Just how far can you go in......

[Thighboots2]

So Guys,

Time to be totally honest with not only yourself but with us all.

I read from time to time of people saying they can do this and that in heels so high, but I an a little wary of these claims. So what I wanted to gauge is not how high a heel you can wear, sure I can stand in 5.5" heels, and walk about a bit too. At 5.25" I am happy around house and garden, and about 1/4 mile distance before I can no longer walk easily. To go a mile I must be at or below 4.25"

So my poll question is:-

Were you to be asked to participate in a "Walk A Mile in Her Shoes" event, what height heel could you walk the ditance in, bearing in mind there will be no stopping.

I suggest you get out and try to do a mile in your highest heel and see just how far you get. I would recommend a spare pair of lower heels be with you, just in case.

[Titou27]

Hi, For the moment, not a problem at all with 4.25". I should receive today 1 pair of 5" and 1 of 6". I will certainly try when I will be back at home... I will be then able to fill the poll.

[Danielinheels]

If I was trying to avoid pain (usually a good idea!), I'd stick to 4". That's usually the highest I go, anyway. I owned a pair of 5" heels long ago, and could dance in them to an extent (I'm primarily speaking of "stepping," I used to help some folks come up with them and I'd always test their ease in heels before bringing them to the group) and I've never owned a heel in between those heights.

[Heel-Lover]

6 inch to 6.5 inch heels (no platforms) are good for all day for me. 7 inch is too much. I have walked almost 5km in one go in shoes of this height and was only a little tired in the ankle region (mainly due to uneven pavement cambers etc.. which is what usually wears you out IMO) Heel-Lover

[admirer5577]

I have a "round" trip around my neighbourhood that takes about one hour, appr 5 km/3miles. With new purchased footwear I try to take this walk to "break" them in a little, and then I also know if I can last in them for some hours. (And yes, I do bring a change just in case.) I have done this walk in both 6" pumps and 6" knee high boots so I guess I qualify for walking a mile in them. But I have to admit that maybe they aren't 6" high. Pleasers seem to be on the low side sometimes but in sz 14 it shouldn't be too far off. On the other hand their Milan range is said to be 4½" when they in fact are 5,25" in sz 14. (My avatar) Although I can walk in 6" heels, I normally don't do it on town. They are a little too extrem for casual walks and are mostly used for special parties. I tend to stay to 4,5 -5" for "normal" outings.

[johnieheel]

To be honest, I have walked around the house all day in 5" heels but out and about 4-4 1/2 no prob. all day and some. I wear 4" heels most of the time, except at work.

[mikeheel]

It must have been about 3/4 of a mile from the car park to the hotel. This was to a 'theme - wedding' in the summer.I was a witch in those 6 inch courts from Elite Heels, soft Italian leather. I was still ok at 3/4 of a mile (20 mins-small steps) so I guess a little further would have been OK but I was tired as you do have to work a little harder to walk in really high heels but no discomfort. I would love to take part in a challange!! reckon I might even win !!!

[chris100575]

I've had several nights out in 4.5" heels, and must have walked a mile or so on at least one of them, plus time spent standing around in pubs when it was too busy to get a seat. Nevertheless, I voted for 4". If I know I'm going to have to be walking I might as well go a bit lower for the comfort! Chris

[Dr. Shoe]

I voted 5.5" because I have done but I find that my feet might hurt in 4" heels after a few hundred yards, depends on the make, quality and style.

[Titou27]

New pumps received (first pair of 6")... try to wear it: mainly impossible . So I will vote for 5"

[HappyFeat]

I voted for 4.5" heels, which seems to be the most common heel height that I have in my collection. I recently bought a pair of open-toe Bandolino pumps with a solid heel and a 1/2" platform at 4.5" that I could play basketball in...LOL...I danced for three hours without sitting, so I figure a mile would be no problem. One shoes get higher than 4.5" or so, I have bigger problems with the vamp than I do with the heel height. All of that weight coming forward I guess. Also, any walking for me would require a pump, boot, or some other shoe with a solid back. I find mules, slides, slings, and sandals very difficult for walking more than a short distance at one stretch.

[mccar7hy]

haven't tried it before... maybe the next time I get a chance

[JeffB]

My excursions to the mall usually have me walking a good mile or more while spending upwards of five hours in heels, and that's not counting time spent in the multiplex watching a movie, so for optimum comfort, my choice is 4 inches which I can walk all day long in.

[lotsofheels]

Up until this question was posted, I had never walked as far as a mile in anything higher than 4 inch heels, but after I saw some of the responses from others, my wife and I decided to try going for a mile walk in higher heels. I tried a pair with 5 inch heels and my wife tried a pair with 5 1/2 inch heels although I tried to dissuade her from going so high since her feet are two sizes smaller than mine. It was no surprise to me that she couldn't go any further than half the distance and had to change into 4 inch heels which she had brought along just in case. I had little difficulty making the whole trip, even though this was my first attempt at going any distance in anything over 4 inches. It just goes to prove that practice makes perfect. I expect that I will seldom wear any heels lower than 5 inches when I'm wearing heels outdoors from now on and maybe 5 1/2 or even 6 inchers are in my future.

[guyinheels]

I did the cancer walk a couple weeks ago in my 5 1/4 heels. The walk was a little it over a mile and was for a very worthy cause....I had alot of my male and female friends go walking with me. Some things like men wearing heels might not be mainstream but eventually it will be.

[Rockpup]

I did a 1/3 mile nature trail in a pair of 5.5" Pleaser Domina boots. I was not very comfortable near the end and could not have made a mile. I have a couple pair of 5" heels I think I could do a mile in. Gone a couple miles in 4" when either shopping or out on Miami Beach

[Jkrenzer]

I said 4.75" because I walk my street 1/2 mile each way just about every day with the dog. I could do 5" on a level surface easy enough, but except for buildings, there are no level surfaces where I live. I do most of my heeling with 4 to 4.5 inch boots just because they are more comfortable over the longer periods. I have had 4" hurt much more than 5" so the quality of the make and fit seem to matter most to me.

[alistair]

Style of shoe matters alot, my silletto boots are painful quicker than wedges or platforms.

[cjveritas]

No more than 4" to go a mile with for me.

[geo_t]

I voted 6", and here's why... I have, at different times, walked the full length and width of Lakeside shopping center and the surrounding stores wearing thigh boots with 6" stiletto heels under my jeans. The first couple of times my legs and back were really sore, but later trips were mostly painless. Stairs were always a bit tricky, though. Nowadays... I tend to limit myself to 5" heels for regular wear. I've been all over Underground Atlanta several times, walked around many Florida towns, New York, not to mention doing "The Timewarp" many, many times wearing boots or pumps with 5" stiletto heels. I still have 6" and 7" heels, but they don't get much use outside the house.

[high_55]

believe or not the latest shoes i bought even though being as high as 4.5 inches, they're very comfortable, it's really esay to walk on them for long periods, i've found that mostly if you don't tighten un the laces round your ankle, your feet wont swell and you'll be able to las longer wearing heels

[HappyFeat]

I was out heeling today in fairly low (2 1/2") pumps. I probably walked 3 miles in all but wound up with horrible blisters on my heels. I have such a narrow heel that it moves around even n women's shoes. The next time I am oit in them, I will wear nylons of some sort.

[micha]

I voted for 4'' because that's a heel height I'm comfortable with and that I have worn for hours on the street. My alldays heels in my hometown are rangeing between 3 and 4.5 inches. As a sportive challenge I could possibly manage a mile on 5.5 or 6 inch heels

[Shoeiee]

I voted 5.5" because 5" is rather easy for me and I"ve done about that distance in 6". As others have said, make, quality, materials of the shoes make a huge difference!! I've got one pair of 5" boots from usashoes.com made of real leather that were my favorites!! (and will be again once I get the heels replaced...) Add a slight insole and I can walk all day in them!! I've also got a pair of Pleaser Domina-1010 boots that have a 5.75" heel that I can go quite a distance in...But I feel they're a little too small and kill my toes after about 30 min...If they were real leather I could do a mile - no problem.

[admirer5577]

I was out heeling today in fairly low (2 1/2") pumps. I probably walked 3 miles in all but wound up with horrible blisters on my heels. I have such a narrow heel that it moves around even n women's shoes. The next time I am oit in them, I will wear nylons of some sort.

DrScholl not only have gel cushions for the toe area but also gel strips that is supposed to put on the backside of your shoe to avoid slipping around.

It might work for you and your problem.

[ScoobyHH]

Well I voted for 5" heels so I thought I might as well try it.I went for a walk in 5 1/2 inch heels,along a canal tow path which had a rough surface and it was starting to get dark,now the clocks have changed. I find my feet get tired almost immediately then I get a second wind and am OK for a while.Walking for real outdoors like this is so much harder than in the house where I often forget I'm wearing them,I was in no danger of that though as my ankles started tiring again and I started to have the odd wobble and the heel tips stop landing properly. Its about this time that it stops being fun but I persevered any way,the surface and semi darkness was a pain but I eventually made it back to the car by which time I had lost all ability to walk with any grace,and the balls of my feet were protesting. When I got home and looked on an OS map I was a little dissapointed to find I'd only walked about 3/4 of a mile,but when I think back to when I first got these shoes I struggled to stand let alone walk LOL.I could have managed a full mile When I looked at the heel tips they have worn noticeably even though they are metal,how long do plastic tips last I wonder?

[Heel-Lover]

Hi ScoobyHH, Metal tips last longer than the plastic. The plastic ones wear very very quickly around the edges etc.. and then take a while to finally bust off down to the metal insert they havewithin them. Plastic is better if you are new to heeling on hard surfaces such as marble, really polioshed linoleum (eg shop floor), ceramic tiles since metal tips can skid on these - which is naturally fun when you're used to controlling it. Metal is better cause of the sound and the vibration you get in the shoe if you drag it. Heel-Lover

[ScoobyHH]

Metal is better cause of the sound and the vibration you get in the shoe if you drag it.

Heel-Lover

yep I love that sound too,I do it deliberately sometimes,and it always gets my attention when out and about.

[Thighboots2]

Scooby, Good exercise. Shows what is comfortable around the house is not so easy when your out and about. Mind you a canal towpath is not exactly the best sort of place to test your endurace. Went for an amble the other evening with my trusty 4.5" Fuss metal heeled courts and also took my Ellie Leslie (5.25") courts to change into part way through once I was upto speed so to speak. After about 800yds, I changed and only got another 200yds before I was wobbling about most ungraciously, so I changed back and I was quite fine again. The heel tip size on the Fuss is only 4mm whereas the Ellie has a 10mm heel tip. The Ellie have stretched a bit too (despite being man made material) and so are loose on the heel, so trying to keep the shoe on whilst walking is also very tiring. The Fuss fit like a glove and so despite walking on what is nearly a pin, I was able to continue my very pleasant walk for the next mile and a half. I will have to get some of the gel cushions and heel strips to see if they will make the Ellie's more secure, otherwise..... So although I voted 4.25", I now know that 4.5" is perfect. Perhaps it is that the fit is much better so more relaxing to wear. Also I especially like the metal heel as I can turn up replacements for myself. They are expensive at 100 euro plus delivery, but they are very comfortable and elegant shoes and are not at all like the normal fare served up to the bigger footed amongst us. TB2

[Majo]

I can walk all day on 11cm (4"2/7) and about 1 and 1/2 horus on on 11.5/12 cm. But lately I'm strugling with a couple of boots that have a particular type of heel: the strain one of knees after a while. Unfortunately I have no fotos of them to show.