Fab or flub?: Dr. Scholl’s insoles bring sweet relief, but not to all

Whenever I think of shoe insoles, my grandmother comes to mind because, over time, I’ve come to associate them with the elderly. That changed when I injured my leg running, and suddenly was in the market for a pair of insoles to comfort my own feet.

Confined initially to mostly flat shoes (I’ve since graduated to being able to wear shoes with a slight heel occasionally), I complained to my physical therapist that he was limiting my fashion choices.

He ignored my complaints, however, and suggested I consider using insoles. I took the suggestion lightly and was slow to action, but once I decided to look into the matter, I figured there was no better brand to go for than Dr. Scholl’s.

Turns out Dr. Scholl’s has insoles for all different kinds of things, which made picking out a pair pretty challenging. Finally, I settled on a pair of DreamWalk 16 Hour Insoles (available at Target for $7.99).

For those not familiar with the brand’s DreamWalk line, it is a collection of insoles for women that claims to transform even the most uncomfortable shoes into wearable ones.

Featuring an ulta-thin design, the DreamWalk 16 Hour Insoles reportedly have great shock absorption and offer wearers comfort all day and night. With my insoles in hand (or should I say shoe), I set off to put them to good use.

First impression

At first, it struck me as odd that there was only one size available. Unlike other insoles, the DreamWalk 16 Hour Insoles are a one-size-fits-all product that claims to accommodate sizes 6-10.

While still in the package, they definitely appeared to be on the small side, but since my feet are somewhere between a size 6 and 6 1/2, I thought they’d probably fit.

Turns out I was right. Unlike my boyfriend, who had to trim down the insoles he purchased, these slipped easily into the shoes that I was wearing at the time. As stated on the packaging, the insoles are thin, and I found this a plus because you don’t have to worry about your feet suddenly feeling cramped in your shoes.

Pinching an insole with my fingers, I found it soft and pillowlike. For the most part, the insoles seemed to be exactly what I was looking for.

Fab or flub?

Flab! Do these insoles work? The answer is yes. During the time that I’ve used Dr. Scholl’s DreamWalk 16 Hour Insoles, they have provided my feet with much needed comfort and have allowed me to wear shoes that I probably wouldn’t have been able to wear while my leg was injured.

Whether I’m on my feet all day or wear shoes with a substantial heel, they’ve kept my feet (and me) feeling happy and pain free. In fact, I’ve enjoyed them so much that I still wear these insoles daily to add extra cushion to all of my shoes.

Unfortunately, I found one problem with the product that prevents me from recommending them to everyone.

The DreamWalk 16 Hour Insoles are not big enough to accommodate all sizes of feet (despite the size 6-10 claim). They fit nicely in the majority of my shoes, which are mostly size 6, but when I tried slipping them into a couple of shoes sized 6 1/2, they did not fit the full length of the shoe.

Although this didn’t seem to cause much change in the comfort I experience, I can only imagine how it might affect the comfort of someone with much larger feet.

I’m not sure what the product designers at Dr. Scholl’s were thinking when they decided to label these insoles one-size-fits-all. If anyone else has tried this product, I’d love to hear what you thought of them and whether you were able to make them work for you.

This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 2:49 PM.