Heel-to-Toe Drop Chart: Stated vs Measured Drop for 33 Shoes (2026)
A podiatrist’s heel drop chart: 33 shoes grouped by stated drop, with independent lab measurements beside them, and which drop band suits which foot problem.
On this page
- The short answer
- How to read the chart
- The drop chart
- Which drop for which problem
- Why stated drop and measured drop disagree
- The brands that publish nothing
- Drop versus stack: the mistake nearly everyone makes
- How to measure the drop of a shoe you already own
- Frequently asked questions
- What we are testing next
- Related guides & shoe pages
Testing status: the drop and stack figures in the chart below are the manufacturers’ published specifications, gathered from the brands’ own product pages — or, where the brand publishes nothing, from a named retailer spec table — and kept in one place so they can be compared. Where an independent laboratory has cut a shoe in half and measured it, that figure is shown separately and attributed to them. Nothing on this page carries a score or the seal; our own measured numbers will replace the borrowed ones model by model as each pair goes through the protocol — see How We Test.
The short answer
Heel-to-toe drop is the height difference between the heel and the forefoot of a shoe, in millimetres. A 12 mm shoe tips you forward off a raised heel; a 0 mm shoe stands you level. It is the most clinically useful number on a shoe box, because it decides how much work the calf and Achilles do and how much load lands on the forefoot — and it is the number most shoe reviews skip.
The useful version, in one line: problems behind the ankle want more drop; problems in the front of the foot want less. An irritated Achilles or a tight calf is happier at 8–12 mm. A bunion, a neuroma or a forefoot that needs room is usually happier at 0–6 mm with a wide toe box. Plantar fasciitis sits in the middle and cares more about heel-counter stiffness than about drop. The chart below groups every shoe we cover by its stated drop; the table under it says which band suits which problem.
One warning before you use any spec sheet, including this one. The printed drop is frequently not the measured drop. When laboratories cut these shoes in half, the HOKA Bondi 9 — sold as a 5 mm shoe — measured 9.1 mm, the Clifton 10 measured 12.4 mm against a stated 8 mm, and the Altra Paradigm 8, sold as zero, measured 2.1 mm. Treat the stated number as the brand’s intention and the measured number, where one exists, as the fact.
How to read the chart
- Stated drop — heel stack minus forefoot stack, as published by the brand. Lower means the heel sits closer to the ground relative to the ball of the foot.
- Measured drop — an independent cut-in-half laboratory measurement where one has been published, attributed to RunRepeat. An em dash means nobody has measured that model, including us, and the stated figure is all anyone has.
- Heel stack — total material under the heel. A different question from drop, and often the more important one: a 0 mm-drop shoe with 30 mm of stack (Altra Torin) and a 0 mm-drop shoe with 6 mm of stack (Merrell Vapor Glove) have nothing in common underfoot.
- Weight — the brand’s published men’s figure. Brands rarely state which size they weighed, which is itself worth knowing.
The table scrolls sideways on a phone. Nothing in it is ranked, and no shoe here has been through our bench yet.
The drop chart
| Stated drop | Shoe | Measured drop | Heel stack | Weight | MSRP | Our guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 mm | Altra Torin 8 | −0.1 mm | 30 mm | 287 g | $150 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Altra Torin 9 | — | 28 mm | 269 g | $160 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Altra Paradigm 8 | 2.1 mm | 30 mm | 278 g | $170 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Altra Escalante 5 | 2.2 mm | 24 mm | 269 g | $140 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Altra Lone Peak 9 | 0.0 mm | 25 mm | 295 g | $140 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Topo Magnifly 6 | — | 26 mm | 255 g | $140 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Xero HFS II | — | not stated | 235 g | $130 | Zero drop |
| 0 mm | Merrell Vapor Glove 7 | v6: 0.0 mm | 6 mm | ~181 g | $110 | Zero drop |
| 5 mm | HOKA Bondi 9 | 9.1 mm | 43 mm (retailer) | 298 g | $175 | HOKA for PF |
| 5 mm | HOKA Transport 2 | 11.2 mm | not published | — | $150 | HOKA for PF |
| 5 mm | Topo Athletic Ultrafly 6 | — | 32 / 27 mm | 272 g | $150 | Ingrown toenails |
| 6 mm | Brooks Ghost Max 4 | — | 40 / 34 mm | not published | $165 | Turf toe |
| 6 mm | New Balance 1080v15 | — | not published | 261 g | $170 | Turf toe |
| 6 mm | New Balance 880v15 | — | not published | 299 g | $150 | Standing all day |
| 6–8 mm* | New Balance 860v15 | — | 40 / 34 mm (retailer) | 331 g | $150 | Arch support |
| 6 mm | Saucony Guide 19 | — | retailer figures conflict | 275 g | $150 | Tarsal tunnel |
| 6 mm | HOKA Gaviota 6 | — | 39 mm (third-party) | 291 g | $180 | Arch support |
| 8 mm | HOKA Clifton 10 | 12.4 mm | not published | — | $150 | HOKA for PF |
| 8 mm | HOKA Clifton 11 | — | not published | 283 g | $155 | Plantar fibroma |
| 8 mm | HOKA Arahi 8 | — | 39 mm (third-party) | 278 g | $150 | Arch support |
| 8 mm | HOKA Arahi 9 | — | 39 / 31 mm (retailer) | 284 g | $155 | Tarsal tunnel |
| 8 mm | ASICS Gel-Kayano 32 | 9.3 mm | 40 mm stated · 39.9 mm lab | — | $165 | Arch support |
| 8 mm | ASICS Gel-Kayano 33 | — | not published | 298 g | $170 | Tarsal tunnel |
| 8 mm | ASICS Gel-Nimbus 28 | — | not published | 281 g | $170 | Standing all day |
| 8 mm | ASICS GT-2000 15 | — | not published | 252 g | $150 | Plantar fasciitis |
| 10 mm | Brooks Ghost 17 | — | not published | — | $140 | Plantar fasciitis |
| 10 mm | Brooks Ghost 18 | — | 36 / 26 mm (retailer) | 289 g | $150 | Plantar fibroma |
| 10 mm | Brooks Adrenaline GTS 25 | — | 37 / 27 mm (retailer) | 300 g | $155 | Ingrown toenails |
| 10 mm | KURU ATOM 2 | — | 28 mm | 371 g | $169 | Arch support |
| 11 mm | Propet Stability X | — | not published | not published | $117 | Ingrown toenails |
| 11 mm | Propet Stability Walker | — | not published | not published | $145 | Charcot foot |
| 12 mm | Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 | 13.5 mm | 39 mm | — | $140 | Arch support |
| 12 mm | Brooks Addiction Walker 2 | — | not published | 411 g | $140 | Charcot foot |
*The New Balance 860v15 is listed at 6 mm by some retailers and 8 mm by others; New Balance does not publish the figure. Where a brand publishes nothing, the cell says so rather than guessing.
Which drop for which problem
Drop is one variable among several and never the whole answer — heel-counter stiffness, torsional rigidity, forefoot rocker and toe-box width all matter, and for some conditions they matter more. But if you are standing in a shop holding two shoes, this is how a foot and ankle surgeon would use the number on the box.
| If this is your problem | Drop band | Why, and what matters more |
|---|---|---|
| Achilles tendinopathy, especially insertional | 8–12 mm | Raising the heel shortens the calf–Achilles unit and cuts tension at the tendon. This is the one condition where drop is the primary lever. Do not go low while it is sore. |
| Tight calves, or a history of calf strains | 8–12 mm | Same mechanism. Lower the drop only after the calf has been stretched and strengthened for a season. |
| Plantar fasciitis | 6–12 mm | A little heel lift offloads the fascia’s attachment, but a stiff heel counter, torsional rigidity and a forefoot rocker matter more than the drop number. |
| Metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, bunions, hammertoes | 0–6 mm, wide toe box | Less heel means less forward pressure into the forefoot — but toe-box width and a cushioned stack are the features that actually decide comfort here. |
| Hallux rigidus (a stiff, arthritic big toe) | Any drop | Drop is not the lever. You want a rigid forefoot and a rocker so the joint does not have to bend. |
| Patellofemoral knee pain | 4–8 mm | Lower drop tends to shorten stride and soften the heel-strike loading rate. Watch the Achilles as you come down. |
| Flat feet, posterior tibial tendon problems | 6–10 mm with real structure | Structure, a firm heel counter and midfoot support beat any drop figure. Zero drop with no structure is the wrong direction. |
| Neuropathy, or diabetes with reduced sensation | 6–10 mm, cushioned, protective outsole | Never minimal, at any drop. Protection from the ground is the whole point. |
| Heavier runners and walkers | 8–12 mm to start | Body weight multiplies forefoot load. Come down a band at a time, and only from a cushioned stack. |
| Standing all day on hard floors | 6–12 mm, cushioned | Comfort over twelve hours is about stack, midsole resilience and fit. Move to a lower drop on days off first, never on a shift. |
Two rules override the table. First, do not change drop and cushioning at the same time: going from a 12 mm cushioned trainer to a 0 mm minimal shoe changes two things at once, and that is how people end up with metatarsal stress fractures. Second, do not change drop during a flare — wait until the tissue is quiet, then move one band at a time over a season. Our zero drop guide has the full transition protocol.
Why stated drop and measured drop disagree
No standard forces a brand to measure drop a particular way, and there are several honest reasons the numbers move.
- With or without the sockliner. A moulded insole can be 4 mm thick at the heel and 2 mm at the forefoot, adding 2 mm of drop the midsole spec does not include. Take it out to fit an orthotic and you have changed the drop of the shoe.
- Where you put the caliper. Heel stack is quoted at a point set back from the rear of the shoe; move the measurement a centimetre and the number changes.
- Manufacturing tolerance. Foam compresses differently batch to batch. A couple of millimetres either way is normal, which is why a shoe sold as zero can measure 2 mm and still be an honest zero-drop design.
- Marketing. Drop bands are a category — 4 mm sells to one buyer and 8 mm to another — and the temptation to round toward the band is obvious.
None of this makes the spec useless. It makes the difference between an 8 mm shoe and a 10 mm shoe meaningless, and the difference between a 0 mm shoe and a 10 mm shoe real. Use drop to choose a band, not to split hairs.
The brands that publish nothing
Dansko, Dr. Comfort, Apex, Vionic and parts of the New Balance and Propet ranges do not put heel-to-toe drop on their product pages, and several publish no stack height or weight either. That is not a criticism of the shoes — the Dansko Professional and the Dr. Comfort William are both sensible clinical choices, and they appear in our Charcot foot and diabetic shoe guides for good reasons. It does mean nobody can compare them on this number without measuring the shoe, which is exactly the gap this site exists to close. These models are near the front of our bench queue, because they are where our own figures will add the most.
Drop versus stack: the mistake nearly everyone makes
People arrive in clinic having decided that low drop is good or bad, when what they actually mean is minimal or cushioned. They are separate dials. Drop changes the angle the foot sits at, and so where load lands and how long the calf works. Stack changes how much material sits between you and the ground, and so impact and stability. Any combination exists: a HOKA Bondi is high stack and low-ish drop; an Altra Torin is high stack and zero drop; a Merrell Vapor Glove is minimal stack and zero drop; a Brooks Adrenaline is moderate stack and high drop. The calf and Achilles risk lives in the drop column; the metatarsal and stress-fracture risk lives in the stack column.
How to measure the drop of a shoe you already own
- Take the insole out and set the shoe on a flat table.
- Measure the outside height of the midsole at the middle of the heel, from the table to where the upper meets the foam. A digital caliper or a steel rule works; a tape measure does not.
- Measure the same way at the widest part of the forefoot, under the ball of the foot.
- Subtract. That is the midsole drop, without the insole.
- For the drop you actually stand on, measure the insole’s thickness at heel and forefoot and add the difference back in. This is the number that changes when you swap the sockliner for an orthotic — see our insoles guide.
Do it to an old pair before you buy. Measuring the shoe that has been comfortable for two years tells you more about what you need than any review does.
Frequently asked questions
Is a higher or lower heel-to-toe drop better?
Neither, on its own. A randomised trial of more than 500 recreational runners assigned to 10 mm, 6 mm and 0 mm drop shoes for six months found no overall difference in injury rate. Drop matters for you — for the tissue that hurts and for what you have been wearing — not in general.
What heel drop is best for plantar fasciitis?
Most people with heel pain do well between 6 and 12 mm, because a little heel lift takes tension off the fascia’s attachment and off a tight calf. But drop is not the main feature here: a stiff heel counter, a sole that does not fold in the middle and a forefoot rocker matter more. Our plantar fasciitis guide ranks shoes on those.
What heel drop is best for Achilles tendonitis?
Higher. Raising the heel shortens the resting length of the calf–Achilles unit and reduces tension at the tendon, which is why a heel lift is standard first-line advice. Aim for 8–12 mm while the tendon is irritated, and do not move to a low or zero drop shoe until it has been quiet for months. Our Achilles guide is ranked by drop for this reason.
Do HOKAs have a low heel drop?
HOKA builds most road models around a stated 5 to 8 mm, which is lower than a traditional trainer, but they are high-stack shoes with a pronounced rocker, so they do not behave like low-drop shoes. Measured figures also run higher than stated: 9.1 mm on the Bondi 9 and 12.4 mm on the Clifton 10 in one laboratory. Low drop and minimal are not the same thing.
How long does it take to adapt to a different drop?
Muscle adapts in three to four weeks; tendon and bone take eight to twelve. Move one band at a time — 12 mm to 8 mm, not 12 mm to 0 mm — keep the old pair in the rotation, and treat morning-after pain over the metatarsals or at the heel cord as a stop sign.
Does the insole change the drop?
Yes, and it is the most commonly missed variable. Most factory sockliners are thicker at the heel than the forefoot, adding a millimetre or two of effective drop. Swap one for a flat orthotic and you have lowered the drop of the shoe without changing the shoe. If a new orthotic made your calf ache, this is usually why.
What we are testing next
Every shoe in this chart is queued for the bench: heel and forefoot stack with calipers at fixed landmarks, with and without the sockliner, so a measured drop can sit beside every stated one; weight on our scale at men’s 10; internal toe-box width and depth; the three stability checks; and an Orthotic Volume Rating taken with a real custom device and the stock insole removed. As each model is measured, its row here gains a measured figure and stops relying on the brand’s number. The models from brands that publish nothing at all go first.
Related guides & shoe pages
- Zero drop shoes — who should and shouldn’t wear them
- Best shoes for Achilles tendonitis — ranked by heel drop
- Best shoes for plantar fasciitis
- Wide toe box shoes
- Best shoes for metatarsalgia
- Best insoles for plantar fasciitis
- Shoe width chart — what 2E and 4E actually mean
- How we test — and what the Orthotic Volume Rating measures
Recently reviewed
Individual shoe pages state their evidence tier, published measurements and who should skip them.
New Balance Fresh Foam X More v6
Spec AnalysisNew Balance's tallest shoe, 38 mm forefoot, 4 mm drop, APMA seal — not yet tested.
ASICS GEL-CUMULUS 28
Spec AnalysisLight neutral gel trainer, 8 mm drop, 4E available at $145 — not yet tested.
Saucony Ride 19
Spec AnalysisLight neutral daily trainer, 8 mm drop, wider base than the 18 — not yet tested.
Measured, worn, scored — never sponsored
No brand has ever paid for a review, a score, a ranking or the seal. Where we earn a commission the link says so, and the score does not change.