See, I have this one pair of slip-on shoes that fit great, but they put up a fuss to slide in to.

I dug out one of those cheapy plastic shoe horns that sometimes comes in the box with a new pair of shoes. It did OK, but I had to sit down to use it IF I could find the dang thing, it was so small.

Got around to looking up shoe horns here on Amazon and couldn't believe HOW COMPLICATED they can be -- plastic versus metal, spring versus solid, optimal length, reliability, carbon emissions (bah!)...

But seriously, this is a fine little shoe stick. I leave in on the mail table by the front door, sticking up from the basket. The length seems to be a perfect compromise between "easy to store" and "easy to use." I don't have to bend down excessively to shimmy my fat heel into my shrunken shoe -- I can even do it while holding my 2 year old son with my other arm. I've been using mine daily for something approaching 6 months, and it doesn't feel weak, fragile, loose or brittle.

Most importantly, it's big enough it doesn't get lost around the house.

I find that I even reach for it with my less difficult to slip on shoes, and even the pair of sneakers with elastic laces.