The Best Insoles for Figure Skating Ice Skates
Why a custom insole can make a huge difference to your comfort and performance while figure skating, and what to look for in a good insole.
Adding the right insole to your figure skates can make a huge difference to how much you enjoy time on the ice. Insoles can make your skates more comfortable. They can also reduce pain and prevent fatigue over longer skating sessions.
Best of all, having a good insole can actually help improve your skating. But which insole is the best for your skates? In this post we’ll discuss why SOLE footbeds are the very best any skater can get for their skates.
Can you put insoles in your figure skates?
Let’s answer the most pressing question first. Yes! You can definitely put insoles into your figure skates, as long as you have the right insole. This means something that’s thin enough not to take up too much space within the skate’s boot.
The best figure skate insoles will add comfort and prevent pain in your boots without changing the way the skates fit. This probably means using a thin insole, with a supportive structure, like the SOLE Active Thin footbed. Our footbeds work excellently to replace the factory insoles for Riedell, Jackson and other major skate brands.
A few great options of SOLE footbeds for figure skates.
Arch support insoles for figure skates.
The best insoles for ice skates will feature a good supportive arch. Most skates will come with a flat and flimsy factory insole that does nothing to help your feet feel comfortable and supported while you skate.
Adding an insole with arch support to your skates will reduce strain in your feet, and help preventing fatigue. Less fatigue means less chance of injury, and also means you can enjoy skating more, for longer.
SOLE footbeds all boast our Signature Supportive Shape, with an arch that’s clinically proven to reduce strain in your feet by an average of 34%. This arch support is excellent for anybody who suffers from plantar fasciitis or other foot ailments.
Insoles to make figure skates more comfortable.
The best insoles for your figure skates should add comfort by supporting the foot where it needs it most. A bit of cushioning is great if you need it, but the most important thing is to give your foot structural support in all the right places.
The SOLE Signature Supportive Shape mentioned above combines arch support with a deep heel cup that cradles your heel and supports it from all sides.
When you add this support to your skates, they take on a totally different feel. Your skates feel like they fit you better and are more connected to your feet. The more connected you feel to your skates, the more connected you feel to the ice.
This sense of connectedness is enhanced once the SOLE footbed has custom molded to your unique feet.
Custom moldable insoles for figure skates.
One option for getting custom comfort in your skates is to get a prescription made orthotic that can cost $400 – $600. SOLE footbeds offer a similar level of custom orthopedic support for a fraction of the price, by molding to your feet as you wear them.
Over a few wears, the footbed gets more and more comfortable as the arch support adjusts to your unique arch, and the base molds to your foot shape. You can also speed up the molding process by heat molding the footbeds in your oven at home, no special equipment required!
When your footbeds are customized to your feet, the insoles cradle your feet even more evenly and consistently. This helps you feel even more connected to the inside of your boot and the ice below. The custom molded footbed also helps to distribute pressure evenly through your feet as you skate, adding to the sense of stability in your skates.
These factors can combine to make you feel more comfortable on the ice and improve your skating overall, especially when it comes to improving your alignment while you skate...
Insoles for overpronation in figure skaters.
Proper alignment of your body is crucial in figure skating. Having your hips, knees, and ankles aligned is important for staying well balanced, absorbing shock on landings, and preventing injuries.
One of the most common alignment issues for figure skaters is overpronation, where the ankle rolls inward within the boot. This results in the knee bending inward, or the hip thrusting outward to maintain balance.
The combination of arch support and a deep heel cup in a SOLE footbed help to maintain the foot in a nice neutral position within your skate’s boot. The insole also prevents rotational forces within the skate from pushing you out of alignment.
Better alignment makes for more efficient, safer skating, with less risk of injury. It also has the added benefit of preventing excessive wear on the skate’s boot. A small investment in SOLE footbeds can thus both improve your skating, and save you money on replacing your skates.
Figure skate insoles with a built-in metatarsal pad.
If you suffer from tingling or numbness in your toes, or pain in the ball of your foot while skating, you should consider an insole with a built-in metatarsal pad. The metatarsal pad is a small bump in the middle of the insole that supports your foot’s bones in their natural spread.
By supporting your metatarsals you also support the foot’s transverse arch – the arch that runs across the foot from side to side. This helps to increase a sense of space in your skates. A metatarsal pad also helps promote circulation and comfort in the forefoot.
Metatarsal pad insoles are especially effective at providing relief from Morton’s neuroma or metatarsalgia. If you sometimes feel like there’s a pebble in your skate, or you have stabbing pain behind your toes, a Met Pad is for you.
Which SOLE footbed is best for figure skates?
The perfect SOLE footbed for your skate boots will depend on how the skates fit. We would normally recommend a Thin footbed though, as skate boots tend to fit quite snugly.
There are numerous choices in Thin footbeds, but all of them will do a good job. If you tend to get cold feet while skating, you might want to try our Performance Thin. This footbed’s natural cork base is an excellent insulator against the cold.
As discussed above, you also have the option of a footbed with a built-in metatarsal pad, for added comfort or addressing forefoot issues.
If you prefer to skate in thin socks, and your boots don’t fit too snug, you could also go with a Medium thickness footbed. These footbeds will offer a layer of foam cushioning in addition to the supportive shape of the moldable base.
Whichever footbed you choose, if you buy from yoursole.com you're backed by our 90 Day Guarantee. This means you have time to try them in your skates, and if you don't love them you can return or exchange them any time within 90 days of purchase!