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Flex Freely—and Totally Supported—With Free-Flex Insoles

Extra support for your most flexible shoes!

We know, we know. Insoles aren’t particularly sexy. And, truth be told, I don’t usually wear them. But these new Free-Flex Flex Shoe Insoles caught our attention, and we just had to try them. Specifically designed for minimalist shoes like the Nike Free and Reebok RealFlex, these are kind of an upgrade to the usual insole that’s included with your usual pair of shoes.

Unlike some more rigid insoles, these will flex in all different directions, have a floating arch for more balanced support, have a raised posterior ridge for extra side-to-side support and are made of a moisture-wicking fabric on top to keep your tootsies dry. But the real perk of these is that they help with shock absorption (your knees and joints don’t feel jumping and running as much), and they provide better rebound while still letting your foot move naturally. So if you like your minimalist shoes but want just a bit more support, they give it while still letting your foot move naturally.

I swapped the insoles out on my pair of Reebox RealFlex—which have been well worn for sure—with these, and I could feel a difference. It wasn’t exactly like night and day, but my feet felt more supported, more comfortable and I had a better spring in my step when I went for a run while still feeling like I wasn’t weighed down with too much support.

Not to mention that—and this is pretty dorky of me to admit—I kind of had fun putting these in my shoes. Almost like a mini fitness craft project, you take out your old insoles, trace them on the new Free-Flex ones (they come in size small and large, so you customize them), cut them out to be the right size and put them in. Hey, it’s a fun little project that pays off with a better feeling shoe! And I had a good time doing it. For $12.99 a pair, these are surely a fun way to make your flexible-soled shoes even more awesome.

Do you ever wear insoles? Feel like they make a difference in your performance? —Jenn

FTC disclosure: We often receive products from companies to review. All thoughts and opinions are always entirely our own. Unless otherwise stated, we have received no compensation for our review and the content is purely editorial. Affiliate links may be included. If you purchase something through one of those links we may receive a small commission. Thanks for your support!