Heel heights different?

[dancin_feet]

Ok I hate to start yet another shoe thread, but I a curious to see what the international view on this subject is.

I bought a new pair of Supadance latin shoes and am in the process of breaking them in. However the heel height is different to my Australian brand shoes. :? They are both sold as 2.5" heels, but the Supadance shoes have the heel set more towards the back of the shoe instead of closer to the arch and they look and feel like 3" heels. I actually questioned this when I bought them and the salesgirl gave me a pair of 3" to try, and they were definitely higher still. :shock:

I know shoe sizing is different from country to country, but heel height I would have thought that 2.5" was 2.5" regardless. :?:

Anyone else experienced this or have any ideas why?

 

[Purr]

Well, I ended up getting out a ruler and measuring the heights on my Supadance smooth & Latin and Werner Kern Latin shoes. Their boxes all say they have 2.5" heels.

I think the answer is where you measure from. If you measure from the inside part of the heel (towards the middle of the shoe) to the sole, it's 2.5". If you measure from the outside part of the heel (towards the back of the shoe) to the sole, it's 3.0".

I can't imagine dancing in any shoes with higher heels than this! :wink:

 

[dancin_feet]

I have measured my Australian brand shoes from where the heel joins the shoe at the back to the floor and they are 2.5". I haven't measured my new ones yet.

I thought that it was because the heel was set closer to the back of the shoe than my others, but if you stand my new ones side by side with my others, the new ones definitely have a taller heel.

I'll see if I can find my tape measure tonight, I'm curious where they get the 2.5" measurement from. I'll try some of the places you have mentioned Purr.

 

[tasche]

I think they get the measurement of the heel from the length at the center of the heel. Also if the shoes are well designed then the heel heigh will be different on a size 6 than a size 10. Only one shoe in the size range will have exactly 2.5" heel it all depends on which size they make the sample on or on which size they decide to base the heel height on.

Some 3"' feel like 2" and some 2" feel like 3" it depends on the deisgn and balance of the shoe

 

[Laura]

I know that Dance Naturals heels are actually higher than what it says on the box...someone told me that the 2 1/2" heel is actually a bit over 2 3/4". I've never measured mine, but the heel is definitely a bit higher than on my Supadance shoes, which seem to be the same as my International shoes, but definitely higher than my Capezio shoes. All of them claim to be 2 1/2" heels.

 

[SDsalsaguy]

All of them claim to be 2 1/2" heels.

And do your shoes talk to you on a regular basis Laura? :wink:

[Sorry, I couldn't stifle myself! ]

 

[dancin_feet]

All of them claim to be 2 1/2" heels.

And do your shoes talk to you on a regular basis Laura? :wink:

[Sorry, I couldn't stifle myself! ]

You so fuuunnnyyy!!! :lol:

So it looks like I need to forget about the 2.5" measurement and go back to buying shoes on feel, rather than what the box says. How on earth do you buy shoes over the web without trying them on first?? There are too many sizing differences to know what you are buying will fit without trying on first. :shock:

 

[Laura]

I'm lucky in that there are several competitions and also stores that sell ballroom shoes near my home town. So, I've been able to try things on before I buy them. Generally, I'll buy something once in person, and if I like it enough to use it again I'll order it off the web in the future.