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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

school shoes...tell me I am not the only one?!

48 replies

CHST · 01/10/2011 18:03

Gah! I opted for a mid range price pair of shoes from John Lewis as knowing that my son is a real boy and likes to climb trees, drag his feet, pretend to be a dog etc, etc, I couldn't justify a high price for shoes but also didn't want a cheap pair either. Three weeks in and on one of them by the toe, the leather has come off, almost leaving a hole...they look so awful! DS definitely needed a new pair so for now I got a cheap pair for monday, thinking they will also be wrecked in a few weeks while I think about what to do...what shoes do I go for now? Please tell me your experiences of shoes, particularly the best type and brand that don't scuff as easily :(

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AuntieMonica · 01/10/2011 18:09

i paid a bloody fortune for DDs shoes, really a fortune, and she came home on the 1st day with the toes scuffed and a right mess. she plays in the sand pit in them, they dig, she's been to the woods in them, she's even wee'd in them (accident on the way home )

i've squirted them in dettol, inside and out, i polish them every day and they look like new, honestly they do!

Petasil, they are Portuguese brand i think, and worth every penny.

ginandtonicandcrisps · 01/10/2011 18:16

Oh, I think I've had that Portuguese brand too Eldest dd had them the last two times and now little dd has them. I pay a fortune on school shoes and get Italian, Portuguese and other continental shoes from independent shoe shops. They last the year, so basically last until feet grow too much...

I'd either go cheap, cheap and expect to replace several times or go expensive and threaten to take it out their pocket money if they lose one

The middle range stuff I have never had success with, sorry.

rebl · 01/10/2011 18:59

I know that lots of people hate the price tag but I get Clarks for my ds. The boys Clarks are extremely sturdy in my experience. I've had 1 duff pair and I took them back 2 weeks after we'd got them and he'd been wearing them every day and they just swapped them, no problems at all. His feet grow extremely slowly and so only gets new shoes every 9 to 12 months and he is your typical boy and his Clarks last the time. Well worth the higher price tag imo.

livinonaprayer · 01/10/2011 19:34

I've got 3 DS's and so far have found none that last long...Clarks included. I go for the cheapest and then replace as and when. Mine just seem to give then such a beating with the scuffing and ball kicking, skidding in the grass, climbing trees......I'm sure you get the idea!
That said I've not tried the independent European brands that pp's have mentioned so am tempted to try that.

LynetteScavo · 01/10/2011 19:37

Ricosta.

Not cheep, but have been known to last an entire school year. Yes, really.

Parasaurolophus · 01/10/2011 19:50

My oldest DS can make a pair of Ricosta last all year.

Younger DS (year 1) has already worn the toe down on a pair of new Ricostas this school year. He has also gone through the knees of 2 pair of new trousers.

Parasaurolophus · 01/10/2011 19:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

4madboys · 01/10/2011 19:51

we get ricosta, geox or ecco shoes for the madboys and they last well :)

tassisssss · 01/10/2011 19:55

ds has had Clarks shoes for the past 3 years at school and each has lasted the full 3 years. this year there's football permitted on an ash pitch and I have an inkling that might not help but they're looking OK so far!

dd has the most gorgeous startrite patent pair for her first year of school and 7 weeks in (we're in scotland) they're looking fabulous, long may that continue!

MindtheGappp · 01/10/2011 19:57

Get your DS to change into trainers for his activities.

ginandtonicandcrisps · 01/10/2011 21:08

I'd actually rank Clark shoes as mid-range but overpriced for what they are, if that makes sense? They aren't nearly the same quality as continental shoes but are only £10 or so cheaper if that.
They also bought out one of my favourite continental shoe brands (a French one that did adorable shoes) and then closed it down. I hear they do that a lot...

Fairenuff · 01/10/2011 21:17

Even cheap shoes should last a 'reasonable' time. The average man on the street would expect school shoes (which are designed and produced for children and the rigours of school) to last more than 3 weeks. I would take them back to the shop as 'faulty' and ask for a replacement pair.

I did this with DSs school bag (only £10.99) when the strap started coming away from the bag within three weeks. They replaced it, no quibble. Just because certain products are cheap doesn't mean they can fall apart. Check with trading standards and the Sale of Goods Act. I think one condition is that goods sold have to be 'fit for the purpose' and it sounds like your DSs shoes were not.

slartybartfast · 01/10/2011 21:18

always clarks

agree, 3 weeks is NO time, and they could reasonably be taken back and money back offered

ManicMother7777 · 01/10/2011 21:58

Agree with Lynette, I have 2 boys and their Ricosta shoes have always lasted a whole year.

Hulababy · 01/10/2011 22:01

DD generally has Startrite or Hush Puppies.

deemented · 01/10/2011 22:08

Clarks - what a joke!! Last year i bought DS2 a pair of clarks for school. He'd worn them for 17 days of school and then came home with a huge gash in them. I brought them back to clarks and they said 'it was reasonable wear and tear' I was not impressed by this, so requested they were sent to head office. Which they were. And then they were convieniently lost. One day they had been recieved and were being looked at, the next they hadn't actually recieved them at all, it had been a mistake

So now i don't bother with Clarks at all.

I buy cheaply from Shoe Zone. DS2, three weeks into a new term, is on his second pair and even they are showing signs of wear.

ColonelBrandon · 01/10/2011 22:17

Made the mistake of buying a sale pair last year from a midrange store and they wore out from the inside in two weeks Totally false economy for me who has dc who are hard on their shoes.

Went back to what the dcs usually have which lasted most of the year, with decent fitting advice: ds has Geox & dd Ricosta.

Seona1973 · 01/10/2011 22:21

have never had a problem with Clarks shoes for dd and ds

moogalicious · 01/10/2011 22:22

these. Ds had them last year and has them again this year. They won't scuff as they have rubber bit on the toe and always look ok.

Ayoop · 01/10/2011 22:23

Clarks black school shoes, £38 a pop, but they last about a term. Anything cheaper falls apart within half of that time.

dixiechick1975 · 01/10/2011 22:25

Kickers - lots on ebay reasonably priced.

Next also had them in their sale last week - got some girl's ones for £20

Himalaya · 01/10/2011 23:56

Last year the expensive Clarks disintegrated before the end of term and I ended up buying DS a cheap pair from Sports Direct to last the final few weeks - and we ended up resorting to nightly superglue to get through the final few days.

This year I bought my kids "Toughies" shoes from South Africa (on eBay) - very reasonable price for DM -alike school shoes for size 7 teenage feet.

They say they are made for African kids who walk miles to school each day, and they certainly feel tough (including needing an old fashioned breaking in period)...anyway so far so good. I recommend.

CointreauVersial · 02/10/2011 00:01

Clarks all the way.

Clary · 02/10/2011 00:43

I bought DS2 (who is an active footballing scuffing kind of boy too) these from Start rite online. Didn't pay that much for them tho! they were rduced to £30 which I thought was fine (cheaper than Clarks).

All Clarks could offer was what looked like a pair of trainers which looked horrid and I know from exp would wear badly. Start-Rite ones have been fab so far, scuffed of course but still looking really good a month into term. I was worried about fitting but bought two sizes and the fitting guide on line is excellent.

KatharineClifton · 02/10/2011 00:47

Clarks have always been great for my active tree climbing kids. Occasionally Hush Puppies if I can't get the right size in Clarks shoes. yy to the ones with plastic/rubber coming up over the toe.

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