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

boots and wellies are a must for the wet winter days and brantano have a great collection. avoid swede material for this season though! i find shopping online the easiest as im familiar with my childrens sizes. stay warm and order away! no hassle delivery to your doorstep :)

Clarks i think are the best as they are fitted to your childs feet and always have a great selection x

Get feet measured regularly, buy as good quality as you can afford, have a few pairs because they get regularly drenched, make sure they're left somewhere to air and dry out properly! Wellies are cold, walking boots or snow boots can be far better.

I go for practicality not looks, my daughter wanted a flashing pair of shoes which were very pretty and fancy, but expensive and most likely to not last more than a week so unfortunately for her I went for a nice plain leather pair of boots, a pair of cheap wellies, a plain pair of school shoes and a spare pair of canvas shoes for wearing to indoor activities to change into when she wears her wellies or boots. Hopefully she doesn't grow too fast as she is costing a bomb in shoes!

We always go to Brantanos and get their feet measured properly as one of our children has strange feet so need to make sure they ft correctly!
Look for something sturdy that is going to last, and that are easy to put on and take off themselves. We always buy leather shoes for school too so can be polished up if they get scuffed. Made the mistake of buying cheap non leather shoes in the past and they don't last.

they have got to be waterproof and have strudy soles

I have two daughters and we have to walk to school, so it's important to have a good pair! I tend to favour boots for the winter. So their whole foot is covered and they won't have soggy feet. I look for a good grip on them too, incase it gets frosty or icy.
As for choosing a good pair, I do two things mainly. I will look for reviews on a certain pair I've seen, or I just choose in the shop. When you have bought a few pairs for your children, you get a good eye for quality!

I look for a good tread to avoid slips.

Make sure they fit with 2 x socks on!

I like to shop instore as I like to know how they feel on my DC's feet and how he walks in them. If I find the right shoes but aren't comfortable with the price then I write down the details and shop on line.

My DS3 has the skinniest ankles I've ever seen, so width fitting are extremely important. Good shoes and boots that fit well especially around his ankles are the most important thing when buying footwear. He rarely has very many options because of this, so fashion and taste are rarely taken into account.

We usually get a pair of snowboots that are waterproof and warm, some of the designs are so cute band really practical. I like the way Brantano has them arranged in size order, it means we know exactly what's available in each size - great for impatient 7 year olds!

It's always best to check if your school has a policy on footwear. A lot of schools have tightened up on uniform recently, my children's secondary will only accept black shoes and not in a trainer style. Many primary schools require a second pair of indoor shoes to be left in school.

A good strong pair is essential, I also keep a spare pair so that wet shoes are given time to dry. They need to be easy to put on and take off. They should also be waterproof.

Choose sensible and not a 'fashion' or 'trendy' shoe.
I think a black shoe is easier to polish and always looks better if a good leather.
Leather makes good waterproofing, ideal for rain, dry over night with newspaper inside to keep the shape. As they love jumping in puddles and mud, yes this is when you have a pair of wellies as well.
Think how your child will fasten the shoes, and ensure they will fit properly and not slip. I am a firm believer in good socks for warmth.
Choose the shoes in a good shoe shop where the assistants help and give good advice.

Build a relationship with your shoe shop. My daughters both had difficult feet, but the shop went to lots of trouble to get it right

Pick some with good grip soles, good ankle support and that are made of a good material.

Definiely waterproof boots for outdoors. Then it's not quite so vital to have sturdy shoes, (If they remember to change into their boots on before going out!)

Don't rely on just one pair - they will inevitably get wet! Have a few pairs on standby. Second hane ebay bargains or similar are fine for backup.

making sure the shoes have a good grip on the bottom and because I have three boys if they have the toe protectors even better!

I usually go to clarkes :)

Always buy more than one pair for the Winter is my main tip. So at least a pair of shoes and boots, and a pair of wellington boots will be needed too! I always get my children measured by a professional, or I do it at home myself (I used to work at a children's footwear specialist before I had my children). Another tip is to take a thick pair of socks with you when shoe shopping - my children generally wear thicker or woolly socks or tights in Winter, so particularly with boots I want to buy boots that will allow the room for those.

I love the shoes that have lights on them- my kids think theyre great and I like the fact they make them a bit more visible on the walk to school

Choose some with good grip, some of the fashion shoes just don't cut it in the snow and ice

I find making sure they have a pair of snow boots works fine for getting to and from wherever they're going and their shoes can go in a bag to pop on when they get to school/after school clubs etc :) I also use snow boots when its raining instead of wellies - I have three girls so its just not practical for them all to have wellies, snow boots, normal boots etc etc etc