First shoes recommendations

[becca3210]

Hello I need to buy some first shoes for my 11 month old boy who has started walking.

I have just bought the startrite foot gauge so I can measure his size at home. I want his first shoes to be a good fit but not sure if their ones are worth the money as guess his feet will grow fast. Any thoughts or recommendations on shops or styles would be most welcome thanks!

I had the fun of doing this in the first lockdown. We went for soft leather shoes like Dotty Fish, Inch Blue, Minifeet Shoes, and various others do. They're really flexible, so really comfortable and great for their foot development, plus good value and a bit more forgiving on fit. We eventually went to Inch Blue's rubber-soled ones when she started wearing out the leather soles, and only went to 'proper shoes' in late autumn when she needed something warmer.

Dotty Fish sell their cosmetic seconds really cheaply on ebay if you're not too fussed about the exact design. I've never actually ordered from them, though.

Wait until they have been walking confidently for 6 weeks and then definitely inch blue followed by Bobux

Thanks so much both

3rd recommendation for Inch Blue.

Are soft leather shoes suitable for outdoors?

I was wondering this about the inch blue too as it did say for light outdoor use and not to get wet or muddy. I want something he could wear to the park etc.

We used ours outside lots, on grass, slabs, pavements, bark chips, rubber play park surfaces, dirt paths. They wouldn't cope with walking through puddles or serious mud, but a bit of mud wipes off. We just let damp shoes dry naturally, and they seemed fine. They probably last longer if you do keep them clean and dry, but for us they still lasted for as long as they fit (but are definitely too worn to pass on to anyone!).

Oh, and the leather soles will eventually let water through if the ground is properly wet. The rubber soles are more water-resistant, but a little stiffer.

I bought Dotty Fish, hated them, didn’t suit DD feet at all.
We went for Start rite but got several pairs in several sizes in the clearance sale and paid £7.99-9.99 (instead of £40+) but DD was 16 months by then and her first pair lasted 12 weeks before outgrown.

But get wellies for park, DD lives in wellies!

I would equate Inch Blue shoes to trainers. Ok for a bit of wet/mud but if you wanted to go puddle jumping or anywhere particularly muddy then wellies are probably your best bet.

So helpful thank you everyone

If you want outdoors I'd definitely go for Bobux

We just bought giesswein slippers recently. He’s also almost 11months but has been walking for 2 months already. He’s still only a Eu size 19 so there wasn’t much choice. They are slippers but have a gummy flexible sole so ok outside. He’s mainly toddling around our patio and garden when dryish atm so works fine. I tried just in slipper socks still but didn’t protect his feet enough outdoors.

The inch blue/ leather sole ones I found too slippery. If he wore indoors on wooden floor he was slipping over every 5 minutes.

Thank you both. Yes I can't really think of why he would need shoes indoor so this thread has been very helpful for what type to look for

We bought Skechers for DS.