Overview
We at Endurance Sport were fortunate enough to test the Currex line of running inserts this summer. The brand is known for its innovative products designed to aid the body’s natural biomechanics rather than forcing a particular movement pattern on athletes. I was intrigued by the company’s offerings when the call came down the line, as I have been largely unimpressed with the inserts I have worn in the past. I explained to our contact that I typically ran in fairly minimal shoes and didn’t have any particularly profound gait abnormalities. I supinate a bit on the left side, but that is most likely due to running on a cambered road surface for many years. After this brief introduction, I was sent to the CurrexSole website to complete their online analysis program.
On the site, I was asked my preferred sport (running), my arch type based on the classic “wet footprint” test (medium), and my leg axis angle at the knees (normal). This is far more detailed than most insert tests, and is fairly close to getting custom orthotics without the foot-casting and expense. The’ RunFree-Medium’ insole was recommended for me after my consultation and personal testing, and the inserts arrived at my doorstep in a timely manner.
Product Impressions and Applications
When I received my new CurrexSole inserts, I was excited to take them out for a spin. I had raced the previous night, and figured I could use a bit of extra support on that day’s recovery run. The package read that there were five chief marketing points for the soles. These were “ultimate heel fit, moisture/odor management, dynamic arch technology, forefoot propulsion, and shock absorption.” While several of these could be deemed quite subjective, I was willing to test these features for myself before passing judgment.
I was first struck by how light the inserts were when I pulled them from their packaging. At 1.44oz for my size medium, one could easily race or complete faster workouts in these without sacrificing a competitive shoe weight. That is a very nice feature unto itself for those who complete regular speed training.
Before I could run in the inserts, I had to trim the edge down to fit my size nine shoes. This was easily done with household scissors and the soles have clearly indented lines indicating where to cut for various shoe sizes. I wondered for a moment as to which shoes I should try them in first, and eventually decided to go with a pretty low-profile pair of Pearl Izumi Road N0s to make sure they would fit in more “natural” shoes as advertised. These Pearl Izumis have a snug foot box, and the insole that comes standard with the flats is wafer-thin. I removed those, and was pleasantly surprised that the CurrexSole slipped right into the shoe with very little manipulation. When I put them on my feet, there was no profound snugness or heavy arch contact like I’ve experienced with other inserts.
On the run, my stride felt very balanced and the light arch support was nice under my right foot where I have had plantar fascia discomfort in the past. The cushioning provided is less than a typical SuperFeet insert, but the rigidity is also much less pronounced (which to me was a good thing). This allows for greater mobility of the muscles in the feet without any negative “casting” effect that can cause the feet to weaken over time.
When I described these inserts to a few of my coaching clients, I told them the Currex worked like Braille for your feet and toes. The little abrasions on the surface of the insole simply guide your foot to a balanced ground-strike; they don’t force anything to take place biomechanically. If you have been wearing thick, heavily-supportive trainers in the past and want to move to something less structured, you’ll feel the RunFrees awaking “blind” muscles and subtly altering dormant muscle patterns.
Conclusion
For the $45-50 price tag, these inserts are well-worth the small investment to use a daily training aide or injury preventative when you have an issue.
The post CurrexSole RunFree Review appeared first on Running Shoe Reviews. Written by Endurance Sport