Spring Heel Shoe

These ridiculous shoes come in many different styles at the J. Rubio website. I saw a guy wearing a pair when I was passing through an airport recently, and he looked like the dorkiest dork that ever dorked.

The verdict is still out, however, on whether wearing them will turn you into the mythic monster known as Spring-heeled Jack.

Who We Are
Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Comments

Paul - You saw a guy wearing these? Are these for men? They look like clogs which I always assumed were for females. The times they are a changin'.

Posted by Madd Maxx on 10/22/08 at 10:46 AM

Big Gary--the guy was past security when I saw him, so who knows what happened with the TSA?

Posted by Paul on 10/22/08 at 11:03 AM

Madd Maxx--the pair the guy was wearing might've been a little different, with enclosed toe. I didn't really want to stare at his feet too long. But the heel part was identical to what's shown here.

Posted by Paul on 10/22/08 at 11:04 AM

Sigh--well, I suspected that medical issues played a part with these shoes. Nonetheless, I'd like to see some studies about the helping power of spring shoes....

Posted by Paul on 10/22/08 at 11:05 AM

Paul - I believe Wile E. Coyote did some studies on this. I can't find his test results but there should be video documenting the experiments. Of course his prototype was just some ACME Bed Springs.

http://home.nc.rr.com/tuco/looney/acme/acmebed.jpg

Posted by Madd Maxx on 10/22/08 at 11:16 AM

I once had the boots of Springheel Jak. I got them in the Thieves' Guild. They grant +50 Acrobatics while wearing them, but they break during the Great Heist.

Posted by kingmonkey in Athens, Ontario on 10/22/08 at 12:17 PM

Sigh--those are pretty impressive studies, and it was awfully thoughtful of you to dig them up. WEIRD UNIVERSE hereby endorses such shoes for those with the requisite medical conditions--while still maintaining that the wearer will look like a total dork!

Posted by Paul on 10/22/08 at 12:42 PM

Paul - I have to know, was the wearer in question also sporting some lovely man-style capris?

Posted by KW in Dallas, TX on 10/22/08 at 12:47 PM

KW--nope, just standard dweeb look.

Posted by Paul on 10/22/08 at 01:02 PM

I'm holding out for a steel-toe model.

Posted by Madd Maxx on 10/22/08 at 02:25 PM

ajm - Do they make it possible to leap a tall building in a single bound? 😉

Posted by Madd Maxx on 10/22/08 at 03:00 PM

I've always been partial to Dansko clogs, but I may have to try out a new shoe. I don't care how dorky I look when it comes to my work shoes. After a 16 hour shift on my feet I wouldn't care if I was wearing glasses with tape on the nose and a spinning beanie.

Posted by Caffeinated Katie in Atlanta, GA on 10/22/08 at 03:45 PM

Can anybody tell me what the price range is on these?

Posted by Caffeinated Katie in Atlanta, GA on 10/22/08 at 03:50 PM

I'd expect they do put a spring in your step.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 10/23/08 at 12:47 AM

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