Navy Vitasole Walker shoe annotated with key VX Technology features

What is VX Technology?

The thinking behind every Vitasole shoe. VX Technology is our promise that nothing on your feet is there by accident.

Vitasole exists to keep you moving. When you’re healthier, you’re happier and when you move, you keep moving. Exercise is for everyone! We’re for this 10,000 steps, and for your next 10,000 steps. No matter how you get them.

VX Technology is how we do it.

So what is VX Technology? In short, it is the set of comfort and support features we engineer into every Vitasole shoe. A rocker sole that carries your stride, arch support that keeps you aligned, and EVA cushioning that softens every step. Different shoes, same goal, keeping you moving.

The design team at Vitasole has decades of experience in the field of footcare. We’ve developed medical grade shoes and technology that Podiatrists everywhere now can’t live without.

Every detail we add to Vitasole is meticulously thought out. None of it is there to pad out a spec sheet, every feature earns its place by doing a real job, and below we explain exactly what each one does. Everything is there to help you take your next step, and the step after that. That’s VX.

Vitasole Vitality sandal with VX Technology features labelled
VX Technology at a glance, shown on the Vitasole Vitality.

Rocker Sole

When we say VX Technology is for your next step, none of our tech illustrates this quite as much as the Rocker Sole. When your shoe has a Rocker Sole it uses your momentum to push you forward, literally beckoning you to take another step.

A rocker sole shoe beside a rocking chair showing shared rolling momentum
Like a rocking chair, the curved sole takes a little push to start, then keeps you going.

Think of a Rocker Sole like its namesake, a rocking chair. It takes movement to get it started, but once it’s going it keeps going.

This VX Technology pushes you forward, making it easier to go on longer walks and capture those 10,000 steps.

Arch Support

Arch Support maintains the natural shape of your foot’s arch, which can help distribute body weight and absorb shock during walking or running. On top of this, if you overpronate (roll your foot inwards) Arch Support fixes that. It fixes the alignment of your whole lower body which can have substantial effects on not just your feet, but the rest of your body too!1

In our line of work we’ve seen countless bad knees, hips and backs that have been caused by this misalignment of the lower body which has now caused a flow-on effect.

Arch Support is nothing new, the first recorded use of it was all the way back in 1865. Yet it is still one of the more overlooked technologies in footwear.

That’s why we’ve made it easier to implement this VX technology into your day-to-day life.

If you’re living the Kiwi dream, spending the day on the beach in your jandals. Why not add Arch Support? If you’ve got a pair of shoes you love, where Arch Support has been overlooked, why not add an Arch Support Insole?

Vitasole arch support beach jandals with a contoured footbed
Even a pair of Vitasole jandals carries arch support, so the beach counts too.

We want to make it easier for you to get those 10,000 steps. No matter how you get them!

The Support Booster

Not everyone wants the same amount of arch support, and the shoes you already own were not built with your arches in mind. That is where the Support Booster comes in. Our Vitasole Comfort orthotic insoles drop into most shoes in place of the removable footbed, and they carry a unique Support Booster you can add underneath to raise the arch profile.

More support when you want it, less when you don’t. It is arch support you can tune to your own feet, in the shoes you already love. A little step now that helps you take a lot more of them later.

Vitasole Comfort full-length orthotic insoles with adjustable Support Booster
The Vitasole Comfort insoles, with a Support Booster you add underneath to raise the arch profile.

EVA Cushioning

EVA (or ethylene-vinyl acetate), is a type of foam material that we have utilised over a wide range of our products. It’s like super-rubber! Lightweight, flexible, and provides excellent shock absorption and cushioning properties.

Cutaway of an EVA midsole showing the air-cell foam that cushions each step
EVA is a foam full of tiny air cells. It compresses to soak up impact, then springs back.

The elasticity and durability of this VX Technology means it has a huge number of applications. Whether it’s providing the spring as you step off in the Walker, or a soft and durable midsole that moulds to your foot in our other shoes. It conforms to the shape of your foot and can distribute weight evenly and provide targeted support when needed. It’s a welcome addition you’ll feel immediately.

One of the main benefits of EVA cushioning is its ability to reduce the impact of repetitive motions, such as running or walking, on the joints and bones of the feet.2 This can help prevent injuries and reduce the risk of developing conditions like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and stress fractures.

We implement this technology where it’s needed throughout our products. Relieving the stress on your feet and making it easier to get those 10,000 steps.

The Next Step: ETPA

EVA is not the end of the story. Meet ETPA, or Expanded Thermoplastic Polyurethane, the next generation of cushioning. It delivers even more bounce and energy return than EVA, which makes it a real step up for anyone getting seriously active.

You will find it in purpose-built Vitasole exercise shoes like the Icarus, and you will be seeing a lot more of it across the range.

Vitasole Icarus active sneaker built with ETPA cushioning
The Vitasole Icarus, one of the first to use next-generation ETPA cushioning.

Quick Questions

What is VX Technology?

VX Technology is the set of comfort and support features Vitasole engineers into its footwear. It brings together a rocker sole, arch support and EVA cushioning so every shoe helps you move more easily and keep moving.

What are the main features of VX Technology?

Three core ones. A rocker sole that uses your momentum to carry you forward, arch support that keeps your lower body aligned and absorbs shock, and EVA cushioning that softens impact and springs back. Each shoe uses the features where they help most.

Which Vitasole shoes use VX Technology?

VX runs across the Vitasole range, applied where it does the most good. The Walker, for example, pairs a rocker sole with an EVA midsole for that spring as you step off.

What is ETPA and how is it different from EVA?

ETPA, or Expanded Thermoplastic Polyurethane, is a newer cushioning foam that gives even more bounce and energy return than EVA. Vitasole uses it in purpose-built exercise shoes like the Icarus, while EVA still handles the everyday cushioning across the range.

Can I add VX support to shoes I already own?

Yes. A Vitasole arch support insole drops into shoes you already love, and its Support Booster lets you raise the arch profile to suit you. Even a pair of arch-supporting jandals brings the same thinking to the beach.

Is VX Technology only for exercise?

No. It is built for everyday movement, from your first 10,000 steps to your next. The features help whether you are walking, working or simply on your feet all day.

Feel VX underfoot

Rocker sole, arch support and EVA cushioning, built into every Vitasole step.

Shop Vitasole

References

  1. Cleveland Clinic. Flat Feet (Pes Planus) and Overpronation. my.clevelandclinic.org
  2. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Foot biomechanics during walking and running. mayoclinicproceedings.org
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1 comment

What specific medical-grade features or technologies in Vitasole shoes have received the strongest endorsement from podiatrists, and are there any clinical studies that support their efficacy for specific foot conditions like plantar fasciitis or diabetic neuropathy?
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