Fulton Classic Cork Base Insoles: Are They Any Good? (Test & Review)

Hey, welcome to my review of these Fulton cork insoles. Fulton’s team reach out to me asking if I want to try a pair. I said yes because I was curious to know more since I never had the chance to try this brand before.

In A Rush?!

Overall, A Comfortable Cork Insole

Even though it was a bit uncomfortable to wear them for the first couple of days once they had molded to my feet, I didn’t even know I had them on.

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The environment the insoles were tested in

I’m a construction worker. This means that I need to wear safety-toe work boots for the majority of the day. That’s 6 or sometimes 7 days a week, a minimum of 10 hours per day.

Construction is not for everybody. Long hours, hard work, a lot of sweat, a lot of walking up and down the site, up and down the ladders. This takes a toll on your feet and legs.

This is one of the reasons I always replace the insoles that come with my work boots with something more comfortable that provides better stability, better cushioning, and better support under my feet.

So let’s learn more about these insoles…

Unboxing the Fulton Classic insoles

I like that the insoles come in a box. Some other brands will ship their products in a plastic bag which of course it’s a bad decision since the insoles can get damaged while out for delivery.

On the box itself you’ll find some extra information about how to best use your Fulton insoles.

First Impressions

I wasn’t aware these insoles were made with a cork base until I opened the box. Fulton’s team said they’ll send me something but I didn’t know what was it.

This is great since we’ve had the chance to test other cork insoles like the SOLE Performance.

The arch is not as high as we’ve seen in the above-mentioned insoles.

That makes me think it’s a great insole for those of you with flat feet or low arches since the arch support won’t dig into your arches and create pain or discomfort.

They might not be the best for those of you with high arches though.

The surface of the insole is very smooth, unlike the majority of the insoles myself or someone in the BestForMyFeet team had.

It looks like a great feature to have since it makes it easy to clean but if you work on uneven terrains or do a lot of activity your feet will slide a lot inside your shoes/boots. We’ll see how that goes.

What features do these Fulton footbeds have?

According to the manufacturer here are some of the most important features you’ll find in these insoles:

What are these Fulton inserts good for?

They’re good for anybody really. You don’t have to suffer from some type of foot condition in order to wear these inserts.

It’s actually better to start wearing them before you develop any foot conditions. 

According to the manufacturer, wearing these Fulton insoles will help:

• Prevent foot fatigue
• Reduces impact on the body from walking or standing on hard surfaces
• Relieves foot, knee, and back pain while improving your posture
• Provide constant comfort during your shift
• Helps to realign your body helping you have better posture whilst you’re on your feet. This will help to relieve pain in your back, ankle, neck, lower back, joint, and other foot-related issues.

Can these help with flat feet pain?

They can definitely provide you with more support than your regular insoles will.

And the fact that these insoles have low arch support makes them a good option for you if you have flat feet.

As mentioned above, many of the insoles my team and I have tried have higher arches and that could be a con for someone with low arches or flat feet.

That’s because the insole’s arch support can dig into your arches causing discomfort and many times pain.

However, if you have pain in your feet talk to a podiatrist first since most of the time the pain you’ll experience in your feet it won’t be related to the fact that you have a flat foot.

It could be other problems!

If you have flat feet and you never had insoles before, these Fulton Classic insole is a good starting point.

Will they help with plantar fasciitis?

Fulton doesn’t claim their insole help with plantar fasciitis.

And personally, based on my experience, I don’t think they will help alleviate plantar fasciitis pain for the same reason mentioned above. Low arch support.

What you want to see in an insole for plantar fasciitis is a decent medium/high arch support that’s rigid or at least semi-rigid.

That’s because the arch support will take away the pressure caused by the walking action and will allow your plantar fascia ligament to relax and hopefully recover, making the pain go away.

These Fulton insoles do have a semi-rigid arch support, but it’s too low for most people. Again, a good option if you have flat feet and suffer from plantar fasciitis.

My wife suffered from plantar fasciitis. When she wasn’t wearing insoles she had quite a lot of pain when going out for a long walk, visiting places, or even sometimes when we were shopping for the whole day.

Of course, it’s NOT just the insole. She also uses a massage gun like this Bob and Brad T2 in order to achieve full recovery by making massages to her feet.

Additionally, I gifted her some supportive flip-flops to wear at home instead of wearing those flat rubber Havaianas flip-flops.

Just remember: The insoles alone will NOT cure your plantar fasciitis but they will help enormously as part of the recovery process.

What sizes do they come in?

At the time I’m writing this review, you can find Fulton’s insoles in the following sizes:

Can you wash them in the washing machine?

Not really, you should not put them in the washing machine. The material will get damaged. Clean them manually using some rubbing alcohol or something along those lines.

I use rubbing alcohol a lot to clean and disinfect my work boots so this is better than putting them into the washer.

Can you use them in safety work boots?

Yes, 100% you can. Especially because work boots usually are a bit bulkier so you have a bit of extra space to insert these ones in your favorite work boots.

That’s how I’m wearing my Fulton Classic insoles.

There is something you should be aware of though. Again, based on our knowledge and experience, cork insoles tend to break faster than insoles made with other materials.

Can you use these in normal shoes?

Yes, you can use these Fulton Classic insoles with your regular day-to-day sneakers and shoes.

The only problem you might run into is that once you put these insoles in, you might not have enough room inside your shoe. 

So you can definitely wear these cork insoles with your shoes and sneakers as long as you can take out the original insole of the shoes.

Otherwise, you might run into the same problem of not having enough space inside the shoe.

What’s the thickness of these Fulton cork insoles?

I’ve measured these Fulton insoles at the forefoot area and at the arch.

How wide are these insoles?

I took some measurements for you in case you’re interested to know the width of these Fulton’s classic insoles.

At the time I’m writing these lines Fulton’s insoles only come in regular width.

Here’s something interesting about these insoles. I took measurements of the insoles when I did the unboxing and also a couple of months later when I wrote this review.

The insole became “bigger”, and wider with time. For example, initially, the width of the insole at the heel cup area was 44.2 mm. Not it’s 70.8mm

Same with the arch and forefoot area. So I think this insole expands as you wear it and it really adapts to your feet. Very interesting.

What’s the weight of each insole?

They’re not that heavy of course but they’re more lightweight when compared with EVA base insoles for example. So they won’t add much more weight to your footwear.

Do they have a metatarsal pad?

No, these particular insoles I’ve got don’t come with a met pad and I haven’t seen a met pad insole option on Fulton’s website.

How’s the arch support? (stiff or flexible)

The arch support in these Fulton Classic insoles is semi-rigid. That’s thanks to the cork.

It’s not as rigid as in other insoles we’ve seen out there like these PowerStep Original or the SOLE Active.

The arch in these ones will collapse a tiny bit as you step on them making them comfortable enough for those of you with flat feet but supportive enough to help prevent excessive pronation.

What other people are saying about these Fulton cork Insoles?

Here’s a taste of what other people are saying about these insoles.

Good product, but expensive

Most people are happy to pay for quality insoles. Mainly because many times these insoles are as good as custom orthotics which cost hundreds.

On the other hand, people are saying they wish the insoles could be less expensive. That way they could buy a few more so they can rotate the insoles and avoid stinky feet.

Worth the break-in time

As I mentioned as well in this review article, these insoles felt a bit uncomfortable for the first few days. For me was very uncomfortable at the arch area.

But as I was wearing them, the cork started to compress and adapt to the shape of my arches and my feet in general. Now it’s just as comfortable as any other good insole I’ve had.

Some verified customers are sharing a similar experience. Once the insoles are broken in, they’re very comfortable.

No more leg aches

Other users are commenting that after buying and starting to wear these insoles, their leg pain was gone.

They do provide some cushioning and the heel cup really helps to have more stability.

In my experience, when my feet move a lot inside my work boots is when my legs are getting super fatigued, and sometimes this creates some pain in the lower parts of my legs.

How long do these Fulton Classic insoles last?

It will definitely depend on what type of work you’re doing and how much you walk of course. The more you move, the faster you’ll have to replace them.

As I’ve mentioned in other parts of the article, people working in hard environments will experience the cork starting to come apart after a few months of wearing them.

I’m sure it’s a different story if you’re job involves less movement, maybe if you work as a truck driver or maybe in a retail store.

The harder your work environment is, the faster the cork will break so keep that in mind when it comes to buying your insoles.

Where can you buy these insoles?

At the time I’m writing this review you can buy these Fulton Classic insoles only on their website and also on NORDSTROM.

Last words on this Fulton Classic insole review

Overall, I liked testing and wearing these Fulton insoles.

They’re not the most comfortable insoles straight out of the box but they will mold to your feet after a few days and then you won’t even know you’re wearing them.

The shiny, smooth surface makes them a bit too slippery for me. My feet move more than I would like to inside my work boots because of this.

On the positive side, it’s very easy to clean them. The other insoles I have need brushing while these Fulton’s simply require a quick wipe using some wet towels or some cotton with alcohol to help disinfect them.

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Comfortable Cork Insoles

If you’re after a custom molding cork insole that can help relieve foot, back or knee pain you should definitely try these Fulton Classic insoles. Especially if you have flat feet or low arches.

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UPDATE: First week wearing the Fulton Classic insole

As mentioned a few times in the article, the first few days the insoles were digging into my arches. It wasn’t very pleasant to be honest.

I was ready to write a bad review about them saying they don’t fit well and the sizing is not accurate.

But after a few days of wearing them at work for more than 10 hours a day, they finally gave in and the insole became more comfortable.

I guess that’s one positive point of cork insoles over EVA or another type of material you’ll find in insoles. Cork is more flexible and moldable in this case and it will adapt to your feet.

UPDATE: Two months wearing these insoles

Yes, now I can say these insoles are comfortable. I don’t have anything bad to say about them at this point.

I’m still not convinced about the “cactus leather” smooth surface of the insole. I’m wearing a pair of slip-on work boots for work at the moment (Avenger Romeo Wedge sole if you’re curious).

When wearing this type of work boots my feet are a bit loose inside the boots. So there’s a bit of movement.

Add to that the smooth surface of these insoles and your feet will dance inside your work boots all day … not necessarily what you want for 10 hours a day.

This might cause you a lot of calf and leg fatigue. If you’d like to try these insoles I suggest you wear them with your lace-up work boots or any footwear of your choice that comes with laces.

Team Members Working On This Page

Victor Adrian – Editor And Webmaster

Construction Professional, driver, crane operator, cleaner, head chef … these are just some of the jobs I did in the past. Working in all these different environments taught me that having good footwear to protect your feet from different dangers at work IS PARAMOUNT for any worker! On this website, I aim to share all my knowledge and personal experience in dealing with different footwear and foot care issues, and hopefully, you can get something out of it. Enjoy!

Jessica Flynn – Writer And Researcher

Love technology, going to the beach, taking care of my body, and writing (amongst other things). You’ll see my face around here a little bit since I’m responsible for part of the research and writing of some of the articles you’re reading on BestForMyFeet.com. I hope you’ll find our content helpful and enjoyable! See you around, thanks for reading!