Test Overview: Impact Attenuation Test for Insoles

The Impact Attenuation test measures how well an insole absorbs and reduces the force of an impact. This is particularly important for extreme sports like skateboarding and snowboarding, where the feet experience significant forces during landings, tricks, or sudden impacts.

In this test, the heel section of the insoles (both FP Insoles and Remind Insoles) was subjected to an impact force under controlled conditions. Here’s a breakdown of the test setup and the forces applied:

Test Conditions:

• Impact Energy: 37.5 Joules (J). This is the amount of energy the insole is expected to absorb when impacted.
• Striker Mass: 5000 ± 10 grams (approximately 5 kg). This is the mass of the object that strikes the insole.
• Impact Area: Heel section of the insole. The heel is one of the most critical areas in extreme sports for shock absorption, as it bears a large portion of the landing force.

The striker (a weighted object) was dropped onto the heel section of the insole to simulate real-world impact during skateboarding or snowboarding. The transmitted force measures how much of the impact force is transferred through the insole to the foot. The less force transmitted, the better the insole is at protecting the foot from injury.

Results:

• FP Insoles (Sample A): The transmitted force was measured at 11.8 kN and 11.7 kN (kilonewtons). This low level of transmitted force indicates that FP Insoles provide excellent shock absorption, effectively reducing the impact force transferred to the foot and minimizing potential injury.
• Remind Insoles (Sample D): The transmitted force was measured at 24.5 kN. This is more than double the transmitted force of FP Insoles, meaning the Remind Insoles fail to absorb as much impact. Higher transmitted force can lead to a higher risk of injury, especially during intense physical activities.

Full test reports can be found HERE  ,  HERE  and  HERE

We sent more insoles to Intertek, the leading Footwear testing company to measure the kN (Kilonewtons) absorbed by the insoles at levels of Joules we determined to simulate the ground reactive forces generated by action sports.

We even sent OLD and USED FP Insoles.

Intertek dropped an anvil representing the heel of the foot onto the heel section of each insole while a force plate below measured the amount of kN transfered into the plate.

It is of note that 2-4 kN is generated while jogging/running and up to 13kN is generated while jumping in place.

We then sent the used FP Insoles to Intertek and they beat every single new Remind Insole in lab impact tests.

FP INSOLES reduced the impact to a similar level as an average human
jumping in place while Remind Insoles Impact line were far inferior in absorbing the
impact energy that causes injury. We had to reduce the joules from 37.5 to 25 in
order to get the Remind Insole Medic $55 to perform like the used FP Insole did at 37.5 Joules.
It should also be worth noting that the Remind insoles will not maintain the
same level of impact energy absorption after multiple
impacts like the FP Insoles do.

As a reference, running generates 2-4 kN on average while jumping in place
can generate up to 13kN. 6kN is enough to snap a bone by falling directly on the arm, etc.

• How many consumers bought Remind insoles due to the false/misleading video and claims?
• Were consumers fooled into paying more for a product that performs less?
• If consumers knew the actual amount of energy they absorbed would they have purchased them?