[TinyMama]

Just got myself banned from the local shoe store for asking the salesman this question.

Are they cheaper to make?
Parents like them better?

I ticked off the salesman by telling him, when he said that toddlers need stiff support in their shoes, that all available research shows otherwise. I offered to bring him research. He was not pleased with me.

:

What is with the lack of choice in soft soled shoes???

 

[heidirk]

check out these sites-

www.bobux.com

www.robeez.com

I also found soft soled leather shoes at Babies R Us.

www.softstarshoes.com if you don't want leather.

 

[mamadelbosque]

Idk, but I found DS some fairly flexible shoes at Khols by Osh Kosh - they're blue with yellow trim and velcro... Not as his first shoes, but good enough, IMO. Maybe a little more bendy than his crocs but about the same...

 

[hipmummy]

If you are looking for something with al ittle more cushion or sole there are

www.pedipeds.com for young and old toddlers

www.seecairun.com for older tots (we like these VERY flexible)

 

[LuxPerpetua]

I've often wondered myself. All I can figure is that they must be cheaper to make. Most things boil down to that.

We are fans of Preschoolians because you can choose the thickness of the sole as well as design your own shoes, a feature that I love. They are also very flexible.

 

[prettypixels]

They really banned you from the store? REALLY??? That is... wow.

 

[St. Margaret]

I was just thinking that!!! There have been some at Target by Osh Gosh that are just like the tredz or see kai runs (what we have now) which were GREAT and $14, but nothing this time around. Next time I see any like that, I am buying the next three sizes! Altho with the sale and pooling an order for free shipping, SKR ended up being almost as cheap

But WHY do they insist on the stiff shoes, man?!

 

[The4OfUs]

I have found several pair at Target that I can fold in half with my hand, which is my criteria for buying shoes for toddlers and preschoolers. With DS, I have to be able to bend them easily with two hands (his feet are too big for the one-handed thing now

) - but I would imagine that probably supple materials are more expensive than rigid ones...and maybe people the industry at large just hasn't really caught on that little kid shouldn't be clomping around like Frankenstein. I couldn't believe some of the platform flip flops and little girls' wedge shoes I saw a couple weeks ago while out shopping. Heck, I have a hard time finding flexible shoes at a reasonable price for myself!

 

[TinyMama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The4OfUs ...and maybe people the industry at large just hasn't really caught on that little kid shouldn't be clomping around like Frankenstein. I couldn't believe some of the platform flip flops and little girls' wedge shoes I saw a couple weeks ago while out shopping. Heck, I have a hard time finding flexible shoes at a reasonable price for myself!

Yeah...this is kinda what I was thinking! I would NEVER wear some of the shoes they sell for toddlers!

Several of you suggested that it all comes down to money, and I guess that's what it probably is. I have trouble imagining the designers or whomever it is at the factory who makes the prototypes for the shoes, and pulling all these teeny tiny shoes off the belt and being totally unable to flex the sole and...just going with it.

Thanks for all the links, but this was more of a philosophical shoe question than a practical one.

My DD wore Robeez and then Tip Toey Joeys and now she's in SKR b/c she's in a size 9 already. She has extremely high, wide feet and the SKR's are the only ones that fit her, and I got annoyed today b/c I thought I could just run out and pick her up a pair of sandals for our impending heat wave, only to discover I still need to order SKR's. Which is fine, but just once I would like to try a few pairs on her, let her choose, etc. Oh well.

 

[riomidwife]

I've had similar conversations with people in shoe stores, salespersons and shoppers. It never ends well, so I give up. We love Soft Star shoes. http://www.softstarshoes.com/index.cfm

 

[ellairiesmom]

Please don't laugh at me...but I was actually looking through the threads for info on what shoes I am really supposed to be buying.

DD was in robeez/bobux/pedipeds anytime we needed shoes her 1st year. When she outgrew those & started walking/running I bought some Stride Rite shoes that were on sale thinking I was getting a good deal on quality shoes.
Are they really bad? They feel pretty flexible-not too different from the walkers for Pedipeds & Robeez.

 

[*Erin*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellairiesmom Please don't laugh at me...but I was actually looking through the threads for info on what shoes I am really supposed to be buying. DD was in robeez/bobux/pedipeds anytime we needed shoes her 1st year. When she outgrew those & started walking/running I bought some Stride Rite shoes that were on sale thinking I was getting a good deal on quality shoes. Are they really bad? They feel pretty flexible-not too different from the walkers for Pedipeds & Robeez.

stride rite makes some awesome toddler shoes! we have an outlet here and can find them for less than the flexy softer soled ones online, too. they do have a few sneakers that are super hard, but i just don't buy them.

i've been very happy with the SR shoes my kids have had. DD has a pair of mary jane sneakers right now that she loves, and has worn, in different sizes and colors, for a couple years now. Same thing when she was wee. DS still wears jack and lily's all the time, but when he needs something more, we'll hit the SR.

 

[limabean]

Which brick-and-mortar stores sell See Kai Runs and Pedipeds?

 

[alegna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ellairiesmom Please don't laugh at me...but I was actually looking through the threads for info on what shoes I am really supposed to be buying. DD was in robeez/bobux/pedipeds anytime we needed shoes her 1st year. When she outgrew those & started walking/running I bought some Stride Rite shoes that were on sale thinking I was getting a good deal on quality shoes. Are they really bad? They feel pretty flexible-not too different from the walkers for Pedipeds & Robeez.

Personally, I've never seen a stride rite shoe (past their crib shoes) that I would put on my kids. For newer walkers (say first 6-8 months walking) I want a shoe I can crumple in one hand. After that, I want a shoe that is EASILY bent totally in half with one hand for as long as possible.

-Angela

 

[The4OfUs]

I've actually found several pair of Stride Rites for both my kids that were flexible and comfortable, and cute. You just have to look around and get your hands on them to see if they're flexible or not. The place I get them has a buy one get one half off sale twice a year, so that's when I get them.

Edited to add: I generally buy them their "playground shoes" twice a year at Stride Rite, because they are exceptionally tough on shoes and the SRs wear really well, and are in styles that I like. As long as I am able to get plain (i.e. no pictures of anything), non-blinking, lace up shoes at our local shop, we're good to go. One year I had to order because all they had were the blinky/velcro kind in stock, and the lady looked at me like I was crazy because I wanted a non-blinking, lace up shoe without firetrucks or basketballs on it.

 

[treehuggermama]

I am all about soft shoes and just ordered my little man Robeez sandals for summer (he is cruising but not walking alone yet). My son tripped and fell alot when we tried stiff shoes on him so we always reverted back to soft. I also don't imagine all of these super stiff shoes would be all that comfortable either...

 

[KD's Momma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by limabean Which brick-and-mortar stores sell See Kai Runs and Pedipeds?

I get my pedipeds in specialty shops for childrens clothing. Nothing that is franchised but local stores that sell generally high end childrens clothing.

But there are a ton of places to buy them on the web

 

[Ophelia]

I hear ya. When shopping for shoes the first thing I check is practicality (comfort, ease of on/off) and if those pass then I check the sole flexibility. Most shoes sold in regular stores do not pass. They need to be at least somewhat flexible.

DS didn't even have a pair of shoes until he started standing/walking and then it was Robeez Target knock-offs.

I also don't understand open-toe sandals. Kids trip a lot, wouldn't this hurt their toes when they trip? I only get close-toe sandals.

 

[alegna]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ophelia I also don't understand open-toe sandals. Kids trip a lot, wouldn't this hurt their toes when they trip? I only get close-toe sandals.

I was worried about that with dd- but it was never a problem

-Angela

 

[paquerette]

I think the reason is that it used to be believed that they needed stiff shoes in order for their feet to grow properly. You know, the same way we need corsets for our torsos to grow properly.