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Original poster

To think that Clarks/ starite shoes are rip off

131 replies

ReallyTired · 17/08/2013 16:06

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.

OP posts:
Fifi2406 · 17/08/2013 20:37

Do they even know what they are talking about?! One woman said my son had a size 3 foot and a size 5 foot, told me I would need size 5's so she put them on they fell off (shocker) I said they are ridiculous and put his feet together and said look they are the same size and then she said "he's definitely a size 5 and he must have funny ankles that don't hold the shoe on" He was a size 3 in BOTH feet!! Now I always get at least two different shop assistants to measure! (Rant over)

They are reaaaaaalllllly ugly and verrrrry expensive I've not had the problem of them falling apart but he is nearly 2 so that's probably to come! Confused

Fifi2406 · 17/08/2013 20:40

I do think the support in the shoe is very good and much better than elsewhere!

Happiestinwellybobs · 17/08/2013 20:41

I measure DD's feet myself and always buy from the Clark's outlet or the next size up in the sale. At £32 per pair, and of course she can't just have 1 pair, I cannot justify it.

ChimeForChange · 17/08/2013 20:47

I've seen people with feet/shoe issues because of poorly fitted childhood shoes.
Don't get me started on the rubbish I've seen people put on babies feet and the consequential issues once walking.

Start Rite shoes are very well made and supportive, I personally think Clarkes are flimsy and not that great.

Grittzio · 17/08/2013 20:51

Had a really good year with Clarkes shoes, both DS and DD had a school pair which lasted all year but we go to an independent shop which stocks several makes including Startrite and Geox, they measure generously as when I went to Clarkes with DD a month after, Clarkes measured her feet a half a size less than the independent shop! I queried and they were adamant the next size would be too big.

TwasBrillig · 17/08/2013 20:59

I have been using Clarkes but recently went to an independent that fits both Start Rite and Clarkes as I prefer the Start Rite school shoes.

I was very pleased with the fitting - of about 5 pairs of shoes only 1 fitted snuggly (happened to be shiny clarkes ones that my daughter liked!). The fitter was very thorough and the Start Rite ones either came up to wide at the front or gaped at the back.

I'll be going back as I'm keen she has the best fitting shoes for her main school shoes (I'm happy to buy Wellies, slippers elsewhere!0

BrokenSunglasses · 17/08/2013 21:06

My dc have always had clarks or start rite, and we have never had any problems. I think start rite are better personally, but they have fewer styles that are nice. The ones we have liked have on two occasions fitted for a whole year, and still looked good.

I love the shoes Clarks make for babies and toddlers, I think they are really good.

Even if you don't rate clarks or start rite, they are better than some of the alternatives. I have had children complain about shoes hurting them in the school I work in, and have seen blisters on reception age children. It's horrible, and I think parents that allow that to happen to their children's feet are very irresponsible.

deebeeandboys · 17/08/2013 21:07

My 14yr old ds destroys shoes but has managed to last one year for his school shoes- this is absolutely unheard of when he was younger, he has never grown out of shoes before (besides his very first two pairs as a toddler- he outgrew them... the third fell to pieces...)- clarks used to last a term before now. Cheaper shoes (ie around £20- under £30) used to last him half a term. I've taken clarks shoes back before now when they've fallen to pieces- dd pulled the strap off one after two weeks, I always pay on my card in there so I don't have to remember to keep the receipt. We used to have to walk a few miles each day to and from school and clarks shoes held up doing that for longer than I expected.
I have gone back to clarks now for main pairs of shoes. Got to buy all 5 of them shoes this month, I try not to do that because it's scary, but somehow it's worked out like that this time.

RubyGoat · 17/08/2013 21:16

Can anyone point me towards an online toddler shoe size checker thing please? I've looked but not having any luck, someone mentioned one up thread.

Happiestinwellybobs · 17/08/2013 21:26

Do you mean this:

clarks size gauge.

You measure then input online to get the right size.

Runningchick123 · 17/08/2013 21:28

It's not about the brand of shoes, its more about the fit and the quality. I usually buy start rite or clarks for school because in my personal experience they have lasted the longest. For casual wear I buy timberland, kickers or caterpillars. For sport shoes I buy Nike, reebok or adidas.
In my local clarks newly trained / junior fitters have to have the fit checked by senior staff before the shoes are sold, not sure why all the stores don't do that.
I would never buy cheap plastic shoes as they are likely to fall part quickly and be uncomfortable. Shoes need to be made of natural, breathable materials with a bit of give (leather, suede, nubuck).
I struggle for money but school shoes get worn for 35 hours a week or more so they are important.

pigletmania · 17/08/2013 21:33

I agree ragwort, some ofte supermarket shoes look really good quality, it's only because of dd foot problems that I buy her the brand that her specialist recommended. I think marketing has a lot to do with it, and guilt tripping. Ds s 18 months, and I of very wide feet, I got him measured in Clarks at first, but now I just go into TK Maxx and try various shoes on him, whichever fit he has. He has a lovely pair of sketchers trainers which seem to fit him really well.

fossil971 · 17/08/2013 21:34

I can see you might have had a bad experience with a pair but I've bought Start Rite, Hush Puppies or occasionally Clarks, once a year for the DS's for school and they've lasted right through the year. Battered but certainly not falling apart. They cycle to school, play football etc. We get ours from a local independent shop and haven't had any problems yet. One year DS1's feet grew a bit more than usual and I bought a Next pair of school shoes at Easter - they were rubbish at the end of term. They looked nice at first but sort of went loose and lost all their support and structure like cheap trainers.

If it is just the money there is Brantano and Clarks outlet/sales. No law saying you have to buy in August.

Moose Gordon Scott in the Broadmarsh Centre used to be the ultimate kids shoe shop in Nottingham. I used to be taken there to get my fugly start rites when I was a kid. Can't seem to find a website though - maybe someone more local will know.

It probably is a bit of guilt-tripping. But they wear those shoes day in day out for 200 days a year so it's not as if they don't get value out of them.

Toohottohandle · 17/08/2013 21:37

I got my dds both measured in clarks then bought them clarks school shoes and clarks trainers on ebay much cheaper

gordyslovesheep · 17/08/2013 21:39

I have kids with ruddy odd feet - finding ANY shoe that fits is a nightmare - Startrite and Clarks come closest - DD1 has flippers - larges flat narrow feet and dd2 has a really high instep

That said - this week we only managed one pair of schools shoes, Startrite, for DD3 who has normal feet!

Goldendandelion · 17/08/2013 21:43

My boys have Clarks for school.The most recent ones lasted all year. I tried cheap shoes a couple of years ago and they only lasted a few weeks!

TwasBrillig · 17/08/2013 21:47

Gordy - apparently Hush puppies will fit each foot individually.

I bought my daughter some boots last winter in Brantano and each foot was measured separately and given a different insole.

gordyslovesheep · 17/08/2013 21:48

Oh Twas thanks for the tip - I will try them x (Love the name btw - one of my fave poems)

primallass · 17/08/2013 22:19

*I have never bought Clarks, Start Rite or similar shoes for my DS (now 12), I think the British are obsessed with 'childrens' shoes'. It's a fantastic marketing ploy just like all the other stuff that is aimed at babies and children. You hardly see this at all in other countries (although the US is now jumping on the band wagon) and I don't believe that every other child in the world has deformed feet hmm. Do you think Usain Bolt's mother bought him Clarks or Start-Rite shoes?

My DS wears supermarket shoes/trainers etc and is a county level sports player so clearly his feet aren't giving him any problems.*

You and he are lucky then. My OH has really bent toes because of badly fitted toes. Plus, I have a high instep and a narrow ankle so have gone for years finding it particularly hard to find shoes that don't hurt me. I'd rather pay an extra £20 twice a year than have my children with sore feet.

My son gets the same boots size after size as I know they fit him properly.

Catsize · 17/08/2013 22:58

Sorry goose. Was told by an ex-employee that sales were target-driven and the staff members were financially rewarded if they hit target. Ether this is duff info, or peculiar to a particular shop/area.

yoniwherethesundontshine · 17/08/2013 23:07

yep total rip off, anyone know where you can buy a measuring foot thing from? like they use so we can do it ourselves?

SpeedwellBlue · 17/08/2013 23:16

I've always found Clarks last really well and are fitted well.
I like that they are leather. I'd never buy plastic shoes for children for school. Really hot and sweaty, especially in summer.

Catsize · 17/08/2013 23:19

speed, careful to check the lining. I quite fancied some Clarks shoes the other day but they had a synthetic lining so I went for Startrite. Agree re:hot and sweatiness!

RaspberryLemonPavlova · 18/08/2013 01:25

I've never had a problem with Clarks shoes either. I go out to a local village shop for fitting at present, but I've been to several Clarks shops over the years. I've always found that they would not sell me shoes if they weren't needed and also have had fitters at more than one shop refuse to sell me a pair of shoes for DC as they had none that fitted properly. And if they needed insoles or whatever to get the best fit they were provided free as part of the fit.

If I wasn't buying Clarks I'd still want good quality leather shoes for DC. Am gearing up for argument with DD (13) who wants canvas shoes for school, apparently she will be the only one in leather!

They wear them a lot, amd most adults don't wear the same shoes day after day - so they do get more wear over a short period of time.

Jellypudmum · 18/08/2013 01:39

Bought some great Pod school shoes in TKMaxx (£20 I stead of £40) today. Just checked toe room / that they don't slip off when walking and that foot is not being squeezed width wise!