Sizes: Men's 4.5 to 14.5, Women's 5.5 to 15.5 | Arch Type: High | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Polyurethane foam, gel, plastic | Our Overall Rating: 4.8/5 Sizes: Men's 8 to 14, Women's 5 to 12 | Arch Type: High, neutral, low | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Cork, cotton, foam | Our Overall Rating: 5/5 A certified personal trainer, running coach, gym buff, and fitness writer, Christine Luff, ACE-CPTspends countless hours researching and testing the latest exercise gear and gadgets. She only recommends products that she can genuinely stand behind and that she believes are good investments for her readers. We had to take Dr. Scholl’s Athletic Series Running Shoe Insoles off after just a few minutes. The arch was made from hard, uncomfortable plastic and didn't hit the right spot on our feet, causing cramping. The first question to ask is: What are you buying new insoles for? There are general-purpose insoles. But the best insoles are designed with a specific purpose in mind. Some are best for providing additional cushion and comfort; some are built for extra support; and others can help relieve chronic foot pain. As our list above shows, it’s often easiest to shop insoles by activity type (e.g., hiking, running, working, etc.).

But, to understand why good insoles are important, it’s worth knowing just how bad cheap, low-quality insoles can affect you. “The problem with most of the materials we see that are used in over the counter insoles, is that they bottom out and lose their cushioning after a while,” says Andrew Shapiro, D.P.M., a podiatrist based on Long Island. The solution, of course, is to spend a little more on insoles with a premium construction. Splurge on thermoplastic over gel which tends to be more supportive. Currex's RunPro Running Insoles provided a little cushioning but didn’t alleviate our foot pain or have enough support for higher arches. Best for people who have tried other insoles, but still haven't found a pair that meets their needs.

2. Intlmate Height Increase Insoles

We noticed that these insoles tend to slip when we remove our shoes. Still, they're easy to readjust as needed. Since these insoles have so much arch support, it can take some time for flat feet to adjust to them. As a result, Valencia recommends wearing these for an hour a day at first until you're used to them. We did notice that they gradually felt more comfortable throughout the duration of the testing period. Sizes: Men's 7-14, Women's 5.5-12.5 | Arch Type: Neutral | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: EVA foam | Our Overall Rating: 5/5 Sizes: Men’s: 5.5 to 17, Women’s 4.5 to 14 | Arch Type: High | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Polyester, foam | Our Overall Rating: 5/5

Sizes: Men’s 8 to 15.5, Women’s 5 to 14.5 | Arch Type: Neutral | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Polyurethane foam, nylon, neoprene | Our Overall Rating: 5/5 For those dealing with plantar fasciitis, or painful irritation in your plantar fascia tissue, we recommend Walk-Hero's Comfort and Support Plantar Fasciitis Insoles. They helped revamp our old shoes, correcting overpronation while reducing the pain and pressure we felt in our arches. We also like the deep heel cup, which offers great stability. As a seasoned health and fitness writer, Lindsey Lanquistunderstands how vital quality product recommendations can be. She is careful to recommend products that are reliable, comfortable, and genuinely well-reviewed by those who've tried them. Arch support is usually the biggest deciding factor in how comfortable your insoles are. Without visiting a podiatrist, it can be difficult to self-diagnose your arch height. “A lot of time patients come to me and they say, ‘I have a really flat foot. I’ve always had a flat foot.’ Then I look at their foot and it’s normal or high arch,” says Shapiro. This is best determined by a specialist. But, if you can’t justify a visit to the foot doc right, consider a pair of insoles with “Medium” arch support as a starting point. After a day or two of wear, you should be able to determine whether you need to go lower or higher.

Sizes: Women's 4.5 to 12 | Arch Type: Low | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Foam | Our Overall Rating: 4.8/5 Best for people with high arches, especially if you experience foot pain after a long day of walking.

Sizes: Men’s 8 to 14, Women’s 6 to 10 | Arch Type: Low | Anti-Odor: No | Materials: Not listed | Our Overall Rating: 4.8/5 Sizes: Men’s 5 to 13, Women’s 6 to 14 | Arch Type: Low, neutral | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Foam, fabric | Our Overall Rating: 5/5These insoles are pricier than others on our list, but they last for a full year, making them worth the investment. Materials: Insoles often rely on cork, plastic, foam, gel, or a combination of these to provide cushioning and support. Graddon explains that plastic insoles tend to be stiffer, while pairs made of cork and foam will mold to your feet more easily. She adds that foam is the softest and the least supportive, making it a good choice for wearers with diabetes or neuropathy ( loss of feeling in your feet). Whether you're standing all day at work, hiking steep trails, or walking the dog, foot pain shouldn't slow you down. Insoles are designed to deliver comfort and stability through cushioning. According to Dr. Steven Neufeld, a foot and ankle surgeon at the Centers for Advanced Orthopaedics, they can also help relieve foot pain, soreness, and even compensate for the loss of your foot's natural cushion that happens as you age. Sizes: One size | Arch Type: Not listed | Anti-Odor: Yes | Materials: Terrycloth, foam | Our Overall Rating: 4.2/5 Arch Support: The amount of arch support you need in an insole depends on your foot type and any conditions you might have. The right arch support can help relieve pain from flat feet, fallen arches, and high arches. Hummer says it can even reduce knee pain by gently correcting your feet and promoting proper alignment. Look for insoles with arch support that's firm enough, so they don't flatten out when you step on them, says Valencia, but not so firm that they're uncomfortable or cause your feet to cramp.