Buying a boot without a custom footbed is a bit like purchasing a luxury car that has been outfitted with economy car seats--why on earth would you want to? It's true enough that every shoe and boot does come with its own built-in footbed, but according to both Tony Tadin, president of Arch Crafters, and Evan Wert, marketing manager for Superfeet, those "footbeds" are simply designed to inexpensively offer a "new car feel" and are more fillers than functional parts of the shoe.

Why don't boot manufacturers who offer a $150 and up boot put higher quality footbeds in their boots? Cost is one factor, but fit is the overriding concern. Consider that the foot consists of 26 bones and 109 ligaments and that the multitude of foot shapes, contours and curves as well as an individual's body support needs and requirements vary widely. The best a manufacturers can hope for with an insole is to ensure that their boot feels comfortable out of the box and offers a universal fit, within certain parameters.

That is where the custom footbed comes in. A good footbed that is fit to meet the needs of the user serves to customize the fit of the boot, give it a more personal feel and puts the foot in the right places inside the boot and keeps it there. In other words the footbed is an integral part of the boot's fit and performance--essential gear if you will.

Still think that a footbed is not important? Then ponder this: according to the Michigan Podiatric Medical Association, the average person will walk 115,000 miles in their lifetime and that they will take between 8,000 and 10,000 steps every day. Each step exerts a pressure as much as three to four times a person's body weight on the feet--more with a backpack on. An average day of walking brings a force equal to several tons to bear on the feet. No wonder your "dogs" are tired after a long day in the woods

High End Performance

• Arch Crafters; (800) 356-FOOT Creates individual and computerized files of your feet using a digitized molding process. The image of your foot is sent via modem to the milling center in Santa Clara, California where they will custom mill the footbed and send them back to you within 48 hours.
• Superfeet; (800) 634-6618 Trim-To-Fit footbed program offers off the shelf custom fit performance for you at an economical price. Some stores also use their Custom Fit footbed program which relies on an in store, non-weight bearing fitting procedure that custom molds a footbed to your foot using a vacuum process. For those on a budget:
• Frelonic; (800) 669-0364 Orthopedically designed five-layer insoles with a lightweight shell and memory foam core for added comfort.
• Spenco Medical; (800) 877-3626 Sorbethane inserts for shock absorption. If you need a little extra warmth for the digits to go along with the support:
• Heat Factory; (714) 472-8928 Heated footbeds with an orthopedic design and a footbed cavity where a Heat Factory footwarmer may be inserted.