Taking Care of Your Shoe Heel Covers

We might like to try a funky pair of a very fashionable and ‘IN’ style shoes, but the truth is, you’ll probably wear them a few times and feel that they are no longer relevant in your closet. In my opinion, a good shoe purchase is a smart purchase, and investing in a great pair of classic shoes means that that the style will always be relevant. Just check out the tips in 10 Tips for Finding the Right Shoe or How to Choose the Right Shoes that are Comfortable and Elegant.

In addition to that, taking proper care of them means you can push the number of years that they will look great for longer. That’s why I always go back and share tips on shoe care because you can never have enough advise on the matter! Find some in How to Keep Your Shoes Shining, How to Fix Scratched Leather Shoes, and The Proper Way to Polish Your Shoes : A Guide. 

One issue that has been overlooked (precisely because it may be at the bottom of your shoes) is the condition of your heels, and the condition of your heels are of utmost importance - they must always be checked! 

The heel of your shoes often come with a rubber heel cover (like the Hiyat sandal above). And if not, then they might be made of multiple layers of leather or soling material that is layered in such a way to allow you to re-place the outer most one (like the Buko Slide from the Wander Collection below). Whichever the case, it is advisable to keep an eye on your heels, as they usually need a change every 8 to 12 months, especially if you wear them often.

Heel covers might need replacement even sooner and more often if shoes are worn on rough surfaces like unpaved roads, and especially on cobbled sidewalks. It’s a small price to pay to maintain your shoes.

This probably will not be the case for a formal or special pair of shoes that you wear on occasion, as the heel cover wears-down from walking in your shoes, and not simply over time.

The easiest way to inspect this is by taking a look at the back of the heel (which is the very end of your heel) as that is the area that first makes contact with the ground and receives the greatest amount pressure. It is okay if there is some wear, however, the more of bottom heel is gone, the closer they are to needing a repair. If you keep wearing your shoes till the heel cover is worn out, chances are you will get into a tougher situation where a simple heel cover replacement will become a more complex need of a full heel (or sole) replacement. You will probably also ruin the back counter of your shoe (if this is a closed shoe) which is not always a situation that can be fixed.

Once you’ve detected the need for your heel covers to be replaced, it’s quite an easy process. If you need to change the heel tips of your high heels, your shoes probably came with a spare pair when you purchased them, and if not, you can find these at any shoe-supply shop and make the replacement yourself - I can share more on this in a future article.

In the case that the shoes are a pair of flat shoes, you will need to send them to a cobbler or shoe repair shop where they will:

1. Create a pattern of the bottom of your heel (which will be the shape of your heel cover)
2. Create a new heel cover using the pattern
3. Detach the bottom-most later of your heel (which is the heel cover in rubber or other soling material)
4. Replace the old heel cover with the new one.

And there you have it! The fix is inexpensive and quick and would probably just take a couple of days.

Conclusion is, the less wear, the easier the fix, and the sooner the fix the longer your shoes will last. So, keep checking those heels and keep make sure your shoes are always in the best shape.

And always remember, if you’ve bought a pair of shoes from the Rana Cheikha or Wander Collections, you can always get in touch for assistance with any alteration. We are always available to make sure your shoes remain in tip-top condition, so if you also prefer that we directly alter your shoes, we are more than happy to do so!

Signing-off: Rana Cheikha for The Shoe Advisor