As a kid, my Dad would tell me that if he ever wanted to know where I was or what I was up to he would just look at which shoes were NOT on my shelf.  I had shoes for all occasions, shoes that met the demands and practicalities of sports and work - and they all had to fit with just the right amount of support and cushion. 

But not many shoes (if any) had the support and comfort where I wanted and needed it most: the insole - the part of the shoe your foot actually contacts and feels. So I was always strategically adding a little cork here and a little cushion there for that extra support, comfort and fit.

Factory insoles typically are not well cushioned and if they are do not last very long; and the footbed it sits on is usually flat and unsupportive.  How can a shoe truly provide “support” if your contoured 3D foot sits on a FLAT platform?  The right blend of midsole materials and densities may keep the shoe from rolling too far inward (pronating) but there is nothing inside the shoe and under your foot to provide support to the various contours. 

There is a big difference between the midsole and the insole of a shoe when it comes to support and comfort.  It’s like driving a car with great suspension and tires, but the seat is made of plywood.  Not very comfortable for the driver!  This is where a good “replacement insole” comes in to play.  Its job is to supplement a shoe by providing additional support and comfort where you need it most – directly under your foot. 

Fast forward a few decades or so and support, comfort and fit continue to be important to me both professionally and personally.  As a physical therapist for 24+ years I worked with a wide range of clients, including elite athletes from various sports.  In an effort to optimize function and comfort and return a client to full health as quickly as possible, the use of insoles and custom orthotics was often part of the treatment, and I became familiar with just about every replacement insole on the market. 

And as someone who works on his feet all day, runs and prefers to walk when playing golf, my feet and legs feel appreciably better with extra support and cushion inside my shoes.  But despite years of sampling and testing the multitude of replacement insole options available, I never found one that offered the combination of support and comfort required to satisfy the needs of my clients or myself.  Those that came close quickly lost their cushioning and had little to no real support, or they had good support but were hard and uncomfortable, despite claims to the contrary.

So, after years of research and testing what seems like all materials known to man, I decided to design an insole that offers what I believe to be an optimal blend of true support and durable, responsive comfort.  I call them Cadence insoles because of my work with runners and the importance of cadence for running efficiency and injury prevention. 

So that’s the story of how Cadence insoles came to be.  I believe we produce a high-quality product at a tremendous value, and like many Cadence customers, am confident you will agree.  Feel free to let me know what you think. 

Sincerely,

John Hinds
Physical Therapist
Founder, Owner
Cadence® insoles