SUPER INSOLES

A super insole uses the same responsive, energy-returning foam and carbon plate technology found in super shoes but refocuses those advantages for everyday footwear. Unlike standard insoles in your favorite shoes, super insoles aim to help maximize metabolic efficiency while adding stability and support.

Simply put, ache less with super insoles after being on your feet for long periods. This all-new approach to insoles can boost performance and reduce foot fatigue, meaning you can use less energy for the same distance or go farther without more effort. See "Energy Return" section below.

A “super shoe” (or carbon fiber-plated shoe) is a type of lightweight running footwear that pairs a carbon fiber plate with thicker, more responsive foam (e.g., PEBA) soles (see MIT Tech Review definition). This combination is regulated by World Athletics, the international governing body for track and field, which sets and enforces the technical standards for all competition-legal athletic shoes, including foam stack height and rigid structures (Book of Rules).

Until recently, this combination of footwear technology has been utilized primarily for performance shoes for professional athletes and running enthusiasts. Check out two recent super shoe launches that utilize ARRIS carbon fiber plates and Pebax polymer foam: Brooks Running Hyperion Elite 4 PB and Craft Kype Pro.

When combined with a stiff, full-length carbon-fiber plate or rods, the thick, responsive foam stack absorbs impact and returns energy, giving you a powerful feeling of propulsion and reduced fatigue.

After top runners wore the carbon-plated Nike Vaporfly 4% at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Nike released super shoes to the public in 2017. Since then, almost all long-distance records have been broken by athletes wearing super shoes (shoutout to Nike for popularizing super shoes).

Yet, despite their growing popularity, 92% of Americans are unfamiliar with super shoes. Among the 8% who do know about them, only 27% own a pair (2023 ARRIS Consumer Report).

The AURORRA By ARRIS Carbon Fiber Insoles are recognized with the Seal of Acceptance by the American Podiatric Medical Association: READ MORE >

Today, it helps reduce fatigue in your feet, muscles, and joints—boosting performance whether you’re playing sports or engaging in the everyday athleticism of life. As for tomorrow, better insole support can lower the risk of injuries, and many users report fewer aches in their feet, knees, hips, and lower back.

Note that a very stiff plate isn’t always recommended for runners, as it can cause feet to become weak. Often, runners are advised to train in less stiff shoes to maintain foot strength, using stiffer plates only on race day. Our insole offers a medium stiffness that’s great for training ahead of race day, allowing runners to get comfortable or familiar with the feeling of running in a plated shoe.

Plus, since it’s an insole, you can use it in multiple shoes; not just your trainers. Transfer it between athletic shoes, work boots, or lifestyle footwear.

Additional information to explore:

• Doctors of Running: "PEBAX® material specifically seems to have the best energy return of the foams on the market." READ MORE >
• Scientific Report: "Stiff insoles appear to add an extra gear unavailable to the human foot, which can enhance muscular performance..." READ MORE >

While foam insoles offer energy rebound and comfort, they alone don't provide the necessary stiffness to optimize energy storage and return; even high-performance foams such as PEBAX can benefit from being augmented with a stiff plate. Adding a carbon fiber plate brings two key benefits:

1. Enhanced Stiffness: The high stiffness of the carbon fiber plate minimizes energy loss and improves both metabolic and biomechanical efficiency.
2. Improved Propulsion & Support: The shape of the carbon fiber plate increases forward propulsion, helps distribute stress evenly, and provides additional support, resulting in greater stability and more effective directional motion.

In combination, the carbon fiber plate and foam insole work together to enhance energy return, stability, and propulsion, leading to improved athletic performance and comfort that foam alone cannot achieve.

Think about walking in deep, powdery snow: it’s soft, but your feet sink and slip in every direction, which makes moving forward difficult. Running in a shoe with only thick foam can feel similarly unstable. Now imagine walking on packed snow or a gentle slope—that added firmness guides your steps and makes walking easier. That’s exactly what a carbon fiber plate does in a high-stack foam shoe: it pairs with the foam to give you both softness and stability for a smoother, more efficient run. Each offers strong benefits on its own, but together, they deliver a superior (or “super”) advantage.

If you’re on your feet all day—standing, walking, or running—a higher energy return can make a big difference.

• 48× More Energy Return* Than Standard Footwear Insoles
• 10× More Energy Return** with a Carbon Plate Than Pebax Foam Alone
• 3.6× More Energy Return*** with AXA Insoles in Popular Lifestyle Shoes vs. Standard Stock Insoles

A super insole approach balances softness and rigidity to help reduce physical fatigue over the same distance or let you go farther with the same effort.

1. * Comparison test of insoles directly against standard insoles (no shoes).
2. ** Comparison test of Pebax foam-only insoles versus foam with ARRIS carbon fiber plate.
3. *** Comparison test of shoes with original insoles versus the same shoes with AURORRA By ARRIS insoles.

The AURORRA By ARRIS (AXA) insole is half the weight because the plate is made by ARRIS using an ultralight, aerospace-grade carbon fiber technology instead of a traditional solid weave… the one and only insole featuring an ARRIS advanced carbon fiber with a responsive, energy returning Pebax polymer foam.

Also, the AXA insoles are not too thin and not too thick for most everyday footwear styles at approximately 5.5 mm thick (+0.50/-0.50 mm) because many athletic, casual, boots, dress shoes, sneakers, and specialized shoes come with basic stock insoles typically 3 mm to 5 mm thick.

Moreover, the organic geometries made possible by advanced composites deliver a more natural feeling of stiffness as compared to an old school solid plate because engineers and designers can now tune the stiffness in specific regions instead of a generic or uniform approach—ok, now we're just geeking out too much over innovative composites (learn more about ARRIS Technology).

Another major advantage is sustainability: traditional methods rely on non-reusable plastics and are highly wasteful, whereas ARRIS carbon fiber composites reduce material usage and waste and allow for recyclability.