How much do you spend on summer sandals? (aka, am I just cheap?)

[LynnS6]

I'm looking for summer sandals for my kids. I know it's just March, but I like to plan ahead. Dd also runs warm and likes to wear sandals when others would wear shoes.

I'm having trouble finding sandals for dd that meet her requirements and don't cost $50. She wants sandals that are light, but have covered toes so she can ride her bike with them. The rule in our house is that you can't ride your scooter or your bike with open toes. She hates changing shoes. She hates having her feet hot.

I can find Keens for $50, but she doesn't really care for those. Teva makes one pair, again $50. I don't spend $50 on sandals for me, and I'm reluctant to spend it on a pair that will be outgrown in a year.

Am I just cheap? Looking in the wrong places?

[gbailey]

Have you tried Stride Rite or Zappos.com? Last year we bought DD's sandals from Stride Rite and Payless. We found two styles of Payless sandals that were better quality and more comfortable than the Stride Rite ones. You can definitely find a pair of good sandals for $50.

[Polliwog]

I get all of DD's shoes at either Lands End, Target, or Stride Rite. We don't have a closed toe rule but DS has a pair from Lands End.

[swd12422]

To answer your question, not more than $15, if I can help it. I found Keen-like sandals with rubberized toes for DS at Old Navy. I think they were <$15, on sale for around $10.

[daytripper75]

I never spend more than $20.  I usually find my children Keen style knock offs at Kmart, Kohls or Target. 

[Sharlla]

i just buy second hand.  I dont have a problem with that for kids shoes since they ar typically one worn a short time.  DS1 have chaco sandals that I spent $3 on (retail $100) 

[Tilia]

I spent about $20 at www.6pm.com on a pair of cute sandals for DD.  I got myself some Keen's for $30 but they looked too "mature" for me and I sent them back.

[onlyzombiecat]

I have never spent $50 on a pair of children's shoes.

Have you looked on e-bay? I've gotten kids shoes that were barely worn there for cheaper.

I see a few sandals on Payless Shoe Source for less than $30 and some clog style shoes by Airwalk for about $15.

http://www.landsend.com/pp/WaterShoes~219561_-1.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::GC8&CM_MERCH=IDX_00009_0000000617_0000000919&origin=index

[limabean]

We probably spend too much, but the kids get blisters and/or limit their play due to pain if I try to get away with using Target shoes. So we end up with Geox or Keens. I like Crocs for a less expensive, comfy option, but the kids tend to trip if they run fast in Crocs, so lately we've been choosing the more well-fitting brands. Luckily the grandparents buy tons of our kids' clothes for them, so spending a bit more on shoes is usually doable. 

DS can usually get away with one pair of sandals for the summer, since he wears shorts and t-shirts every day, but for DD I like to have a pair of casual sandals and a pair of dressier sandals. Last year I tried to get away with cheap shoes for the dressy option, but she only wore them once because they hurt her. 

[Marsupialmom]

I think it depends on HOW many shoes she has and were she is in growing.  If this is a primary pair I would spend 50ish for quality.  If she is wearing these shoes 4 - 6 months.  

I would encourage Payless.  We have gotten a lot of good shoes there.  When they were little they out grew them 3 months or so.  Or they got so dirty they needed to be replace.  

[nextcommercial]

Every spring, I bought my dd elephanten shoes from the kid's shoe store.  I paid about $45 for them, back in the mid 90s.

[jeanine123]

I spend around $50 to $60 for sandals for the kids.  They are their primary shoes for at least 6 months of the year so they definitely get a lot of wear out of them.  Heck, they both practically wore out the soles of their sandals last year, that's how much use they got out of them.  I'd rather spend more on a really good pair of sandals or shoes and have them last the entire season (assuming growth spurts cooperate, which they have so far) than buy multiple pairs of less expensive shoes.  Stride Right's buy one get one half off sales are great for this.

[LuckyMommaToo]

I definitely spend $50 on sandals. But we live in L.A., and my kids wear them for six months. Generally speaking, DS only has two pairs of shoes at any one time (other than, say, baseball cleats). So I'm happy to spring for Keens or Tevas or Geox b/c I know they'll last all season.

-e

p.s. For DD, who is a shoe hound, I've had decent luck at Nordstrom Rack. She wants at least one pair of sparkly, pretty sandals and then needs more practical ones as well.

[ellemenope]

I just saw Keen sandals at the Nordstrom outlet for 19.99.  They were a half size too small for DD though. 

She wore this style last year almost every single day for at least 6 months.  We absolutely loved them except they made DD's feet stinky.  I would pay $50 for them this year if I had to, but last year I found them for $30 so I am still looking.

[LynnS6]

Interesting range -- thanks for the 6pm.com link. That looks like a good source. I got a steal on some really nice Lands End sandals last year, but their styles aren't going to work for dd this year. I do Ebay a lot of my kids clothes, but shoes in their size are hard to find. Part of it may be that my kids have big feet (dd, age 6, wears a youth 3, ds age 9, wears a youth/men's 7).

Our kids could get anywhere from 2-5 months' wear out of sandals, depending on the weather around here. I'm not buying ds any until the warm weather really starts because his feet are really growing.  I probably will go with more expensive shoes (hopefully on sale) for dd - she'll get lots more use out of them. I really can't bring myself to spend $50.

But I'll be interested in hearing what others spend.

[hildare]

i love the keens we got for dd.  they were <45.00 but they are her only pair of summer shoes.  that's how we tend to shop, though, just buy one really nice and long lasting thing rather than several less durable items....  but if i had found something similar i would have bought a different and less expensive brand.  part of our challenge is that we. never. go. anywhere.  and i rely on teh internets to buy anything. 

[abeliamama]

Originally Posted by nextcommercial 

Every spring, I bought my dd elephanten shoes from the kid's shoe store.  I paid about $45 for them, back in the mid 90s.

Sadly, they quit making them or at least quit selling them in the states.

Ebay is the way to go. I gpt really cute Miniboden silver dressy sandals for $22. Unfortunately they were too narrow so I will have to resell them. Shouldn't be a problem.

I agree Target sandals rub blisters. No give in the straps.

Land's End or LLBean is good. Jumping Jacks brands is usually pretty reasonable.

[lifeguard]

The way I see it is ds will be wearing his sandals this summer as much as he wears his running shoes the other seasons. Footwear is not something I skimp on & I think it is important to have good quality, well fitting shoes. This was my Mom's philosophy with us growing up - I had potential for some serious foot problems (I'm VERY pigeon toed & turn my ankles VERY easily) but in fact my feet are better now than when I was young & I would say in better shape than many of my friends.

I spent $50 for Keens (about the same as I spent for his Stride Rite shoes as well) last summer for ds. We didn't get much wear out of them because we found them hard to put on - but I think this was more an age thing than a reflection on the shoe. Once they were on they fit very nicely & I never had to worry about him catching a toe or having his shoe fall off while running.

[Daffodil]

No way would I spend $50.  I've probably never spent more than about $15 for a pair of kid's sandals.  I can often find something decent at Target, Payless, etc. (boys' styles are generally better than girls'), or at a kids' consignment place.  (But my kids' feet - even the 8 year old's - are a lot smaller than your kids'.  I haven't looked at what's available in larger sizes.)  I never thought Crocs would be something my kids could wear every day in summer - I figured they'd be too hot compared to sandals.  But I eventually got a couple of pairs someone was giving away, and my kids loved them and were happy to wear them most of the time in summer.  You can get Crocs (or croc-style copies) for a heck of a lot less than $50.  If your DD hasn't tried those, you might pick up a pair and see if she likes them.  You might find a used pair for just a few dollars.

[happysmileylady]

Never would I pay more than $15 for a pair of shoes, other than on something for DH or myself for work, as a necessity only.  And even then I would be hunting around to find something less than $15.