Ultimate Performance Advanced Support Plus Insole with F3D vs Pulse Performance Insoles: which is safer?
PowerStep Pulse Performance Insoles is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
Ultimate Performance Advanced Support Plus Insole with F3D
PFAS grade
Poor 30/100
Overall grade
Bad 4/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 5
Material
Unknown polymer foam/gel insole with proprietary F3D coating
Confidence
35%
PossibleVOC off-gassing from polymer foam
PossiblePlasticizer migration from gel or foam matrix
PossibleCoating degradation and microparticle shedding
Our pick
Powerstep
Pulse Performance Insoles
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 57/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 2
Material
EVA foam, gel, fabric blend
Confidence
72%
PossibleAzo dyes in fabric blend
PossibleFormaldehyde resins in fabric finishing
Where these two actually differ
- We flag VOC off-gassing from polymer foam, Plasticizer migration from gel or foam matrix, Coating degradation and microparticle shedding and Contact dermatitis or skin irritation on the and not on the Powerstep.
- We flag Azo dyes in fabric blend and Formaldehyde resins in fabric finishing on the Powerstep and not on the .
- The is Unknown polymer foam/gel insole with proprietary F3D coating where the Powerstep is EVA foam, gel, fabric blend, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- The gap is 35 points, wide enough that this is not a close call, and the Powerstep is the one to buy.
- We are less certain about the grade, at 35% confidence against 72%, because it discloses less.
Both products run through the same public rubric: materials, coatings, brand disclosure, lab findings, and recalls, plus a beyond-PFAS hazard analysis. Grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests. How grades work →
More synthetic athletic insoles & orthotics: see the full ranking