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Yes, of course. You can wear your heels in the rain, even though they are not on the list of advisable footwear to put on in the rain.
Truly, Heels are not the best option to wear in the rain but if you have to move in the rain and that is your only option, you can go ahead. You just have to make sure you are wearing the right kind of heels.
Things To Consider Before Wearing Heels In The Rain
Most heels are totally bad for the rain so you have to make sure you are wearing the right ones. If not, it’s advisable to pull them off and get something else.
Heels are built to be antiskid but there are a lot more things to consider when it’s raining;
- How the heels fit
- The Grip of the heels
- Soles of the Heels
- Color of the heels
How The Heels Fit
This may not be considered a common problem but it is not less important. First, you have to learn how to walk well in your heels.
Even without the rain, you don’t want to be seen faltering like a novice. While you have to put some effort to keep your balance in every step, you will be using a lot more effort in the rain.
Also, if your heels manage to slip out of your shoes often, it is inadvisable to wear them in the rain. The rain and the cold naturally make you uncomfortable and hasty.
If your heels slip out, the traction in your shoes may not be able to keep you from losing your balance. Falling in your heels is a nightmare you never want to experience.
The Grip Of The Heels
Before thinking of wearing your heels in the rain, you must have worn them many times to be confident of your balance in them. All heels SHOULD be antiskid but some heel shoes tend to lose the ability.
If you find your heels to have less grip on the ground, they are dangerous even when it’s not rainy. Without traction in your heels, you can slip off your feet easily, and, again, falling in your heels is not something you want to experience.
With Grip, your heels can trudge the mud without causing you to slide. There is also a shock-absorption feature that helps you to catch yourself if you lose balance for a second. Without this, going out in the rain may be devastating.
Soles Of The Heels
Asides from the level of traction in your heels, this is one of the most important factors to consider before stepping out in the rain.
The soles of Heels can be made of Suede, Plastic, rubber, or leather.
- Suede shoes can get damaged by water. When they get wet, they need to be treated immediately. Also, suede is not waterproof. If you stay too long in the rain, your feet will get wet and cold, then your heels will be damaged.
- Plastic shoes are much better but they are pretty rigid. If you lose your balance, there’s a very high chance you will twist your ankle. If your heels don’t have enough traction, there is a high possibility that you will lose your balance in the rain. Unfortunately, Plastic heels don’t have the highest level of traction. Leather heels have more grip.
- Leather heels are a great option when it comes to grip. They offer more traction than plastic heels but they are not as good with water as plastic heels are. While Plastic heels are waterproof, Leather heels are only temporarily water-resistant. You can wear leather heels in the rain for a short period. If it takes too long to get out of the rain, the soles will deteriorate quickly.
- Rubber soles are a better option with water and the best on the list. Most rain boots are made with rubber. While water slowly conquers leather, rubber is invincible to water. Rubber soles offer enough grip. If your heels are made of rubber, you can confidently spend the night in the rain.
Color Of The Heels
Unless your heels are of a dark color, you may have to keep them out of the rain. Plastic, leather, and rubber heels may be waterproof but the color is not. The more water runs over the surface of the heels, the more the colors fade.
Why You Should Not Wear Heels In The Rain
You may have checked out all the criteria needed to qualify your heels for a rainy day but there are reasons to exclude Heels from acceptable shoes in the rain.
- Foot pain
- Quick aging
- The shoe heels can be damaged
- You can twist your ankle
Foot Pain
Heels are known to cause your feet to hurt. Sometimes, this is caused by posture and how your feet fit the shoes.
While some may have found a solution to the fit, foot pain can also be caused by spending a long time in your heels. The need to keep your balance on every step puts stress on your ankles.
While the effort in every step is capable of causing pains in your feet, you have to put more effort into staying balanced in the rain and that will cause you to get tired quickly. Then the foot pain will set in.
Quick Aging
This refers to your heels and not you. If you get new heels, whether rubber or not, wearing them in the rain is a bad idea.
This is because some heels require careful cleaning and excess water may either affect the soles or the color.
If Suede heels get drenched and are not taken care of quickly, the color will fade. Even a dark suede color will slowly get whitish like you’ve locked it in the cupboard for years.
If Leather heels get drenched, the sole will begin to enervate and develop cracks. Cracks are not a feature of new heels and no one would consider them new after seeing the cracks.
The cracks continue to worsen till the Leather heels break apart. The lifespan of your new heels has been shortened by the rain.
If plastic or rubber heels get drenched, they will live to tell the story but the colors won’t. Whether new or not, the colors won’t be too shy to get washed away.
The Shoe Heels Can Get Damaged
This doesn’t apply to all heels. Rubber heels are strong in the rain and, even if you lose your balance, they are too thick to break off easily.
However, leather heels develop cracks. Note: the ‘Heels’ refer to the thin or thick part of the sole that pushes your heel up.
Asides from the water, the rain can make you uncomfortable so you want to increase your pace.
This can cause you to lose your balance and your plastic heels may be damaged. The same applies to already cracked leather heels.
You Can Twist Your Ankle
When you have to run in the rain, the water and the cold can be very uncomfortable. Even if you get an umbrella, the water splashing on your heels will make you want to move faster. Asides from having the shoe heels broken off, you can fall and twist your ankle.
Irrespective of the amount of traction your heels have, the extra care you put into every step can make you lose your balance. Remember; falling in your heels is a nightmare.
What You Should Wear On Your Feet When It Rains
You won’t find heels on this list. Rather, we will have a look at some footwear items with the right features that help in the rain. Important features include water resistance, traction, warmth, and a quick-drying feature.
Here is a list of footwear to buy in preparation for the rainy season;
Muck Wellington Boots
This is a pair of boots made especially for the rain. You can trudge in the mud for as long as forever, then pour a bucket of water over them the boots to wash the dirt away.
They are waterproof and can even function as snow boots so you don’t have to worry about the heat when winter comes. Once you have these boots in your possession, no amount of rain can hold you back.
Pros:
- High Durability
- Waterproof
- Weatherproof
- High traction
- Easy wear
- Comfortable
Cons:
- Expensive
- Insides can get smelly
Price: $140
Bogs Neoclassic Rain Boots
This is another pair of boots that should replace your heels in the rain. These boots are made of rubber which you already know is waterproof. The insides stay warm so this pair works perfectly well even in Winter.
This might be the most comfortable pair of boots you’ve ever worn, having a better cushion than the Muck boots. The price is a bit higher but not too much to attain perfection.
Pros:
- Durable
- Waterproof
- Weatherproof
- Highly comfy
- Fashionable
Cons:
- Sizing inaccuracies
- Expensive
Price: $263
Buy Bogs Neoclassic Rain Boots
Wigwam Hiking Outdoor Socks
This is a pair of socks. Of course, they can’t be worn alone but they provide the right conditions to work in the rain.
If you have to wear shoes that don’t cover your feet well enough, you can slip on these socks to complete the job.
The Wigwam socks are water-resistant and warm. They are not weatherproof, as the reviews claim they may be too hot for summer. However, these socks have your back on rainy and cold days.
The price may seem high for a pair of socks but they have been reviewed to last as long as seven years and even more.
Pros:
- High durability
- Toughness
- Water-resistant
- Provides warmth and comfort
Cons:
- Not Weatherproof
Price: $17
Conclusion
Your heels may fulfill all conditions needed to step out in the rain but that doesn’t mean you should wear them in the rain.
You can check out the list of footwear items above to get comfort, durability, and optimum confidence in the stormiest rains.
