Have you managed to coax your teenaged boy into sandals....or am I as ludicrous as he thinks I am?

[Elastoslax]

DS 15, is going to be spending a month in a hot climate doing a lot of travelling and walking. I suggested he get some decent sandals to alternate with his trainers and I've been laughed out of the house.

Even his Df ridiculed my suggestion. Teen DD and I are Birkenstock fans forever but I said any sandals. I wasn't trying to force him into Birkenstocks.

Is it just that sandals are uncool? DS will know no one but family where we are going, is not the most sociable anyway (so won't be looking to meet new people) so what is the problem and could it be that he just hasn't come across the right pair???

Another sliders or crocs son here

DH won't wear sandals either, only last year he rejected and wore flipflops to the beach because then 4 year old DS mocked him for wearing trainers.
As an aside do young people still wear Toms? I see those and deck shoes a lot here in summer but I live in Essex so it's hard to tell how that relates to the rest of the world

Sliders for by the pool and then he never seems to take them off! I think he did wear sandals last hot holiday (14 at the time).

He'd have to be very cool to pull off walking sandals like Tevas - they remind me of my geography teacher - Mr H. Hippy vibes.

My teen insists crocs in sports mode are literally suitable for anything and everything!

My 14 year old will happily wear sandals like dementedixie has posted. He has minimal style!

The 12 year old wouldn't touch them with a bargepole. Trainers, with sliders round the pool.

Sliders (grim) seem to be the only option.

That said trainers can be quite airy depending on the fabric they are made of.

My ds is 15 with next to zero interest in fashion and even he would laugh at
me if I suggested he wear sandals

When ds 18 was sent to Cyprus with the army for 3 months their assignment was called off. So 3 months of sunbathing.. Ds sent me a pic of the lads all sunbathing.
Wearing trainers and mid length white sports socks!
I tried to tell him about tan lines... They didn't care.!
Pack some Converse op incase he bends...

Sandal people! Always trying to recruit

Sliders for poolside/beach then trainers at all other times lol the tan marks are wild

Mine will only wear crocs/sliders but my cousins wear Tevas. Probably a non starter though!

Not a chance. Not any of them, ever.

You're being ludicrous!

When I was a teen in the 90s, summer footwear was trainers for boys and girls. Lots of us (including me) wore trainers without socks. Sandals were rare. No crocs or sliders to be seen!

But not for a teen surely? I mean no way would any teen boy I know wear those

My teen boy will wear sliders at a push but with socks. He would rather die than expose his toes in actual public. He's old enough to understand consequences so let it go.

It’s a thing with this particular age cohort. Feet are to be covered. I don’t understand it at all. None of my DD’s peers expose their toes.

My teen wouldn't be seen dead in sandals but will wear sliders/ flip flops.

Omg, you cannot possibly be asking this seriously?! No teen I know would dream of wearing sandals!! My DH at 50 won't wear them either!!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Okay, so I am in the minority, but not alone there. Thank you all for your advice.

He has crocs and sliders and I did suggest the tan line thing but he doesn't care either. He said he would get breathable trainers and I will let him off: his feet, his worry. But feared I might have missed a trendy sandal that might have tempted him over to Our Side. Apparently not.

I can walk all day in my birkenstocks btw, possibly my most comfy summer shoe.

Yep - with white sports socks!!!

So just get him some decent cotton socks as he will need them!

My 11 yo boy would also be horrified by the idea of sandals. He has sliders but for walking far, he would wear trainers

My 20 year old son hasn't really worn sandals for years., much to my frustration. It's trainers all the way. He has been known to slip on flip flops for around the pool etc. He was persuaded to wear what we called "jungle shoes" (kind of covered toe, quick drying sandal type shoes) when we went to Borneo but only for that holiday. I sold them onto someone else doing a similar trip afterwards.

@Elastoslax you could take him to Essex and visit Brentwood in the height of summer and there will be some die hard ronseal tan types in sandals with loose fit trousers. I've seen it. James Locke as an example. It is funny.