Insoles in wading boots - what is everyone using?

[jbeck]

I have a pair of Dan Bailey wading boots. Inside, there is (or was) a very thin insole. I've gotten some good use out of them, but everytime I would take off my waders at the end of the day, that insole would pop out. I guess it popped out one to many times and I didn't see it, because I am missing it now. The boot isn't so comfortable with no insole...

What do you guys use for insoles? Does something like a cheap Dr. Scholl's insole work? Do you glue them in using shoe goop or something? I don't want to lose any more of them (especially when I don't notice it until the next time I fish, and then spend hours standing in an uncomfortable boot!).

 

[KeithS]

The insoles should be loose, to remove for drying. Their only purpose is to give the neoprene stocking foot something less-abrasive to rub against. Just get the cheapest you can find and a couple of extra pairs for replacements.
Check the dollar store.

 

[PatrickC]

And now for the nerd answer... The young guys can get away with the cheap insoles that provide no support. They recover quickly from a long day of wading and suffer little fatigue. As we get older, a little support goes a LONG way. Dr. Scholl's inserts are a poor value because they are made of materials that flatten and bottom out pretty quickly...even the $40 custom fit version they have now is not nearly as good as the marketing.

I really like and recommend the PowerStep Orthotics (I have no vested interest in this company). They are generally less than $40. These inserts have a polypropylene arch covered with soft materials. The Polypropylene will last indefinitely and you can pull the inserts at the end of the day and let them dry (as suggested above). Well worth the investment if you are experiencing a lot of foot pain and fatigue at the end of a long day of wading.

Foot and ankle reconstruction is what I do...so for once, I ain't just blowing smoke ;-) I recommend these inserts to patients all the time when their insurance does not cover custom orthotics and have had really good results with them for a lot of foot issues.

 

[dryflyguy]

I've been buying my wading boots a size larger - so that I have room for 2 pair of thick socks for wading in cold weather.
However, in summer, I don't need to use those socks for warmth.
So, I've been using cheap in soles just to take up the room then
The gel soles do this quite nicely, and are very comfy on my feet

 

[LongWader]

Thanks Patrick! Sounds like a great idea.

 

[nymphingmaniac]

in insoles of higher quality wading boots like the upper end simms (rivershed on up) last the life of the boot and take hundreds of hours to wear down.
Like patrickC wrote, essential for those of us who are 40+ and fish long days

 

[elonDO]

I'm a sports medicine doc & agree with PatrickC. The Powerstep orthotics are definitely good, I have a pair in my golf shoes. In our office we use a lot of the Hapad Comf-orthotic sports replacement insoles and that is what I have in my Simms Wading boots - I have the Rivershed and insoles just starting to break down on me after 3-4 years. They have some built in arch support & are easy to remove to dry. Price is about $20 shipped to your door with priority mail, cheaper if you do regular mail. I have no vested interest in the company, but it is a great product. Happy feet certainly make for a better day on the water!

 

[PatrickC]

elonDO wrote:
I'm a sports medicine doc & agree with PatrickC. The Powerstep orthotics are definitely good, I have a pair in my golf shoes. In our office we use a lot of the Hapad Comf-orthotic sports replacement insoles and that is what I have in my Simms Wading boots - I have the Rivershed and insoles just starting to break down on me after 3-4 years. They have some built in arch support & are easy to remove to dry. Price is about $20 shipped to your door with priority mail, cheaper if you do regular mail. I have no vested interest in the company, but it is a great product. Happy feet certainly make for a better day on the water!

I disagree with one thing in your post... If you are going to be a fisherman, you have to drop that nasty golf habit 😛int:

 

[pcray1231]

Maybe the ortho/sports medicine guys on here can help. This is less of a fishing problem and more of a walking problem, though it has popped up in fishing situations before. First, yes, I'm overweight, though this started before I was overweight, basically out of high school.

My problem is the calf. In length it covers the entire thick area from the upper ankle to near the knee, but only on the outsides. Both legs. Kind of a burning sensation that gets unbearable when I walk distances and get a good gait going. But it's not just tiredness, sitting in my office I can point my toe towards the outside, or press on that spot, and make it hurt, like the muscle is eternally sore. Been that way for over 10 years now, really.

It usually acts up early in a trip, before I'm "loosened up", but stretching doesn't seem to help. It doesn't bother me when the gait is uneven, like walking in the woods. It's only when walking on roads and trails where you have that steady gait going. And when it acts up, I can stop for a minute, take the weight off, it goes away within a minute or so, and I'm good for another 5-10 minutes of steady walking. By the end of an active day I'm loosened up, it's still there, but not nearly as severe.

It's not the end of the world. When walking for distance I just have to stop and rest more than I should, and it's not from being gassed, hot, or exhausted. Annoying, I'm sure for those I'm with too.

I went to a doctor once for it. He first ruled out circulation diseases, though that was a long time ago. He seemed like he was "guessing", but said that I had high arches, and prescribed orthopedic inserts. I tried them for a few years and they did nothing, perhaps made things worse. I don't use them now, but I haven't gone back to a doctor.

I think it's just in the way I walk. I push off the inside, front of the ball of my foot and big toe, like I'm pushing outward. I always notice the treads on my shoes wear out there first, right on the extreme edge. Can't seem to change it though.

 

[tennjed]

Superfeet insoles for me. I've been using them in my wading boots for two years and haven't had any issues.

 

[PatrickC]

pcray1231 wrote:
Maybe the ortho/sports medicine guys on here can help. This is less of a fishing problem and more of a walking problem, though it has popped up in fishing situations before. First, yes, I'm overweight, though this started before I was overweight, basically out of high school.

My problem is the calf. In length it covers the entire thick area from the upper ankle to near the knee, but only on the outsides. Both legs. Kind of a burning sensation that gets unbearable when I walk distances and get a good gait going. But it's not just tiredness, sitting in my office I can point my toe towards the outside, or press on that spot, and make it hurt, like the muscle is eternally sore. Been that way for over 10 years now, really.

It usually acts up early in a trip, before I'm "loosened up", but stretching doesn't seem to help. It doesn't bother me when the gait is uneven, like walking in the woods. It's only when walking on roads and trails where you have that steady gait going. And when it acts up, I can stop for a minute, take the weight off, it goes away within a minute or so, and I'm good for another 5-10 minutes of steady walking. By the end of an active day I'm loosened up, it's still there, but not nearly as severe.

It's not the end of the world. When walking for distance I just have to stop and rest more than I should, and it's not from being gassed, hot, or exhausted. Annoying, I'm sure for those I'm with too.

I went to a doctor once for it. He first ruled out circulation diseases, though that was a long time ago. He seemed like he was "guessing", but said that I had high arches, and prescribed orthopedic inserts. I tried them for a few years and they did nothing, perhaps made things worse. I don't use them now, but I haven't gone back to a doctor.

I think it's just in the way I walk. I push off the inside, front of the ball of my foot and big toe, like I'm pushing outward. I always notice the treads on my shoes wear out there first, right on the extreme edge. Can't seem to change it though.

There are numerous things that could be Pat. Folks with a high arch foot type do tend to have very tight calf muscles and in general do benefit from consistent calf muscle stretching.

The doctor you mentioned previously thought you might be describing claudication because you get pain in your calves with activity that is relieved with rest. You are young and I would assume not a smoker...the likelihood of you having vascular disease is very low. I suppose an exercise induced compartment syndrome is not out of the question, but not that common.

High arch foot type patients do tend to get 3 common issues over time.

1) Forefoot Pain
2) Midfoot Arthritic Pain
3) Peroneus (longus &/or brevis) Tendinitis

The pain you describe is most consistent with the peroneus muscles and tendons. The simple thing to try is adding a 1/8" lateral (outside) heel wedge to your orthotics and see if that reduces the strain to your lateral calf muscles during activity. And, calf muscles stretches like a mad man. Do a Google search on stretching the peroneus muscles. It will take a good period of time (1-2 months) to get the full effects of the stretching. Make it a habit and be consistent with it forever.

That is most likely the issue if the problem improves with activity. If you are getting pain and spasms at the end of long activity, that is more consistent with the muscles splinting a problem in your foot. That requires a more thorough work-up and exam. But, it sounds like peroneus muscle strain to me based on your pain location & pattern description.

$1200.00 please ;-)

 

[Lonewolve]

Danner Airthotic insoles ,I never used them till a few years ago in my hiking boots,now i use them in work boots and i have a pair to go in the riversheds too.

 

[pcray1231]

According to the attached picture, it's definitely the peroneus brevis. The muscle, as the pain when walking is up in the thick part of the muscle, just below the thickest part of the calf. There is no foot pain.

But just sitting here and running my finger along the whole muscle, it's all sore to the touch, but there's a very sharp pain point down in the ankle. Just above and behind the ankle bump. That doesn't hurt when I walk, just when I press on it. Like I said, been this way 10+ years now. Suppose I should take another shot at professional help.

The problem improves with activity, THAT day, as in loosening up later in the day. But in multi-day periods with a lot of activity it is noticably worse. For instance, in hunting season, we usually put on 10ish miles 4 or 5 days in a row. Each day is worse than the last.

 

[elonDO]

I certainly agree with PatrickC that does most likely sound like issue with peroneal muscles. If it has been on-going for >10 years it is likely some sort of bio-mechanical issue and the heel lift should hopefully help. Exertional compartment syndrome could also be possible, but like PatrickC said, relatively rare. Hope you get it cleared up!

 

[PatrickC]

Pat, I have knives and will travel.... I kid..... I'm 99 .44% sure it is mechanical in nature. Unless you have all of sudden become a world class athlete, knives are not in your future.

You're an engineer. If you do a little more research on the cavus foot type and peroneal tendinitis, the mechanics should make perfect sense to you. Then the stretching and lateral heel wedge should make sense.

To be honest, if you are going to seek further professional help, I would consider a sports med doc or even physical therapy initially. Most foot and ankle guys are not as anal about mechanics as I am and will likely just stick you in a new $300 orthotic or an even more expensive brace for their benefit. Good luck with it.

 

[pcray1231]

Thanks man, any recommendations on the heel wedge and where I could get it? Willing to give it a shot for sure. Probably would get 3 or 4 pairs and put em in all my shoes rather than trying to transfer em all the time.

When I went to the doctor before he prescribed inserts with a high arch built in. This did NOT work, I think it made it worse.

Thank you, by the way, I feel like I am closer to understanding this thing than I ever have been. It's not exactly been a terrible handicap, but certainly a chronic annoyance!

 

[PatrickC]

You are correct, a total contact medial arch in an orthotic for a person with an high arch is the worst thing you can do for them. Because of your high arch, you are already supinating (the opposite of pronating). When you build the arch too high...it just makes that process even worse. Although high arch foot types do benefit from an orthotic for many conditions, I do more adjustments to the arches in them than I do for flatfoot patients.

You can just Google "lateral heel wedge" and it will give you several purchase options. I would start with 1/8" wedges. Most people do not need 1/4" wedges.

The reason I will never be one of those financially wealthy doctors, Pat, is because I am more interested in getting a thorough history from folks, doing a thorough exam, and then helping people understand their pathology. When patients understand what they have, they are much more compliant with treatment, and ultimately get better quicker with less cost to the health care system. Unfortunately, that takes time and we don't get paid for that kind of time. We get paid by either performing procedures or running you through the office like cattle. I do a lot of procedures because I'm a surgeon, but I refuse to rush patients through the office. I will get out of medicine before I do that. Oh yea...I just happen to be married to an engineer that supports my practice of medicine habit ;-)