OrthoLite introduces OrthoLite O-Therm, a thermal insole technology for cold-weather footwear protection. O-Therm offers the known benefits of open-cell PU-foam while combining light, insulative cold barrier protection with O-Therm’s aerogel thermal properties. For the consumer, this means feet stay warmer, they can stay outdoors longer, feel more comfortable, perform better and go farther in cold weather conditions.
“OrthoLite’s proprietary aerogel is O-Therm’s secret sauce,” said Rob Falken, vice president, innovation, OrthoLite. “Our advanced aerogel traps micro-pockets of air without the need for loft, and it won’t lose its effectiveness when compressed underfoot. OrthoLite’s aerogel is unlike any other aerogel solution in that it is nano-porous inside of a multi-porous structure, and that creates a supreme thermal barrier that blocks both cold and heat. In addition, O-Therm’s advanced silica aerogel powder is the lightest man-made material, weighing in at only three times the weight of air,” Falken notes.
O-Therm advanced aerogel is also hydrophobic, which means it repels water and moves moisture away from the foot for a drier, more comfortable shoe environment. Exclusive to OrthoLite, this proprietary advanced aerogel requires no special handling or encapsulation.
OrthoLite worked with a third-party thermal test laboratory, Vartest Laboratories, to quantify its thermal performance under extremely cold conditions -78°C (-108°F). The third-party test results validated that O-Therm is a breathable thermal barrier 54 percent more effective on average in comparative testing to other thermal insoles when tested at -78°C (-108°F).
O-Therm retains all the comfort and performance benefits of OrthoLite open-cell PU foam. O-Therm is a 2mm base-layer thermal foam that can be combined with OrthoLite top-layer foams for a custom insole solution tailored to a broad range of footwear, including outdoor, casual, work, ski and snowboard, fashion, and other cold-weather footwear categories. The thinness and moldability also make it an ideal thermal barrier for footwear linings and Strobel layers—bringing cold block technology without added bulk or weight.
“We are proud to introduce this new thermal innovation to the footwear industry,” said John Barrett, president, OrthoLite. “We see tremendous potential in the market—in cold weather footwear applications and beyond.”
As a vertically integrated U.S. company with worldwide facilities, OrthoLite collaborates with its brand partners to create and produce custom insole formulations. For more information on O-Therm technology, go here.
Photo courtesy Ortholite
