Z-CoiL® Footwear Review By Cam White, CFts

• Many of the 80 million Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964  are now over 50 years in age. They want to live active, healthy lifestyles, but many are hampered by "wear-and-tear" injuries, including arthritis. In light of  tough economic conditions, many boomers can't afford to retire and many of them will work jobs that require long hours of standing on concrete.
• We are an obese nation. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), over 28% of Texans were considered obese in 2008, making Texas the 16th fattest state in the country. Obesity will accelerate the development of arthritis, diabetes, heart problems, liver & kidney problems and certain cancers.
• We live on concrete and hard surfaces. We weren't designed to walk on concrete. Rather, we were designed to walk on soft, uneven surfaces like grass and sand. Concrete has no forgiveness on our joints and no variation in terrain. The repetitive, pounding stress of walking on concrete punishes our bodies with each step we take.

Many manufactures are developing impact reduction shoes, with varying degrees of success. I will compare many of these brands in a separate article.

The Z-CoiL Design Concept - How it Works


Z-CoiL shoes protect the entire body by providing the right arch support, coupled with unmatched cushioning and shock absorbtion. The rigid, conical steel coil absorbs shock on the skeletal frame by as much as 50%. according to studies performed at Los Alamos and Sandia National laboratories. The coil assembly bolts into a built-in orthotic that cradles and supports the arches of your feet. The orthotic, made of fiberglass-reinforced nylon can be heated with a hair dryer and shaped  for the comfort and optimum support. The forefoot rocker design incorporates almost an inch of soft, highly resilient memory foam. When the foam is compressed, it returns back to its original state, without breaking down. Most Z-CoiL styles have a rounded toe box, allowing toes to wiggle and move, instead of being "squeezed" inside of a tapered toe box. Click here for more information on Z-CoiL design, testing and studies.

Video - Z-CoiL Footwear Explained

Fit and Feel

Z-CoiL shoes are custom-fitted to accomodate the shape of your feet, your arch support needs and your gait characteristics. Since the shoe can be customized, it is possible to get a fit that supports your foot and fits like a glove. They can also be adjusted to accept your custom orthotics, or over-the-counter orthotics, including Aetrex Lynco orthotics, Superfeet and Spenco arch support products.