Thinking of backing the 3D Printed BASE by Wiivv insoles on Kickstarter? Read through these FAQs before you make a pledge.

The 3D printed BASE by Wiivv insoles have been a smash hit on Kickstarter. Although the company still has 20 days to go on their phenomenal crowdfunding campaign, they’ve already surpassed their $50,000 goal and raised an amazing $97,135  from 1,364 backers (correct at time of writing).

If you’re interested in learning more about this impressive campaign, and perhaps even making a pledge yourself, then have a read of these frequently asked questions posed by the Kickstarter community, together with answers from the team at Wiivv.

As always with Kickstarter and crowdfunding campaigns in general, backers should exercise caution before pledging their funds to a project. Make your own assessment about the viability of a product (and it’s overall chances of success) to avoid disappointment.

Q: Does shoe size matter with these inserts?

No — shoe size does not matter. That is one of the first questions we ask you in the app flow — to ensure the insoles are tailored to you!

Q: How will the app work to get your foot print? Does it take the whole print? Each sole is designed specifically for that person?

Every pair of BASE by Wiivv insoles that we print are 100% unique and tailored to fit each person. The app flow takes around 5 minutes to complete. Once you take the photos for your feet — it will take your 2D images and create a 3D printable file using our customization engine — and Voila!

Q: Will this work for flat feet, plantar fasciitis and achilles tendinitis?

We have had a series of questions regarding some very common foot issues. The short answer to the 3 conditions above is ‘yes’. Through our work with the Wiivv 100 over the past 6 months, we have had great examples of reduction or elimination for many of these ailments.

One key point is that those with flat feet will not have ‘correction’ to increase their arch, but they will experience increased comfort with BASE insoles in their shoes.

If you have a very serious foot condition — we do recommend that you go to a specialist to investigate whether a corrective orthotic is a better option for you.

Q: I’m curious if you noticed any occurrences of the Base insole shifting/moving around within the shoe during your R&D/testing?

Somewhere along the way — between our 1st iteration and our 72nd one — we only had a couple reports of this happening. To make sure we minimized the chance of this ever happening at all, we introduced non-slip treads on the bottom of the insole. They’re not necessarily Spiderman-sticky when you just lightly brush your finger across them, but in their natural habitat (your shoe) with some mass on them, they’re awesome! (The heel cup design helps with anti-slippage as well)

Q: Odd question, but do these squeak or make any noise when walking/running? I had a good pair before but I had to stop using them because they made noise when walking due to them flexing between the gap of the show sole and the bottom of the inserts.

That is a first! I have been wearing mine for a while now — and wore them all day here at CES. I have not noticed any squeaking noise. I am going to however have a listen for you tomorrow — and will report back if this changes. Thanks for teaching me something new!

Q: I honestly hope this is hard enough to absorb the force from some bad mileage, I run 8 miles a day, 7 day a week, and quite fast. Most of my metal or hard plastic arch support just crack after 3 months…

8 miles a day is pretty amazing indeed. Out of our Wiivv 100 group — 41 of them were runners of various degrees. We have not had any pairs crack over the last 6 months of wear. Of this group — we do have one ultra marathoner — who definitely over indexes and has had very heavy use for sure. I hope this helps! And thanks for the inspiration!

Q: How long do BASE by Wiivv insoles last?

BASE insoles will last you about 12 months with average use.

Q: I play a lot of basketball and volleyball would it be okay to jump a lot with these insoles?

Your question was about jumping in the insoles when you have flat feet. We have not specifically tested someone with flat feet playing jumping sports — but we have tested miles and miles of other activities with others with the same issue. The product has had very positive consistent results across our 100 beta testers who did wear them for months.

Q: I’m in the UK — will you be opening this up to residents outside of the US and Canada at all?

We hope to. Especially after the awesome response from places like the UK, it’s on our minds for sure! We’re collecting emails here, so we can keep you up to date about this. *And* make sure you get our Kickstarter family pricing!

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