Superfeet Readies Carbon-Plated Insoles For Running And Cleated Sports

Forbes

4 days ago

Superfeet will debut the Run Pacer Elite fully carbon fiber insole plate for running in October.
As Superfeet nears 50 years making insoles, the Pacific Northwest brand did more than redesign a logo and packaging. Superfeet now readies a fresh approach to carbon fiber that can help turn the most comfortable and durable running shoe into carbon fiber-plated footwear. And that's just the start, with plans for a carbon-fiber model for cleated footwear coming next.
'Back in 2013 we pioneered the use of a hybrid polymer of plastic and carbon fiber blended together,' Matt Gooch, Superfeet vice president of product and innovation, tells me. 'Since that time, we have utilized it a lot in our product line, but we have never had a full 100% carbon fiber component.'
That changes in October with the launch of the Run Pacer Elite insole, a full-length carbon fiber plate created in partnership with Carbitex that includes layers of super critical foam. Gooch says the carbon allows for incredible flexibility in one direction and then extreme stiffness in the other that changes based on the amount of pressure placed on the product.
At slower speeds, the insole offers dynamic stability in the propulsive phase and as forces get higher—as speeds get faster—the unique properties allow the plate to engage sooner and get stiffer for a longer portion of the gate cycle. Basically, the harder you work the carbon fiber, the longer it provides propulsive benefits, Gooch says.
Superfeet has nearly 50 years of insole history.
Superfeet has paired the carbon fiber with the brand's SuperRev high energy return foam, with layers of foam beads and a foam bed. The combination gives runners improvement in stability, up to 40% better forefoot stability based on testing, Gooch says. The foam also allows the insole to retain the classic Superfeet shape and provide a responsive feel longer in the motion.
Gooch says that a carbon fiber insole gives runners more flexibility in their training. It can allow them to add the insole to a training shoe that might fit them better, be more comfortable and more durable, still dialing up high-performance experiences. For someone with a shoe rotation, Gooch says they can tune that experience further with a carbon fiber insole by making long runs feel snappier or adding pop to a tempo or workout shoe. For someone who a carbon-plated shoe isn't an option, adding the insole will provide the benefits longer because the insole can be moved from shoe to shoe.
'We are trying to create this space where more people can hybridize and control the experience they want from their footwear when training,' Gooch says. 'This empowers them to stay moving and stay training.'
As more running shoes enter the market with carbon fiber part of the equation, Gooch says getting the technology as close to the foot provides the most benefit. An insole is as close as you can get and with a plate that isn't at a set curvature, offers more personalization than many other products.
Superfeet will debut a new Sport Ultralight lineup of insoles in early fall.
'What is unique is the combination of the things we are putting together,' Gooch says. 'The combination of materials and the build that we have with the Carbitex plate delvers something very interesting and unique.'
One challenge was creating a product that wasn't duplicative of the brand's already large portfolio of running insoles. Gooch says they worked to amplify performance while refining the brand's position in the space. 'This doesn't feel or perform like any other product,' he says. 'It still has the Superfeet shape, it is incredibly durable and we deliver on those expectations, but it is going to feel different. I think that is something we are really excited about.'
The Run Pacer Elite has a running-specifc design with contours through the arch, a cut-away for heel strike and a design that allows the big toe to do the heavy lifting of stability.
With such a focus on running for the first carbon fiber product, the Cleat Insole adds to the lineup in early 2026. And it looks quite different. Designed with sports such as soccer in mind, Superfeet took a minimalist approach because of the style of footwear. The carbon fiber plate had to accommodate the pivot points and flexibility needed in the foot while still allowing the wear contact with the individual cleats. It made for a completely unique plate design.
'There are probably a lot of people who could benefit from these insoles who never thought of wearing insoles in the past,' Gooch says. 'We had to think: 'How do we give them a really compelling reason?''
The Cleat Insole is narrow to fit inside cleats, has a cutout on the heel to not add heel height, doesn't feature a uniform stiffness—as the angle increases it gets progressively stiffer—to fit with the needs of cleated sports and has overlays in high friction areas to keep the foot connected. The insole also features SuperRev foam.
As Superfeet starts exploring the fully carbon, specifically sport world of insoles, Gooch says the Run Pacer Elite will serve as the jumping off point. 'We are really excited,' he says, 'about our continued evolution of what Superfeet has been doing. We can take the footwear you already trust and find ways to amplify the performance in ways that haven't been available from an insole.'