To think that Clarks/ starite shoes are rip off

[ReallyTired]

The shoes cost a bomb and my son's shoes fell apart after four months. Yet I feel guilt tripped into not buying fitted shoes, (even though half the assistants have no clue about fitting shoes)

Am I really going to do untold damage to my son's feet getting him school shoes from sports direct?

www.sportsdirect.com/propeller-bart-back-to-school-junior-shoes-093009

Ds tells me that these shoes are more comfortable than the clarks shoes. At £6.50 I am in profit if these shoes last a month and I buy four pairs.

Russell and Bromley are even worse. Unless your child has a specific foot issue and needs them specially fitted, I think they are a rip off too.

you can fit them yourself you know. it is relatively easy. there are youtube tutorials.

but I usually end up buying clarks or startrite as they are usually good quality and last until dc has outgrown them.

They are shockingly expensive, especially given that as soon as the sales rock around they immediately slash them to half price. I went into Clarks today - £36 FFS for a pair of shoes DS will wear for three months!

You really shouldn't stint on quality though - and you don't have to. I regularly buy bigger sizes than he currently needs in the sales, and scour T K Maxx. I've had Sketchers and Timberland shoes that way for £10.

Agree about Clarke's. My mum bought me a beautiful pair of suede ankle boots with a wedge heel from them for my birthday. They were really comfy but the sole had pretty much disintegrated within three months. I was not happy. They were £80.

Can't say much about Clarkes, but I buy Startrite for my boys and they seem to be virtually indestructible. Ds1 has had his latest pair for 6 mo and they are scuffed daily but otherwise absolutely fine.

Totally agree, I now buy geox for ds, I bought a pair last September for him and they have lasted all year, despite daily football, and still looked good right until he lost them 2 weeks before the end of term. I've bought the same pair in a bigger size for this year!

My DS2 has very wide feet (H's) so he has to have fitted shoes which come in width sizes. For him it has to be Clarks and the like. The alternative is to buy him shoes several sizes too long to get the width fitting and I am not doing that.

I don't have a problem with how long they last - he is hard on shoes so he usually wears them until the soles are worn out if he hasn't grown out of them first but we get our money's worth.

I wouldn't be buying those Sports Direct ones personally. They aren't leather and they don't look like they could withstand the beating DS2 would give them for more than 5 minutes, never mind a month. Once they are scuffed, that is it. You can't polish some semblance of smartness back in them like you can a leather shoe.

Startrite shoes are so ugly...I probably sound shallow, but I really hate them.

Clarks shoes lasted my DS1 one month. £36 sodding quid. Absolute rip off.

Ive always been happy with any shoes Ive bought from Clarks. Youngest sons school shoes lasted all year and still look ok.
I got my middle sons school shoes in their sale, hes only 10 but a adult size 8 and wide..£30 instead of £65.
Havent bought Clarks this year for eldest and youngest, got 30% off at Brantano so went there.
I think its important when children are little to get them professionally fitted, but as they get older (and Ive watched countless Clarks assistants) I know Im capable.

I can't fit shoes on DC for toffee.
Spent £70 on DD's winter school boots a few times (not Clarks). One pair only made it thru the winter, couldn't even resell. [sulk] She needed something that could cope with floods & snow.
Teenage DS is currently wearing a £10 pair from the variety shop (teenagers don't go out other than to school, anyway).

I think it depends on feet and needs. We all have wide feet with super high insteps. Normal shape shoes in most shops just won't work. I do buy cheap when I can find them that seem to fit.

Rarely Clarks, not convenient to go there.

Just to add, I always keep Clarks receipts and when one pair fell apart after 2 months I took them back and got a replacement there and then.

I never rely on shoe shop fitters.
tried to sell me too small shoes a couple of times...I always check the fit. the size-o-meter they use is only a guide anyway, all shoe styles are different.

Well I wouldn't buy those as they are plastic and that open stitched seam will be wrecked really quickly.

I go when theres a 50% off sale.

Just to offer the other view, my 13 yo DS has always had clarks shoes, and Clarks pumps as he has wide feet. We've never had a problem with rubbing or quality, and they always lasted until he's grown out of them. His last pair did a full school year, despite daily playground football!

I buy Startrite school shoes. They spend a lot of time in them so they need to be supportive. And as as was said before, they are indestructible. I actually have passed them from my oldest to my youngest after he has outgrown them (I take them to the shoe repair to clean them up).

Over priced and poorly fitted I have realised after 3 years

Took my nephew to get fitted for a pair of trainers last week and they wanted £36 for them. Went to m and a and got him trainers and school shoes for £42.

I tools DS back 3 times with shoes which literally fell off him before they would accept they had sold the wrong size - me refusing to leave without a refund may have played a part in them agreeing.

I've never had a problem with Clarks shoes. They've always lasted really well here.

I tried going cheap last year but it cost just as much, if not more, replacing the shoes after a few weeks - and the ones from Sports Direct were the worst. The only decent pair that lasted were Hush Puppies from TKMaxx.

Yanbu at all, they are very poor quality IMHO. My dd intoes and has an awkward gait, her orthotic surgeon recommended a shoe with a sold base, I asked him if kickers were ok and he agreed. I bought kickers school shoes, tey come up wider and bigger than average and tey are fantastic, a year later they are still going strong for te following year

I buy from happy little soles. Vivo (Although dont recommend rootys ) or Pediped.

I am however looking at geox this year.

Nope I don't.

I thonk they are well made and have never had any fall apart. They've always lasted until the next shoe size is needed. DDs are well structured and adequately support her wonky ankles.

YANBU.

DD had Clarks shoes last year. They lasted 5 weeks before falling apart. I took them back, complained and I had a full refund.

Surprisingly Asda school shoes have lasted both DDs a whole term!

Decent shoes for growing feet are essential. They need to be supportive but have very flexible soles (it makes my blood boil that manufacturers make children's shoes with rigid soles). Shoes that are too big will mean a child tenses its toes to walk (my brother's feet are deformed because of this). Remember that children's feet are made of cartilege, not really bone, until they are about 16.
Sorry, but shoes are one thing I will not skimp on. Startrite preferable to Clarks (who work on commission and do ridiculous things like 'cruiser shoes'). Geox also very good. My feet roll in and Clarks didn't spot it. Has led to all sorts of problems. Moved to Startrite when I was 12ish. Oh how I loved them... Not! However Facebook, this is really not the area for style over substance!
An independent children's shoe shop is invaluable, if you can find one. Sadly, parents who get their kids's feet measured and then walk out to buy online are forcing the closure of such shops. More fool them.
Anyhow, getting off soapbox now...