7 Best Height-Boosting Shoes in 2026

How we test Height-Boosting shoes

Working in an independent shoe lab means honouring a testing protocol that keeps us independent and objective. In order to accomplish this, we buy all the footwear with our own money. No sponsored collaborations, no paid articles, no freebies. 

We also perform field testing and lab testing. Outside of the lab, we have to experience the shoes on our own and understand how they fit, feel, and perform. In the lab, we use specific testing protocols and specialised machines that allow us to describe each shoe with over 30 parameters. 

Whether it’s the durability, energy return, softness, breathability, insole thickness, or any other detail, we’ve got it covered. 

We publish everything we discover during our testing, no backsies. You can use this data to compare the shoes you’re interested in and find one that suits you the best. 

2 types of height-boosting shoes 

Depending on how the shoes look and how big a boost they can give you, they are split into 2 groups: 

1. Height-increasing shoes that are casual and what you see is what you get. Here, we can find platform trainers or simply shoes with a higher heel stack. The boost you get matches the one that is visible. 

2. Elevator shoes. These shoes have built-in wedges or inserts and they provide a much bigger boost than the casual ones because the elevated part is not visible from the outside and is made to look as if it were regular (lower). 

Elevator shoes are made specifically for this purpose: offering a higher platform to stand on while hiding how high it is so that you can’t tell a person is wearing elevator shoes without a closer inspection. We don’t test elevator shoes in the lab. 

How many inches/centimetres can you actually get? 

Depends on the shoe. In elevator shoes, which have wedges inserted into them and you can’t actually see from the outside how high your heel sits, brands usually promote how high the shoe is by writing +7cm, + 5cm, or +2 in, + 3 in. We don’t test these shoes, so we don’t know how true those brand statements are. 

In regular shoes with no wedges or inserts, you can get a different height bonus that depends on the heel stack height (something we do measure) and the midsole softness (another thing we also measure). To put it simply, just because a heel is 35 mm tall does not mean you will get 35 mm, because you will lose some of that height in midsoles that are very soft and allow your feet to sink in. 

This is exactly how we came up with the criteria for height-increasing shoes. 

2 features of height-boosting shoes 

Obviously, shoes have to be high. But, we also have to take the midsole softness into account. This way, 30 mm at the heel will be 30 mm or very close to that. We avoid sinking in (too much) by setting a limit on the softness. In height-increasing shoes, we focus on these 2 features: 

1. Heel stack of at least 35 mm 
2. Midsoles firmer than 18 HA. 

Both of these are covered in our lab tests. 

Stack height and midsole softness of shoes that make you taller

To do both properly, we have to cut the shoes in half. Then, we mark the 12% and 75% of the shoe’s internal length and measure the heel and the forefoot stack. 

When it comes the midsole softness, we use a shore A durometer. 

This 18 HA limit in midsole softness filters out shoes that are too soft. 

Pay attention to the weight when buying height-increasing shoes

A common complaint about height-increasing shoes is the weight. They are often chunky and simply weigh more. 

If you look at the weight lab data in our reviews, keep in mind that we always test shoes in men’s US 9. It’s also important to take into account the type of foam, especially in running shoes. Just because the shoe is higher does not mean that it’s heavier. Premium foams tend to be quite lightweight compared to standard ones. 

Heavier shoes may not be deal breakers. It’s important to exercise caution as they may cause premature fatigue, so it's best not to plan whole-day wear without some adjustment period. 

For reference, the average sneaker weight is 13.8 oz or 390g.

Why heel-to-toe drop matters in shoes that make you taller?

Well, it matters always, not just in shoes that make you taller. Heel drop goes from 0 mm (flat shoes) to 22.6 mm ,which is the maximum heel drop ever measured in our lab. Again, we’re talking about footwear across categories we are testing, not shoes like high heels or dress shoes. 

The higher the drop is, the higher the muscles it utilises. Zero-drop shoes put the most stress on foot muscles and Achilles tendons, mid-drop focuses on the knees and the surrounding muscles, and the high drop (9 mm and higher) puts the most stress on glutes, hip muscles, and thighs. If you’re new to high drop, it’s best to rethink this idea if you have/had injuries in these areas. 

Looking at the height-increasing shoes in our database, this is where their heel drop falls: zero drop (0 mm): 0%; low drop (1-4 mm): 0%; mid drop (5-8mm): 24%; high drop (9+ mm): 76%. 9% have a heel drop higher than 20 mm. 

Can insoles help you with height-boosting?

Insoles that come with the shoes are already taken into account when we measure the heel stack height. But, if you want to swap them with your insoles, which may be thicker and/or firmer, make sure to look for the “orthotic-friendly” feature noted in our reviews. This means that the insole is removable and there’s room for a different one. 

It’s important to note that, looking at all the height-increasing shoes we’ve tested so far across all categories, 93% are orthotic-friendly, 52% have insoles thinner than 5.0 mm, and only 1% have insoles thicker than 10 mm.

Maximum heel height across different categories 

Given our extensive lab testing, we can have a look at the maximal heel height across all the categories we’re testing shoes in. Keep in mind that this is only height, without taking into account the softness of the midsole, or whether your feet will sink in (and, therefore, get lower). 

In hiking sandals and tennis shoes, maximum heel stack heights were lower than 35 mm. If the style suits, maybe height-increasing shoes in other categories are worth exploring as well.