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Boy, have baseball cleats come a long way from the all-black, logo-less conformity they were before Adidas and Nike brought the modern era of sports shoes. Still, baseball action tests the feet unlike other sports, and because of that sometimes ballplayers still need special insoles inside the cleats.
Because of this, there are a lot of different types and styles of cleat insoles. Since we often publish reviews of cleats, we felt an obligation to provide this, our look at the best insoles for cleats for the modern baseball player.
We tried to offer not just a ranked list, but a group of very good to excellent baseball cleat insoles to meet a range of desires, from pain or injury avoidance, shoe comfort, boost in performance, special protection of a foot part, pricing, and more.
Summary
- It was a tough choice, but we found way too much to like with the CURREX CleatPRO Insole , which we feel is the best for playing baseball.
- The Sof Sole Athletic Gel Shoe Insert is not far behind, with an orthotic design emphasizing performance that no ballplayer will protest.
- The brand carries significant value with the Dr. Scholl’s Athletic Series Sport Massaging Gel Advanced Insoles. ~ pretty much top-of-the-line for feet matters.
- Interested in a bold new product, then check out the EasyFeet Flame Boost Athletic Shoe Insoles ~ which uses terms not typically used in this industry.
- For the younger players we point to the Ailaka Kids Orthotic Cushioning Arch Support Shoe Insoles and its details just for smaller baseball players.
- Our no-frills suggestion is the Amitataha Memory Foam Insoles which depend on, well, memory foam. This is the lightest, lowest-priced insoles model on our list.
Who Needs Insoles for Baseball Cleats
It’s a given that baseball players are hard on their feet, and the various parts connected to the feet. The game involves sprinting full speed, twisting and pivoting on the balls of the feet, serious inner-ankle tension from squatting, impacts stomping on bases, etc.
Even the best of the newfangled modern cleats don’t always provide every feature a player needs, or they do ~ but the cleats just don’t seem to fit perfectly. Insoles for baseball cleats can be beneficial for a number of reasons:
Comfort
Baseball cleats, especially when brand new, can be rough on parts of the feet, especially the arch, and balls of the feet. Those first few weeks, the spikes can hurt up front, or the shoe might be a tad too stiff, causing arch pain. A decent insole can address all those challenges.
Arch Support
The arch is probably the biggest trouble spot on the feet of baseball players. There’s just a lot of torque forced upon the entire length of the foot, like when pivoting during swings or throws, and the tension aggravates the tendons and ligaments in the middle. A lot of players use insoles with big arch support all the time, either for constant comfort at a sore point, or to help the cleats fit better.
Padding for Heel
Heels are also a challenge for baseball players. The heel is just a bone that stops at the ground, with little padding between it and the hard dirt. In baseball, the heel also stands atop 3 or 4 spikes that may or may not be very giving. Mark McGwire had serious heel issues, and he’s not alone among ballplayers.
Padding for Balls of Feet
Ditto for the balls of the feet, which stand atop 1 or more cleats all the time, and get a lot of sideways torque from all the twisting involved with baseball play.
Moisture Absorption
Baseball players sweat a lot, or they may play games in regions with a lot of rain or mist. Running on grass can get the feet quite wet, and playing the rest of a game with wet feet grinding sand or tiny pebbles inside the cleats can be miserable. A lot of players want something inside cleats to wick moisture away from the skin.
Odor Control
As with any shoes for strenuous human activity, baseball cleats can stink after a while. If it’s not the player’s own odor, sometimes a field’s grass or fertilization sticks with the shoes ~ and must be masked.
Our Choices: Top Insoles for Baseball Cleats
1. Best Insoles for Cleats Overall ~ CURREX CleatPRO Insole
Analysis
Among the many high-quality cushioning for shoes, we found the CURREX CleatPRO Insole the best for baseball play. For everything a ballplayer might want from the extra help in the shoes, this model delivers, with an array of impressive features.
There are other cleat insoles that come close, but the more we inspected the details of the CleatPRO, the more we liked it. What stands out? Let’s start with a very well-designed arch that fits nicely on the inside of the foot, for both comfort and support, maybe the best anatomic support we found.
We also very much like the attention to applying some sort of grip element on the bottom, so the insoles don’t slip around during the many tense moments that occur in baseball games. Finally, there’s significant heel support, and layers to both wick away moisture, and attack odors (with a charcoal layer).
Specifications
- Material(s): Urethane Foam
- Weight: 6.4 oz. (less than half a pound)
- Special Feature(s): Super-grip technology on the underside to prevent slippage inside the cleats and improve control; PORON Heel to cushion and absorb shocks.
What We Like
- Extra attention where it’s most wanted, like the no-slip design on the bottom, or the great heel support
- Perhaps the best-designed arch we found
- Layers specifically to address moisture and odor, separately
2. Best Insoles for Cleats Runner Up 1 ~ Sof Sole Athlete Gel Shoe Insert
Analysis
Just like the product outlined above, the Sof Sole Athletic Gel Shoe Insert is an orthotic design with an emphasis on performance ~ which every ballplayer wants most. Tack on gel pads in the heel and forefoot for supreme comfort, and you have a fine lightweight accessory for your baseball cleats.
The HydroLogix moisture-wicking treatment is among the very best at keeping the feet dry and cool, and the manufacturer added just enough odor control details to make parents happy. All in all, this model might have the very best-placed gel modules.
The heel and forefoot cushioning is significant, and overall this model is very well-priced considering the true quality offered.
Specifications
- Material(s): Rubber and gel
- Weight: 6 oz.
- Special Feature: HydroLogix moisture-wicking treatment
What We Like
- Attention to detail in the moisture and odor control areas
- Well-placed gel modules in the heel and forefoot pad
- Nicely priced for the quality
3. Best Insoles for Cleats Runner Up 2 ~ Dr. Scholl’s Athletic Series Sport Massaging Gel Advanced Insoles
Analysis
It’s hard to imagine a review of shoe insoles without mentioning Dr. Scholl’s ~ and in fact we quite easily could have topped this list with the Dr. Scholl’s Athletic Series Sport Massaging Gel Advanced Insoles. As there are no big baseball brands like Rawlings or Wilson making cleat accessories, this manufacturer is about as top as you can get in terms of brand trust.
The company has just been delivering a lot of quality shoe insert models for a lot of years. The number of buyer reviews indicates this model is quite popular, and this is the lowest-priced insoles package among our Top 3 here. The key is the quality of the gel, for the “softer, bouncier” feel that the company promises.
Dr. Scholl’s lists its intent in headlines in its marketing materials: for “Superior Shock Absorption and Arch Support to Reduce Muscle Fatigue and Stress on Lower Body Joints.” All that, it does, and does well. Baseball players spend a lot of time standing around on their feet, and these insoles help keep stress on joints and feet to a minimum.
Specifications
- Material(s): Rubber and gel
- Weight: 5.9 oz.
- Special Feature: Specially engineered gel for as much bounce as you can get out of gels
What We Like
- Brand trust for this particular product
- Bounce in the gel to help out the joints that take a beating in baseball play
- Very well-priced
4. Best Up-and-Coming Insoles for Cleats ~ EasyFeet Flame Boost Athletic Shoe Insoles
Analysis
Sometimes you see a new product in a sporting goods category, and you think, “I like where they’re going with this.” That’s the feeling we got with the relatively new EasyFeet Flame Boost Athletic Shoe Insoles.
There are minute details that hint at something special. Start with the cover of the foam, which is described as “velvety” and “breathable” ~ a couple of attributes longtime ballplayers can associate with. Officially it’s called a “soft, orxinilite layer,” aimed at allowing better circulation of air, and with it absorption of moisture. Moisture-wicking treatment helps to manage temperatures, and combat odor.
Flame Boost is designed specially for high-intensity sports, and baseball has a lot of very high-intensity stop-and-start or quick-fast-sprint moments. The special gel in the heel and forefoot are placed just right, and we like the fact that the padding covers the entire foot, heel to tip of the toes, unlike many insoles out there.
Specifications
- Material(s): Thermoplastic urethane (TPU) arch; polyurethane (PU) foam layer; gel pads
- Weight: 5.6 oz.
- Special Feature: Orxinilite foam layer, velvet-like to the touch
What We Like
- TPU in the arch is as sturdy as possible, while remaining flexible, a great application in the perfect spot
- PU foam layer’s equal distribution of weight and load
- 1-year “guarantee,” with free shipping, and a “100% refund if you weren’t satisfied with our product for any reason.”
5. Best Insoles for Cleats for Kids ~ Ailaka Kids Orthotic Cushioning Arch Support Shoe Insoles
Analysis
The Ailaka Kids Orthotic Cushioning Arch Support Shoe Insoles impressed us with the attention to details specifically for younger and smaller baseball players. What really sticks out here is the support for the arch ~ a typical spot for foot pain.
The arch support is made of firm foam up to 3.5 cm tall, for complete coverage of the entire arch area. We emphasize this because that middle of the foot, arch area changes monthly as young players grow, and as such it’s the last place you want pain at early ages.
Additionally, there’s the heel cup which looks like the biggest of the insoles models we found. We like that this holds a key part of the foot with a single piece, like a sleeve. Such a configuration should prove ultra comfy for the player.
The primary material is polyurethane foam (PU), for excellent cushioning, to go along with durability (important for young players who can be brutal on the cleats including their insides). The chef’s kiss is the breathable fabric on top which helps keep feet cooler and wicks sweat and moisture.
Specifications
- Material(s): Polyurethane Foam
- Weight: n/a
- Special Feature: Anti-slip stripes on bottom to prevent slipping inside cleats
What We Like
- Superb arch support for the age levels
- Single-piece, enlarged heel cup
- “100% no risk money back guarantee”
6. Best Insoles for Cleats for Softness ~ Amitataha Memory Foam Insoles
Analysis
We had to include the Amitataha Memory Foam Insoles as a no-frills option. Use of memory foam sure makes those first few steps super comfy ~ maybe as comfortable as you can find. However just understand that for baseball play, you might have to replace these more than other models.
But at the lowest price point among the models in our list, that might not be a drawback at all. Buy several and know your little player will at least have comfy feet standing out in the field as his pitcher walks batter after batter.
Everything else you’d expect is there: plenty of cushioning for shock absorption, solid arch support, the same velvet-like softness that other manufacturers brag about, etc. A final touch is that this is the lightest insoles you’ll find on the market.
Specifications
- Material(s): Polyurethane foam
- Weight: 3.2 oz.
- Special Feature: Choice in types of high arch support; look for either the yellow version which is soft memory foam material, or black which means more elastic.
What We Like
- Memory foam application; sheer softness at least early on
- Very light in weight
