Even the most established footwear brands seek validation that their shoe lines are delivering on the expectations of their customers. Having a firm grasp on what will generate sales and create longtime customer loyalty is what drives success.
INSITE’s data-driven insole design process gives footwear brands a significant competitive advantage because we’ve already done the research. Footwear brands that use INSITE insoles in their shoe lines know they’ll be delivering on the comfort, performance, and support their customers want.
We know research and testing can be costly and time-consuming, and many brands have sales data and market trends to support product designs. But why not go one step further and put an insole in your shoe line that’s been validated with a biomechanics research process and crowdsourced testing?
INSITE’s biomechanics research process comprises three primary tests: comfort, endurance, and balance.
Comfort: We use plantar pressure mapping to refine both the design of our insole and our foam selection. Pressure mapping allows us to visualize the pressure generated onto an insole by a foot in a shoe and identify common pressure points and hot spots. Additional psychometric testing also helps us quantify the user’s perceived comfort levels, with in-depth questionnaires that tap into the user’s experience with each individual component of the shoe and insole.
The Goal: This part of our biomechanics research process is aimed at reducing hotspots and redistributing pressure for a more minimal impact on gait. Evaluating specific pressure points and how different insole shapes and foams respond during movement ensures that our insole designs enhance a wearer’s comfort level.
Endurance: We measure oxygen consumption and muscle response during athletic activity while an individual uses an INSITE insole. Endurance testing helps us understand human movement on a deeper level and tie it directly to our insole design and the type of foam used to make it.
The Goal: The goal of our endurance testing is to determine the level of performance the insole can support, and ensure it is appropriate for the type, duration, and intensity of movement required by the specific footwear product. Identifying an insole that can support the demands of distance running versus one that can stand up to a 10-hour day on the job means our insoles uniquely match the activity for which your footwear is designed.
Balance: It’s not just about comfort and endurance. Everyone from daily walkers to marathon runners benefit from greater stability. We use 3D motion capture to track the body’s center of mass in real time while using INSITE insoles and force plate testing to assess underfoot stability.
The Goal: Because these data are based on real human movement, we gain a better understanding of the ways in which our insoles can support balance – for which activities and movements. Therefore, you’ll know that our insoles will stand up to the demands of your footwear customers for whatever activity they’re engaged in.
Our data-driven approach includes wear testing through MESH01, which provides reliable feedback from qualified testers who use your footwear the way it’s intended. Hiking boots or orthopedic shoes can be tested by individuals in your target market, and we get feedback on their experience with your footwear – and our insoles – so changes can be made before going to market.
If you aren’t sure what your customers are looking for from your next footwear line, or you think you know but could use some validation, we can give you an edge with insoles that are proven to fit your footwear.
Last month we sat down with INSITE Biomechanics Research Lab Assistant Lily Bartel to discuss her research as she completes her master’s degree at Oregon State University and how it relates to her work with INSITE.
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