What are your top tips for finding good winter shoes for your DCs? Tell Brantano for the chance to win a £200 Brantano voucher NOW CLOSED

[AngelieMumsnet]

As the weather gets colder, Brantano would love to hear Mumsnetters' top tips for finding good winter shoes for their DCs.

Brantano say: “As we approach autumn and winter, our stores will stock a range of shoes and boots suitable for little feet in the cold and wet weather. As with shoes, our expert fitters will measure and fit boots making sure they are a comfortable fit for your child. Brantano stores are also conveniently located in retail parks, with most open until 8pm so you don’t have to go too far with your little ones."

So how do you try to find good winter shoes for your DCs? Is there anything in particular you look for in winter school shoes? Do you have any tips or tricks for making the winter shoe shopping experience run a little smoother?

Whatever your experiences are, Brantano would love to hear about it!

Everyone who posts their comment on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £200 Brantano voucher.

Please note: your comments may be used anonymously elsewhere on Mumsnet and by Brantano on their website, marketing materials and possible elsewhere, so please only comment if you are happy with this.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

If you have teen girls, buddy up with another mum. The girls are more likely to finally settle in a pair if their friend has them too, and it's nice to have some company to diffuse the rows.

I try to go after school on a weekday rather than weekends. Or even better, on an inset day when other schools haven't broke up for holidays yet. We've done that sometimes and had pretty much the whole shop to ourselves (just as well as my dc take ages to make up their minds).

I would recommend making sure they are flexible enough for them to play in, i.e bendy soles. Also waterproof is a must!

The lovely old-fashioned department store (now sadly closed) where I grew up had the children's shoes dept next to the toys. It was so beautifully set up: the toy dept entrance was a castle door, with a drawbridge over a (fake) stream. It was so magical. Like all the mums in the area, mine sat me with the drawbridge in view. Perfect bribery for cooperative, compliant shopping experiences, with the promise of magical toy shopping to follow!

DD1 had a perfect pair of winter boots. Toastie warm lining, properly waterproof sole and foot and purple/shocking pink colour. They were snow boots, bought in Europe and I haven't been able to find anything as good since.

When not at school DD lives in her wellies. I wish there were more options for little girls that completely covered the foot - most seem to be T-bar which leaves too many areas exposed to the rain!

I look for easy to clean, sturdy and waterproof.

I have made the mistake before of not checking that the sole is thick - I know it's obvious that thin soles are no good for children's shoes - they wear out more quickly and toes get cold! These were cheap ones, so I got what I paid for. False economy as I had to replace them.

I aim to get to a shop as it opens. I also try to look online to get a general idea before so there's less faffing with decisions when we are there.

Sturdy, easy to clean, warm, waterproof.

I don't buy different school shoes for winter, instead I send the dc in with their winter boots, they walk to school with boots and change there and then wear their boots for playtimes.

They each have a pair of kickers/similar but also have a pair of lidl snowboots which are fab.

Leather boots that they like, (to avoid footwear battles) with no suede panels to get wet & ruined in the first puddle/downpour - practical as keep their feet dry whilst being reassuringly supportive/breathable & smart enough to wear all day at school, avoiding potential eg. welly(/time)-loss due to unnecessary shoe changes. Slip on/zip style for crucial getting-out-of-the-front-door efficiency. A nice design can work both in & out of school if uniform rules permit.

Waterproof for sure!
Then flexible and comfy :)

I look for shoes with a good grip and high backed ankle support. I also make sure that we buy boots that have a fur lined inner and that they are well fitting.

Easy to put on and fasten (Velcro). Sturdy and waterproof.
I also have wellies that can be worn with thick socks.

Buying girls winter shoes is a nightmare - they are all so open & exposed. Soggy socks are not nice to be in all day! My kids school doesn't allow boots, so this is a real problem for us!!

I've just been trying to find some winter boots for my DD. I was dismayed to find that so many of them had laces instead of a zip or velcro.

Maybe my child is a bit behind, but she can't manage laces on her own yet.

She's ended up with some velcro gore-tex thermal boots, and a pair of trainers; I've given up on the hope of weatherproof smart leather boots for now.

Definitely waterbroof boots for splashing in puddles and a good firm ankle support to make sure no twisted ankles when running and leaping about. Flexible soles for little ones and perhaps some extra padding for warmth in the winter.

Walking boots, wellies and snow boots are best outside of school. School shoes are leather.

I don't shop in brantano as no car, but I was trying to buy good winter shoes for dd aged 4 at the weekend.

The "girls shoes" I bought at the start of Autumn term were flimsy and came unstuck at the toe within weeks of buying them. Searching for new sturdy " girls shoes" was pretty much impossible. She wouldn't have "boys shoes" as she would be the only girl in her class with them and she is socially conditioned at present to think there are girls things and boys things.

I was so disappointed with the shoe designers/manufacturers/sellers that they think girls should wear shoes with thin leather and thin soles that only cover half their foot that they can't properly play in through the winter. In contrast "boys shoes" for school are like trainers with thick leather and thick soles.

My 2 older children are boys so "girls shoes" are a new thing for me and the whole thing makes me feel desperately sad.

What messages are you sending girls here?

I ended up buying boots so dd will have to spend the winter at school on boots until I can persuade her to wear "boys shoes"

I agree, winter girls shoes are terrible - and it does restrict their playing. You can't beat a good pair of boots, dm's are great but super expensive. We tend to alternate between wellies and dm's depending on whether we're skint or not.

Buying boys' shoes or boots for my DD is the only thing that works for us!

As above, don't buy girls shoes for winter as they're all open on top.

Boots that don't fall apart within a month of usage unlike the last pair of brantano boots

Girls school shoes beyond a size two that are pretty and practical

Snow boots and trainers beyond a size two that still have dinosaurs dragons space rockets Minnie mouse etc

We buy a couple of shoes, one pair of boots and some snow boots (for the optimist or if it's particularly chilly!) that normally covers it!

Buy them before they're needed, particularly if your DC is a size with limited availability, eg wide, or a big size 6.

Must have wellie boots and a 'for best pair that don't go to preschool or on a muddy walk' my girls love their peppa wellie boots

Can't afford lots of winter shoes so I make sure that what i buy is Goretex so waterproof, most important thing.