The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Milford company aims to boost performance with ‘explosive’ insoles
When Matt Arciuolo wants to show off his patented athletic insoles, he places it into a shoe, folds the shoe up with his hands and then releases it.
Onlookers can then watch the shoe launch from the ground to the ceiling or even through a basketball hoop as the founder of Milfordbased VKTRY Gear proves his product can help athletes run faster and jump higher.
“I knew the product worked,” Arciuolo said. “I think the two very motivating factors are increased performance and staying healthy. If a product addresses both of those, I think you’ve got a winner.”
Since VKTRY Gear launched in 2016, executives said the brand has proven its worth among athletes of all ages and levels looking for an edge on the field and court. The company is projected to double its production and growth in the next year, according to CEO Steve Wasik. The company reported more than 50,000 “satisfied customers” with a 5 percent return rate.
The insole is being used by more than 200 pro and college teams, the company said.
The increase in business prompted the company to relocate from
Wilton to Milford this year, opting for a 4,000squarefoot facility at 135 Research Drive.
“The more people find out about our product, the more curious they are,” Wasik said. “Basically, anybody who wears shoes and pushes against the ground for their sport can benefit from our product.”
Using a carbon fiber plate design, VKTRY’s insole is described as helping return energy created when an athlete pushes off the ground to increase explosiveness, according to Arciuolo.
Arciuolo’s family has run Milfordbased Arciuolo’s Shoes since 1921. Matt Arciuolo is certified in the science of modifying shoes for better performance. He originally designed VKTRY’s insole more than a decade ago when he worked with Team USA’s Olympic bobsled and skeleton athletes.
His goal, at the time, was to improve the athletes’ take off.
“That part of the race where they push the sled — that would be the key part of determining gold (or) not even placing,” he said.
While standard insoles offer support and cushioning for users, he said, they don’t react to the wearer.
A study conducted by Southern Connecticut State University found that, on average, athletes who used
VKTRY’s product saw a slightly more than 9 percent increase in what the company termed “athletic explosiveness” when jumping and running. Based on data gathered from 77 college and high school athletes, the participants cut .12 seconds off their 40yarddash time and added 1.6 inches to their vertical jump using the product.
VK insoles offer a variety of options for customers based on their foot size, weight and sport they participate in.
Aside from improving performance, the duo said offering stability and protection for wearers was also a primary goal.
The use of performance enhancing footwear has been scrutinized nationally in recent months, according to national reports. Critics have reportedly questioned use of products like Nike’s Vaporfly shoe because it may offer an unfair advantage. The company’s owners say no. “Our product helps because it is taking some of the shock off of the body,” Wasik said. “The question comes up whether this is cheating, and the answer is that our product first and foremost protects the athlete against injury.”
Wasik and Arciuolo said they are looking for additional growth in coming years and to continue to develop their brand’s recognition.
“We still have probably 95 percent of people don’t know about our product,” Wazik said. “Once people try our product, they tend to love it. Our goal is really to spread the word.”