Heeluxe Comfort Studies


 

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 Below -

 

  

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:

 

Diagram

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:

Shape, circle

     STAND+1
STAND+4
  Work3
  Work6
 Athletic2
Athletic5

Text

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:

A picture containing indoor, wall

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:

A group of shoes

·       STAND+ Gales® Frontline1

 

·       Athletic5

 

·       Athletic2

 

·       Work3

 

·       Work6

 

·       STAND+ Gales® Pro Line4

 

Heeluxe Database of All Physical Footwear Tested:

Calendar

 

Testing Lab Contact Information:

Heeluxe

737 South Kellogg Ave.

Goleta, California, 93117

Email: info@heeluxe.com

https://www.heeluxe.com





 

Lab Test Report – June 2024

STAND+ AntiGrav1 - Comfort Study

 

 

 

Summary: STAND+ builds energy dispersive footwear to dissipate force during long shifts. This study was designed to determine if STAND+ AntiGrav1 shoes reduce pressure and have softer cushioning vs. top rated workwear safety shoes and/or top rated athletic shoes with high energy return.

 

Conditions: STAND+ shoes were tested for pressure reduction and cushioning. Tests were conducted independently by footwear testing facility Heeluxe, operated by physical therapist Dr. Geoffrey Gray - professional athlete rehabilitator. Hulk Impact machine tests adhered to ASTM F1976 impact testing and compared STAND+ AntiGrav1 shoes to a physical selection of top-rated workwear safety shoes and athletic shoes + a database of over 400+ footwear SKUs. Tests were conducted June 2024

 

Results Summary: Comparing STAND+ to workwear safety shoes and athletic shoes tested in in this study:

·       #1 Softest Cushioning – STAND+ AntiGrav1 shoes.

·       #1 Lowest Energy Return – STAND+ AntiGrav1 shoes.

 

Conclusion: STAND+ AntiGrav1 offers softer cushioning than traditional workwear safety shoes and athletic shoes + low energy return %, making them an ideal choice for workers who spend long periods of time on their feet

 

 

- In-Depth Report Below -

  

 

Force Vs. Energy Return - Heel Results:


STAND+ AntiGrav1 and top athletic shoe1 have softer than average heel cushioning

STAND+ AntiGrav1 has the softest heel cushioning of all shoes tested

STAND+ AntiGrav1 and top workwear safety shoe2 have below average energy return %

  

Force vs Thickness - Heel Results:

STAND+ AntiGrav1and top athletic shoe1 have softer than average heel cushioning relative to their thickness

 

Full Hulk Impact - Heel Results:

 

 

Force vs Energy Return - Ball Results:

STAND+ AntiGrav1 and top athletic shoe1 have softer than average ball cushioning

STAND+ AntiGrav1 has the softest ball cushioning of all shoes tested

STAND+ AntiGrav1 and top workwear safety shoe2 have below average energy return %

 

Force vs Thickness - Ball Results:

AntiGrav1 and top athletic shoe1 have softer than average ball cushioning relative to their thickness

 

Full Hulk Impact - Ball Results:

 

 

Equipment Used:

A picture containing indoor, wall

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+ AntiGrav1

 

 

          ·       AthleticTop Athletic Shoe1 - Ghost15

 

 

 

 

          ·       Top Workplace Safety Shoe2 - Floorhand

 

 

Heeluxe Database of All Physical Footwear Tested:

 

Calendar

 

Testing Lab Contact Information:

Heeluxe

737 South Kellogg Ave.

Goleta, California, 93117

Email: info@heeluxe.com

https://www.heeluxe.com