WalkFit Orthotic Insoles Review

WalkFit orthotics are advertised via infomercials. The ad testimonials said that they could help people with foot pain and help correct posture. I ordered them online via our Pricegrabber link rather than ordering them through methods displayed on the infomercial. They arrived swiftly and I was charged only a small shipping charge. I had my friend Will Glessner try them out. He likes wearing shoe inserts with arch supports, whereas I do not. Here is what Will had to say:

"My first impression of the WalkFit orthotics was unfavorable. After careful consideration and use, my opinion got worse."

The WalkFit orthotics are so stiff, and the arch is so high, I can hardly stand having them in my shoes. I can’t imagine anyone trying to run in these without wrecking their feet.

DAY ONE: The orthotics, inserts, and instructions were packaged by amateurs in three different loose plastic baggy things. "Made in China" is hidden but obvious. I'm thinking I'm holding a mass-produced fad.

But they are well made. Loved the venting, because my feet sweat, and far too few orthotics and inserts breathe. The WalkFits have lots of holes for ventilation, and they match spot-on with the vents in the three pairs of inserts.

The inserts were clearly marked with stickers and mold-marks that identified them as "low," "medium," and "high." The stickers are color coded too, but I peeled them off after the first use – they blocked the vent holes. The stickers would have come loose before long. "Left" and "Right" also very clearly marked.

The instructions called for me to pull any existing inserts from my shoes before inserting the WalkFits. Many shoes have inserts that pull out. Mine were glued in. I needed pliers, a putty knife and an hour to scrape the inserts out of my shoes.

Instructions also state that you need to give the WalkFit Orthotics time, with advice to use them for an hour to start, then build up as you gain comfort. Good advice for any orthotic. I slipped them in my shoes and went to check my mail. Made it three steps out the door and said "***** this!" Felt like I was walking on fossilized hamsters. My mail can wait.

DAY TWO: The arch is really high and uncomfortable. I just can’t get past it. But I wear 'em around the house, and sit down a lot as I make the bed and vacuum the floor. Feels like the fossilized hamsters in my shoes have fattened up on fossilized kibble. There is NO way I'm going to try the medium or high inserts. I'm uncomfortable enough already.

DAY THREE: Review the instructions: I’m supposed to anchor the inserts in my shoes using peel-and-stick Velcro dots. I know from experience that the adhesive will not grip the constantly-flexing fabric insole of my shoes. And if I pitch the WalkFit Orthotics, I'm left with glue residue in my shoes. But as the day progresses, my feet do seem to get used to the very stiff, very high WalkFits.

DAY FOUR: The WalkFit Orthotics are still stiff – one measure below metallic. At least they won’t rust. I was hoping they’d loosen up a bit, but that hasn’t happened. I’ll try them in different shoes, because I really want them to live up to their hype.

DAY SIX: I'm remembering the negative heel shoes that were popular some years ago. Turned out that those shoes were bad for your lower back. I'm standing in the kitchen and the WalkFit Orthotics have my toes so high, it’s as though I’m wearing those old negative-heel shoes.

DAY TEN: Walked a half mile to do some shopping. OK, my feet have gotten used to the artificially high arch these orthotics force my feet to adopt.

DAY ELEVEN: Walked to the store, then the library – a distance of about four miles. Wore them for a total of about six hours. If it hadn’t been raining on my way back from the library, I’d have sat on the sidewalk and yanked them out – the arches of my feet hurt so badly.

As I hobbled home the appeal of these inserts finally occurred. They transfer a huge portion of your weight to your arch. I can see that people who have heel or toe pain when they stand or walk might benefit if there’s less weight on those areas. But the arch of your foot isn’t meant to bear your weight. Maybe I should only speak for myself, because my feet hurt, hurt, hurt.

DAY TWELVE: What can I do with these still very stiff, still very uncomfortable, ridiculous nylon fads. Two ideas came to mind. Your dog would just love sinking their teeth in these nylon toys. And I found they make the perfect doorstop.

~ Will Glessner

After Will wore the inserts, I thought I saw cracks in the heel. Will says that those aren't cracks, they are artifacts of the manufacturing process. The WalkFits promise a lifetime warranty for $5.95 shipping and processing.

Will is just one user with one pair of the insoles. Any over-the-counter shoe insert will help some people and not work for others. It is often a matter of trial and error to find what works best for your feet, and that ends up costing a lot of money in trying a lot of things that don't work. Your cheapest route in the long run is to get personal advice from a podiatrist. Search for a local pedorthist shop in your area (such as a shop of the Foot Solutions chain) where they can do a foot analysis and modify inserts and insoles to work better for you at a cheaper price.

While our reviewer did not have a favorable outcome with these insoles, be sure to read the reviews of others for both the performance of the insoles and for the reliability of the company you are buying them from.