TEGACarbon Fiber Insole (1 Pair) - for Turf Toe, Foot Fractures, Hallux Rigidus and Limitus - Rigid Shoe Insert for Sports, Hiking, Trekking, Basketball, Running - Alternative to Post Op Shoe

I got these particular insoles based on the recommendation of my podiatrist. I have flat feet and now being in my 70s, I have been experiencing some pain and swelling after a lot of walking, hiking and when backpacking. Upon opening the package, I was surprised with how rigid the insoles are and my first thought was that they would be uncomfortable. Quite the contrary, I've had them now for a few days and have already noticed a significant difference when walking and being on my feet all day doing things like yard work. The pain I had been experiencing just a short time ago is basically gone and my feet feel a lot less stressed afterwards. The instructions received with them are clear and simple - remove the inserts in your shoes, place the insoles inside (they can be flipped over to fit left or right shoes) and then place the inserts back in. They are lightweight carbon fiber, so they add virtually no weight to the shoe. I thought that with the additional insole, my foot might be cramped inside the shoes, but that was not the case. I am a (Men's) size 10 and they fit perfectly in my walking shoes, hiking boots and yard work boots. I am very satisfied with both the quality and performance of the insoles in addressing the problems I have been having with my feet.

Needed these as transition from stiff boot used for broken foot back to shoes. They are hard to get into your sneakers because there is NO flex to the carbon-fiber… that’s the whole idea, after all. Needed to wear so I could continue to heal from a 4th metatarsal stress fracture. Work great and are lightweight. Ordered same size as the shoe I wear (followed product instructions) and the product fit perfectly in my shoe (slightly smaller than the shoe insole). These provide hood stability and rigidity without needing to wear a bulky “boot”.

Make sure to check whether you need contoured inserts or flat ones before you purchase. I believe these are good quality inserts, and many shoes work well with flat inserts. However, I was unable to use them in my gym shoe because they don’t drop down into the toe of the shoe due to being flat. This made my gym shoe too tight. I realize that this is specific to my foot and my type of shoe, and may not apply to others.I give the seller A+ for customer service.

Received these a few days ago, and so far so good! I'll update this review after I've used them for a few months. They come with a 3-year warranty, which is nice. Wearing these under the insole (or a custom orthotic) of an athletic shoe or sneaker reduces my sesamoiditis pain by making my foot less flexible and providing more stability. I don't find them too narrow in width, unlike some other reviewers. They're thin in depth, so they add hardly any thickness to the sole, which is helpful for fit. And surprise surprise, they're even compact enough to fit into ballet flats! (Pic looks a bit funny, but the whole shoe and insert flatten out when wearing the flat.)

My son had broken the 5th metatarsal on his foot and the Orthopedic Surgeon told him to wear a carbon fiber insole for a period of time post surgery as his foot healed. I researched different carbon soles and chose these and am glad I did. Nice firm support and they look as though they would last forever. My son's foot is now healed and when I removed the insoles they had not lost any firmness; same as straight out of the package.

Read if you have this condition and are wondering if this insole is right for you: I bought these because it said in description “The Rigid Shoe Inserts reduce the pressure between the metatarsal joints and toes and help reduce foot pain and foot recovery” I have average feet and in my case the insert actually increased the pressure on this region. I had hoped that by being rigid it would somehow spread the load, but in my case it did not. With my existing shoe without a carbon insole the pressure of my weight was taken mostly by my big toe, but as I walked the load would spread into the 2nd metatarsal region as I flexed my foot and pain ensued. I had hoped that by stopping the flexing across the width of the ball of my foot with the carbon insole it would protect the 2nd metatarsal area from flexing. In fact what is did was spread the load evenly and due to the rigidity it did not give my toes the ability to slightly adjust to ease the pain, and instead caused me to feel the pain more of the time, rather than less. Upon trying this style of insert and researching it more I now realize that the foot mechanics and its interaction with the shoe/insole are complex and very individual to the issues one has. Some more specific insoles for 2nd metatarsal protection are not rigid at all, offering pads for their claim to relieve pressure in that region. However I’ll now go to a podiatrist for advice rather than Dr Google. Good luck!

I ordered both these and a cheaper pair for recovery after foot surgery. These seem to be a little thicker and firmer than the cheaper ones. Time will tell how they compare, but seem to be holding up well so far. I did put 10 miles one day on them and no signs of degradation.

I don’t see any difference