Do toddlers NEED clarks shoes?

[Emma2803]

Just wondering do little ones really need the more expensive brands of shoes Clarks Start Rite etc? Are trainers eg Nike addidas unbranded etc damaging to their "soft bones"?
Is it to do with the structure of the shoes or more about having shoes that fit properly and aren't too small or too tight?

Oh bless! My 13 month old has 4.5g!

If you're passing one, try a clarks outlet. I got last season's colours for £10 a pair.

Definitely don't need support as other posted said, what they need is protection from sharp hard objects and feet left as natural as possible so they soft structures inside the foot harden themselves

Worse thing for developing feet is to be restricted into ridged supportive shoes.

Thin soles wide toes is what they need , buy them barefoot shoes and where possible to be barefoot as much as possible i.e. In the home

Whilst Clarks shoes are a lot better for children's feet they are certainly not the only good show manufacturers out there.

And do not rely on the accuracy of their measuring service. Our DD2 was measured (by hand) two completely different shoe sizes in two Clarks shops in the same day! (We changed our minds about buying and popped into a different store before we left town) We ended up buying the biggest hoping if the biggest measurement was the wrong one, at least she'd grow into them.

DD1's first Clark's pair lasted just 4 weeks before they were too tight to get on, meaning that they had measured with no room for growth at all and it cost us £30+ for nothing and DD2 was the one who got two entirely different measurements. (a whole size and two widths)

I always buy Clarks outlets, and can always get a pair for £10-15. Not helpful if you're no where near one though!

They need shoes that fit properly and have been measured by someone who knows what they're doing- we went to a specialist children's shoe shop as I don't trust the high st shops to measure properly.

DD tried on five pairs in her size but only one fitted properly- she has a high instep and narrow heels. Properly fitting shoes save long term foot problems. We spend more on shoes (her first pair cost £50) but economise in other ways such as secondhand clothes.