Suspension for the 7,000 steps you take every day.
Z-CoiL replaces the heel with a steel spring that compresses an average of one inch and returns 50% of the impact back to you. Made to relieve foot, leg, and back pain — proven in independent lab testing and on over a million pairs of feet since 1992.
Shop Z-CoiLWatch it work
- 1,000,000+ pairs sold
- 33 years, family-owned
- 4,400+ verified reviews
- 30-day risk-free trial
Your shoes give out before you do.
The average American spends 55% of the workday standing or walking. If you're a nurse, a teacher, or on a warehouse floor, it's closer to all of it — and every step sends a shock up through your heel into your knees, hips, and back.
Foam softens that shock for a few months. Then it flattens, and the pain comes back. Impact is the primary cause of foot, leg, and back pain, and foam was never built to stop it.
Real impact protection is mechanical, not foam.
Foam absorbs. Then it's gone.
Walking on foam is walking in sand. It takes the energy out of your step and gives nothing back — and it packs down for good within months.
A spring stores. Then it returns.
A steel coil compresses an average of one inch on every step, then returns 50% of that impact back to you. It doesn't wear out. It's a suspension, not a cushion.
In 33 years, no other shoe brand has built one.
Everything else is cushioning. This is suspension.
Swipe to compare →
| Footwear type | Heel compression | Energy return | Built-in orthotic | Adjusts for pronation | Wears out | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z-CoiL | About 1 inch | 50% | Yes | Yes | No — coil is steel and replaceable | from $189 |
| Foam comfort shoes clogs, slides, "cloud" soles |
8–10 mm | None | No | No | Yes — packs down in months | $30–$200 |
| Running and walking shoes | 13–14 mm | Under 3% | No | No | Yes — 300–500 miles | $100–$330 |
| Rocker-sole shoes | 14 mm | None | No | No | Yes | $130–$275 |
| Cushioned insoles drugstore inserts |
7 mm | None | No | No | Yes — weeks to months | Under $99 |
| Custom orthotics | None | None | Yes | Yes | No, but the shoe around them does | $200–$800 |
Compression and energy-return figures for other footwear types are category averages from Z-CoiL's comparison testing. Z-CoiL figures from independent lab studies — read the studies.
Three parts. One pain relief system.
The coil spring
A conical steel spring mounted outside the heel. Compresses an inch, flexes in every direction for uneven ground, and returns energy on every step. Absorbs the impact that causes leg and back pain.
The built-in orthotic
Support built into the shoe, not added to it. Rigid, contoured, with a raised arch and rounded heel cup that protect the plantar ligaments. Relief for plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.
The rocker forefoot
19mm of soft cushioning and a rocker sole that rolls you off the front of the foot without bending. Relief for the ball of the foot and for stiff or fused ankles.
Tested at Sandia National Laboratories.
Independent researchers at Sandia, Los Alamos, and New Mexico Highlands University measured what happens when you walk on a spring instead of foam.
Built for the pain you're walking with.
Z-CoiL wearers come to us for a reason. Find yours.
Plantar fasciitis
The built-in orthotic supports the arch and takes strain off the plantar fascia with every step.
Shoes for plantar fasciitisHeel spurs
The coil takes the impact so your heel doesn't have to. The rounded heel cup spreads what's left.
Shoes for heel spursFused ankles
The rocker forefoot does the rolling your ankle can't, so walking feels natural again.
Shoes for fused anklesLeg and back pain
Less impact at the heel means less shock reaching your knees, hips, and lower back.
See all painful ailmentsThey don't just buy them. They stay.
Half of first-time Z-CoiL customers buy a second pair within a year.
“I have worn the shoes since 2001… After working as nurse and being on my feet for 12 hours and no pain in my legs, feet or back… I have 6 pair and getting ready to order a summer pair.”
“I was ready for a wheel chair because my feet hurt so bad. Inserts were no longer doing the job… That was about 10 years ago… Right now I own 4 pair. They are the only reason I am still walking.”
“This is my second pair in 2 years… I had terrible foot pain that left me barely able to walk… therapy didn't help. A few days wearing these and my foot pain was better… I will never go back to any other kind of shoes.”
Read all 4,400+ reviews · Individual results vary.
Three generations. One idea.
A family in Albuquerque built the first spring shoe in 1992. Thirty-three years and a million pairs later, we still build it, still fit it, and still answer the phone ourselves.
Fitted out of the box
Every pair ships with the right spring for its size. Around 90% of customers never touch it.
Adjustable for your gait
Coils rotate to correct moderate or severe pronation. We'll walk you through it at 800.268.6239.
Replaceable, not disposable
The coil is a serviceable part. Heel pads, insoles, and coils all replace — the shoe doesn't.
Warrantied
90-day workmanship warranty and a 5-year warranty on the Z-Nut that holds your coil.
Questions people ask
Do they feel bouncy?
No. The coil compresses under your heel; it doesn't launch you. Most people describe it as walking on thick, firm carpet.
How fast will I feel a difference?
Many customers notice it on day one. For long-standing pain, give it a week of steady wear — and you have 30 days to decide.
Are they heavy?
Slightly heavier than a normal shoe, but you're used to it within a day.
Is there a break-in period?
Usually a day or two, and at most a week.
What if they're not for me?
Wear them for 30 days. If they're not right, send them back in any condition. Full details in our return policy.
Can I use my HSA or FSA?
Yes, through Truemed at checkout.
Try a pair for 30 days. Risk-free.
The spring shoe you saw on Shark Tank. Wear them to work, wear them on the trail. If your pain isn't better, send them back in any condition.
Shop all stylesQuestions? 800.268.6239 · painfree@zcoil.com