So, you’re buying your first pair of pole dancing shoes, and you don’t know which ones to get. There are so many different styles, from boots to sandals. Now, there are multiple brands you can buy from too! Where do you start?
Heel Height – Is Bigger Better?
Shoes come in a variety of heel heights, but you are likely to buy your first pair of pole dancing heels in 6, 7, or 8 inches.
Each heel height has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on your experience, goals, and aesthetic preferences.
6-Inch Pole Dancing Heels
If you are brand new to heels and have never worn a pair in your life, then you may wish to build up your self-confidence with a 6-inch heel. It is a great starter shoe for very nervous newbies, and can give you the feel of dancing in pole heels whilst supporting ankle strengthening with a lower risk of rolling the ankle.
Although 6-inches sounds very high, with the platform on pole dancing shoes, the heel actually feels very comfortable and easy to walk in.
The major downside of a 6-inch heel style is that the curved lip on the front of the platform is lower, meaning you won’t be able to do certain ‘on point’ work in your sexy pole class. The lower platform also does not ‘clack’ or make that iconic noise when banged together.
7-Inch Pole Dancing Heels
This is the heel height I usually recommend for new dancers. It doesn’t feel as high as an 8-inch heel, which can be a little wobbly for your first pair. However, 6-inches can very quickly feel too low, and you may want to graduate quickly into a higher style.
The curved ‘lip’ on the front of the platform will be more pronounced in this slightly higher heel height, aiding in certain heels specific techniques that you will learn in your sexy pole class.
Although the platform is not ideal for heel clacks, it is slightly more achievable in these than in the 6-inch style.
8-Inch Pole Dancing Heels
This is the perfect heel height for most seasoned sexy pole dancers in studios. It has a good combination of the curved ‘lip’ being pronounced enough for the ‘on point’ techniques of the different styles of sexy pole, whilst providing some stability once the ankle and leg strength is trained.
The platform in these is tall enough to get a noticeable ‘clack’ when doing heel bang techniques.
The downside of this heel height is that more strength, stability, and technique is required to avoid rolling the ankle or potential injury. Building up to this heel height is recommended.
One way to avoid some of the instability issues with the 8-inch heel is to opt for a boot style rather than sandal, which we will go over in a moment.
9- & 10-Inch Pole Dancing Heels
As a rule, we do not recommend these heel heights for our students, as they are most often worn by professional performers and dancers. There are heightened risks of injury and accident, and therefore we recommend all students opt for a lower heel height.
Boots or Sandals?
There are two main types of pole heel styles.
Sandals are open on the top of the foot, with a strap across the top of the foot and one around the ankle stabilising the foot against the foot bed.
Boots are closed around the top of the foot and ankle, and vary on height – ankle length, knee length, or thigh high are the most common. They are commonly zipped or laced, stabilising the foot within the shoe.
Pros of Sandals
- More ankle movement for certain techniques / pointing ankles
- Lots of pretty styles
- Fit certain aesthetic preferences
- Allow for upper foot grip (good for climbs etc)
Cons of Sandals
- Risks of rolling the ankle is higher
- The plastic strap can dig into the foot
- Plastic strap can get sweaty and slippy when hot
Pros of Boots
- More ankle stability
- Low risk of the foot slipping out
- No strap to dig into the skin
- Fit certain aesthetic preferences
Cons of Boots
- Stiffer round the ankle so need to be worked in for point technique
- Certain boot materials do not grip to the pole
- The metal eyelets can dig into the foot in certain positions
In the end, everyone will have their preference for the style of shoe they like the most. Some of these issues can be rectified with simple solutions. For example, wearing socks with your sandal style pole heels can prevent the plastic strap from digging into the foot.
Shoe Materials
Pole heels come in a variety of materials, which each have their own qualities. Some help to grip the pole, and others are more about your personal taste!
For grip, you ideally want to get a PVC boot or a plastic sandal strap. This shiny material will give you extra grip in pole climbs. Additionally, for thigh high boots, the shiny material will also ‘stick’ to the pole and provide you with extra grip in leg hangs and other tricks.
Shoes with a velvety finish, for example, will not provide any additional grip. If you are to climb in these, you need to improve your knee grip in your climbing technique to adapt to the fact you will not have grip from the ankle and foot.
We recommend when purchasing sandal style pole heels that you opt for the ones with a clear plastic strap, rather than a black or coloured PVC strap, which fits more loosely and provides less ankle stability.
Styles
There are many different styles nowadays. Keep in mind some practical concerns when picking out your heels.
- Shoes with lots of buckles or spikes on may scratch your pole, or the studio poles. It is likely that your instructor will not want these on their studio poles.
- Light up shoes can break over time and may not be ideal for heel clacks or more ‘rough’ pole techniques such as bangs or drops.
- The liquid filled shoes can crack and leak if used for ‘rough’ pole techniques such as bangs or drops.
- Filled or solid platform heels will not clack as loudly or well as the hollow platform styles. For example, certain styles of Pleaser heels where the glitter in inside the platform, they will not clack in the same way.
- Filled platforms will also be heavier, so therefore impact the execution of certain moves, particularly inverted ones. They will impact the weight distribution and strength in certain tricks.
Certain shoes are therefore more suited to posing, photoshoots, or specific styles of pole, whilst other are more robust and suited to dancing and training. Keep this in mind when picking out your first purchase!
Brands
There used to only be a couple of pole heel brands, with Pleaser being the industry leader. Now, more brands have entered the market.
These include:
- Pleaser
- Hella Heels
- Level Up
- Lilith Heels
You can find more brands on this blog post:
Blog Post Reviewing Pole Brands
However, as we have not tried all these brands individually, we cannot personally recommend them or their quality. The main shoes we have tested out at the studio are Pleaser and Hella Heels. Make sure you do your research on all brands before purchasing your shoes.
Price
Pole dancing heels vary in price, but for a good quality pair to use in class the investment tends to be between £60-£120 depending on the style, heel height, and finish you choose.
It is better to purchase a slightly more expensive pair, rather than a cheaper knock off online, because they are more likely to last longer. Many websites now offer ‘pay in three’ options that make purchasing your pole shoes more affordable.
Ready to strap on your pole dancing shoes?
We are excited for you to get your first pairs of pole dancing heels, and we can’t wait to watch you strut and shimmy around the pole.
If you’re interested in learning the techniques associated with dancing in heels, check out our Sexy Pole classes where you will learn many heels specific practices.
You can read more about Sexy Pole here.
Or, find out about how to care for your pole heels now you have them, here.
