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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Why are H width children's shoes so rare and why can't I find anything wider??!!

77 replies

heroinahalfshell · 05/12/2011 14:58

We bought our DS's first shoes aged 9m (he started walking at 9m) and he was already a H width fitting then.

We just got his second pair (aged 12m) and our choice in clarks was of ONE PAIR (5.5H).

What on EARTH am I going to do if he goes up a width fitting??! They don't seem to exist!!!

His feet don't look that big to me? (Maybe it's in proportion - he's VERY tall) AIBU to think shoes should stock wider sizes or does my child have freaky big feet??!!

OP posts:

CuppaTeaJanice · 05/12/2011 15:04

I had the opposite problem when I was a child, and always had to get my AA width shoes ordered in specially. You'll probably have more luck with an independent shop that stocks shoes from several suppliers (ie not Clarks).

MrsTwinks · 05/12/2011 15:04

YANBU, but they dont make anything wider I'm afraid.

I work in a kids shoe shop, and if he goes up its VERY VERY unusual. infact its more likely they will slim out as his foot grows. Won't bore you with the science but it happens more often than not. Does he have high arches? that young a width fitting is essentially the circumfrence of the foot, so if he has a high arch he will measure alot wider.

FWIW, I also have MASSIVE feet (wide and high) and I manage. Usually go up a size (or two) to get the width.

MrsTwinks · 05/12/2011 15:06

I also second the not clarkes. Clarkes fucking traumatised me as a kid, but make sure you go somewhere they know what they are on about. I've seen some shockingly badly fitted shoes, and that can cause problems

Original poster

heroinahalfshell · 05/12/2011 15:10

Hi mrstwinks - that is very interesting about the width maybe going down and very good to know!!

He actually has very flat feet! They are very "deep" if that makes sense!

OP posts:

Ghoulwithadragontattoo · 05/12/2011 15:11

My DD is an H width shoe usually and I too was worried I'd never be able to find shoes for her. However, last time she was measured her length had gone up 1/2 a size but she'd gone down to a G width which is much more easily available. I was very worried we'd never be able to find her shoes but it does seem like they tend to slim down as they get older, as MrsTwinks said. My DD is now 3.5 years.

MrsTwinks · 05/12/2011 15:35

if they are deep then my money would be they will thin out as all the bones grow longer etc. I really wouldnt worry

CrunchyFrog · 05/12/2011 15:44

DS1 is 6 and had to get shoes in a 12.5 H as the 12H were too narrow. High insteps, apparently. Fat footed like his Hobbity Ma.

gilmoregirl · 05/12/2011 15:47

I agree that is likely feet will "stretch" as it were.

I have v wide feet and DS appeared to as well, yet last time I got him measured I said "oh he has wide feet" and they said no he doesn;t and he came up as an F - he is now six.

He has quite high arches (as do I but I guess I have fat feet as well as high arches) so don;t worry I would say feet will get longer but either thin out or stay the same width. Personally I think that startrite are better for wider feet.

pinkhebe · 05/12/2011 15:51

My son had H width feet when he was little, he's now an E (aged 11) his feet just slimmed down over the years.

ouryve · 05/12/2011 16:21

We all have wide feet in our family. The boys aren't always an H fitting when their feet are measured, though. Sometimes, if they've just had a growth spurt, they're only an F and quickly go up to an H or wider once they've filled out. I find it helpful to order from the Clarks website several pairs i think might fit, since the smaller stores carry little stock. You don't have to actually buy them if you don't like them or they're no good.

Though if you think getting shoes for wide kids' feet is hard, wait until they're grown up. My feet are 5.5EEE. Shoe shopping often makes me cry, since EEE fittings are reserved for old lady shoes. I wear sensible shoes, since my feet are knackered anyhow (finally have an appointment with a podiatrist about this, this week) but at 42, I draw the line at old lady shoes, which are inevitably made to fit swollen feet with big ankles rather than my duck feet.

Lambzig · 05/12/2011 16:25

Hi, my daughter started off a H fitting at nine months, went down fairly rapidly to a g and now at 22 months is an E in her latest fitting. I was worried about it too at first, but they do narrow as they walk more.

stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 16:40

ouryve - try duo for wide non-old-lady shoes. They have revived my love of shoes, to the detriment of my bank account.

They don't always slim down - or at least mine never did, and DS is now 9 and still an H fitting (and deep feet, too). Poor child - after the 3rd year running of identical shoes because they were the only style that fitted I felt sorry for him and bought him eye-wateringly expensive deck shoes which he loves.

NewBikeForChristmas · 05/12/2011 16:46

DS's feet have got slimmer as her has got older (now 3.2), but he started at an F. He is now sub E (the narrowest Clark's make)!

TwistedWitch · 05/12/2011 17:22

I avoid clarks like the plague for ds shoes after a hideous customer service experience (if you can't deal with kids why work in a kids shoe shop?)and on another occasion badly fitted shoes. Instead I use an independent shoe shop which stocks start rite and some italian and european brands ie ricosta, primigi and garvalin, they generally come in an h fitting which works for ds freakishly big feet :)

Mum1369 · 05/12/2011 17:26

You have my sympathy, both mine are E fittings. School shoe shopping makes me weep....£50 a piece for the last ones.... Crocs are a godsend in the summer though

munstersmum · 05/12/2011 17:26

Agree with twisted go to an independent & Primigi were great for DS.

Mum1369 · 05/12/2011 17:26

That's per child, not per foot !!!

annaklingon · 05/12/2011 17:27

My son was a double H.

do I win the prize?

stealthsquiggle · 05/12/2011 17:28

TwistedWitch - we use a branch of Jones the Bootmaker (I think) who are really good on the fitting (I have never found a fitter in a Clarks shop who I trusted) but the "interesting" (not Clarks or Startrite) shoes tend not to fit school specifications, so even they only have one style to fit poor DS.

reallytired · 05/12/2011 19:05

Ds has H width feet. We have always gone to an independent shoe shop and not had too many problems getting him shoes.

Which part of the country are you? Prehaps a mumsnetter can suggest a decent shoe shop.

foreverondiet · 05/12/2011 19:23

My DS1 was a H for his first shoes and until shoe size about 7, but now aged nearly 6 is a 10G and basically can wear shoes even without width fitting eg geox trainings as long as not too narrow. DD was also an H fitting but by aged 4 was a G as well. ALSO what is H in clarks might be G in start rite.

I'd say that start rite have more choices, and also some of the European shoes come up quite wide or have wide options. I don't think clarks good for wide feet, we've never really had any luck with them, as you say very limited choice although they are the only ones to do H fitting in girls trainers.

JackiePaper · 05/12/2011 19:28

I second the Startrite reccomendation. My dd is 4 and has I width feet apparently. We always have to go up a size and get a Startrite H to get something that will fit her feet. Laat time there was only 1 pair in the shop that fitted and they were £45 you have my sympathies x

bebemoojem · 05/12/2011 19:30

DD1 2.5 has wide feet...8.5H and they didn't have her size in any girls shoes... so we had to go to a pair of boys shoes half a size up. It's rather annoying, however if they're the least bit tight she won't wear them...She has a high instep but also is wide across the toes... We've tried shoes like Geoxx and other European brands, but they're expensive and we've yet to have a good fit with them... Crocs have become our friend

tallulah · 05/12/2011 19:41

We had 4 children with H fitting feet

We used to do a mass shoe-buy at the Clarks factory shop when we went to visit my mum. We soon twigged that you had to ring first to find out when the delivery was due and get there early, to beat the other large familes also hunting for the H fittings.

I wasn't at all surprised when we took DC5 for her first shoes and she was also an H. Fortunately her feet don't seem to grow as fast as her siblings' feet.

lljkk · 05/12/2011 19:44

DC wobble between F & H fittings. Also, some H fittings are wider than others, too; it's worth shopping around if unsure. We have gone up half a size, too, on occasion to "get the width"; same happend to me as a kid, too, come to think of it.

The plus side to "Only one pair in his size" is it makes it easy to choose!
I got sent by Startrite to an indie shop for wider shoes for DC3 (indie shop's horrifically expensive but every size under the sun).

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