Alternative to clarks?

iammumtoone

Can anyone recommend an alternative to clarks shoes for a child?

I am fed up with them, twice now we have had to take a pair back. Once to be fair they did change them. they were school shoes that the stitching came away on the strap. The second time were trainers I purchased at the start of the holidays so about 5 weeks ago, they are now only fit for the bin I did take them to show them but they said they couldn't do anything as it was how my son had walked! In a way I can see their point but I can't change how he walks and as they cost me £25 I can't afford to be spending £5 per week on shoes!! To be honest I don't rate the quality of any of their shoes for the price you pay but they do fit them and have different widths which I can't get anywhere else.

I am thinking of buying cheap supermarket ones, I don't really want to as I like to have them fitted properly but a pair that cost £10 if they only last 5 weeks that doesn't seem so bad.

I don't have a startrite nearby but could travel to one if it would be worth it, to those that have tried both are they better quality than clarks?

Carl31

Brantano do a few other Ok ish brands

clarks quality has got pretty poor recently, but in my experience they are still the best. I don't think there is really any durable school shoes out there anymore

3 small pairs of clarks shoes cost me 110 pounds last week

GwylimT

Our young children only wear startrite, they last about four to five months, but that's before my daughter grows out of them. I would never buy them shoes unless that specific pair/style had been fitted for them, don't want them to have hammer toes like me because my mother was insistent that shoes should last a year!

LilElvis

If it's the price compared to length of wear that annoys you then look on eBay. I had my daughter measured at Clark's then went home and found a brand new, boxed pair of Clark's on eBay for £9.99 + postage, so a third of the shop price. I would have opted for Kickers, but she is in between their sizes at the moment - she's had several pairs and they have worn really well, though they are pretty expensive at about £45. I have found new pairs of these on eBay too though.

Always_Alone

I've switched to startrite too, Clark's were telling me ds' feet hadn't grown for a year and then 3 different stores measured 3 completely different sizes. Found my startrite store a lot more thorough and took more time to measure and check properly. Only downside is I find then more expensive than Clarks.

Any local independent stores may be worth a look too

iammumtoone

Always_Alone wrote: »

I've switched to startrite too, Clark's were telling me ds' feet hadn't grown for a year and then 3 different stores measured 3 completely different sizes. Found my startrite store a lot more thorough and took more time to measure and check properly. Only downside is I find then more expensive than Clarks.

Any local independent stores may be worth a look too

There are no independent stores here I agree with the clarks measuring, I went one week was told his feet had grown so they were showing us new pairs. I went back the following week after I got paid and was told his shoes were ok!! I did ask her to double check as the week before I was told we needed new ones and she still said he was fine.


I don't mind paying a bit extra as long as they last, do you find the startrite quality better?

pinkshoes

Size varies from brand to brand, and also within each brand depending on the style of shoe.

the important bit is just making sure the shoe is wide enough, deep enough and long enough, but obviously not too big.

There are plenty of guides online to check if shoes fit.

My son's last pair were from Next, as his Clarks ones split and had a stupid tongue that kept sliding down!

The fit is far more important than where they come from.

susancs

I must admit over the years (now have teenagers) I have found Clarks school shoes to be the ones that lastest the longest and fit the best. I did try different brands but found them to be false economy as they lasted a very short time in comparison. My youngest also had a narrow foot and Clarks shoes did a narrower fit.

My eldest persuaded me to get expensive kickers brand school shoes last year and the stitching was such that it let water in the shoe when it rained and the heel bit, although looking chunky wore down quickly. We were back to Clarks bootlegger brand for her.

When younger, during pre-school days they did have startrite shoes and I found them to be good but they did not offer the choice of widths with school shoes in our local shops that Clarks shop did.

Always_Alone

iammumtoone wrote: »

There are no independent stores here I agree with the clarks measuring, I went one week was told his feet had grown so they were showing us new pairs. I went back the following week after I got paid and was told his shoes were ok!! I did ask her to double check as the week before I was told we needed new ones and she still said he was fine.


I don't mind paying a bit extra as long as they last, do you find the startrite quality better?

Tbh, they've probably lasted on par with the Clarks ones. Ds wears them every day and they take a good battering and seem ok at the mo. Think they'll last until he goes up a size

pollypenny

There's an interesting discussion in Clarks shoes in today's Guardian money section.

Might help.

krlyr

Sale of Goods Act requires products to be "fit for purpose" and "of reasonable quality". Would expect shoes to last more than 5 weeks - I would perhaps be contacting Clarks head office on this one.