Falls

A fall-hazard recall means the shoe can fail while you are standing or walking on it. In women’s footwear that usually means a heel that loosens or snaps off, a metal shank (the stiff strip inside the sole that holds the arch shape) that works loose, or hardware such as a lace hook that snags the other shoe. In children’s shoes it is more often zipper pulls that lock together or soles that are slippery when wet. In ski and snowboard boots it is a buckle, cuff pivot or binding interface that lets go.

These recalls tend to involve fewer pairs than children’s choking recalls, but they carry the injuries: notices on this site mention bruising, a minor leg injury from a broken heel and, in ski boots, torn knee ligaments. The common thread is a part that carries body weight. If a recalled pair is still in your closet, the notices are consistent on one point: stop wearing it, even if the heel feels solid today.

What the numbers show

• Who wore them: adult / unisex 10, women’s 10, children’s 6, men’s 1.
• Product types: ski and snowboard boots (10), sandals, clogs and flip-flops (8), boots (4), heels and dress shoes (3), shoes (2).
• 16 of 26 detailed notices cite reports before the recall; the median is 4.5 and the highest is 605 for Maestrale RS and Maestrale Men’s Ski Boots (2019).
• 2 notices state a number of injuries.
• Median time on sale before the recall: 7 months, across 27 notices that give sale dates.
• Most common country of manufacture: China (11), Italy (5), Romania (3), Vietnam (2).
• Remedies named: refund 12, repair 7, replace 3.

By decade

Largest recalls in this group