Review of Downunders Blue Insoles
By Matt Smith

I have never worn a pair of boots or shoes that wasn’t improved by a third party insole. In the past I have used insoles from manufacturers ranging from Dr. Scholls, ® to Sorbathane ® and Superfeet ®. Without a doubt, each has improved the comfort and fit of my footwear to some degree.

This fall we tested the Downunder Blue footbeds by Walkabout International, Inc. Downunders are fundamentally different than traditional insoles in that rather than providing a rigid support for the foot, Downunders are designed to flex and move, and mold to the shape of the wearers foot. The blue model is a more robust version intended for use during higher impact activities such as mountaineering, longer back packing trips etc.

The result is an insole which I found incredibly comfortable "out of the box". Furthermore, Downunders are available in whole sizes, rather than just two to three different sizes, which positions the arch support better for any given size.

Our staff wore Downunders in a variety of shoes and boots ranging from casual mocs to approach shoes and technical boots. In addition to wearing them around town, I put over 300 abusive miles on Downunders during the test period. I wore them trail hiking, running, trail running, backpacking, scrambling, canyoneering, and hauling my kids around Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. The manufacturer asserts that the support provided by the insoles adjusts depending on your body's needs at the moment via the active arch and full length groove. While I can't offer any scientific evidence because they were always inside my boot when I was testing them, I did find Downunders to be very comfortable through a wide range of activities

For overall durability, Downunders are superior to any other insole I have used. Even after fifty miles of demanding use in wet conditions on abusive river rocks, the insoles were completely intact. There were no pieces to come unglued, no layers to delaminate, and no hard plastic to wear holes in my boots.

All the testers agreed fit and comfort was superior "out of the box". This concept was somewhat foreign to those of us indoctrinated to believe that any good insole must be broken in before they are truly comfortable. I found lower leg fatigue and downhill toe-slap were significantly reduced when using Downunders on long hikes or with very heavy loads.

One of the great things about Downunders is they are machine washable. Just toss them in the wash on cold and air dry to clean off dirt and trail grime. The PU construction doesn’t absorb foot odor, so shoe funk is kept to a minimum.

Summary: For about the same price as competitive footbeds (about $30), Downunders are a great buy for the money. They may very well last longer than any other insole you have owned. Fit is great from day one, and only gets better. Downunders are available for a wide variety of uses.

For more information contact:
Walkabout International Inc.
www.downunders.us
PO Box 4729
Sunriver, Oregon 97707
541-598-2285

Matt Smith is the canyoneering specialist at GearReview.com, and almost always carries to much.