Kids trainers for adult - are they different?

[FletchingStraight]

So I've found a pair of new balance trainers online that I really like in my size, 6 (39), but they're in the kids section. Are they actually gonna fit me or is there a difference in how they're constructed? They're in the sale & a bargain at £32!

I find kids trainers fit me better as they tend to be a bit wider.

I bought kids walking boots - they are fine

I have kids NB and they're fine, I always buy from the youths shoes, they're always so much cheaper.

I always get kids trainers when I can, I'm a size 36/3. Zara often have some great options, as do Nike.
Go for it OP!

I buy kids shoes, they're fine. Try them on if they fit buy them

I have kids AF1’s. They are great for me.

Sorry assumed you were in a shop. You can always return them, but I reckon they'll be fine

I find kids shoes fit me fine (size 5) but tend to be a little less durable. They're absolutely fine for something you're going to wear infrequently or it you tend to change shoes often, but for my workhorse, wear all the time shoes I tend to get adults.

I always try to buy kids trainers. Never had an issue.

Yep one of the benefits of having smaller feet is being able to buy from the "youth" section and save £££

I think it depends on the style/brand.

I bought some kids Nike recently in the same style I already had adults ones in and the fit was really off. The ankle/heel bit didn’t come up as high and the arch was different.

That's what I was wondering @Christmascracker0 I can always return them so I'm gonna give them a try!

I'd say it might depend on how hard a life you are going to give them. I've got really small feet and often have no choice other than to buy children's footwear. Sometimes I can find a smallish fitting size 3 in the adult section, and back in the day when I was running seriously I would always try to find an adult pair. I found that children's trainers were sometimes "lookalikes" but not built to the same technical specification as the adult versions so they didn't provide enough support for my feet and wore out quickly. After all the typical child with my size feet probably weights about 4 stone or something...and I don't!
But for every day wear I don't hesitate to buy trainers etc from the children's department. I bought a pair of children's walking boots last year and the woman in the shop was giving me all kinds of dire warnings, but as I was buying them for short walks through muddy fields rather than a solo ascent of Everest I said I thought they'd be ok, and I was right!

Excellent call, OP, I've just ordered some myself!

I always buy kids/juniors trainers. so much cheaper and no difference that I can tell. Go for it!

@DelphiniumBlue fantastic, I couldn't not buy them for £32! 😁
They're a fashion not a running trainer & I have 2-3 pairs of trainers on rotation so they're not getting hammered.
Now that I think of it I do also need a new pair of walking boots.... anyone care to recommend?

The main difference is that they are 20% cheaper because there's no VAT.

Always get kids trainers if possible!

The quality is the same or better. The difference is that there all sorts of rules and regulations around manufacturing kids shoes - eg 'phthalate content' will have been tested on the kids ones but not the adult ones.

For this reason the kid and adult version gets separated. Brands don't just test everything for everyone because it costs a fortune.

Also adult shoes tend to be fitted on humans during development and kids shoes almost never are.

I never knew kids' shoes went up to a 6, thanks for the tip OP!

I know @RandomUsernameHere I can't believe it took me till age 50 to realise this

@shouldhavetakenmorenotice I actually hadn't realised that. I'd definitely prefer a less toxic trainer given the option

Not necessarily. Depends whether they are girls' or boys' trainers! VAT for boys' shoes starts at size 7, but it's smaller - and more complicated - if they're for girls.
From the .gov.uk website
"HMRC will accept that footwear is designed for young people when the following measurements are met:
boys shoes — up to and including size 6 and a half
girls court shoes (that is a low cut shoe without straps or other fastenings) — up to (and including) size 3
other girls shoes — up to (and including) size 3, and sizes 3 and a half to 5 and a half as long as the heel height does not exceed the sole depth by more than 4cm (approximately 1 and two-third inches)"

I impulse purchased a pair of kids Nikes a few days ago size 38, 5, not realising they were from the older kids section. They arrive on Wednesday so I'll let you know!

I’m going against the grain here but I’ve bought kids runners, (I’m a size 5) addidas superstars, they are half the price of adults and there is a noticeable difference to the adults (I paid adult price too) not as comfortable, had to buy insoles and didn’t last as long.

if it’s a runner just for day to day then fine but if for sport ie: running etc I would spend the extra on adults ones .