fact there was quite a bit of discomfort for me the first day in my injured foot and none in the healthy foot. The arch support feels ball like and centered in the middle of the foot. I am actually yearning for more support at the my arches highest point in the inside of the foot.
I am thinking this insole may be better for the folks with flat feet and over-pronantion. For folks like me its a decent solution, but not a magic cure. I can be on my feet most of the day without any pain although running is still a distant goal.
All in all its worth a try if you are suffering. If you are not suffering then I recommend that you use quality insoles to prevent injury.
Update 12/9/10 - I have dropped my rating from 4 stars to 3 due to lack of durability. I have had these less than two months and have used them for about a month in that timeframe. The fabric on the top of the insole is peeling away at the heel about an inch and a half. Because the fabric is pulling away the foam around the heel is beginning to crumble and break off. The right insole is worse than the left at the moment but the left is going down the same path of disintegration. The adhesive connecting the fabric is inadequate, ineffective or was improperly applied IMO. I do think this is a good product from a functional standpoint, but the durability is not impressive. It is possible that I have a defective pair, but I imagine they make right insoles and left insoles in different batches and I am experiencing the same issue with both. I would expect this product to be designed to last 6 month at a minimum, but I have a hard time imagining them lasting 3 months.
I have flat feet and spend most of my day on them (about 6 hours or so at work, plus plenty of time at home). When I first got these orthotics, I did follow the directions and only wore them for a few hours at a time to get used to them. After the first few times wearing them, I was not very impressed. They were a little uncomfortable and I felt the arches might be too far forward in my shoe. However, after continuing to break them in, my opinion changed drastically. I now wear these exclusively and have stopped using my other orthotics. In fact, I wore a pair of older ones and my feet hurt instantly. I had to switch to these immediately.
A couple tips for people wearing them the first time:
- Gradually break them in for a few hours a day for at least a few days. Increase the wearing time little by little.
- Be patient when making your judgment on these until after you wear them for at least a few full days.
- Some shoes might require the insoles being removed (most of mine did not however).
- These work really well for wide feet (they do not slide around like smaller and cheaper models; this alone is reason enough to get them for me!)
I will be purchasing another pair or two so I can don't have to keep switching them out every day. These are definitely worth the investment, and are inexpensive enough that if they don't work for you, it is not a huge financial loss. (Not to mention, Amazon returns are so quick and easy)
UPDATE - 2/11 - I have been wearing these EVERY DAY since I broke them in..a little more than two months. I have since gotten rid of the rest of my old insoles and have ordered another pair of these. My feet have never been more comfortable in years!! Since I wear a different pair of shoes to work almost every day, they have started to show some wear and tear around the edges. I would recommend getting a few pairs to minimize this damage. I will continue to update and hopefully be able to offer some positive feedback in regards to longevity.
UPDATE - 9/9 - After using these exclusively for 10 months, I have to replace a pair. The area where my "big" toe sits has worn straight through the pad and down to the hard plastic. This has created a strange feeling and makes them less comfortable to wear. My other pair is still in great shape. Not sure if it makes a difference, but the insoles that must be replaced stayed in my sneakers the entire time. The other pair I rotate into my dress shoes for work each day and other pairs of sneakers. Perhaps rotating them helps them air out and prevent deterioration?
I've tried a bunch of inserts, and these are the best ones you can get outside of a professionally molded / custom-made one from your podiatrist. The arch support, the most important part whether you're flat-footed or have high arches, is super firm and won't bend. I'm a powerlifter and weigh 265 pounds, and if they can keep my flat-arches from flattening out even more, they'll most probably work great for you as well!
They work great and at this cost im buying more for other shoes!!
I have tried MANY over-the-counter insoles and find the Prowetstep to be the best so far. For me, all the others are junk compared to these. I actually like these better then my custom orthotics!
This is just my experience. Contact your medical professional for proper diagnosis and treatment.
I find I have to replace them a few times a year, and I always move the old sets to less frequently used shoes, like slippers and such. If they're too big, especially in the toe area, I cut them right in front of the hard plastic part to make them about half the length (especially true if I can't get the old insole out of the shoe without tearing it up). This gives a little more room and actually lowers the front of the foot slightly, making a little more support in the middle.
I've heard that these are just as good as medical orthotics, and from talking to people who have those, they aren't getting any more relief than I am, so I feel these are worth it. I've bought several pair, and plan to continue using them as long as I have foot pain.
I truly recommend them.
This company either has a manufacturing defect on these insoles, or they lack durability and should be redesigned. I looking into other brands ... disappointing as they ARE comfortable, but too expensive to have to replace this often.
In a few months with these I think my feet will return very close to normal and I'll be able to move properly again. It's a blessing considering what I had been putting up with for most of this year. I will be purchasing another pair as well to go into my dress shoes so that I can have happy feet all day long.
The one problem I have unfortunately is the arches seem a tiny bit high on one foot - leading to a minute amount of discomfort.
I have not broken them in for a long time, so I can't say if that slight discomfort will fade, but I can say I climbed Algonquin Peak in New York's Adirondack State Park and my feet did not get tired and felt supported.
Also, my Reebok sneakers are a size 7 and I got the 6-6.5 size and they fit in my sneakers perfectly. However, they don't fit in my size 7 New Balances.
Takes a lot of pressure off the back. Didn't expect to see such a change.