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I hope it’s not a hot take to say that insoles (yes, the ones lining your shoes) aren’t exactly a sexy topic. In my mind, insoles are for the elderly, the bunioned, the hardcore -- also known as definitely not me. Well, they weren’t until I discovered Fulton, a new DTC insole company adding a little more pep into everyday people’s steps. Designed to be the anti-Dr. Scholl’s in just about every way possible, Fulton is introducing proper alignment to the 80% of our population who will suffer from foot, knee, hip, or back pain in their lifetime. The best part is that the brand’s approach is simple, affordable and, somehow, pretty cool.
A New Kind Of Arch Support
If you’re like me, you’ve probably already pondered: do I really need arch support? According to Fulton, yes -- you do. The brand’s site offers a lengthy explanation of Dr. Arthur Steindler’s “kinetic chain theory,” which essentially suggests that our muscles, tendons, joints and bones work together in an interdependent system to move our bodies. And the starting place of the entire chain? Our feet.
This means that poor shoe support (which is unfortunately found in most stylish, everyday shoes on the market) doesn’t only affect your feet -- it can disrupt just about every part of your body. While we’ve grown accustomed to retroactively treating isolated areas of everyday discomfort, Fulton believes that by proactively offering proper support to our feet, we can rid our bodies of a lot of everyday aches.
While purchasing proper insoles for your shoes likely isn’t top of mind for your health, it may be about as foundational as eating your veggies -- for your health today and years to come. The only problem? The insole world hasn’t been shaken up in quite some time: insoles have long been either “medical and geriatric and uncool” -- or upwards of $500 per pair, Fulton co-founder Libie Motchan explains. That’s why she and co-founder Daniel Nelson launched Fulton.
Stepping Into A Very Geriatric Space
Of course insoles aren’t a revolutionary invention by Fulton -- as I mentioned above, they’ve been around for years, but they’ve never exactly felt approachable to the everyday person. Motchan and Nelson discussed the idea for a more overall wellness-focused insole after meeting at Wharton’s Welcome Weekend and falling into conversation about their achy backs and feet. As Nelson describes the insoles he tried (and tried and tried) after first chatting about the topic, “they very much had the skiing brand and the hiking brand and the running brand, or Dr. Scholl’s (a more reactive case than proactive wellness case), and there wasn’t really anything that resonated with me.”
The duo initially thought Fulton would become the Smile Direct Club of insoles (meaning you’d make an imprint of your feet, send it to the brand, and they’d create a custom set of insoles just for you), but found through their research that “the additional benefit of having something custom custom is potentially zero -- it’s kind of like a pseudoscience,” according to the podiatrists and chiropractors they consulted.
The duo initially thought Fulton would become the Smile Direct Club of insoles (meaning you’d make an imprint of your feet, send it to the brand, and they’d create a custom set of insoles just for you), but found through their research that “the additional benefit of having something custom custom is potentially zero -- it’s kind of like a pseudoscience,” according to the podiatrists and chiropractors they consulted. What they found instead was that miracle-material cork would do the job for them -- and, exceptionally well.
Credit: @walkfulton
Uncorking Fulton’s Secret Sauce
Sourced from Portugal, Fulton’s cork provides a bouncy-yet-supportive bottom layer to an insole that molds to your feet over time (around 10 hours). It’s also moisture-repelling, anti-microbial, and shock absorbent, not to mention incredibly sustainable (especially compared to the gels and synthetic materials most other insole manufacturers use). On top of each insole’s cork layer, you’ll find a sustainable foam mid-layer and cactus leather top layer; in combination, these materials mean that it doesn’t matter if you have high, medium, or low arches (or, like myself, have absolutely no clue what type of arches you have) -- they’ll mold to your feet as you walk in them.
Fulton seems to have identified and filled every piece of the DTC puzzle: an everyday necessity positioned with better design, elevated aesthetic, more sustainable materials, and cooler branding. Excited to try the brand myself, I got a pair of insoles, slipped them into my running shoes, and hit the pavement.
A Walk On The Wild Side
Motchan and Nelson really hit the nail on the head with the fun and approachable feel of Fulton. Shopping for their insoles is really easy (the site only has one product for now -- you literally just have to know your shoe size and add the insoles to your cart), and the branding and packaging when the insoles arrive are very fun and DTC-y (aka the opposite of just about every other insole on the market). Swapping Fulton insoles into my running shoes was a breeze, and running in them has been a joy from step one.
Motchan and Nelson really hit the nail on the head with the fun and approachable feel of Fulton. Shopping for their insoles is really easy (the site only has one product for now -- you literally just have to know your shoe size and add the insoles to your cart), and the branding and packaging when the insoles arrive are very fun and DTC-y (aka the opposite of just about every other insole on the market).
I definitely noticed my Fultons in my shoes for my first few runs. I could feel a slight pressure and support on my arches during my 10 hour form-to-my-feet period. Since then, I honestly don’t realize that the insoles are even in my shoes -- I just notice how unsupportive every other pair of shoes I wear feels without them. The ironic beauty of a well-made wellness product like Fulton is that you really shouldn’t notice or feel it -- if it’s serving its intended purpose, you get to keep chugging along… happier, bouncier, and healthier. Fulton provides just that.
Happy Feet, Happy Back, Happy Planet
A product that’s better for you and better for the planet is always a win in my book. It’s a pretty amazing feeling to go from not knowing I was even in a product’s demographic to suddenly feeling like I’d love a pair to line each pair of shoes I own. Motchan and Nelson perfected Fulton’s insoles with a post-pandemic world in mind -- and I’m overjoyed to experience life with a little extra pep in my step for the days to come.
It’s a pretty amazing feeling to go from not knowing I was even in a product’s demographic to suddenly feeling like I’d love a pair to line each pair of shoes I own.
5 More Reasons To Love Fulton:
- Proper alignment for the whole body: Insoles aren’t just for foot pain! Proper insoles can help with knee, hip, and back pain, too.
- Approachable and easy to understand: Fulton has departed from overly medical language and technical terms -- their site offers easy to understand information on your feet and health.
- Better for the planet: Fulton prioritizes sustainable materials like cork, foam, and cactus leather.
- Direct to your door: No doctor’s office involved!
- Custom, without the custom price tag: Fulton’s materials mold to your feet naturally after 10 hours of wear.
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