ZOMAKE Shoe Horn Long Handle: Metal vs. Plastic
I compared a metal long handle shoehorn against a flexible plastic pair. Both work. One gives your shoe more support.
The ZOMAKE Shoe Horn Long Handle is worth buying if you want a long handle shoe horn that holds its shape while your foot slides in. At 16.5 inches of reach and a firm metal body, it supports the shoe better than the flexible plastic pair I compared it against. Buy the metal one.
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How this review was made: written from my own video review of this product. Every opinion here is my own, from using it myself.
Quick Verdict
The metal one stays firm under your heel instead of bowing under pressure, which cuts out a reset step on stiff shoes, and that’s the one I’d keep next to the bed. The plastic pair got the shoe on too, but on a stiff heel collar it bowed just enough to make you try twice.
Buy if you:
- can’t bend down to the heel of a sneaker anymore
- want something that holds its shape while you guide your foot in
- need to hang it on a walker frame or a hook by the bed
- are putting on stiff shoes with a tight heel collar
Skip if you:
- need the horn to flex and bend, because metal doesn’t give at all
- want two of them for two rooms, since the plastic set comes as a 2 pack
- have very limited grip strength and want the lightest option
| Reach | 16.5 in |
|---|---|
| Material | Metal |
| Handle | Curled hook end |
| Compared against | Rehabilitation Advantage 2 pack, blue plastic |
| Best for | Seniors, men, women, limited bending |
Slide It Under the Heel, Push Down, Done
JD the therapist here. I grabbed both the plastic and metal versions and tested them side by side, and the firmness of the metal one changed how the shoe went on. I had two versions in my hands: a plastic one and the ZOMAKE Shoe Horn Long Handle in metal. They’re just about 2 feet or so in length once you count the handle, with 16.5 inches of actual reach on the ZOMAKE.
Slide the blade under the heel, push down, foot’s in, that’s the whole sequence. No bending forward, no fighting a stiff heel collar from above. Both versions have a curled hook at the top, which matters more than it sounds: hanging it on the bed rail means it’s physically next to the shoes every morning, and that’s the setup I push hardest with clients because a dressing aid left in a drawer gets abandoned within a week.
Metal Doesn’t Bend. That’s a Trade.
The metal one doesn’t bend, which gives your shoe real support, but also won’t forgive an awkward hand angle. Zero flex. If your hand angle isn’t quite right, the horn won’t accommodate you the way the plastic one will.
The plastic one’s great because it’s flexible. It’s bendable. It’s not as firm. For someone with arthritis or weak grip, lighter and more forgiving is worth something real. And the Rehabilitation Advantage version comes as a 2 pack, which the single metal one doesn’t.
Why the Firm One Won for Me
Because it is so firm, it’s going to give you more support with your shoe. That’s the difference I felt. When I slid the metal one under the heel and pushed down, the horn stayed exactly where I put it. You can go ahead and guide your foot in and know that this is going to stay there.
The flexible one bows a little under pressure. It still got the shoe on. But with a stiffer shoe, that bow is where people get frustrated and give up on the tool entirely. Task analysis wise, the metal one takes a step out of the sequence: you’re not resetting it and trying again.
Worth knowing on the buying side: Amazon has it around #9,068 in Clothing, Shoes & Jewelry right now, down from a 90 day average near #6,544, so it’s selling a bit slower than it was. Over 3,000 still went out in the past month, and the price has been sitting about where it’s been for the last three months. There’s no sale to wait for. Check the current price here.
Who Should Get a Long Handle Shoe Horn
Anyone who can’t safely reach their own heel. Hip or knee replacement, back pain, low-back surgery precautions, balance issues sitting on the edge of a bed. A shoe horn long enough to reach the floor from a seated upright position is one of the cheapest independence wins in dressing.
Grab the metal one if the shoes are stiff and you want the horn to hold its position on the first try. Grab the plastic 2 pack if grip strength is limited, or if you need a horn in two rooms, the single metal one won’t cover both ends of the house.
Pros
- Firm metal body gives the shoe real support while your foot goes in
- 16.5 inches of reach, no bending down to the heel
- Curled handle hooks onto a walker, a wall hook, or a bed rail
- Slide, push down, shoe’s in. One motion.
Cons
- No flex at all, so it won’t forgive an awkward hand angle the way plastic does
- Sold as a single, while the plastic comparison comes as a 2 pack
- Metal is heavier in the hand than the plastic version
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a long handled shoe horn work with boots?
For ankle boots, yes, as long as the shaft isn’t taller than the horn’s blade. Tall boots with a high collar are a different job and usually need a boot-specific aid. The firmer metal one handles a stiff boot heel better than the flexible plastic.
Can kids use one of these?
A 16.5 inch reach is sized for adult height, so for a small child it’s long and awkward to aim. Shoe horns for kids usually come shorter. For a teenager with a cast or a mobility restriction, an adult length one is fine.
How do you clean it?
Wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it. That’s it. Metal means you’re not soaking up sock lint or foot odor the way a fabric aid would, and there’s nothing to replace over time.
Is one enough, or should I buy a pair?
Buy two if you dress in more than one spot. The single most common reason people stop using a dressing aid is that it isn’t where they are. One by the bed and one by the front door removes that excuse entirely.
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