Sarah Flint vs. Inez: Who Makes the Most Comfortable Heel?

• Aesthetics: 20/20
• Comfort: 18/20
• Design: 20/20
• Walkability: 17/20
• Value: 15/20

Total: 90/100

The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what's worth the spend—and what's total hype. Learn more about our process here.

I’ve obsessively thought about Sarah Flint the past few years. Namely, the anatomical arch support that I’ve yet to see in any other shoe. (And trust me, as a fashion writer, I’ve seen—and tested—a lot of shoes.)

For research purposes, I evaluated the brand’s signature Perfect Pump 85 ($475), Perfect Block Sandal 60 ($450) and Perfect Emma ($475).

• Design: Upon sliding my foot into each shoe, I can say, the anatomical arch support isn’t bluffing. Unlike more orthopedic shoes, where the insole can be very in-your-face, this one was more subtle. However, I could feel its absence when trying on other shoes. We also need to talk about the inset heel. Holy cow. It doesn’t seem like a huge difference, but let me tell you, having my weight distributed from the very back of my heel to the center made a difference. My weight felt more balanced and spread over more surface area, rather than concentrated on the very back of my heel.
• Aesthetics: Sarah Flint’s designs are among my absolute favorites when it comes to formal footwear. Everything is sleek and dainty, and the arch support never feels unwieldy. In particular, I love the notched cut of the Perfect Emma and Perfect pump, which really helped to elongate the foot and provide a clean line.
• Comfort: Arch support and inset heel aside, Sarah Flint shoes also feature a wider toe box—something that I, a flat-footed and bunion-laden person, relished. While the insole does feel stiff, it’s not hard, thanks to the 6mm of padding. One thing I couldn’t fail to note with the Perfect Block Sandal was the buttery feeling of the leather. I’m incredibly susceptible to blisters, but the strap was so soft and smooth, I would skip the break-in period without hesitation.
• Walkability: Pertaining to the 3.3-inch Perfect Pump—I was surprised at how walkable they were, given the height. Three inches is my ultimate cap, so I felt like I was towering. The heel is pretty thin, but I didn’t feel unstable, and my feet neither hurt, nor toes pinched, as I wandered the halls of the Met Opera with friends when we went to see A Winter’s Tale. Definitely car-to-door shoes, but for what they are, I wouldn’t hesitate to wear them to an all-day event.

• Aesthetics: 17/20
• Comfort: 17/20
• Design: 19/20
• Walkability: 16/20
• Value: 19/20

Total: 88/100

The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what's worth the spend—and what's total hype. Learn more about our process here.

Inez flew on my radar a few years ago, and quickly won me over. My first pair was the block-heeled, 2.5-inch Frida ($275). On ambitious days, I can walk all day in these shoes—subway commute included. For this article, I also tested the 3.5-inch Alta pumps ($275), which most closely matched Sarah Flint’s Perfect Pump, and the 2.8-inch Maya ($285; $222) open-back pumps.

• Design: Something I particularly appreciated here was that Inez offers multiple widths. I’m always leery when brands tell me to size up to accommodate wide feet, as I find that typically doesn’t work. Inez has standard and roomy widths, and after wearing the brand for several years, I’ve found the roomy option never disappoints me.
• Aesthetics: Inez makes beautiful shoes I want to wear to a party, from strappy gold slingbacks to their signature pump and flashy boots. Overall, I’ve always found the designs to be pleasing and sophisticated.
• Comfort: Like Sarah Flint, Inez has a plush proprietary insole with arch support. While it’s not contoured, I was shocked that at day’s end, my feet didn’t hurt after marching around in the 3.5-inch Alta pumps. Were they tired while I was wearing them? Yes. But I was not in pain. Color me impressed. As for the Maya strappy pumps, the heel is inset, making it easy to walk, but doesn’t come in a wide width, so I was definitely feeling pinched and spilling over. The leather was also a little coarser and the stitching a bit stiff, so I needed to break these in.
• Walkability: At 3.5 inches, the Alta pumps felt absolutely towering. These are without question also car-to-door shoes. There’s no platform to neutralize the height, so I was borderline struggling to walk—though it wasn’t impossible. An inset heel would have helped with the weight distribution. The 2.8- and 2.5- inch Maya and Frida, respectively, are a lot easier to walk in, the former because of the inset heel and the latter due to the block heel.