Good Feet stores are now found in the Seattle area and I have been asked by several of my patients to provide a Good Feet Store review.
There are many other great shoe and arch support stores in the area that I refer to every day. These include Super Jock ‘n Jill, Sole Perfection, SHOES-n-FEET and Chicks’s Shoes. All of these stores provide expert and valuable service to my patients. I can’t say that the same is true of the Good Feet stores. In fact, it is my opinion that they provide very poor value.
Not a Good Value
The primary problem I have with Good Feet stores and the reason they have such poor reviews is that they are charging hundreds of dollars for arch supports that are, in my opinion, inferior to arch supports that will cost you no more than about $60.
In fact, for the hundreds of dollars we have seen some people spend on Good Feet orthotics you can get a custom orthotic that will almost always do more to reduce pain than any prefabricated orthotic (if the orthotic is made by a skilled and experienced practitioner).
Don’t get me wrong – not everyone with foot pain needs a custom orthotic. In fact, most people will probably do fine with a really good prefabricated orthotic. But if you are going to spend more than about $100, get a custom orthotic from a podiatrist specializing in orthotic therapy.
Poor Arch Support
In addition, from my evaluation, Good Feet arch supports provide very little support of the mid-portion of the arch. They are not bad devices, per se, but they are also not particularly effective arch supports for a majority of patients and they cost many times more than arch supports that in my opinion work much better to eliminate the most common types of foot pain. For example brands like PowerStep, New Balance and Superfeet provide greater support and cost up to 10 times less than Good Feet. Some of our most recommended OTC arch supports are listed below.
Please read this important disclosure about the products recommended in this article.
Recommended Alternatives to Good Feet
For example, one of the prefabricated arch supports I recommend the most is the FootChair Medical Grade Orthotic. This arch support has a significantly higher arch than the 
standard Good Feet arch support and it also includes pads that can be added under the cover to customize the arch height for greater comfort and support.
A number of studies have shown that orthotics with higher arches are more effective at reducing the forces that cause pain in the most common foot conditions. These conditions include:
- Plantar Fasciitis: A higher arched orthotic helps prevent the arch from collapsing and in turn reduces tension on the plantar fascia. You can read here detailed information on how orthotics for plantar fasciitis should function (including the studies supporting a higher arch to treat arch and heel pain). The FootChair orthotic mentioned above is excellent for plantar fasciitis.
- If you prefer a shorter device the 3/4 length FootChair Slim is a very good choice.
If you want a good device for women’s dress shoes, see my recommendation below.
- Ball of Foot Pain: The higher arched orthotic has been shown in a number studies to more effectively transfer force off of the ball of the foot in order to reduce the pressure that causes pain under the forefoot. Read more here about orthotics for ball of foot pain. The metatarsal raise that is found on the standard Good Feet arch support is also effective at transferring pressure off of the ball of the foot but according to most of the available studies it is not as effective as the higher arched arch support. In my opinion a better choice for most people with ball of foot pain is the PowerStep Pinnacle with Metatarsal Pad. This has a higher than average arch and also has a metatarsal pad. This gives you the best of both worlds – the combination of the higher arch PLUS the metatarsal pad does a superb job at reducing pressure on the ball of the foot. You can usually find them for around $40 – which is just a fraction of the price of the most common Good Feet arch support. Currently this Powerstep with Metatarsal Pad is my favorite device for anyone with pain under the ball of the foot including those with Morton’s neuroma, metatarsalgia, sesamoiditis and calluses.
- Bunions and Big Toe Joint Pain: This is the third common foot problem that current studies respond best to an arch support that conforms close to the arch of the foot. The same Footchair or PowerStep orthotics recommended for plantar fasciitis above are excellent choices for anyone with big toe joint pain. You can learn here exactly how orthotics should function to help bunions and big toe joints.
Women’s Dress Shoes: If you are looking for an alternative arch support for dress shoes we usually recommend another FootChair product. The FootChair Slim Orthotic with adjustable arch support has excellent arch support with adjustable arch height and fits in both flats and heels.
A Very Similar Alternative
In a previous blog I compared Good Feet arch supports to Walkfit. Walkfit, I find, is a very similar device in shape to the standard Good Feet arch support in that it has a fairly low arch with a large metatarsal raise. In that blog I go into greater detail on why I give the arch supports from both Walkfit and 
Good Feet an overall poor review.
But in Walkfits favor, in my review of the devices I find that the Walkfit are essentially the same shape (and thus the same type of support) as the GoodFeet devices at about 1/10 of the price!
In that blog, you can also read an online discussion I had with a publicist from Good Feet who tried to argue my points.
You can see the Walkfit Arch Support here.
Let the Buyer Beware
My recommendation is simply “let the buyer beware”. Do your research before buying any over the counter arch supports. In general you can get great OTC arch supports for under $60 that we find are much more supportive than the ones from Good Feet at a fraction of the cost.
Where to Get Arch Supports in Seattle
If you are in the Seattle area you can find a great selection of what we consider much better arch supports at stores such as Super Jock n Jill, SHOES-n-FEET, Chick’s and Sole Perfection. REI also has a wide selection of good arch supports.
If you have a more serious foot condition, would like information on whether custom orthotics might help you or you have tried the OTC arch supports and they just don’t provide adequate relief of your pain then contact us for an appointment.
Updated List of Best Prefabricated Orthotics
I try to update this page pretty regularly, but for our always updated list of the prefabricated orthotics we currently recommend you can go to our Best Prefabricated Orthotics page.
- Do I Have to Keep Wearing My Orthotics if My Feet Feel Better? - November 29, 2019
- Flip Flops and Sandals for Ball of Foot Pain | Podiatrist Recommended - August 5, 2018
- How To Strengthen the Arch of Foot - August 31, 2017
From a fellow foot specialist who has no financial interest in any “orthopedic” shoe stores, I would like to thank Dr. Huppin for taking the time to post this information. I agree that they aren’t selling anything harmful that I know of but the devices they sell are not custom and are quite inferior to true custom devices and to a few over the counter devices as well (as mentioned by Dr. Huppin). SAVE YOURSELF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS- don’t go there!
That’s right… dont go there. From the time you step inside the shop the pressure is on… to sell!
Expensive footwear which they tell you is a must .
Exorbitantly- priced mass produced inserts. Nothing custom made whatsoever. Pressure, pressure, pressure…and elderly people get sucked in. It cost my boyfriend over $600 for ‘treating me’ to their footwear. I was unable to get a refund just a couple of days and never having worn them outside. Yet I tried a few shoes inside…none of which were particularly comfortable. Do yourself a big favour… don’t entertain this company. And by the way, don’t try using the inserts in your normal shoes…they ruin the lining! I am horribly embarrassed whenever I see/hear adverts and testimonials for these things. They are not qualified in podiatry. You are dealing with nothing more than pressurising salespeople.
I am looking at the Brooks Ariel shoe I have pins and a plate in my ankle what is the difference between the 14 and 16 models I have notice that my ankle seems to be turning inward and it swells often is this shoe going to be enough support or should I get insoles also? Are is there another shoe I should be looking at I also need a wide
The 16 is just a newer model. There is no significant difference. I can’t give individual medical advice online but in general someone with a history like yours would benefit a lot from an insole that provides a lot of support. I recommend the FootChair Adjustable Orthotic as the arch can be adjusted for best support.
If that doesn’t work see a podiatrist about a custom orthotic.
Will the orthotic innersoles help spinal srenosis
They are unlikely to help with pain from spinal stenosis.
i am 72 yrs old was having trouble with pain in my hip when i walked. i wish i had done research on good feet before i went there. i am in so much pain after wearing them for a few weeks. the pain is now up and down my leg. I can’t even walk into a store without crying now with the pain. this has been since may of this year 2017. they have exchanged them twice for me but nothing is different. it was a waste of money, I would not recommend them at all. good feet is a rip off
Hi Cecilia,
I just read your post about the good feet store that you did in 2017. I thought I had written it myself when I read it. I too am 72 and have great pain in my hips & back. So much so that I’ve had multiple back surgeries and a spinal cord stimulator implanted, but that’s another novel.
I’ve known for some time now that my right leg is shorter than my left, probably from the years of arthritis in my spine and now scoliosis. My slacks come over my right shoe. So,,,,, I’ve experimented by myself. I’ve been wearing one shoe or slipper around the house, maybe it’s an inch different , but it made a world of difference. I can stand with both knees straight, (not bending the left and putting all my weight on the right leg).
So I thought I would look into the good feet store to see if they could help me, but first I checked the reviews, that’s when I ran across yours. Whoa,,,,, like I said, I could have written it myself. My question is, did you ever get satisfaction for your pain? And if you did, how? Did you go to a Podiotrist? I’m actually thinking about getting something from the drug store to see if it works before I get taken by someone more interested in their pocket than my pain. I know Dr’s. don’t like people diagnosing themselves, but who knows more about yourself, them or us?
I know this was a lengthy reply, but thanks for listening, and if you were to reply to me, I would love to hear from you.
Mary Jean Kowalski
mrsmjski@icloud.com
Total ripoff.Costs $900,If they dont work,they offer in store credit,turns out to be a pair of their shoes .+_ $200.Tonite I see new ad where the Lady shows all the used insoles she has bought,and only shows ONE Good feet insoles (not 3 )as comparison .I would not recommend Good feet store.
Spend over 1000 and still not working for me. What can i do?
Any chance there’s an updated selection of stores/alternative brands? Since your article was written a few years ago…
I update this page regularly. List is current in 2022. You can always find our most updated list of prefabricated orthotics at: https://www.footankle.com/orthotics/off-the-shelf/
Dr. Huppin, I am a 66 year old woman who has child-size feet. My right foot supinates. I can’t begin to tell you how many times this has caused me to trip and fall. Can you recommend an orthotic that will help correct this problem. I do not live in the Washington area so I need a recommendation for place that ships orthotics. Thank you for any help you can give me.
You can’t get an effective custom orthotic online. The function of an orthotic is 90% based on the prescription done by an experienced practitioner and based on a comprehensive exam. Your best bet is to find a podiatrist near you who specializes in orthotic therapy. If that is not possible, our current list of prefabricated orthotics can be found here:
https://www.footankle.com/orthotics/off-the-shelf/
I paid tax and all $1900.00. Waste of money. Have to tear shoe supports out to put good feet inserts in. I dont know what I was thinking of, but I feel like this is a scam. I did not have money to spend like this, but I was never told to go home and think about it before investing in these. One of the cushion inserts. A piece came off and to get another set would be $50.00. Dr. Scholls is not that much.
What would be good inserts for calluses in the ball of thr feet?
Here are our home treatment suggestions for ball of foot pain (including insert suggestion):
https://www.footankle.com/self-care/ball-feet-pain-home-treatment/
Here are suggestions for home treatment of ball of foot pain, including recommended arch supports:
https://www.footankle.com/self-care/ball-feet-pain-home-treatment/
I wasn’t aware going into the good feet store that my arch supports would be so costly??
I was an owner before I knew it- shame on me.
Buyer beware. I also went there with high hopes. I developed plantar fasci. I bought the 300 arch support, did what they said and they made my foot worse. I should have just gone to the podiatrist and had an ortho made. A 900 plan is absurd and a total rip off. If they advertised that there would be no good feet store. They really are a rip off.
I went in thinking it was just a mechanical fitting and should provide some relief. After getting the plastic inserts, my pain actually increased severely after spending all that money. Anyone looking for treatment for plantar fasciitis or other issues with foot pain and walking, go to a podiatrist with an education and training rather than store clerk who was working next door at a chicken restaurant 2 days ago. These stores are a sham and you could go to Walmart and the Dr. Scholl’s fitting station and fare as well for a lot less money. They offered store credit and I commented “Great, I can buy more inferior product. Please refund my money and I will leave or I can stand here and advise other victims as they come into the store.” They threatened to have me removed and I said OK I will just stand outside the store. They said they would issue a refund. It never arrived and when I returned the sales person was no longer working there. Horrible experience.
I wish I had read this before I invest a ton of money, I found that the good feet store I was no help at all for my Hallux Rigidis rígidos (toe joint arthritis ) and very flat overpronating feet. I think the moral of the story here is to make sure you go to a podiatrist first and understand all the options and the different pros and cons of various offerings. I find that my $90 custom orthotics and a fantastic pair of Hokas are much more helpful
I BOUGHT THE ENTIRE GOOD FEET PROGRAM. TRIED IT FOR 30 DAYS BY THE BOOK. ALL I CAN SAYIDS I WASTED $1500. WHAT A RIP OFF. A $12 PAIR OF DR, SCHOLLS INSERTS WOULD HAVE BEENBETTER.
Good Feet commercials on TV are pathetic. Little girl who’s full of herself talks dowhow good volley ball player she is . Who promotes that kind of cockyness..not cute . And the person who runs good feet putting down the poor guy with 30 yr plantar fasciitis and says “ Where ya been ?”
Felt Ike smacking her. What a jerk!!!!!🤨😡
Wouldn’t go here if my feet were falling off
was having a “knee issue” saw the adverts–thought I’d check them out- $1500+
was waaay more than I was willing to spend for an “unknown” BUT they offered a $500 option that I got- was charged for the item + and really flimsly show insert to cover the orthotic $$$–used the orthotic for a few days until I was in such pain I could bearly walk ! got an insert at the local drugstore FAR LESS $
my knee issue is gone (except if I over due exercise) WAS told “someone” would call within the week to :check how was I doing” NO CALL! and of course they have their NO RETURN/NO REFUND policy so WASTE of my $500+
Lady! I am in a similar situation. Though I have tried custom orthotics three times now; went back to each builder three times trying to get comfortable and each of the three different builders were unable to get me there. I have had the idea to use a shoe off and a shoe on in the house. Was afraid what it might do to my pain. You have given me hope. Going to try it! We need a blog spot or something for folks with leg length discrepancy. Nooooooo body gets it!
Agree, a fool and his money are soon parted. Lesson learned.
Absolutely the worst experience in my life I literally must be a fool to even believe that this was a honest company i could go on for days about my experiences with this group but i will just say it’s beyond buyer beware the biggest scam i have ever gotten myself into but fine I will pay the ridiculous outrageous bill but I will not rest un until I let everyone know what a scam this company runs they should be shut down
I spent $1200 to try The Good Feet Store. I had one days comfort the the worst hit me. I went back to the store and explained my problem. So a different sales person attempted to correct the problem but only made it worse.
I was so frustrated I threw everything in the trash and could care less about a refund.
My sales people had NO clue what they were doing! The are absolutely NOT specialists.
Buyers/shoppers beware!!!
I wish I’d found this site and reviews a few months ago!
I’ve been investing time and a ton of exercise to improve my health. I have lost 42 lbs. over the last 18 months, discovered Hoka shoes that have felt like a Godsend, and rediscovered the ability to run. Unfortunately, I have degenerative joints, and even with the Hoka shoes, I chose to forgo serious running for lower-impact exercise to avoid knee pain. I have a torn meniscus in my left knee that I’ve been told the only long-term cure for will be total replacement.
A couple of months ago, I started to experience mid-foot pain and started to look for alternatives to the painful steroid injections. A couple of friends and even my doctor suggested checking out archsupports.
Unfortunately, I fell for The Good Feet Store’s pressure sales tactics. I did object to the initial $2,200 charge, but I did purchase a lower package with two different inserts for $1,200. After all, isn’t your health worth $1,200? (Sales tactic that suckered me in)
There is a little more to this long story that I hope helps someone in the future. 10-11 years ago, I had debilitating lower back pain and sciatica because of two herniated discs in my lower back. Eventually, the pain became so intense that I consented to two lower back surgeries. Unfortunately, each surgery resulted in MRSA infections, which spread into the vertebrae. For almost two years, I lived with the resulting osteomyelitis. Still, after long-term antibiotics pumped into my heart via Pic lines, I finally beat the infection and was blessed that the result was a natural fusion from L3-S1. Due to the fusion and daily walking, I eventually became about 90% pain-free.
Fast forward, I thought these inserts would help with the joint pain in my feet, but after three weeks of wearing them, I’m traumatized by the return of my lower back pain, which is EXACTLY the same as it was 10 years ago!
Please see a Podiatrist or at least your doctor before believing untrained, slick salespeople pressuring you into an unwise decision.
I did relate my back history to the “trained” salesperson and was told it would get even better. Now I’m back to seeing a spinal surgeon again and traumatized. I don’t know if, at my age now, I can bring myself to have surgery again if that is the end recommendation.
Ultimately, it was my poor decision to trust advice from a non-medically trained salesperson, and I’m out $1,200, but trust me, I will post this everywhere I can that everyone should avoid The Good Feet Store at all costs.
I know you are disappointed, but I pray you will be okay. I experienced the pressure from the sales person. I was in so much pain, she got me and my wife. I walked out of the store with $4700.00 dollars of worthless trash. I wore them for two days and couldn’t wait to get out of them. Thank God I used my American Express Card to purchase them. I tried returning the inserts, but they wanted me to get a new fitting. Since they wouldn’t take them back, I called American Express and disputed the charge. I’m seeing a podiatrist in May. I wish you the best with your condition.
My name is Jeff I’m a 66 year old retired Deputy Sheriff. Like others I have developed planter facetious. I also went to the good feet store. I wish I would have researched this also. I wasn’t to king on the 1300.00 cost of the 3 inserts so purchased 1 and the foot pad and floor vibrator for a whopping 900.00. It’s been 2 weeks using the inserts and vibratory and no improvement. After my experience and the reviews I have read I would not recommend them to anyone. My 45.00 inserts from Amazon make my feet feel better. Hope this saves someone else from wasting their money…