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Original poster

To expect shoes to last more than half a term

77 replies

MellowMarshmallow · 29/10/2013 23:17

Bought ds1 (8) pair of Kickers for school and after 7 weeks the 'leather' has split all over them. Bought from sportsdirect. Last year he had a pair of Clarks that only lasted one term before the insole went hard and curled up at the end. After that we made do with cheap pairs which we considered disposable.

So wary of spending good money on more expensive shoes in case they only make it to Christmas. So frustrating. And no it's not him. He doesn't pick at them, just normal running round the playground wear and tear.

Rant over.

OP posts:
pumpkinsweetie · 01/11/2013 15:03

This is why i buy dc cheap shoes, there are four of them that need a pair and regardless of where purchased they always last 4-5/or less weeks. I bought into Clarks with pfb because i thought they were superiorGrin, yeh right they lasted her 2 weeks before they were wrecked beyond disaster.

I have tried all expensive brands hoping for more wear but i then realised they are all made abroad and all made cheaply, so now it's Tesco or good old Shoe Zone for us.
£10-12 each child per month is doable, £32-42 per month isn'tShock

BetsyBell · 01/11/2013 15:11

Last pair of shoe zone shoes lasted less than a week! I did return those.

I like the look of those Toughees Oscar

Chipped I now feel even better about the Geox purchase :)

Chippednailvarnish · 01/11/2013 18:14

I was expecting them to try to wriggle out of replacing them, but they couldn't have been nicer! Even to the point of letting me pick a different style if I wanted to.
Maybe its just a sad reflection of the poor levels of service we generally accept as the norm.

pigletmania · 01/11/2013 20:00

My intoe shoe scuffing dd6 has had her school kickers fir a year and a bit and they are in great shape and still fit her. I got thr ones with the hard toe, base built like a dodgem car undercarriage. Depends what tyoe of kickers they are

glammanana · 01/11/2013 23:47

Just a note about Kickers my DD was told at school gates that a lot of the kickers bought this last Aug/Sept had been found to be fakes that had got into the chain somehow she found out when she complained about the state of DGSs shoes after only 3 weeks and he is not too heavy on them but they looked like they where ready for bin.So if not happy take them back and insist on exchange.

pigletmania · 02/11/2013 13:48

Mine were from John Lewis btw

5madthings · 02/11/2013 13:54

I always biy geox, ricosta or ecco for my boys, we have had one pair we had to take back and they were happy to replace them.

Some of the geox styles have a sort of rubber bit over the toe which is very good for kids that scooter etc.

Ime they are worth the money, my four boys are tough in their shoes.

lljkk · 02/11/2013 13:55

buff & polish every day after school?!! Wow.

DD didn't like kickers, didn't like fat toe boy shoe look. Chose some thick sole brogues instead (thank goodness).

5madthings · 02/11/2013 14:02

Ha ha at polishing them everyday., I do dds shoes once a week or so as one pair is red and one pair is blue and I don't want them scuffed.

I do ds3's occasionally, the elder two boys do their own every so often.

Ds4's geox ones don't need polish.

pigletmania · 02/11/2013 14:51

These are dd kickers, very solid yet girls

www.johnlewis.com/kickers-kick-bar-brogues-black-patent/p503097

pigletmania · 02/11/2013 14:52

Girly doh

iseenodust · 02/11/2013 15:03

YANBU I share your pain. Primigi when he was younger were great but I've not seen larger sizes (now takes adult size5). Leather shoes from Brantano bought in Sept and the leather has worn on the inside of the shoe at the ankle. This weeks buy is Lee Cooper lace ups but look to have a very sturdy sole...from Sports Direct so we'll see but only £16.99.

Original poster
MellowMarshmallow · 02/11/2013 15:06

Chipped where did you buy the Geox? I really would be happy to pay if they would last a year.

OP posts:
lljkk · 02/11/2013 19:29

Our local JLewis doesn't sell Kickers AT ALL.
I wouldn't want a sandal style shoe for DD, anyway. She walks thru snow & doesn't want to take wellies (many do, mind).

MissBetseyTrotwood · 02/11/2013 19:46

Geox have been the best for us. By a country mile. Still going strong after a year they were; the DSs had grown out of them before they wore out.

Circs forced us into Clarks this year; by half term we've been forced to buy new ones as there's a hole in the top of one!

Start Rite on the other DS are fine so far though.

Chippednailvarnish · 02/11/2013 20:01

I went to the Geox shop in Westfield Stratford, but they are also online.

BetsyJingleBells · 03/12/2013 10:40

Just came to find this thread to find out when I bought the geox shoes for 9yo. He's worn through the sole already - it's taken a month Sad

Now where did I carefully put away the receipt I wonder…

Rhythmisadancer · 03/12/2013 13:32

Same problem with my football mad DS. Gets through a pair of Clarks in a term. This September he demolished a cheaper pair in four weeks. So I bought him some Doc Martens (shoes) and they are still going strong. He looks a bit like a postman, but I think in a cool way. Will be expensive next time he grows though as adult sizes start at 3.

BetsyJingleBells · 07/12/2013 16:02

Geox shoes have been returned and replaced by John Lewis - another pair of alternative Geox. I hope they last longer than a month, I don't think I will feel happy returning another pair as it clearly my kid and not the shoes. I'm trying to get him to walk differently!

Rufustherednosedreindeer · 07/12/2013 17:53

Just got a "free" new pair of shoes for my son as his shoes are destroyed. We bought them for September

The shop staff were very helpful but said he must have caught them on something, he hasn't. The same thing happened with his shoes in June. I just couldn't be bothered to winge as I knew I would be getting him a new pair in the autumn term

Bloody things cost nearly £50!!!!

LittleprincessinGOLDrocks · 07/12/2013 17:59

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by Sainsbury's school shoes. I bought them for the DC to wear to a family event in the school holidays, they have worn them to school every day since then and they are still going strong. Both kids give them a fair bit of stick too, and only thing that's happened is a few small marks.
Shall be investing in Sainsbury's shoes again when their feet grow.

SkinnybitchWannabe · 07/12/2013 18:14

Good luck with sports direct, Ive always found their customer service to be utter shite!
I bought my youngest ds some shoes from Brantanos in september, by November they had started peeling..no receipt but they still exchanged them.

SomethingOnce · 07/12/2013 18:58

Interesting, glammanana.

DD's September/October Kickers from SportsDirect haven't lasted (heel of sole). Kickers aren't interested and told us to contact SportsDirect. Will do that and update here with what they come back with. I'm not optimistic as SD aren't known for great customer experience.

Very disappointed with Kickers - both the quality of their product and their initial response.

WhirlyByrd · 08/12/2013 09:35

Our kickers are going back today. There are holes in the heel and the leather has peeled off the front. Not happy!

Bakerof3pudsxx · 08/12/2013 09:39

I just buy shoes from Asda/tesco about £17 a pair

They only last a term max but so did the Clark's that cost twice as much!