School shoes

daska

DS2 is like me, very short, deep feet, really difficult to fit. And he gets through shoes at an alarming rate. TBH we've found a basic shoe in ShoeZone which is a better fit and at a quarter of the price I don't mind so much if he needs a new pair 4 times a year. They laugh now because I always buy two pairs (cos it means he's always got a dry pair LOL, but then he's only gone from from an 8 to a 10 in 2 and a half years. I know I'll get caught out at some point but I figure at £9 a pair that's a risk I'll take.

For the record I've always gone with Clarks/Startrite etc until now, but they just don't do do anything for DS2.

kittywight

have always had a problem with clarks

when ds was a size 10 they told him he was a small 7,

i just assumed that maybe they had different sizings, so bought the shoes took them home, ds wore them for about an hour around town and his feet were an awful state

never gone to clarks since, rediculous

i tend to buy 2 pairs of cheap shoes, sports direct do some good ones, and have even better bargains online

i buy 2 pairs (£10-15 each) then i alternate them, ds wears one pair until they start looking grubby then i put the other pair on,

they do last quite a while that way

dont forget polish, polish is great for sprucing up shoes when they first start looking a bit grubby

xx

Spendless

Clarks sell shumagic in a range of colours to suit their shoes. I bought some once after a recommendation on a thread on here and was pleased how much they improved and helped (though they won't if it's already worn through). Might help improve life of others though.

http://www.ciao.co.uk/Reviews/Clarks_Shumagic__6494100

rosie383

I know some people won't agree with me, but I get the kids' feet measured properly, then buy a decent brand online from the like of ebay. Second hand yes, but I only pay maybe £5-10 and they last longer than cheap ones at the same price. I can't afford to pay £45 a pair for each child especially if they lose them, or otherwise 'kill' them.

marleyboy

My Son outgrows his shoes (and clothes) so rapidly, its just not worth paying top whack for them. As he gets older his growth rate should steady, meaning a more expensive shoe would be apt, as it is I see no point in paying over the odds for a pair of shoes he will outgrow in a matter of Months.

savepete

Our son ruins all shoes playing football on playground. It doesn't matter if these are expensive school shoes (Clarks, Elefanten etc) or cheap shoes from All Sports or similar outlets.

onlyroz

I've never had problems with Clarks shoes. I get my boy a pair like this:

http://www.clarks.co.uk/p/20343302

And they last the year. The important thing is the "bumper" over the toes and the thick soles.

sassyblue

onlyroz wrote: »

I've never had problems with Clarks shoes. I get my boy a pair like this:

http://www.clarks.co.uk/p/20343302

And they last the year. The important thing is the "bumper" over the toes and the thick soles.

Neither have l, we always get the ones with 'bumpers' too.

Getting his feet properly checked and buying from ebay is a good idea, if you can't afford/justify top price.

I was surprised the shoes in Next was as good as Clarks but l think cheap shoes for kids are a false economy - apart from those plastic crocs my son lives in them during the summer, £2 from Primark!

Emmarillo

I have daughters, but one is really active and hard on her shoes. I find clarks shoes last about six weeks and now buy start rite which are much more hard wearing. They cost a little more, but I've bought them new on ebay before after getting her measured properly. They also have good sales on their website.

pogofish

My mother always got me good properly measured shoes at that age and they were always a very big strain on her very small earnings - Coming back from school with serious scuffs and damage on a regular basis ensured there was hell to pay, so pretty quickly I learned to enjoy my playground kickabouts in far less damaging ways.

And a secondary benefit was that I learned to take care of my own shoes and polish then up very early - To minimise the impact of any scuffs that did happen!