Some Benefits, Some Difficulties
I purchased these orthotics from a high end comfort shoe store near Washington, DC and expected to find them selling for quite a bit less on Amazon.  Instead, that high rent store sold them for the same amount as they are offered here ($69.95).  I think that's a rather high price for mass produced insoles----but that said, used in the right application, these things are very nice, very comfortable.<br />I have wide, flat feet----no arch to speak of.  These orthotics offer noticeable arch support and are said to align the foot to take pressure off ankles, feet, possibly even knees and hips depending on your individual situation.  I've had very bad luck with television infommercial orthotics in the past----actually caused a significant knee injury that took weeks to heel and of course, I pitched those.  That same knee had a tingle of looseness the first full day I wore these----but it passed and since then, no issues and lots of comfort----and I wake up the next day without the normal heel pain I've had in the past.  These seem to be doing something right----comfort and possibly taking pressure off my feet.  It's still early (have had them under two weeks) but I'm encouraged----guardedly optimistic.  That's the good.  The bad is that unless you have some extra room in your shoes, these might take up too much space and make your shoes/sneakers too tight.  They might elevate your foot to the point where your heel slips out of your shoe as you walk----if they are low back shoes.  This is a substantial insole.  If your shoes &#34;just fit&#34; and there is no removable insole in them----these won't work.  They will make your shoes too tight to wear.  If you have a removeble insole----it's possible this can replace it and leave you enough room for comfort----but also possible this will be slightly larger/thicker and you'll have the tightness issue.  I've found that for some of my roomier but uncomfortable shoes (like a pair of Puma sneakers), these are wonderful---they make shoes far more comfortable.  But for tighter shoes I have (like a pair of Hippopotamus casuals) these insoles take up way too much space and they made that pair unwearable.  It's case by case.  I suppose if you really like these, you can bring them when you buy a new pair of shoes and put them in before buying.  What I am very curious to find out is how long they will last.  The salesman told me that if I remove them from the shoes daily and let them air out, they can go a couple years.  If that's true, they're probably a good investment.
Rating: 4 stars