A heel lift raises only the back of your foot, while a full-length lift raises the whole foot from heel to toe. A heel lift fits more shoes but tilts your foot forward as it gets higher; a full-length lift keeps the foot flatter but takes room everywhere inside the shoe, including at the toes. Elevator shoes avoid the trade-off by building the lift into the shoe: VAHL sneakers have a 6 cm built-in lift and the Venice loafer 5 cm, with no insert to move or show.
Heel lift vs full-length lift at a glance
| Heel lift | Full-length lift | Built-in lift (VAHL) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it raises | The heel only | The whole foot | Built into the shoe |
| Room it takes inside the shoe | At the heel | Heel, arch and toes | None, the shoe is made around it |
| Works in shoes you own | Yes | Only roomy shoes | No, it is the shoe |
| Can shift while walking | Yes | Yes | No |
| Can show at the heel | Yes, in low shoes | Yes, in low shoes | No |
| Height | Depends on the insert | Depends on the insert | 6 cm (sneakers), 5 cm (loafer) |
What is a heel lift?
A heel lift is a wedge or pad that sits under your heel inside the shoe. It is small, cheap and fits most shoes, which makes it the easiest way to try a little extra height. The catch is the angle: the higher the wedge, the more your foot tilts forward and the further your heel rises out of the shoe's heel cup. In low sneakers and loafers that shows quickly.
What is a full-length lift?
A full-length lift is an insole that runs from heel to toe, usually thicker at the heel. Because it raises the whole foot, it feels more like standing on a normal sole. The catch is room: it lifts your toes towards the top of the shoe too, so it only works in shoes with space to spare, such as boots or a half size up.
Which one makes you taller?
Your height is set by how high your heel sits, so the same thickness under the heel gives the same lift with either type. In practice a full-length lift often has to be thinner, because it competes for room at the toes. A heel lift can go higher, but the steeper angle and the loose heel set the limit. For what a stated lift means compared with the shoes you wear today, read how much taller do elevator shoes make you.
Where a built-in lift fits in
An elevator shoe is designed around the lift from the start, so there is no insert taking room from your foot. On VAHL sneakers, 3.4 cm of the 6 cm lift is visible outsole and the rest sits inside the shoe. On the Venice loafer, 2.2 cm of the 5 cm is visible outsole. The lift is part of the shoe and there is no removable insole, so nothing can slide or show at the heel. From the outside it looks like a regular suede shoe.
If you only want to test a small lift in shoes you already own, start with an insert. If you want the extra height every day, a built-in lift is the cleaner option. We compare the two in more detail in elevator shoes vs lift insoles.
VAHL shoes with a built-in lift
- Stockholm: deep navy suede sneaker, 6 cm, 1 900 SEK. Our best seller.
- Oslo: black suede sneaker, 6 cm, 1 900 SEK
- Venice: deep navy suede loafer, 5 cm, 2 100 SEK
Size exchanges are free within 14 days of delivery. Returns are accepted within 14 days with a return fee deducted. Full terms: returns and exchanges.
Heel lift vs full-length lift: questions
Which makes you taller, a heel lift or a full-length lift?
Your height is set by how high your heel sits, so the same thickness at the heel gives the same lift. In practice a full-length lift often has to be thinner, because it also takes room at the toes.
Is a heel lift or a full-length lift more comfortable?
It depends on the shoe. A small heel lift fits most shoes. A full-length lift keeps the foot flatter, but it needs a shoe with room at the toes. Higher inserts of either kind tend to make the heel sit loose.
Can I put a heel lift in VAHL shoes?
We advise against it. The lift is already built in, and an extra insert would take room from a shoe made to fit without one.
Is the lift in VAHL shoes removable?
No. The lift is part of the shoe and there is no removable insole.
How much lift do VAHL shoes have?
The Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo sneakers have a 6 cm lift, of which 3.4 cm is visible outsole. The Venice loafer has a 5 cm lift, of which 2.2 cm is visible outsole.