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Original poster

Black Daps/Plimsolls and the nightmare of narrow feet (D fitting)

31 replies

nozzles · 15/07/2009 21:22

Does anyone know where I can buy black PE daps/plimsolls for an extremely narrow foot. Clarks only do one for F/G and all the other shops e.g. Marks, George, Next do generic shoes that are so wide and big. My DS tried the ballet style velcro pull across ones in Marks (their narrowest style) and she had 3/4" inch gap at the side of her foot.

Help help help. How can she do P.E. and running if her shoes are flopping about and falling off. She starts in September!!!

OP posts:
ipiratethief · 15/07/2009 21:26

bugger Woolies and Adams closing, they were the only places i could find anything for my dd.

The ones with Velcro were better at staying on tho.

Do dept stotes have them, do you know of any school outfitters? What size? (might have some barely worn ones somewhere, as at dd's school they hardly saw the light of day!)

changer22 · 15/07/2009 21:29

Felt all nostalgic about seeing 'daps' in a topic. I love the word.

Are you in the West Country? I'm going to start using it with my south eastern 'plimsoll' children.

ipiratethief · 15/07/2009 21:31

i felt the same too, about the 'daps'.

Thats what we called them in south Wales, when i was a litle girl!

I live in the west country now, but noone seems to use it, it's plimsoles here!!!

Original poster
nozzles · 15/07/2009 21:35

Yes born in Bristol and now in Wiltshire. It's all Daps around here my lover!

She is size 9D. Informed today that Startrite aren't doing many D fitting now. Clarks only do one casual shoe in a D so poor lamb has no choice at all. One of her feet is C/D fitting.

Adams too big. Most dept store daps are around £2-£4.50 but Clarks want £9 and they still don't fit well! Going to cost me a fortune. Even an insole can't close a 3/4" gap!!

OP posts:
ipiratethief · 15/07/2009 21:41

ah, in deepest south devon they dont know 'daps' here.

well, tbh I should think that anything suitable will have to do. My dd has narrow, flat feet, with slight intoe problem and daps gave her no support at all. Thats why she has had a few pairs unworn, in the past. I told the school by year 1 that she would be wearing proper Clarks trainers. Noting worse than running around in those black things if you have poorly feet!

Original poster
nozzles · 15/07/2009 22:00

I think you are right. She did manage to wear a pair of ballet style doodle daps this summer in a E fitting but as they are pink I guess the school wouldn't be too happy and she has just grown out of them. Just did a check and Clarks only do an E in trainers but I guess with socks it might work. Thing is they aren't supposed to wear socks during PE either.

OP posts:
girlywhirly · 16/07/2009 12:16

Although I no longer have a young child, I had to send my sympathy. I was a child with very narrow feet, had to put up with minimal choice of shoes, and plimsolls were the worst nightmare. Back then, there were only slip-on elasticated or lace up styles. I had to become an expert at tying laces at 5yo. I wish they'd had velcro then.

I wouldn't go just by the shoe size, they all vary widely. Your DD may be able to fit into a size smaller in some makes, which will be slightly narrower, and you could put insoles in as well. Perhaps a thick sports sock too. Why on earth aren't they allowed to wear socks? If the only thing that fits her are trainers, explain to the teacher that there is nothing else you can do. If she makes a fuss, remind her that ill-fitting footwear is dangerous during P.E. and games.

Bramshott · 16/07/2009 12:21

I grew up in Gloucestershire, and we had daps!

I have almost the opposite problem with DD1 - she has a very high instep and the velcro ones don't fit her feet well. I'd really like to find some which have that half-circle of elastic across. Anyone know where I can get them? She's a size 11.

Fimbo · 16/07/2009 12:28

For the first term all ds's class did were take their socks and shoes off. The next term they progressed to put on their p e kits but still in bare feet. It was somewhere around Spring they started using plimsolls. Ds hated them, then they started doing p e outside, so I just bought trainers.

Fimbo · 16/07/2009 12:29

Bramshott - cheapy places do those ones. ShoeZone if you have one.

MayorNaze · 16/07/2009 12:30

another dap in wiltshire

buy the velcro ones and sew on extra velcro - will be a bit like sewing sails (or how i imiagine sewgin sails might be) as daps are v tough but worked for us. dd1 is an e fitting though so not quite as weeny.

Fimbo · 16/07/2009 12:30

This place

castille · 16/07/2009 12:33

I had C fitting feet as a child and my poor DDs have inherited this affliction, so plimsolls are an eternal source of stress.

Have you tried Next? IIRC theirs fitted DD1 marginally better.

But if not, I'd get her some trainers and make it clear to school that it is trainers or no PE.

Original poster
nozzles · 16/07/2009 16:03

If you can imagine the dap/plimsoll and her foot is in the shoe with the velcro pulled to its tightest then looking down you could get half her foot again in the shoe. Done Next, Adams, Shoe Zone, Marks, John Lewis, Clarks, BHS, Clinkards, Asda, Tesco. Each time she takes a step she couldn't possibly run as her foot sliding around. Socks or insoles don't close the gap. They do P.E. inside barefoot but are going outside from Sept. Would threaten trainers but can't find them anywhere either. She currently has a choice of one non-school shoe from Startrite to wear outside of school at £36. One shoe choice out of all the internet sites and shops out there when she wants a pretty pink or purple pair like everyone else.

OP posts:
norfolklass · 16/07/2009 17:26

We've got the opposite problem-my ds is beyond an H fitting (way beyond lol!) so have also had a nightmare trying to find plimsolls to fit his fit so can completely sympathise.
Have you tried mothercare? My friend's dd has got super narrow feet (no idea of fitting tho)and I was with her when she got some plimsolls for her in there and they seemed extremely narrow. Might be worth a try if you haven't already?

girlywhirly · 16/07/2009 17:51

nozzles, when I was a teenager, shoes which tended towards narrow fittings were spanish or italian made. I used to get things in Russell and Bromleys sale! I am wondering if any firms import childrens shoes from these countries and whether they would also be narrower. (Not just plimsolls, but other shoes). Sadly it may well cost. Have you tried googling childrens shoes narrow fittings?

girlywhirly · 17/07/2009 09:39

I found a company on the net that stocks Petasil narrow fit girls shoes, D fitting made in Portugal. panachekids.co.uk which might be good for school, sadly no plimsolls.

Ecco do a few girls shoes, but they will be expensive. I have found Ecco ladies shoes narrow for me, but also shorter in length for the size, so I have a half size bigger than usual and it's still a neat fit. Don't know if this is true of the girls styles.

Good luck with your search.

lizzymum · 21/08/2009 14:31

My daughter has wide feet (H fitting at Clarks) and needs plimsolls for school. Icant find any that fit,any idea where Ican get some

bubble2bubble · 21/08/2009 20:32

Same problem - dd1 size 9E - usually enough to narrow the choice of shoes to one pair per shop, or so it seems
Has anyone tried the M & S ones with velcro strap? ( Look good online, but haven't been to M&S to try on yet)

bubble2bubble · 21/08/2009 20:34

oops - sorry- just realised you said you did try these!

thatsnotmymonster · 28/08/2009 22:48

Did you ever solve the problem because I am currently trying to get some to fit my 3yo dd size 7.5 D feet!

They have to wear them inside at pre-school, I may end up just having to send trainers in- only is much more expensive to keep a pair of trainers in nursery than a pair of £2 plimsolls.

Madsometimes · 29/08/2009 14:03

I have given up on plimsolls for my C/D fitting child. We struggled on with them for 3 years, and I do not know why. My dd could not take part properly in PE lessons because every time she ran her shoes fell off. I now use trainers, which are far more easy to fit.

bubble2bubble · 31/08/2009 18:14

OMG just tried those M & S ones in desparation - dd1 needs a 9E normally - they just fall off no matter how tightly you do the velcro -total disaster. I think I will ahve to speak to the school about trainers as well

Anyone else?

danthe4th · 31/08/2009 18:34

I always had this problem and found that if they have size 10 feet go down to an 8 or 9 pump with velcro and they fit better, theyre only soft canvas and my daughter never had a problem with cramped toes as they seem to give quite alot.As soon as she was in year 2 or 3 I sent in trainers.

Spottydog · 01/09/2009 22:31

My DD takes an E fitting, she has some from Decathalon that fit quite well.

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