Home Safety

Learn how to find and identify the best wood for Bow
Drill to start a fire using a Bow Drill Kit. The top trees and plants in North
America for bow drill friction fire kits.

Choosing the best wood for your Bow Drill Kit is critical to success.  Even if everything else is PERFECT, choosing the wrong wood will likely result in failure.  This article will highlight the best trees and woody stalked plants in North America to use for carving your Bow Drill Kit.  Before we get into the specific species, let first discuss some basic wood properties.

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Best Wood for Bow Drill: Wood Properties & Selection

Dry

If the wood you choose is not bone dry then you will not
succeed in making fire with your bow drill kit. 
An ember can only be born in the near absence of moisture.  For this reason, live green wood should never
be used for the spindle or the hearth board. 
(Live green wood is actually preferred for the bearing block, which we
will discuss later.)

EXPERT FIELD TIP

It can sometimes be difficult to determine by touch if a
piece of wood is dry.  I’ve found that the
lips, cheeks and chin are more reliable than my fingertips in determining if a
piece of wood contains moisture.

If at all possible, wood for the spindle should not be
gathered from the ground.  With few
environmental exceptions (such as extremely arid locales) wood found on the
ground will be less desirable because it will have absorbed moisture.  Dead standing wood and low-hanging branches
are almost always drier because they are exposed to sun and wind.

Wood Types

Although I have successfully used many different types of
wood for spindles, certain varieties work best. 
While I want you to be familiar with specific trees and plants that make
excellent spindles, it’s important that you first understand their key properties. 

Soft and lightweight woods are preferred over hard and dense
varieties.  A popular rule of thumb
[LM1] is
that you should be able to use your fingernail to make an indentation in the
wood with little effort.  While soft is
preferred, the wood should not be ”punky” or rotted.  It should be firm.

EXPERT FIELD TIP

I prefer to use the same exact type of wood for both the
spindle and the hearth board.  I’ve had
the most success with this arrangement. 
Exceptions can be made, of course, but I prefer to cut both components
from not only the same type of wood but the same piece of wood as well.

I also like to use tree branches and suckers (these are
saplings growing from the base of larger trees) as opposed to the main
trunks.  This faster-growth wood has a
more porous texture than the dense, main trunk and creates a faster ember with
less effort.  Along that same line, I’ve
found that the faster the tree grows, the better it is for bow drill
spindles.  Single-season growth is always
an excellent choice.  It just so happens
that the tree varieties that work best for bow drills also grow extremely
fast. 

Finally, any wood you choose should be as straight as
possible and free of knots or cracks.

Drying a Green Kit

You may not find dead, standing wood of the variety you
need, but you can cut live green wood and let it dry.  For one kit, I typically cut a branch or
sucker (preferred) about the diameter of my wrist and at least one foot
long.  I then split this piece in half and
let it dry on a south-facing window sill for at least a week.  Splitting the branch allows for a faster
drying time.

DOWNLOAD my 6 Identification Guides for the Best Bow Drill Woods in North America – FREE – just enter email below.

Best Wood for Bow Drill: Specific Tree Species

As mentioned earlier, soft woods make ideal bow drill
kits.  Below is a list of trees in order
of my preference for both the spindle and hearth board.  Where applicable I also list other noteworthy
facts about these incredible survival resources.

Best Bow Drill Wood: Basswood (American Linden) (Tilia
Americana)

Besides balsa, I know of no softer wood than basswood.  Also known as the American Linden, basswood
is a favorite of wood carvers and one of the best woods for bow drill.  My friends from Britain refer to this tree as
Lime.  Except for areas of extreme
climates, basswood can be found in most of the northern hemisphere.  It is a water lover and will almost always be
found growing around water.  

Basswood leaves are somewhat heart shaped and almost always
asymmetrical.  They have a small,
pea-shaped fruit that dangles from a tongue-shaped bract.  Young, tender basswood leaves are among my
favorite wild edible greens. I make basswood salads several times a week in
early spring.

The ”bass” in basswood comes from the word ”bast,” which
means fiber.  The inner-bark fibers of
the basswood tree make incredible natural cordage.  Instant basswood bark cordage can easily be
obtained in spring and summer months by peeling the bark from younger suckers
or saplings. You will find this cordage to be flexible and strong.  I have made many a bow drill string using
basswood cordage.  The bark from slightly
older basswood trees (3 – 5 inches in diameter) can be pounded and peeled from
the trunk during the same time of year when the sap is flowing heavy.  After soaking in water for 3 – 4 weeks
(called “retting”) the inner bark fibers will easily peel away from the rough
exterior bark in long, ribbon-like sheets. 

I recall one summer when lightning struck a large basswood
tree at the edge of the pond near my training facility.  This powerful strike caused the bark of that
large tree to be blown from the trunk in several massive sheets, around 2 feet
wide and 20 feet long.  After soaking
them in the pond I was able to gather several wheelbarrows of basswood cordage,
which I used in training for many years after.

While I’ve used basswood of every age and type for bow drill
kits, my favorite is that which is sourced from sucker trees that are 2 – 4
inches in diameter.  The consistency of
fast-growing sucker wood is unlike wood cut from the main tree.  However, green sucker wood will require
drying time.  If you find a standing
sucker tree that’s already dead, count yourself lucky. If suckers are not available,
low-hanging branches are a good second choice.

Best Bow Drill Wood: Eastern Cottonwood (Populus
deltoides)

Cottonwoods were a favorite among Native Americans across
North America, as the trees were used to make dugout canoes. (Often, these were
coal burned.) Cottonwood trees have a triangular-shaped leaf with toothed
edges.  The bark is deeply fissured.  Like basswoods, cottonwoods grow primarily
around water.  I’ve seen massive
cottonwoods along streams from Arizona to Virginia.  When it comes down to it, some would argue
that cottonwood is the best wood for bow drill.

Cottonwoods grow very fast—almost too fast for their own
good.  The combination of this fast
growth and their soft wood makes for very weak branches, which is a good thing
when searching for stock to make your spindle and hearth board.  Dead, broken branches can almost always be
found littering the base of large cottonwoods and hung up in smaller trees or
underbrush nearby. 

During the spring, when the cottonwood bears the source of
its name, one can gather not only wood for the spindle and hearth boards, but
tinder bundles as well.  Cottonwoods
produce seeds that are covered in cotton-like down.  When gathered together, these downy clusters
make a very flammable tinder bundle.

Best Bow Drill Wood: Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus
virginiana)

The eastern red cedar grows primarily in the northern woods
of the United States and into Canada, but I’ve had success with many different
cedar varieties including western red cedar from the Pacific Northwest.  Cedars are coniferous evergreens and are
easily identified by their flat, fan-like branches with scaly leaves.

The dead lower branches (also known as “squaw wood”) often
make excellent spindle and hearth board choices.  Shredded cedar bark makes one of the most
effective tinder bundles.  It can easily
be processed by scraping a knife at a 90-degree angle against the tree.  The bark will shred off in fibrous masses
that can be further processed by rubbing the shredded bark between the palms of
your hands until they reach a hair-like consistency.

LEAD
MAGNET: DOWNLOAD IDENTIFICATION GUIDES

Best Bow Drill Wood: Willow (Salix spp.)

There are hundreds of species of willow throughout the world,
and for many, it is the best wood for bow drill. They belong to the genus Salix, and are simply called that
in many areas. They love water and grow in nearly all temperate regions of the
world where water is available. I’ve seen them along the banks of arroyos in
the Sonoran Desert and in the marshy swamps of Maine. They grow in nearly every
roadside ditch, along rivers, and at the edges of ponds. If you cut a live
willow twig (called a cutting) off the
tree and shove it in the ground, it will likely root and grow into a tree of
its own. I’ve planted hundreds of willow trees on my own property using this
method.

Willow leaves are typically long and narrow. They are widest
in the middle and taper to a point on both ends.  The leaf margins are finely toothed. The
upper-side of the leaf is bright green, and the underside is often pale green,
which gives many willows (such as the white willow, Salix
alba) a silvery appearance from a distance.  The bark of young trees and branches is very
smooth and becomes darker and furrowed with age. Many varieties of willow,
especially those related to Salix alba have
brightly colored bark in early spring that can range from yellow to red.

Best Bow Drill Wood: Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)

The sycamore tree, another water lover, is nearly impossible
to misidentify and is a good wood for bow drill.  Its very unique bark has a winter camouflage
effect: mottled with whites, tans, creams and grays.  As the tree grows, the exterior bark peels
off to the ground in thin, brown curls, leaving a pure white base layer exposed.  No other tree in the forest has bark that
looks like or behaves like the sycamore’s. 
When layered into a large cigar-style roll, a thick tube of sycamore
bark also makes for an excellent fire carry. 
It will smolder a red hot ember, which can be used to blow a tinder
bundle into flame when desired.

The sycamore tree also produces small balls of clustered
seeds in the fall, which can be broken apart and incorporated into a tinder
bundle.  The seed clusters alone don’t
make an ideal tinder bundle, but they are great filler when mixed with dried
grasses, pine needles or bark fibers.

Like the cottonwood, the base of all sycamores will be
littered with dead and broken branches all year round.  These branches make very serviceable spindles
and hearth boards.  Sycamores also grow
suckers at the base, which can be used.

Other noteworthy bow drill trees are:

• Red Alder
• Staghorn Sumac
• Aspen
• Tulip Poplar

Best Wood for Bow Drill: Woody Stalked Plants

My first successful bow drill kit wasn’t made from a tree at
all, but from a woody, stalked plant – the yucca.  In fact, there are several noteworthy plants
with woody stalks that make fantastic bow drill spindles and hearth
boards.  Some of the fastest embers I’ve
seen generated with a bow drill were from those carved from woody, stalked
plants.  Let’s discuss a few of the most
popular of these.

Yucca (Yucca spp.)

I list yucca first because it has a special place in my
heart since it was the first material I learned to use in my bow drill
kit.  It makes an excellent choice for
first-time drillers.  Yucca is a plant
native to America’s Southwest, not to be confused with yuca, also known as
manioc or cassava, which has an edible root. 
Yucca is a popular ornamental plant and can now be found all over the
United States and throughout the world. 
It grows in arid deserts as well as the four-season eastern woodlands.
Even the harshest of winters will not kill it. 
I’ve often found it growing in old cemeteries, where it no doubt was
planted as an ornamental.

The leaves of the yucca are green and sword-like. Beware of
the very sharp points on the tips. They grow from a central rosette and remain
green year-round.  There are many
different species of yucca (some even growing into large yucca trees).  While not edible, the yucca root is loaded
with saponins and can be crushed and used as soap for washing.

Yucca’s claim to fame is its fibrous leaves, which are
filled with long, strong fibers that can be woven into durable survival
cordage.  (This process is covered in
great detail in my Pocket Field Guide entitled NATURTAL CORDAGE.) Immediate
cordage can be sourced from the green leaves, but I prefer to use the dead
leaves that typically can be found around the base of the plant.  It is very easy to slough off the brown, flakey
exterior and extract the fibers from the already-dead, dried leaves.  I have successfully used yucca leaf cordage
combined with a yucca stalk spindle and hearth board for many bow drill kits.  Yucca is nearly a one-stop shop when it comes
to gathering bow drill kit components.

The stalk of the yucca grows from the center of the plant
starting in early spring.  The height and
diameter it reaches depends upon the species and age of the plant.  Beautiful white flowers (which are actually
edible) bloom all around the stalk, creating a very impressive display in
spring and summer.  Soon after full
bloom, the yucca stalk begins to die, dry, and harden.  By late fall and all through the winter it’s
ready to be cut off at the base and used for a bow drill spindle and hearth
board.  The lightweight, porous
consistency of this dead, dry, woody stalk makes for one of the best bow drill
spindles available on earth.  The trick
can sometimes be finding a stalk that is thick enough AND straight enough to be
used as a drill and hearth.

Sotol (Dasylirion spp.)

Sotol, also known as desert spoon, is similar in appearance to yucca.  It, too, is an evergreen and produces long, thin, sword-shaped leaves in a circular pattern around the base.  Unlike yucca, sotol cannot handle prolonged cold and therefore grows exclusively in the warm, arid environments of America’s Southwest, including the Sonoran Desert of Arizona.

Like the yucca, sotol produces a central flower stalk that
is adorned with a bristle-like plume of tiny white flowers.  This stalk can grow as tall as 20 feet, and
I’ve seen them as large as 2 – 3 inches in diameter.  The leaf edges are lined with sharp, barbed
thorns, so use caution when cutting the stalk from the base.

The dead, dry, and woody stalk is used extensively for the
fire plow method of friction fire-starting and is large enough to make many bow
drill kits. This stalk works incredibly well for bow drill and is highly
recommended if you reside in an area where the sotol plant is native.

Elderberry (Sambucus spp.)

Elderberry is a deciduous shrub found throughout the
Northern Hemisphere, except in areas with extreme climates.  A year-round identifying feature of the
elderberry it its bark.  The exterior of
the bark is covered with evenly spaced little raised ”bark warts.”  This is a very unique feature of the
elderberry.

In spring, the elderberry bush produces flat,
dinner-plate-sized flowers, which are actually made up of many small white
flowers.  These flowers can be battered
and fried (elderberry fritters), but they are traditionally used to make
elderberry syrup after being steeped in sugar water.  If left to their own devices, the flowers
will ultimately transform into clusters of berries colored from purple to
black. These are used to make jellies, jams, wines, and all sorts of other
delicious treats.  All other parts of
elderberry are poisonous.

The elderberry branch is unique in that it has a very large
pith with a Styrofoam consistency.  It’s
one of the very few bushes/trees/woody, stalked plants that can be hollowed
out.  It’s the soft wood of the
elderberry combined with its pithy center that makes it a wonderful bow drill
spindle candidate.  An elderberry spindle
is better paired with a hearth board made from a different type of wood. It’s
challenging to create a proper hearth from an elderberry stalk because of its
central pith.

*Special Note: 
Because of the pithy center, it can be difficult to carve the top of the
spindle to a point.  Consequently, it is
better left rounded.

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Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

The dead, dry stalk of the mullein plant in fall and winter
makes a very suitable bow drill spindle. 
Much like elderberry, it is better paired with a hearth board made from
a different wood because a suitable hearth board is difficult to split out from
a pithy-centered mullein stalk.

Mullein, also known as lamb’s ear, has large, pale–green,
fuzz-covered leaves in spring and summer. 
The plant has a two-year life cycle. 
The first year it grows a low rosette of large fuzzy leaves that are
nature’s perfect toilet paper and padded inserts for shoes.  During its second year it shoots up a tall,
straight, and woody stalk topped with masses of beautiful little yellow
flowers.  This stalk is almost always
perfectly straight and I’ve started many a bow drill fire with a mullein
spindle.

The woody stalk is firm, yet soft, and the center is filled
with a dense pith.  One fall I built an
entire bow drill kit (excluding the bow string) from one giant mullein.  I used the root for the bearing block; the
stalk for the spindle, hearth and bow; and the leaves and seed head for the
tinder bundle.

*Special Note: 
Because of the pithy center, it can be difficult to carve the top of the
spindle to a point.  Consequently, it is
better left rounded.

Best Wood for Bow Drill: Carving Your First Kit

Material selection is only one component that you have to get right when starting a friction fire using the Bow Drill.  You must also carve the kit correctly.  To help make sure you carve the kit correctly, I’d like to give you my BOW DRILL CARVING TEMPLATES to use as your guide.  They are FREE for you to use – all you have to do is enter your email below so that I know where to send them!

Download my FREE Bow Drill Carving Template by entering your email below!

Thanks for checking out my article about how to choose the best Bow Drill Wood – I hope you’ve found it helpful!

CR///EK

The post Best Wood for Bow Drill: How to choose the perfect wood for your Friction Fire Bow Drill Kit appeared first on WillowHavenOutdoor Survival Skills.

The conflict with Iran has many people very fearful. To be honest the whole thing has made me do a lot of thinking. I don’t want to go over the politics of the situation with you because guess what: there … Continued

Source: GroundUp

I remember the first “tactical” flashlight I bought. It was a flat dark earth Surefire G2 Nitrolon. Everyone I showed the flashlight to was amazed by how bright it was.  Before that, I had never even heard of “lumens.” Until then, the only flashlights we had around were huge D-cell Maglites or those 6-volt monstrosities the size of a tub of ice cream. Flashlights sure have come a long way in my lifetime.

By J. Bridger, Contributing Author to Survival Cache and SHTFblog.com

I’m not a huge fan of bolting things onto rifles, but a white LED light is definitely an exception. Finding a quality weapon light isn’t difficult; finding a quality weapon light that won’t break the bank is another story. If you’ve lusted after the multi-hundred dollar Surefire M600 Scout light but lack the Benjamins, you absolutely need to take a look at the $106 Streamlight ProTac HL-X.

My love affair with Streamlight began during my time at the fire department. We used the right angle Streamlight Survivor lights, and they kicked ass. The Survivors worked wet, they worked in freezing temperatures, they worked in 100°F+ temperatures, and they worked in the burn trailer the University would bring down. That burn trailer used propane-fueled fires for interior training and generated temps over 900°F . It gets hot. The Survivor lights took 6 AAs which only needed to be replaced every six months or so, if I remember correctly. They were very bright. I could illuminate the top of the grain elevator and count the buzzards at night from the bay doors, 100 yards down the block. Suffice it to say, I am a fan of Streamlight products! When I saw the ProTac HL-X, I had to have one for my rifle. From what I’ve seen so far, the quality is just as good as the tried and true Survivor lights. 

What’s in the Box?

The ProTac HL-X is about 5.5” long, weighs 6.4 oz, and has a single picatinny mount for MIL-STD-1913 rails. The ProTac HL-X’s body is machined from aluminum and comes with two tail caps: One cap with a pressure switch, the other with a standard tailcap button. The kit comes with a pressure pad, a couple zip ties, snap on pressure pad retaining clips, Alan wrench, two screws, and an adhesive pad. The light is water resistant, but only for thirty minutes. Rain won’t hurt this light, but I wouldn’t swim with it. It does take up a good chunk of rail space. It can accept two CR123s or one 18650 battery. On high output, the Streamlight ProTac HL-X will run for 1.25 hrs, and on low, 23 hours.

Also read: Bugout Flashlight Wisdom

Streamlight uses the HL designation to mean “High Lumen.” These throw a wide beam pattern, increasing your situational awareness. Tip: If you want to see less of what’s around you and more of what’s downrange, try their HPL series lights. The ProTac HL-X is 1,000 lumens (27,600 Candela), and Streamlight reports it can throw a beam 332 meters. 1,000 lumens is a lot of output, and in my experience, really is too much for indoor use. I think this Streamlight really shines as an outdoor light (pun intended).

One of the things I love about this light is the TEN-TAP programming. I like my EDC lights to have a high and low setting, but I think a WML should have just one setting: brighter than shit. I’m not a big fan of low, “SOS,” or strobes, so I really appreciate being able to get rid of those. There are 3 available programs: High-strobe, High, and Low-High. To cycle through the available programs, tap the button 9 times in quick succession and hold it on the tenth time. Voila. You can do this with the tail cap or the pressure switch.

Real-World Trials With The Streamlight Protac HL-X

I tried the ProTac HL-X out on a snowy morning before the sun came up to see how far it’d throw a beam. At 25 yards, this light is positively blinding. Same at 50 yards. At 100 yards, you would still have zero problem identifying your target. At 200 yards,you would be able to see what you’re looking at, but I think this is where it starts to get dicey. You may be able to see a person at this distance, but are your eyes good enough to make out their intentions at night? Or can you tell a dog from a coyote? You may need a magnified optic, but it certainly will throw light that far. I use a 50/200 zero on my AR, so this is just about perfect for me.

Related: Survival Gear Review: Streamlight TLR-3

The light adds a little weight to the front of the gun, but it’s barely noticeable. A 3 o’clock mount isn’t my favorite spot, but I like it better than 6 o’clock. At 6 o’clock the shadow it casts from my suppressor covers up the 12 o’clock position on a target. What the hands are doing is probably more important than faces, but I’d still like to be able to ID someone if I had to.

I can’t speak for any other calibers these crazy kids are shooting these days, but 5.56 NATO recoil doesn’t bother the Streamlight ProTac HL-X at all. It never flickered or malfunctioned, even being in close proximity to the muzzle of my LWRC. I’m not surprised; this isn’t my first WML from Streamlight. (I also have a TLR-1 HL mounted on a Glock 19, and is a hell of a light! ) As I said before, on full power, this light may be too bright for indoor use. There is definitely some technique involved in using a light “tactically” to avoid blinding yourself, especially if you’ve just woken up. I can say from experience, its perfect for “in the yard” distance engagements with coyotes and skunks. For the casual shooter on a budget or a professional in need of a solid high-performance weapon mounted light, you can install the Streamlight Protac HL-X light and not think twice. You can rest assured it will turn on when you need it.   

The post Survival Gear Review – Streamlight ProTac HL-X appeared first on Survival Cache.

By David Crane david (at) defensereview (dot) com October 23, 2019 DefenseReview (DR) readers may (or may not) remember our exclusive interview with Guy Cramer about Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp.’s Quantum Stealth light-bending multi-spectral “invisibility cloaking” (i.e., visual cloaking/stealth) adaptive camo (camouflage) technology way back in May, 2011. Well, Quantum Stealth has just gone very public …

Security overload leads to apathy. How often do you hear a car alarm go off and roll your eyes hoping the owner would disable the blasted thing before the incoming headache comes a knocking? The primary objection I have to such systems is they work too well. Every week I hear an alarm being triggered […]

This is just the start of the post Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy. Continue reading and be sure to let us know what you think in the comments!

Security Information Overload: From Panic to Apathy & the Remedy, written by Thomas Xavier, was created exclusively for readers of the survival blog More Than Just Surviving.

When your water softener is not using salt, it can be incredibly frustrating — especially given how pricey these systems can be. Thankfully, there are a few common and relatively simple explanations for a...

The post Water Softener Not Using Salt: What To Do About It appeared first on The Homestead Survival.

Tread Labs Dash Insole Review

In the fall, I got in touch with Tread Labs which specializes in insoles for various activities and footwear types. I first tested and reviewed their Pace insoles and as I was very happy with the product, I agreed to test their Dash insoles as well. The two models differ in purpose. The Pace insoles are designed to relieve pain from planta fasciitis and other foot ailments while the Dash insoles are aimed towards athletes who want improved biomechanics and energy returns. The Dash insole is Tread Labs’ top-tier product. It utilizes premium materials and is by far the most expensive product in their online shop. Therefore I got curious about how it compares to the Pace insole and other performance insoles.

For the last month I have been wearing the Tread Labs Dash insoles on a daily basis. I wore them for running, hiking, gym training and other activities. Below is what I learned about them.

The Tread Labs Dash insoles are suitable for:

• Running
• Hiking
• Backpacking
• Mountaineering
• Trekking
• Everyday use

Materials and Design

When I unwrapped the package, I noticed that the Dash insole utilizes the same concept as the Tread Labs Pace insole. It consists of a detachable arch support and a top cover. The two components are attached to each other with a system that resembles Velcro. I was happy to see this system because I was very satisfied with it while testing the Pace insole. It is reliable and allows you to change the top cover (which is the inexpensive and most exposed part of the insole) in case it wears down.

The arch support of the Dash insole is made of carbon fiber and is thus super light. Furthermore, as carbon fiber is an incredibly strong material it allows for the arch support to be as thin as 1 millimeter in thickness. Therefore, the insole is not bulky and fits nicely into all kinds of shoes. The arch support has also some kind of anti-slip finish which prevents the insole from moving around in the shoe. All in all, there is indeed a difference when comparing the arch support of the Dash to the arch support of the Pace insole. The arch support of the Dash insole is lighter, thinner, more robust and fits better in the shoe.

The top cover of the Dash insole is very similar to the top cover of the Pace insole, but with one big improvement; it has small holes in the toes area for better breathability. Believe it or not, these small holes actually make a difference. Breathability was my only complaint over the Pace insole, and I was very satisfied with the breathability of the Dash insole. The top cover is otherwise made of open-cell polyurethane and covered with low friction recycled polyester. The polyester is also treated with antimicrobial agent so that the insole doesn’t become smelly.

For the last two months I wore the insoles for various activities, and I was very satisfied with them. My shoes feel more stable, responsive and comfortable with the Dash insoles, and the position of the foot seems better as well. The insoles fit nicely in all shoes, even in my Asics GT 2000 running shoes which came with very thin insoles. They also provide good breathability and pull the moisture from the socks efficiently. Despite that I wore them for intensive activities I haven’t detected any signs of odor so far.

Sizing, Arch Height and Versions

The Dash insoles can be trimmed and thus getting the right size isn’t difficult. However, keep in mind that it’s better to get too long insoles than too short. The insoles are available in European sizes 35 – 47 (US sizes 4- 13.5 for men and 5 – 12.5 for women). I got the insoles in size 44-44.5 and they were slightly too long for both my Lowa Innox GTX hiking shoes (size 43.5) and my Asics GT-2000 running shoes (size 44). Nevertheless, it took me only a couple of minutes to trim the insoles with a sharp pair of scissors for a perfect fit. Like the Pace, the Dash insole is also available in four different arch heights; low, medium, high and extra high. I tried low and medium arch support. The low arch support fitted me better, although according to the fitting guide I should go for the medium arch support. So, if you are somewhere in between, I recommend going for a lower height.

The Dash insoles are available in three different versions; normal insoles, short insoles and thin insoles. The first version, which I tested, is intended for shoes with full length removable inserts. The short insoles are designed for shoes without removable inserts and the thin insoles are best for shoes that come with very thin inserts such as cycling shoes, soccer cleats etc.

Verdict

I really like the Tread Labs Dash insoles because they provide great stability and responsiveness. Furthermore, they also improve the position of the foot and are very comfortable to move on. Unlike other performance insoles I have tested, the Dash insoles don’t have breathability issues. They are breathable and efficiently wick the moisture away from the socks. As the arch support is very thin, they also fit nicely in all kinds of shoes. So, if you are looking for a pair of new insoles, I do recommend giving the Tread Labs Dash insoles a try. The solid high-quality arch support and the replaceable top cover mean that you can have them for years.

If you have any questions about this product, drop me a line in the comments below.

Tread Labs Dash Insole: Package

Tread Labs Dash Insole: The arch support and top cover use a reliable Velcro-like system

Tread Labs Dash Insole: Carbon fiber arch support

Tread Labs Dash Insole: The top cover is made of polyurethane

Tread Labs Dash Insole: Ventilation holes for better breathability

Tread Labs Dash Insole: The insoles provide good arch support

Tread Labs Dash Insole: Logo printed on the polyester lining of the top cover

Rating

Design
Quality
Comfort
Functionality

About Rating

Pros:

• Stability
• Improve the position of the foot
• Low-profile (easy to fit them in shoes)
• Breathability
• Moisture-wicking
• Quality

Cons:

• /

Where to buy?

Tread Labs Dash Insoles
Buy from Tread Labs

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The post Tread Labs Dash Insole Review – Performance Series appeared first on Best Hiking.

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