I have flat feet, and it hasn’t really been an issue when I’m skating. However, I am 42 now, and I’m currently filming for a video part that has me taking the occasional drop off stair sets and hitting some incredibly rough street spots. I wanted to see if the Remind Insoles could help make street skating feel a little easier on my flat feet so I could start to stack clips faster for my part.
Now, here’s the spoiler, the Remind Insoles absolutely do help, but I learned a few things about their fit and overall experience that you’ll want to read about if you have flat feet and are considering these insoles too.
The Model I Reviewed
I tried he Remind Destin Impact 5.5MM Low-All Arch Insoles in the Santa Cruz Screaming Hand Collage Collab design. They cost $45 and you can find them here.
The Destin model is made specifically for flat-footed skaters because it corrects your foot’s alignment and relieves the pressure in your foot by offering a low-profile arch support.
It’s worth noting that you’ll want to make sure you get the right model of insoles for flat feet or very low arches. If you don’t get the right model, you can actually overcorrect your arch and cause other types of foot pain for yourself.
The Main Benefits of Remind Insoles
Remind insoles are designed to keep your feet comfortable and supported so you can skate longer by offering the following benefits:
- Maximum Impact Protection / A state-of-the-art cushioning that’s built to absorb higher impacts, giving you comfort and support to skate stair sets, larger drops, and rougher pavement. Many skaters say that Remind insoles helped to alleviate their back, knee, and ankle pain by absorbing shock from hard landings.
- Better Stability & Alignment / An engineered arch shape that aligns your foot and body better than most stock insoles. This improves your stability while you skate. Remind’s foam is designed to create a personalized fit that promotes even weight distribution.
- Customized Comfort / They feature Self-Forming Technology, meaning the insoles will custom mold to the shape of your specific foot over time for a perfect fit and even pressure distribution.
- Lasting Freshness / They use anti-microbial and moisture-wicking materials to help keep your feet dry, cool, and smelling better.
- Reduce Shin Splint and Plantar Fasciitis Pain: Many skaters say that Remind insoles helped to reduce the pain they feel with shin splints and plantar fasciitis due to these offering better arch and heel support.
Review Rating
The Remind Insoles Destin Impact 5.5mm for Low Arch Support earned a 4.35 out of a possible 5.0 rating. These insoles were rated on a 5-point scale based on the criteria that matters most for skaters with flat feet or low arches, including stability, comfort, support, and board feel.
| Considerations | Rating Out 5 | Score Out of 100 | Weight / Importance to Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort | 4.25 | 85 | 25 |
| Impact Protection / Shock Absorption | 5.00 | 100 | 20 |
| Board Feel | 3.38 | 67.5 | 15 |
| Arch Support & Alignment | 4.38 | 87.5 | 15 |
| Fit and Shoe Compatibility | 3.50 | 70 | 5 |
| Stability / Support | 4.25 | 85 | 5 |
| Durability | 5.00 | 100 | 5 |
| Moisture Wicking | 4.75 | 95 | 5 |
| Overall Quality | 5.00 | 100 | 5 |
| Weighted Score | 4.35 | 87 | 100 |
How They Feel to Skate In
Once I found the right skate shoe to pair them with, I got to appreciate just how and comfortable they feel to skate in.
The real highlight with this particular model is their impact absorption. When I took drops off taller ledges, I really started to notice how much of the impact they would actually absorb.
If you’re taking drops from loading docks or stairs, these will work out exceptionally well for you.
They also noticeably dampen the vibrations of rougher street spots. If you’re skating on really rough pavement, your feet won’t vibrate as much, which will make your feet hurt less and allow you to skate a little longer. These reduced the noise my feet had to absorb while I skated the streets.
The Main Con to Consider
If you’re not taking large drops and if you don’t mind the vibration of the streets, they can take some of the board feel away while you skate.
That’s really the main drawback here. Can you get used to skating with a bit less board feel?
If you’re the type of skater who needs a lot of board feel, these might not be for you. Or, you’ll need to experiment to find the right level of thickness of your insole to get the level of board feel you want.
What to Know / The Fit Challenges I Ran Into
The first thing to know is you’ll want to buy the right level of thickness insoles for the fit of your shoe. Mine were to thick for the minimal sized down shoe I like to wear.
I usually skate the Adidas Busenitz, and I size down half a size. I am a men’s 8.5 and skate in a men’s 8.0. I do this because I love the way the Busenitz feels once it stretches out perfectly to my feet. There is no extra material to mess my flick up or extra bulk to the shoe. It’s just sheer perfection for me. But the thing about the Busenitz is that it’s a narrow, pointy shoe, with minimal material, and even though it’s a cupsole, it’s a very minimal cupsole shoe without a lot of space to add a thick insole to it. That’s the trouble I ran into when I tried to add the 5.5mm Remind insoles to my sized-down shoe. They just packed it out too much for me to appreciate their comfort or stability. I started to get blisters.
What to Know: Use the Remind Insole Finder Quiz Tool to be sure you get the right insole for you. Remind’s quiz tool on their website will help you find the best insole for your foot type and specific needs. I strongly recommend you use it so you find the right insole from the start.
Originally, I didn’t, and adding them to a shoe that didn’t have a lot of room was actually pretty uncomfortable, and I ultimately decided to take them out and size up my shoes to my normal 8.5 size to make it work. If I had bought the right insoles from the start, I could have avoided that. Once I got the right fit, I started to appreciate just how soft and comfortable and supportive they were.
What to Know: Some shoes feel better than others with these insoles.
You should know that not every shoe is going to work as well with the Remind insoles. The biggest factor is your fit and how much extra space is available to you in your shoes.
For example, I put them in an old beat-up pair of the Etnies Marana, which is a deeper, almost ’90s-style cupsole shoe. They fit great with Remind Insoles and actually added a few extra days to a shoe I had already retired. They actually worked better than in the sized up version of the Busenitz (which is a minimal cup sole style shoe without of extra space).
The general rule is this: If your current skate shoe already comes with a thicker, impact-absorbing stock insole, a thicker Remind Insole should work as a direct replacement. However, if you’re trying to put a thick Remind Insole into a shoe that has a very thin stock insole, it will likely feel too tight and pack out the shoe to the point of being uncomfortable.
The Flat Feet Verdict: Do Remind Insoles Help With Skateboarding?
Do I think it actually helped me, having a flat foot and using Remind insoles? For some things yes, but for others no.
It worked exceptionally well for taking impacts, and they did feel noticeably soft.
I just think that for the shoes I like to skate in, I would have benefited from doing the quiz ahead of time and buying thinner Remind Insoles.
So the real answer is to try them for yourself, and see if they help you. If your feet hurt less, continue running it, and if you don’t seem to notice, you likely don’t need these.
So Are Remind Insoles Worth Getting for Your Flat Feet?
If you experience foot pain while you skate, then you should absolutely get these insoles.
Here are the main reasons why you should consider Remind Insoles.
- You want to skate in total comfort.
- You want to reduce foot pain and need some stability and support to keep your sessions going.
- You want to absorb the shock of consistently taking drops or skating on rough ground.
While not everyone’s foot is the same, if the reasons above sound good to you, chances are good that you will benefit from skating in these insoles.
Where To Buy
You can buy Remind Insoles from the official Remind website or Amazon.
Q&A
Are Remind Insoles Good for Skaters With Flat Feet?
Yes, Remind insoles are perfect for someone with flat feet because they offer arch support and shock absorption while improving stability. They also dampen the vibrations you feel while skating on pavement by around 30%. The only thing you’ll want to be aware of is that you want to match the fit of your shoes to the insoles. If your fit is tight, get a thinner insole, and if your fit is loose, get a thicker one.
Does Everyone Need Remind Insoles?
No. If you don’t feel any pain in your feet while skating and you aren’t taking impacts, you might not benefit from Remind insoles. These are not meant for everyone. They are best suited for skaters needing extra support and impact protection.
How to Ensure You Buy The Right Remind Insoles?
Use the Insoles Finder tool on the Remind Insole website. This will help you match the right insole thickness and style to your needs and your specific skate shoe.
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Steve Weber is the passionate snowboarder, skateboarder, and author behind Board of the World. He understands that most gear reviews focus on having the perfect snow conditions, but his testing methodology is different. Living in Pennsylvania, Steve describes exactly how a board performs when the conditions aren’t perfect. His reviews cover performance on ice, hardpack, and flat-out brick conditions. In other words, he reviews boards for the conditions that East Coast riders actually face.
Bringing 27 years of East Coast snowboarding and 21 years of skateboarding experience, Steve is a 42-year-old intermediate park rider. His recommendations are informed by decades of battling icy conditions, ensuring every review accounts for the board’s performance on the roughest of terrain.
For the last five years, Steve has poured his passion into writing in-depth, unbiased reviews that help riders make informed decisions about the gear they’ll use. He also works part-time at a snowboard shop in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which gives him a direct line to learning about the new gear tech months in advance. When he’s not writing reviews, Steve is often found riding at Montage Mountain and testing out new boards.
Steve’s goal with Board of the World is simple: to help every reader find the right gear so they can have fun outside from the first time they use it.