https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 13 May 2026 05:41:35 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809915 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 14:26:22 +0000 Kemma 1809915@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: :-)</p> <p>@Cherrybee: we used soft soles until A was a good 15-16 months old and had just the one pair of summer sandals and that was heaps! I did also pick up a really cheap pair of "surf shoes" (made of neoprene with bendy rubber soles) for wearing to Playgroup and at home in the garden.</p> <p>Even now A only has three pairs of shoes plus gumboots so you don't need to go overboard if you don't want to! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809876 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 14:10:41 +0000 rattles 1809876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I went ahead and had DD properly fitted when she first started walking. I don't think it'll always be worth the cash for fancier shoes, but I think it's worth it now. Then again, I got remeasured for a new pair of Clark's every year while growing up in the UK, so maybe I've been conditioned to think it's important :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809833 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 13:51:31 +0000 Mrs. Lion 1809833@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For what it's worth, I got a pair of stride rites for lo at a consignment store. They are a good half size too big and he walks just fine and has room to grow into them. I think making sure they are securely on the foot and that the soles bend are the most important factors. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809830 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 13:49:18 +0000 Smurfette 1809830@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: I think SR rips off parents with the half sizes. There isn't that much difference in the shoe size. I love SKR. Pretty much all I buy for R for everyday shoes. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809829 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 13:48:03 +0000 Anagram 1809829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Smurfette: good to know about Stride Rite. I just bought some from there and LO is in a 4.5 but already growing out of them. I'm thinking about buying a pair of SKR I saw on sale. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809178 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:53:35 +0000 Ra 1809178@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm a bad mom who never got LO soft soled shoes. He has a pair of Stride Rite, a pair of TOMS, a pair of Vans, and a pair of Converse and he walks fine in all of them. He's barefoot 95% of the time so I doubt his shoes are going to hinder his development. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809109 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:37:06 +0000 Smurfette 1809109@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We measured R's feet with a ruler. Then ordered some online. We did go to Stride Ride and get her a pair and they go by .5 sizes so she was in a 3.5 there but then a 3 in the Smaller by SKR. She out grew the Stride Ride almost a month before the SKR. </p> <p>I do think sizes vary by stores. Target shoes all run big on her. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1809090 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 09:32:41 +0000 JerricaBenton 1809090@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just looked at the size guide on the brand's website and measured her feet myself. I ordered see kai run for her first walkers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808941 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:38:21 +0000 edelweiss 1808941@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>when he first started to walk we kept him in soft soled shoes (like robeez soft soles) until his daycare asked "when are you going to get him real shoes?" then we went to stride rite and got him measured. otherwise i would have had no clue what size to buy him. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808933 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:36:27 +0000 Foodnerd81 1808933@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>C isn't quite walking yet and so far I mostly put her in soft soles robeez- they are pretty loose and have just the leather sole, which I like since she isn't walking in anything yet. Once she is properly walking in thinking of taking her to the fancy expensive baby boutique and getting her fitted, buy one pair there, then buy the rest online. </p> <p>We also have a pair of see Kai run smallers that we bought on the classifieds and I really like them- very flexible but with a little more structure and protection, so I will probably go with them once she is walking. </p> <p>Also yay for E walking!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808932 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:36:25 +0000 Cherrybee 1808932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: Oh my! They are so adorable!!! And (would you believe) cheaper than Clarks!! </p> <p>@Adira: This is what my DH said we should do - measure her ourselves with a ruler! I said he was being ridiculous (!) but now you've said that and Anagram has mentioned printable foot measuring charts I'm wondering if maybe I'm the one who is being ridiculous!! :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808928 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:35:42 +0000 regberadaisy 1808928@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we got her first pair I took her to go get fitted then shopped online. :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808927 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:35:41 +0000 mrsjyw 1808927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used SKR Smaller sneaker for when he was just starting to walk. We then moved to Stride Ride boots for the winter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808925 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:35:01 +0000 looch 1808925@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think you really need to go to a shop to get them measured. We did and I was surprised at what size he needed. I would have ordered much smaller and that wouldn't have been good. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808917 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:32:55 +0000 Alivoo01 1808917@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I recommend you go to a store to at least get measured so you have that solid information at least, then you can look online for shoe deals. I'm glad we got DS measured because his feet ended up measuring wide, which is good to know! Comfort is important and I want him to enjoy wearing shoes, even if it's temporary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808916 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:32:29 +0000 immabeetoo 1808916@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Robeez suited us well. Early walkers in harder soles always seem to trip more- at least in the group of toddlers I've seen grow up! I wouldn't do any type of fitting until they're older. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808912 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:31:13 +0000 Anagram 1808912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: Also, prince George wears these made-in-the-UK shoes and they are soft-soled early walker shoes and ADORABLE. <a href="http://www.earlydays.ltd.uk/" rel="nofollow">http://www.earlydays.ltd.uk/</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808909 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:29:59 +0000 Anagram 1808909@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I JUST posted a thread about this. People are going to tell you that even after walking, the soft soled shoes are fine. But there are SO MANY soft soled shoe brands. Also, we live in a place with frequent wet weather in the fall/winter/spring (rain, ice, snow) so I wouldn't put my LO outside in just leather-bottomed shoes so I knew I also wanted a pair of flexible-rubber soled shoes.</p> <p>Kemma recently suggested the Bobux brand (a NZ brand, you probably have them too--there's a US site as well), and they are ADORABLE. I just ordered 1 pair as a trial.</p> <p>Here in the U.S. the popular brands are See Kai Run, Pedipeds, Robeez, Stride Rite, and Livvie and Luca. They all have printable foot measuring charts. Just print the chart, measure your LOs foot, and order a way. You can always return or exchange if they don't fit </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808902 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:28:14 +0000 Adira 1808902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We bought a pair of See Kai Run Smaller and I LOVE them. Soft flexible soles are perfect for new walkers! As for the size, they list sizing, so I just took my own ruler to Xander's feet to see how long his feet were and then ordered the size that was bigger than that. They fit perfectly. :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808901 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:27:53 +0000 illumina 1808901@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I might change my mind once S is properly walking (at the mo she walks holding on to us and cruised etc.) but we've just got shoes from Mothercare and Next, size 3 for walkers and probably won't bother with getting fitted...at least for a while. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/talk-to-me-about-shoes-for-new-walkers-what-did-you-do#post-1808896 Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:25:18 +0000 Cherrybee 1808896@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>E has started walking :happy: and now I'm thinking about getting her some proper shoes. I Googled it and got loads of information about how important it is to get properly fitted and properly designed shoes so that their feet can develop as they are supposed to. </p> <p>We have a shop here called Clarks that are the go-to company for children's shoes; they have a measuring and fitting service in store. But they are SO expensive - like, a pair of baby shoes cost more than I pay for my own shoes!!! :shocked: </p> <p>I'm in favour of just paying the price but DH is adamant that it doesn't really matter as much as people say. He thinks we should look online for shoes..... but how would you know what size to get if you don't have your child's feet professionally measured by that particular company - don't sizes vary across retailers?</p> <p>I just don't know what to think!!! What did you do? </p>