After researching over 50 pairs of insoles, our expert gear testers rounded up 9 of the best available today to give you an extensive look at what each pair has to offer. These small inserts for your shoes can make a big difference, and for runners, athletes, people with jobs that require them to be on their feet all day, or those who suffer from common injuries like plantar fasciitis or overpronation, we're sure to help you find a pair of insoles to suit your unique needs and budget. The way that insoles fit and feel can be a very subjective experience dependent on foot shape, size, needs, and medical conditions, so let this review serve as more of a guideline to the best features of each brand.

Baking soda has so many household uses from cooking to scrubbing kitchen surfaces to getting rid of smells in places like a closet and even eliminating shoe odor. If you don't already have it on hand, i t's one of the least expensive shoe odor eliminators. In the Lab, we've found baking soda to be effective at absorbing all types of odors like fridge odors, pet odors and mattress odors. "Baking soda is alkaline and neutralizes acidic odors like sweat, so they are no longer noticeable," says Carolyn Forté, Executive Director of the Home Care and Cleaning Lab. "It removes them and doesn’t just cover them up." The cedar wood used in insoles is extremely thin and flexible making it still comfortable to wear and use. Aside from charcoal, some of these insoles also use baking soda still for moisture and odor absorption. A popular, well-reviewed brand that uses activated charcoal and baking soda are Dr. Scholl’s Odor-X Odor Fighting Insoles. Their SweatMAX ® technology layer neutralizes and protects against unpleasant odors. Ultra absorbent insoles Summer Soles made from micro-suede fabric absorb moisture

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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. Instead of chemicals, these insoles are treated or filled with natural deodorizing oils like lavender and tea tree. Tea tree oil is known to have potent antibacterial properties which makes the concept promising. The Powerstep Pinnacle are the best insoles we tested for helping remedy foot pain due to pronation. The most common pronation issues are overpronation and underpronation, whereby the natural inward rolling of the foot on impact either rolls too much (overpronation) or too little (underpronation), putting pressure on specific areas instead of distributing force evenly throughout the foot. This can lead to many issues down the line, including the common plantar fasciitis. The Powerstep Pinnacle insoles help keep the feet from over or under pronating with their deep heel cup that aids with natural alignment, and a semi-rigid shell with arch support that provides stability. They're stiff and slip easily into your shoes, allowing you to put them into multiple pairs of shoes without hassle, and are low-profile enough not to take up too much room.

While some might be looking for support from their insoles to help with proper foot alignment or common injuries such as plantar fasciitis, others will be looking for insoles that provide a higher level of comfort in the form of a nicely cushioned layer between their feet and the hard floor or long trail. Charcoal and other odor eaters have limited absorbtion ability of odors. Cedar insoles don’t. The best reviewed brand is Zederna’s Original Cedarsole Inserts against Foot Odor and Sweaty Feet. Shoes were invented to protect the human feet. But due to poor air circulation and prolonged usage, people may develop sweaty feet. 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.).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.

These are insoles which are chemically treated to prevent the growth or kill bacteria and fungus which may grow in your insoles or shoes. Feet odor is mainly caused by excessive sweating so it’s important to eliminate moisture instantly. There are ultra absorbent insoles which can take care of this task.Here are the different types of shoe inserts and sandal insoles which have the capacity to reduce feet sweating and odor buildup: Activated charcoal or carbon insoles charcoal based insoles for smelly feet and shoes