Girl Talk Reviews: Smart Heel High Heel Protectors

Having lived in more than one urban area, including nearly two years of living in downtown San Diego during which time I doubt I got in my car more than twice a month, I've ruined quite a few pair of delicate high heels. Walking absolutely everywhere in your best heels will do that. Although common sense tells us that shoes are made to protect our feet, the female brain has a whole different shoe story running through it. Tall, delicate high heels are good for little more than decoration. Durable they are not. And, once you are truly hooked on high heels, it's nearly impossible to go back to flats.

Smart Heel
$9.95
Free Shipping
Available at: SmartHeel.com

This leads to the inevitable ruined high heel issue. When you get to that level of heel devotion where you start wearing high heels to places like the grocery store and sporting events, trashed heels are just a fact of life. Heels scrape the curb when you are getting in and out of cars, get stuck in sidewalk grates and cracks in the concrete, and take the fidgety frustration when we are waiting impatiently for for a table at our favorite outdoor cafe. The result is nasty, scraped and banged up leather that can cost $40 and up to repair properly. In fact, I have a pair of super cute BCBG strappy sandals in my closet right now that have been sporting a scraped heel for nearly eight months because I'm dreading the shoe repair bill. If only there was a way to prevent the problem...

Enter the Smart Heel. Created by an NYC fashionista who was sick and tired of dealing with ruined heels and the expensive, mis-matched repair jobs that followed, the Smart Heel is a deceptively simple-looking device that is designed to protect your heels from urban mishaps while walking to and from your destination. Sounds like the answer to every high heel lover's prayers. But, does the product live up to the promise? I turned the two biggest high heel devotees on the Stiletto Jungle Girl Talk panel-- Po and Kim-- loose with the Smart Heel to see if it is shoe heaven or shoe hype.

"Once you get over putting the Smart Heel on the heel of your shoe it is useful," says Kim, a 23-year-old recent college graduate from La Jolla, California. "I had some trouble locking in the Smart Heel on my shoe. I had to cut the top ['leaf'] part twice and that was time consuming... but it was well worth it once I realized I wouldn't get any scuff marks on my delicate heels. The Smart Heel chipped on the bottom of one of my shoes, but it still managed to protect my heel from damage while walking to my car from work. I recommend getting the Smart Heel in the exact color of your shoe. The Smart Heel is excellent for those who live an 'urban living' lifestyle. Also, it is great when you park far from downtown and you have to walk blocks to your destination, whether it is an evening of partying or a nice dinner. The Smart Heel can be used repeatedly on the original shoe it was placed on in order to protect your heel from any danger, because it is sacrifices itself for you and your heel."

Smart Heel
$9.95
Free Shipping
Available at: SmartHeel.com

While Kim was ultimately quite satisfied with the Smart Heel, Po had a few "technical difficulties" while trying to master the new device. "The Smart Heel was incredibly difficult to use," laments Po, a 28-year-old attorney living in Ceres, California. "I must've pulled out every stiletto in my closet and I was really unable to use it on any pair of shoes. Either the heel was too big or it was just too awkward. At some point, I finally cut off the portion I was supposed to, and it still didn't work! I think this product needs to come with a video or with more user-friendly instructions stating specifically what size heel works with it. Stilettos don't come in tiny heel sizes anymore-- some are a little bit thicker than they used to be. I think the concept of the Smart Heel is very, very exciting. I might just be slow, but I honestly did find it very hard to use. In fact, it was frustrating."

Looks like it is a mixed review for the promising Smart Heel. If you have the time and determination to figure out how to get the Smart Heel positioned just right, you can ensure that your most delicate heels are well-protected. If your heel collection comes in unusual sizes, or you aren't interested in a product you have to customize to each pair of shoes you want to protect, you might have some issues. In defense of the Smart Heel, they currently have five different heel size/width designs set for production. Our fearless reviewers only had access to Tango, the Smart Heel designed for thin high heels 3-4" in height.

Click on either photo to link directly to where you can purchase the Smart Heel online. Don't miss any down-to-earth, honest Girl Talk Reviews. Subscribe to Stiletto Jungle and get free updates by e-mail or RSS.

Related Stories:
>> Girl Talk Reviews: Secrets of the Beauty Insiders
>> Girl Talk Reviews: Getting Stuck on Stylin' Tape
>> Girl Talk Reviews: Aromatherapy Sunscreen