It was 2009 Snowboarder of the Year Jamie Anderson who first decided she wanted a little something more in her UGG boots.  Turns out the she was ahead of the curve. After being ALINED at the Winter X-Games (and winning a gold medal in Slopestyle), Anderson decided to tune up her UGGS with ALINE to combat the lack of support in the warm sheepskin boots.

One year later, experts are beginning to notice that unsupportive footwear can really damage the feet by straining the foot, ankle, and Achilles tendon. See the attached article for more information, and don't forget to thank Jamie Anderson the next time you see her!

Rebecca Heaton, editor of Competitor (former Rocky Mountain Sports Magazine), talks about hot products from the magazine's October 2009 issue.  Our favorite?  Definitely ALINE Red.

ALINE has been speeding up runners at hundreds of events this past season & Here's a short video from Denver Marathon featuring the ubiquitous Alan Neveu.

CBS NEWS COVERAGE

Authors: Tom Landers & Barry Lotz

ALINE was awarded "Best in Show" for the Accessories category in Golfing Magazine's 2007 PGA Merchandising Expo product review.

Author: Hack Alexander, Golf Stuff that's Worth Digging For

The ALINE BFAST System

Feet First: OK, you've gone out and spent at least a C-note on that new set of spikes, and they fit like a dream, but your golf game still sucks, and your back still aches. Could be a congenital problem with your move--consult a professional--but then again, the problem could rest right there on the soles of your feet. Most people don't have the scratch to wear custom-made shoes, so we slog around with fallen arches and horrible ankle-to-knee alignment, which leads to all kinds of balance issues and restricted or sloppy motion during the golf swing. That's where the good folks at ALINE come in. They've developed an orthotic device that will instantly put your feet in line with the rest of your skeletal structure, and trust us, you'll feel the difference right away when you take your stance over the ball and take a few swings. After a 10-minute in-store fitting session using a laser-equipped device that looks like a shoe store's measuring guage, ALINE's technicians will dial in the amount of offset between the middle of your ankle and knee (I was found to be slightly collapsed in the arches). They'll then fit you with the properly adjusted, suspension orthotic device that slips into any pair of rigid-sole shoes after you remove the flimsy, worn-out foam or leather liner that came with it (which you should immediately chuck in the garbage). They're a revelation for any athlete--ALINE has developed models for mountain climbers and Olympians--but for golfers they're amazingly comfortable and stabilizing. I now feel so steady over the ball and have experienced such an improvement in every department--straighter irons and drives, better balance through the bag--that I'm consistently shooting in the low 80s after struggling in the upper 80s to low 90s. This is a simple biomechanical juggernaut that will change you life. If golf is a game of inches, the ALINE system also proves that its a question of millimeters, and when it comes to lower body alignment, every one counts.

Author: Dr. Bob Arnot, The Rx Pad

"Why You Need Insoles"

Custom insoles aren't just for comfort; they're essential for protecting your joints and boosting athletic performance

I have what's best called a "clawfoot": high arches and toes that point down. This "claw" offers  enormous advantages in alpine skiing because it provides leverage on the ski in a turn. But it's a terrible flaw for running, tennis, hiking or mountain climbing because it places destructive forces on the hip. For people like me, good insoles (orthotics) provide vital protection from long-term joint and ligament damage. They also improve everyday comfort and athletic performance. When I cycle, for example, orthotics help smooth the wobble in my right knee.  Because I've destroyed my right hip with too many marathons, triathlons and alpine assaults, I wear orthotics in my everyday shoes so I can walk or run farther without pain. The best, most affordable ones I've found come from a company called ALINE. I first tried them after meeting the inventor, Gordon Hay. When you go to a store that carries ALINEs (there are 300 of them around the country), the staff will take 3D measurements of your foot and the alignment of your ankle and knee with a device the company created. Based on your measurements, they'll pick an insole for you on the spot. Hay's insoles not only make your feet comfortable, they also improve your alignment and reduce knee and ankle pain. I used these all last season in my ski boots (as well as my running and cycling shoes). I've never skied better.

Author: Dennis Lewon, Rising Stock

"Full Suspension"

Granted, insoles are the least sexy piece of gear on the shelf. But here's [an] accessory worth getting excited about. ALINE, a year-old company cofounded by Gordon Hay--an orthotics guru who makes custom inserts for extreme skiers, mountaineers and other athletes--has designed its BFAST insoles to both suspend and support your foot, improving alignment issues that affect ankles, knees, hips, back, and more. Proof that it works? The company also created a measuring device (the ALINER, available at retail shops) that lets you see at a glance where your lower body is out of whack, and whether insoles help the problem. Plus there's our own satisfied testers--as well as the list of unpaid converts, which reads like a who's who of action-sports stars, including freeskier Jamie Pierre.