Field report on insoles for winter sports

Liesa Fialkowske - Dec 16 2021

EXPERIENCE REPORT FROM THE MOUNTAINS

In winter, nature is an incomparable adventure. The weather is sometimes rough to icy, but those who get involved are rewarded with dreamlike panoramas and unique, sporting experiences. There are many ways to enjoy nature. Today Manuel Reindl takes us on his tours and reports on the firm footing in his shoes.

Pure passion for nature and adventure

Manuel is 35 years old and lives with his family in Mieming, Tyrol in Austria. He completed his training as a state-certified mountain and ski guide and has since been travelling with guests in a wide variety of mountain sports.

His passion for nature and adventure eventually also drove him to the canyons, where he completed his training as a canyoning guide. Since then, Manuel has regularly been out and about with guests and colleagues and enjoys every nature adventure.
Manuel is the deputy head of a local branch of the Mountain Rescue Service in Tyrol. Professionally, he works as an alpine police officer, and his job means that he is out and about in alpine environments all year round.

Manuel naturally spends a lot of time on his feet and in a wide variety of shoes (mountain boots, hiking boots, ski boots, ski touring boots, canyoning boots, etc.) due to all these activities, which has also led to minor problems from time to time.

"I started looking around for matching insoles, socks, etc. after a while and quickly realised that it makes a huge difference for me in performance, but also in a health sense."

Ascent and descent with CURREX insoles

Manuel currently wears the HIKEPRO or the EGDEPRO, depending on the shoe model, and shares his experience with us:

"I have already been on several long trips with the HIKEPRO insoles in my mountain boot. It is a conditionally crampon resistant mountaineering boot. I was on the move both in the "dry" and in the snow. So far I have not used a special sole in the mountaineering boot. Only the one that came with it. This is a normal, non-customised sole that is installed in every shoe. When you buy a shoe like this, you should know roughly what shape your foot is, because all manufacturers cut differently. But the sole is flat, as I said, without any adapted shape for the user.

With the mountain boots, it happened again and again that during special activities - climbing, ice climbing - I noticed that even if the shoe is completely laced up, the heel can lift out of the shoe and thus a controlled use was partly limited. Especially when standing on small steps or on the front prongs of the crampons. With the CURREX, I immediately noticed that I had a completely different grip and a different foot position in the shoe. I also noticed straight away that the left foot doesn't feel the same as the right. Just as you describe on your insert, so I knew straight away - that's okay and normal. We are just not symmetrical. So a change was immediately noticeable for me. Especially when I go up on my toes and I notice that the heel stays where it's supposed to stay and I have better control or perception."

Manuel's favourites:

CURREX EDGEPRO insole with gray, red and black base next to white box with yellow insole inside #1-wahle-dein-profil_med

Person taking break from skiing looking off at snowy mountains #1-wahle-dein-profil_med

CURREX EDGEPRO insole with gray, red and black base next to white box with red insole inside #1-wahle-dein-profil_low

Person taking break from skiing looking off at snowy mountains #1-wahle-dein-profil_low

CURREX EDGEPRO insole with gray, red and black base next to white box with blue insole inside #1-wahle-dein-profil_high

Person taking break from skiing looking off at snowy mountains #1-wahle-dein-profil_high

Perfect control in the swing and during the descent

Manuel explains: "These positive experiences from the hiking boots then also transferred directly to the ski touring boot - here I use the EDGEPRO. I have already been out and about with this boot several times this year. In the ascent, the touring boot is usually completely open and "unlocked". Otherwise you would rub yourself off in the boot, because there is a lot of movement and a hard ski boot shell involved. So the feeling tends to fall by the wayside in the ascent. But you notice, as with the mountain boot, that the foot has a good position in the boot and I was also able to eliminate an annoying pulling sensation in the sole and toe area, which normally occurred with me on every tour. On the descent, the boot is then locked and, especially when skiing, the heel is "stuck" in the boot, which was not the case for me without the EDGEPRO insole. There, at the start of the turn and when pressure is applied to the toes, you notice how the heel goes up in the shoe in some shoe models and thus control over a correct turn is lost. So here too, a recommendation for the product!"