Heeluxe Study Full Report
Lab Test Report – December 2022
STAND+ (Formerly Gales®) Footwear - Standing Durability
Summary: STAND+ (Formerly Gales®) builds footwear for workers that spend long shifts on their feet. This study was designed to compare the functional comfort and performance of STAND+ footwear to athletic footwear that have been created for walking or running. Additionally, this test compares the cushioning before and after a simulated work shift (used condition).
Conditions: STAND+ footwear were tested for comfort, fit, pressure and impact during simulated and real-life 12+ hour work shifts. Tests were conducted independently by footwear testing lab Heeluxe, operated by physical therapist Dr. Geoffrey Gray - professional athlete rehabilitator. Machine tests adhered to ASTM F1976 impact testing and compared STAND+ footwear to a physical selection of top consumer athletic and work footwear SKUs + a database of over 400+ footwear SKUs. Human tests were conducted with 8 independently selected males, footwear size 10, during normal 12+ hour work shifts, using STAND+ footwear and 4 other top consumer rated athletic and work footwear SKUs. Tests were conducted December 2022 over a two-week period.
Results Summary: Comparing STAND+ to Athletic and Work footwear tested in this study:
· #1 Standing Durability – STAND+ footwear.
· #1 Softest Cushioning – STAND+ footwear.
o STAND+ footwear cushioning improved over the simulated work shift and its foam compressed the least. All other footwear cushioning degraded.
· #1 Best Overall Fit in Forefoot and Toes - STAND+ footwear.
· #1 Lowest Heel and Forefoot Pressure - STAND+ footwear.
Conclusion: STAND+ footwear offers a high level of durability, comfort, fit, and pressure reduction, making them an ideal choice for workers who spend long periods of time on their feet.
- In-Depth Report on Subsequent Pages -
Standing Durability - Force Vs. Energy Test Results:
Tested under ASTM F1976 Standards. Footwear in the upper left quadrant is deemed undesirable. Footwear in the upper right quadrant is firm with a high spring back, best for court sports. Footwear in the lower right is soft with a high spring, best for running. Footwear in the lower left is soft with energy absorption, best for active recovery, walking, and long-term comfort.
Energy Return is the amount of energy retained by the footwear and exerted back on the body. For sports where the desired outcome is forward propulsion, a high energy return is ideal. For walking, standing, and active recovery, high energy return is undesirable as it creates pressure exerted back on the body throughout feet, knees, back, and joints.
Conclusion: Test results place STAND+ footwear far left in the lower quadrant, making them ideal for workers who spend extended periods of time on their feet.
Cushioning - Heel Test Results:
|
Shoe Name |
Location |
Thickness (mm) |
Force (N) |
% Cushioning Change |
|
STAND+1 (NEW) |
Heel |
31.41 |
903.57 |
|
|
STAND+1 (USED) |
Heel |
30.55 |
876.84 |
-3.05% (improvement) |
|
Athletic2 (NEW) |
Heel |
39.69 |
846.81 |
|
|
Athletic2 (USED) |
Heel |
37.89 |
849.87 |
0.36% (neutral) |
|
Work3 (NEW) |
Heel |
32.14 |
1486.77 |
|
|
Work3 (USED) |
Heel |
28.76 |
1602.33 |
7.21% (worse) |
Force (N) compares cushioning from New to Used. STAND+1 cushioning improves during the work shift by 3%. Athletic2 footwear has small change in cushioning, while Work3 footwear has 7.2% worse cushioning at the end of the work shift.
Also of interest is the change in thickness (mm). STAND+1 lost the least thickness (0.86mm, 2.82%). Athletic2 footwear lost 1.8mm (4.75%) and Work3 footwear lost 3.38 mm (11.75%).
Conclusion: Athletic and Work footwear loses cushioning during 12-hour use, resulting in worsening cushioning throughout the day. STAND+ footwear has high cushion retention, with cushioning improving over a 12-hour period, making them ideal for professionals who work long shifts.
Overall Fit – Human Test + Sensor Results:
STAND+4
Athletic2
Athletic5
Work3
Work6
STAND+4 rated best fit in forefoot and toe comfort vs. 4 top rated Athletic and Work footwear SKUs. Heel fit was the same for STAND+4 and Work3 and Work6 footwear, tight in Athletic2 and too tight in Athletic5 footwear tested.
Fit in the forefoot is key for stability / feeling secure. When the forefoot is secure, toes can and should have wiggle room.
Conclusion: The best overall fit in forefoot and toe comfort is STAND+, resulting in a secure fit with breathing room around the toes.
Heel and Forefoot Pressure – Human + Sensor Tests:
STAND+1
STAND+4
Work3
Work6
Athletic2
Athletic5
STAND+1 & 4 rated lowest pressure in both the heel and forefoot. Work3 footwear rated moderate pressure in the forefoot while Work6 footwear rated moderate in both heel and forefoot pressure. Athletic2 footwear rated closest to comparable with STAND+ & 4 and Athletic5 rated high pressure in the forefoot.
Conclusion: STAND+ footwear have high pressure reduction, resulting in an overall comfortable shoe.
Equipment Used:
Hulk Impact Testing adheres to ASTM F1976. This system utilizes a weighted piston impacting the shoe, insole, or test foam sample. Data provides insight to the vertical cushioning that your customer would experience. Hulk Impact measures the following:
· Force (N)
· Energy Return %
· Max Penetration %
· Total Impact (J)
· Acceleration (g)
· Peak Time
· Velocity (cm/s)
· Max Penetration(mm)
· V- Post
· Drop HT
· Peak Pressure
· Dwell Time
Physical Footwear Models Tested:
· STAND+ Gales® Frontline1
· Athletic5
· Athletic2
· Work3
· Work6
· STAND+ Gales® Pro Line4
Heeluxe Database of All Physical Footwear Tested:
Testing Lab Contact Information:
Heeluxe
737 South Kellogg Ave.
Goleta, California, 93117
Email: info@heeluxe.com
https://www.heeluxe.com