Pulse Performance Insoles vs Relief 3/4 Orthotic Insoles: which is safer?
PowerStep Pulse Performance Insoles is our pick: better on PFAS and on the overall hazard picture.
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
Vionic
Relief 3/4 Orthotic Insoles
PFAS grade
Good 65/100
Overall grade
Good 53/100
Verdict
Skip
Hazard flags
⚑ 3
Material
Foam, gel, and textile insole base
Confidence
72%
PossibleFoam degradation and microparticles
PossibleGel leaching or hardening
PossibleAzo dyes in textile layer
Where these two actually differ
- We flag Azo dyes in fabric blend and Formaldehyde resins in fabric finishing on the Powerstep and not on the Vionic.
- We flag Foam degradation and microparticles, Gel leaching or hardening and Azo dyes in textile layer on the Vionic and not on the Powerstep.
- The Powerstep is EVA foam, gel, fabric blend where the Vionic is Foam, gel, and textile insole base, which is most of the difference in these two grades.
- These two are level, close enough that price and fit should decide it rather than our grade.
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