FP Insoles FluidX3 Insole Review

An In Depth Breakdown of the FP Insoles FluidX3 Review by The Good Ride

• User Reviews
• Product Specs
• Product Images
• Questions?

How The FP Insoles FluidX3 Was Tested

Comparison Method

When I test insoles, I don’t just throw them in a boot, go for a ride, and then talk about them. That’s not my style.

I love to compare, so what I do is ride with the factory insole from my Nitro Team boots, take a run, then swap in the FluidX, the Gamechangers, the Gamechangers Pro, and the Kingfoam Orthotic Pro. I also compare them against Remind Insoles and many popular brands like Superfeet and Sole that I just don’t feel are good for snowboarders.

This is an honest, objective comparison from an average rider’s perspective. I’m not here to promote any of these brands. This is for you, the consumer.

Sizing & Thickness

Sizing

When it comes to sizing, I’m a true size 9 and an E width, which means I’m at the beginning of wide.

These FluidX3 insoles come in a 9 to 9.5, so I have to trim them because they’re sized for a 9.5 first. Once I do that, they fit me really well.

Width

I really do miss the extension Footprint used to put on some of their insoles. This is an old Gamechangers Sport, and they used to do that with a lot of their models. It was really great for wider riders out there.

That said, I’ve found these to be wider than Remind insoles, and I really appreciate that as someone with an E-width foot.

Thickness Options

In terms of thickness, they come in a High version, which is 10 mm in the heel and 5 mm in the toe. The Medium version, like the Gamechangers, is 7 mm in the heel and 5 mm in the toe. Then there’s the Thin Kingfoam, which is 5 mm in the heel and 3 mm in the toe.

So if you have a really high instep or a very tight-fitting boot, the thinner option might work better for you. I found my medium instep works really well with the High version, and I never feel like I’ve taken up too much room in the boot or created pressure on the top of my foot. Still, it’s nice to know there are thinner options.

Arch Support / Customization

Gamechangers vs. FluidX3

If you really want customized arch support that heat molds to your foot, then you want to look at the Gamechangers or the Gamechangers Pro.

The Gamechangers Pro has Quantum Heel Tech, which is the difference. It molds a little more to the beginning of your arch and heel than the regular Gamechangers, which uses foam that expands when heated. Once you step on it, it conforms to your foot and stays there.

I really like the Gamechangers for that aspect because they provide a little more support in the arch area. They’re a little stiffer.

The FP Insoles FluidX3 are much softer, but the fluid rises up under your arch when you step on them and conforms really well. It’s a huge improvement over the original FluidX, which never quite fit my arch correctly.

Arch Shape

This is Gen 3, and I believe the fluid feels thicker. It barely feels like a liquid anymore. As you put weight down on the insole, you can feel it conform almost perfectly to your arch.

I have a medium arch that isn’t high on the sides, so I really appreciate that these aren’t aggressively ramped up along the sidewalls. Insoles with high side arches are uncomfortable for me.

Compared to a Custom Orthotic

Just to give you an idea of customization, this is a fully customized insole made specifically from a mold of my foot.

This is my arch—a medium arch that doesn’t go very high toward the sides.

When I step on this Kingfoam, it almost perfectly matches my arch, just like this ultra-high-end custom insole. Obviously, the custom insole feels better, but it’s also a few hundred dollars more. On top of that, it doesn’t provide the same level of shock absorption.

Heel Cup

You also get a great heel cup that provides lots of support, and I never felt like I wanted more, especially in same-day comparisons.

Shock Absorption

Heel Impact

When it comes to shock absorption, this might be the best out of all Footprint’s insoles.

The shock absorption in the heel feels incredibly soft and cushy. It’s excellent for slow-speed impacts, but it also works incredibly well at higher-speed chatter reduction.

Infinity Foam

You really can’t go wrong with any of the upper-tier Footprint insoles. They all have Infinity Foam in the metatarsal area and the heel.

On the older Kingfoam models, the Infinity Foam is exposed on the bottom. It’s a little sticky, which is nice because it grips the boot and stays in place, but it’s also a pain to remove.

The Gamechangers moved the Infinity Foam to the top, underneath the graphic in both the heel and metatarsal areas, leaving the bottom smooth. I actually like that design a little better than the older version.

Compared to Remind

The only competitor that’s even close is Remind. They make a great insole that’s much more shock absorbent than a factory insole, and it’s massively better than Superfeet and Sole.

Remind gets much better. They have soft foam, but there still seems to be a stiffer layer underneath that creates a little separation. It’s significantly less than the others, though.

The Medic is a little better than the Remedy, and to me the Cush is the best Remind model because it seems to pass through shock absorption the best. Even then, it still feels like there’s a layer underneath.

Compared to Superfeet & Sole

Superfeet, especially the snowboard model with the carbon fiber bottom, is the worst of the group to me. Sole has a dense plastic layer that definitely creates a barrier between your foot and the boot.

The FP Insoles FluidX3 feel like they integrate completely with the boot’s midsole without detracting from response, and that’s what’s so cool about them.

I do think Remind might be just a touch more responsive, but it’s so close that it really doesn’t matter, especially when you’re getting so much more shock absorption from Footprint.

This isn’t a bowling ball lab test. This is me taking lap after lap on the mountain and comparing these products back-to-back.

Final Thoughts

Overall Recommendation

After all these comparisons, these FluidX3’s are the insoles I want in my boots.

They give me excellent arch support while also delivering top-tier shock absorption, so I’m keeping butter on the popcorn, riding longer during the day, and hopefully riding longer throughout my snowboarding career.

That’s why I think this new FP Insoles FluidX3 is so much better than the older FluidX. It really feels like they’ve dialed it in.

I’m probably going to be riding these more than any of the other insoles this year, but I still really like my Kingfoam Orthotic Pros, the Gamechangers, the Gamechangers Pro, my Kingfoam Orthotics that don’t have the larger heel cup, and even the older Kingfoam Orthotic Elite that these replaced.

They’re all amazing when it comes to shock absorption, so it’s very hard to go wrong with one of the higher-end Footprint insoles. They’re what I recommend.