The Carbon Fiber Advantage

Carbon fiber plating is driving a lot of hype in the athletic footwear space, and for good reason. Shoes with carbon fiber plates are designed to provide notable performance benefits. Both hobbyist and professional athletes might notice a difference between carbon fiber plated components and their regular training shoes.

At INSITE, we know that carbon fiber plates can’t do it all alone. We’ll discuss the benefits of carbon fiber plates, and how, when paired with the right insole foam, these benefits can be enhanced.

Carbon Fiber Plates and Performance Benefits

Carbon fiber plates are typically made with a polymer resin and reinforced with fibers made from carbon atoms. The result is a component with an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and finely tuned rigidity. Carbon fiber plates can be built into either the insole or the midsole, typically as a shank plate to provide structure, stability, and high energy return across the arch.

Carbon fiber plates offer significant benefits especially to athletic shoes:

• They are extremely lightweight and durable. Carbon fiber plates offer performance benefits at a lower density and higher longevity than other rigid backing materials.
• They are designed to improve running economy. Carbon fiber plates can act like a lever that propels your body forward as your foot pushes off the ground. The design can also help to constrain excess foot movement to improve the efficiency of your body’s biomechanics.
• They can increase power and agility. The quick snapback of carbon fiber plates can add explosive energy return to a shoe. The shape and application can also be engineered for the needs of a specific sports (for example, tennis shoes may benefit from horizontal carbon fiber plating to support more side-to-side movement).

Carbon Fiber Plates in Sports

In recent years, running shoes are where carbon fiber plates have had the most visible impact. They are the foundation of the “super shoe” phenomenon, helping running pros break world records at an unprecedented rate. The effect has been so profound that some governing bodies have stepped into regulate them for international track and field competitions.

Today, many high-performance footwear brands offer their own versions for both professional and recreational runners. You can also find carbon fiber plates in soccer cleats, football cleats, and basketball shoes. They’ve even popped up in the market for some some work boots! For now, the research continues to see just how far carbon fiber plates can go.

Carbon Fiber Plates Are Just One Part

Carbon fiber plates have incredible benefits. To make the most of them, they need to be paired with the right insole and midsole foam. The foams need to be lightweight and durable to keep up with the low-density impact resistance of the carbon fiber component. They also need effective, balanced cushioning to counteract the rigidity.

You can check out INSITE’s durable poured PU and high rebound foams to build out your  carbon fiber plated components:

• Levation™ Rebound 0.20D poured PU insole foam offers excellent shock absorption and shape retention with over 50% resilience and exceptional long-term compression set.
• The upcoming Pulsion® Ignite 0.12D ETPU insole foam delivers both explosive 60%+ energy return and long-term durability for high-performance athletic applications.