Wolverine iCS

What is iCS?

Fulcrum iCS (top)
Earlier model iCS (bottom)

If you've looked at Wolverine's boots this spring you've probably seen iCS. What does iCS stand for? Individual Comfort System. It's a soft rubber ring that fits into the heel of your boot and is slanted slightly on a gradient. This allows you to adjust how your boot feeds back into your foot. You can put the most heavily cushioned (thickest) part in any position (360º) to correct for pronation issues or cushion preferences.

What are my thoughts on this? I think it's wonderful! The Adventure Lifestyle Blog's partner Wolverine just sent me the 2011 Fulcrum boots (prototype) and man, are they nice! However I had an issue with some rubbing around the ankle cuff. A quick adjustment of the iCS wafer and the boots were wearing properly in no time. I don't know exactly how prone I will be to changing the cushioning setting from firm to soft on the fly, it just seems like a hassle that I won't bother with unless I really feel my feet screaming in pain. It's nice to have the flexibility of choosing exactly how your heel impacts the boot, though.

Notice that the iCS wafer is thick on one side and
 thin on the other, this is the principle by which it operates.

I gotta say I like the iCS idea and it seems to work to solve minor individual adjustment problems easily. I think Wolverine is really working to become a major contender in the hiking and trail shoe industry and the iCS system is definitely a 'step' in the right direction. Watch the video at the end to see exactly how the iCS works in your boots and how to adjust it for your personal comfort. Really it's just a matter of paying attention to how your foot is striking the sole.