Monday, April 19, 2021

REVIEW: Currex RUNPRO Insoles

Do you use inserts/ insoles of some sort in your shoes? Prior to about a year or so ago I never had. My shoes always gave me adequate support and fit my foot "like a glove" so I never looked for something additional to add to them. 

I've heard some running stores try to "add on" or "upsell" inserts with all of their shoe purchases. I was 'taught' that the majority of folks, as long as they are in the appropriate footwear, do not need something extra. We always say, "Let the shoe do what the shoe is supposed to do. IF it is lacking in some area {not giving you enough support, filling out your arch enough, etc}, THEN you can add something to it to make it the perfect fit for you." All that to say, some people legit need inserts {i.e. orthotics made by a podiatrist, inserts to fill out their extremely high arch, etc}, some people could benefit from insoles {i.e. taking their shoe from an 8 out of 10 to a perfect 10 in fit and feel} and some people do not need inserts at all.

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Anywho, enough about the somewhat common selling practices of run specialty stores and back to the point of the post... 

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[Note: This post is NOT sponsored in any way, although I was "gifted" my first pair of Currex Insoles from our running store's sales rep and "won" the next two pairs through social media. The company did not ask me to share my thoughts {nor are they even aware of this post}, but I figured I'd give my feedback in case it could be helpful to some of you.]

Like I mentioned, I hadn't worn any type of inserts in my running shoes (or other shoes) for the first 35+ years of my life. I didn't necessarily have anything against them, I just never felt the need to try them out (especially at upwards of $50+ a pop... #FrugalCarlee). Well, when a sales rep for an insole company we were going to start carrying in the running store I work at offered to outfit the team with a pair of their insoles I figured I'd give them a try. #PerksOfTheJob {Their hope was we'd try them, love them and talk them up/ sell them to all our customers. My thought was that at least I'd have some first hand feedback for our customers, even if it was "they didn't work for me, but that doesn't mean they won't work for you".}

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Loandbehold, the Currex Insoles (we carry the RunPRO version in our running store) work AWESOMELY for my feet. Now, forgive me because I'm not a tech rep for the brand or anything, so the deets of what I'm about to share are probably not exactly how the company would teach their employees to explain or sell the product, but at least it's "real" feedback.


A quick note. We say, "All the shoes we carry are great shoes for someone, not everyone... They're mass produced and our feet are unique, so we need to find the one that works best for you {your body, your needs, your gait, your goals, etc}." Just like running shoes, insoles are going to be about comfort and finding the perfect fit FOR YOUR SPECIFIC NEEDS.

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We have three distinct brands of insoles at our running store - Currex being the most flexible of the ones we carry. When comparing the three we have, I feel like Currex is the "least intrusive". It has a little extra padding in the heel (which is great for people who heel strike, like I do), a firm piece for the arch support (which comes in three different heights - high, medium and low) and some additional padding under the ball of your foot where you push off the ground.

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Since Currex seems (at least to me and my foot) to be the most flexible insole I've tried {but, again, I'm not super versed in the insole world, seeing as I just started using them about a year ago and have only demoed the three brands we carry}, it seems to be a great "starting" point for someone who might be looking for a little something more without jumping all the way to a super firm/ rigid insole {or pulling the trigger on an orthotic that costs a billion and a half dollars}. I have a high arch (or at least that's what the Currex board at our store tells me), but actually wear the medium height in Currex

PS If you don't have a "footdisk" you can use water and paper or cardboard to look at your arch height.

We normally advise folks that you want to put a shoe on and not have to think about it. If something draws your attention to it (whether it's the arch being in the wrong spot, it being too firm, your toes being squished, etc), it's not the right one for you. The same is true for insoles - you want comfort {unless a medical professional is telling you otherwise, of course}. When I use the "high" height I can "feel" it, whereas when I use the "medium" it feels like it just complements my foot.

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[Now, I'm going to say this is NOT how Currex advertises their insoles, nor is it something I'd actually suggest, but it's the best way I've found to describe them...] These insoles seem to give my running shoes more life. The shoes we carry tend to be "rated" between 350 and 500 miles (if you run in them daily without giving the cushioning enough time to rebound fully or use them for everyday shoes instead of strictly for runs/ workouts, you'll probably get closer to the shorter end of the spectrum but if you rotate them with other shoes, only use them for your runs and give them a day or so of rest in between uses you'll tend to get closer to the further distance). I normally get about 450-500 miles out of a pair of shoes {I usually have a few pairs in rotation at once and I'm a lighter runner, so the support and cushioning isn't compacted as much per foot strike vs someone who may be heavier}, but with the insoles I feel like I can get closer to 650 miles before my lower back and knees {the first things to tell me it's time to switch my footwear} remind me I need to retire my shoes. 

Me with my last round of shoe donations (which I did during #Carlees36 --
36 days of intentional acts of kindness leading up to my 36th birthday)

Again, because I'm talking about personal experience, I figured it might be important to tell you that I'm a neutral runner (meaning when I walk/ run, my ankles stay straight over my foot from the point of impact to toe-off). My hubby, on the other hand, prontates (meaning when he walks/ runs, his ankles roll inward upon landing to absorb the shock). {FYI: They actually say upwards of 70% of the population pronantes. There is no 'right' or 'wrong' way to run, you just need to be aware of your gait so you can get the appropriate footwear for however your body works.} With that said, the hubby recently started wearing Currex Insoles (he uses the "low" height) and is loving them as well. This is not to say everyone who tries them will have an amazing experience, but more to say they can potentially work for you no matter your gait. 


Like I said from the jump, this post is not to tell you these ARE the insoles for you (or even that you should wear insoles in the first place), but just my feedback on the RUNPRO Currex Insoles. I'd say I'm still a fairly new runner in comparison to others I know (I "only" started running in 2012), so this just serves as a reminder that I don't know everything there is to know about running {or, #RealTalk, any topic for that matter ;)} and there's always more I can learn/ try/ experiment with. 

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Do you use inserts of some sort in your shoes?

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