Shop Talk: What’s Up With Aftermarket Footbeds?

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Our feet are funny things, and undoubtedly one of skiing’s toughest battles. All season long, we force them into hard plastic boots that, at best, vaguely shaped like a human foot. Let me in on a little secret, I’ve tested dozens of skis boots over the last few years, and not a single one has truly felt good out of the box without some sort of modification. The thing is, those modifications can take many shapes and forms, and often there’s an easy place to start. While you can do everything from complex boot fitting techniques like punching, grinding, or otherwise modifying your shell, and re-molding or replacing liners, simply adding support below your foot is the best place to start.

Anyone who’s ever been to a professional bootfitter with a new boot has heard the age-old question: “Do you have a good insole in your boot?” Having worked as a bootfitter for many years, I can assure you that

the answer should always be yes. Unless you’re a world cup racer getting plug boots straight from the factory, all ski boots are designed to fit an “average” foot, and the stock insoles found inside are purposely meant to be replaced immediately.

Runners often talk about thinking of your foot like a spring, when it compresses and rebounds, you can generate power in your stride. Unfortunately, cramming your foot into a completely rigid ski boot removes any possibility of this spring action, so the foot needs to be properly supported from below inside this hard, immovable shell to prevent your arch from collapsing. There’s a lot of podiatric science at work here that I won’t get into, but the bottom line is that an unsupported foot inside a boot will typically cause discomfort, cramping, and fatigue.

Somewhat counterintuitively, taking up volume below your foot will actually make the boot feel bigger and more comfortable. That’s because by supporting your arch, you are effectively pulling your toes off the front of the boot. Take care that your boot has enough instep volume and height to accommodate this–but most boots do.

So, now that we’ve talked about why you need to support your foot, what can we do about it? That part is actually the easiest part of boot fitting: Replace the paper-thin flat foam stock footbed with something more substantial. Of course, there are many options to choose from here–everything from $300 fully-custom insoles to much cheaper $50-60 “cut-to-fit” options.

If you have particularly sensitive feet, spending the money on a fully custom insole is likely still the best path for you. However, after testing out quite a few “cut-to-fit” options from brands like Sidas, Superfeet, and Sole this winter, I was very impressed, leading me to conclude that for most of us, these might in fact be good enough. Or at least, a great place to start from.

Here are some of my favorite options that I’ve put to the test across all the boots I’ve skied in this past season. I did move these around between different boots, which isn’t necessarily something I’d recommend as different boots have slightly different insole sizes, and being off by even a few millimeters of length or width will cause the footbed to move around and lose effectiveness.

Sidas: 3 Feet Winter

Sidas footbeds are available now.

Sidas has been a player in the footwear game for a long time, offering everything from high-end fully custom insoles, to boot heaters, to the cut-to-fit options I tested here. The 3 Feet Winter comes in three thickness options, corresponding to high, medium, and low arch heights. They are made of different density foams, mapped to your foot, including a really soft bit directly under the heel that acts as an effective shock-absorbing layer. Up front, an aluminum film layer is designed to add some insulation under your toes.

I found that they are some of the softest, most flexible options out there, and are particularly well suited to less aggressive skiers, or for use in touring boots. The high arch version also adds more material around the heel cup area, which can help in reducing volume in the back of the boot if that’s something you’re looking for. They are simple, warm, and a great option for most skiers.

Superfeet: All-Purpose Support (Green)

Superfeet footbeds are available now.

The green Superfeets are probably some of the most recognizable trim-to-fit insoles out there–I’ve been using these in boots and other shoes for years. I’ve tried different versions from the brand, but for ski boots, I still think the classic All-Purpose ones are best suited. A significant chunk of foam and plastic sits under the heel, giving the footbed its shape and slotting securely into ski boot liners without any lateral movement.

Compared to other footbeds, the Superfeet are quite stiff and offer less shock absorption and dampening than more ski-specific options might. I’d say these are best suited for aggressive skiers looking to improve the fit and performance of stiff, piste-focused boots.

Sole: Performance Thin with Met Pad

Sole footbeds are available now.

Sole offers some pretty nifty technology in their trim-to-fit options, essentially bridging the gap between full-custom insoles and off-the-shelf fits thanks to an easy optional heat molding process. If the factory fit doesn't agree with your foot shape, follow these directions to pop them in the oven for 2 minutes and get them molded to your arch. The Performance Thin with Met Pad insoles are made with a carbon-negative recycled cork bottom that offers excellent damping and comfort (not to mention warmth) and have a small bump in the forefoot that helps to support the metatarsal bones in your foot. The footbeds are also available without the met pad.

I found that the Sole footbeds are by far the most comfortable I tested, thanks to how they end up molding to your foot. I messed around with the at-home heat molding, but found I couldn’t tell much of a difference after a few days of riding, as the cork molds on its own after a few days of skiing. Perhaps this would be more useful for the plastic-soled Active versions of Sole’s footbeds. The metatarsal pad was incredibly comfortable, particularly in touring boots where my foot ends up moving around a lot more than in alpine boots. The Performance Thin would make a great upgrade to any boot, and gives most full-custom insoles a run for their money.

Honorable mention: Phaenom’s stock footbeds

Typically, the stock footbeds in any ski boot goes directly into the garbage when I’m fitting new boots. This year, testing the new Phaenom FS 01 120 boots, I pulled the footbeds out first thing, following my usual ritual. What I found really surprised me: a substantial footbed with reinforced arch support and a cork heel pad designed to further dampen vibrations from hard landings. It’s a freestyle boot after all, designed specifically with sustainability in mind. These will be tough to find unless you’re picking up a pair of Phaenoms, but it’s nice to see bootmakers thinking ahead.