cruiser shoes - waste of money?

[deaconblue]

Ds has been cruising the furniture for a few weeks and is gaining confidence. I noticed Clarks sell cruiser shoes, are these just a ploy to get us to spend £30 every 6 weeks or useful???

cunning ploy.

Best footwear for learning to balance and walk is none at all.

either go with no shoes or if you want something while out those soft bottom leather shoes are great.

That's what I was wondering. I think we new mums get so excited at each new stage its tempting to rush ahead.

Might look for some of those, think I've seen them on Bloomin Marvellous, any ideas who else sells them?

We're off to a wedding next week which will be his first attempt at cruising on anything other than carpet, I thought he might do better with some proper-ish shoes. Also fancy trying the park a bit more one dry days

Is he actually walking?? DD1 was crusing from 8mths but only in the past 2wks[13mths] is she confident enough to walk outside. Although on the other hand DS cruised at 7mths and walked at 8.5mths.

The shoes you can get in most places now even asda/tescos/adams etc.

yes, listen to Rhubarb.

The only benefit to 'cruisers' is that they will get used to shoes before getting real shoes. My DS1 struggled with walking shoes as I had never put any shoes on before... but only for a couple of days. If you want something for a wedding then getting them from Asda or similar will def. save you money.

my cousin found them useful with her twins because they would walk while out holdin her hand or onto the pushchair, before they gained the confidence to walk alone and need proper shoes.

I ended up getting cruising shoes (was determined not to) as dd was walking but still gripping with her toes - apparently is bad to put proper shoes on at this stage - and I wanted to take her outside for walks as it was summer.

I bought the clark's cruising shoes as my children's first shoes. When both started walking they were also still doing some crawling and the shoes allowed them to do both comfortably. It was winter so some sort of foot covering was necessary and just socks are too slippery. If it had been summer, I would have just let get to it in bare feet.

i got them for dd2 - she was not walking but would never keep socks on - so got them for her when we lived in the UK - needed something on her feet to keep them warm.

Have recycled them for dd2 and her first shoes were the clarks cruisers as she would toddle for a small distance but refuse to walk.

Unfortunately - green ants in garden or park make it very uncomfortable for them to toddle around in bare feet.

The fitter made sure there was room to grow so I did not have to keep buying a new pair every six weeks. My dd1 in fact used her cruisers for almost a year - and in fact it took until she had been walking for almost a year for her feet to grow quite quickly.

I recycled mine too. And they wash and dry quite nicely. Colors fade a little, but very effective for eliminating vomit, poo, snot and anything else little ones manage to get on their shoes....

Thanks for advice. He's not walking yet but can move around the furniture fairly well. He's nearly 10 months. Think I might just look for some cheaper shoes.

I had some cruisers for my dd when she was 10 months old as Clarks wouldn't sell me "proper shoes" as she wouldn't walk in the shop! Is there a Clarks outlet shop near you? I bought dd's cruisers in one near me and they were only £9. They are a proper shop with trained measurers, but just with cheaper, last seasons, shoes. I know there is an outlet in Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth and one in Street in Somerset. Look on the web and see if there is one near you.

I bought Clarks's cruisers in the sale (£13) about 6 weeks ago. DS has been cruising for months and regularly takes up to 8/10 steps by himself. We haven't really encouraged his walking that much, but one reason for getting the shoes was that we have some wooden floors and the shoes help him to grip. Another reason is that he likes to toddle about in church, cafes etc where the floor isn't always the cleanest/dryest.

At the cruising stage you don't really need them but I found them great when dd was just taking her first steps . She use to hold my hand and walk hated been in buggy. Been early spring it was to cold to have bare feet when outside. Then they lasted the 6 week preiod when they are walking but shouldn't have proper shoes. Yes they are very expensive but your paying for the correct fittng, which is key to the healthly growth of your childs feet.

My mum is a podiatrist, and she says don't believe the marketing, save your money, shoes are required when a lo starts to walk properly

I got them for DS1 because he was a winter baby and his feet are so huge that I couldn't get padders or whatever they're called to fit him. Also think I was a bit taken in by the marketing thing.

DS2 learnt to walk in the summer so didn't have any shoes until proper shoes - he jyust went barefoot.

robbsmum could you ask our mum about this thread please?

Nappyaddict, re:indoors- depends on your flooring,shiny flooring socks are dangerous, carpet, bare feet ok, much better for los, hard soled shoes are fine for 2.5 yrs old, foot mechanics are ok then (have no idea what this means), leave it much longer and they will refuse to convert to hard soles -apparently
hope this helps,,so sorry for hijacking

I think they are a good first pair of shoes - ie when they have been walking independently for several weeks they save you money on buying a £35 pair - def depends on the time of year and where you are going. I only let mine out in our garden at the moment or walk to the car which she couldn't do in her soft leather shoes but can in cruisers IYSWIM

my podiatrist said doodles were good first shoes too - soft soled etc and they come in different widths and half sizes.

Ploy, but they are LOVELY! (and ridiculously expensive...)