The Outdoor Adventure Giving you tips, tricks & recommendations to help make adventuring in the Outdoors fun, safe & exciting for you and your kids.
Parents you know the deal. The kids go through new shoes faster than going through toilet paper. Or at least that’s how it seems. And now that you’re thinking about potty training let’s come back to the topic of shoes. Yup, if they haven’t worn holes in them then they’ve probably already grown out of them. And, as much as you don’t want to fork out for “expensive” shoes you need to think about your kids’ feet, especially if they’re the outdoors type. Enter Vasque.
I just want to say, this isn’t sponsored, Vasque isn’t paying me. I’m just really impressed with the shoes.
Why to buy Good Shoes
Ok, so first off, bad shoes can lead to big problems for your child’s feet. Lack of support, lack of flexibility and lack of breathability can lead to discomfort, fallen arches and problems with mobility and foot development in general. If you don’t believe me, trust the experts. Plus, cheap shoes tend to fall apart more quickly.
If you wouldn’t want to go out running or hiking long distances in a $10 pair of runners I can guarantee that your kids won’t either. Kids play. They tend to walk/run/climb a lot more than we do and that’s going to mean more of a need for a decent pair of shoes than most of us desk workers.
On a whim, I went into a certain cheap big box store and looked for shoes for my daughter, just to get an idea of what they offered. I first noticed that the shoes weren’t cheap. $30 for a pair of low quality sandals! I then noticed the cheap materials, lack of arch support, etc. I wasn’t going to pay $30 for junk. So I left.
Buying Online
Then, I did something I recommend you do. I shopped online. Yah I know we all know about shopping online, but I recommend you check reviews of quality shoe brands and then go to somewhere online like the Sierra Trading Post to make your purchase. Sierra Trading post doesn’t always stock the same brands or models, but I picked up a pair of Vasque Volta shoes for my daughter there for $15. Yes, that’s right $15… OK so it was $20 with shipping. They may have been last season’s model, but that didn’t matter to her. They’re her everything runners and even I doubt she’ll wear them out before outgrowing them. That means my son will get them next (It’s just good they weren’t pink).
Vasque Volta
The Vasque Volta is a really nice hiking shoe for kids. It looks and acts just like an adult’s hiking shoe.
When I opened the box, the first thing I noticed was the flexible sole. It was really nice and pliable. My sister-in-law always says that you need that on kids’ shoes. Studies show that the flexible sole helps the development of normal mobility and strength.
The second thing I noticed was the traction. It’s serious stuff! I took her hiking on a trail with normal shoes and she was slipping all the time, but after getting her these she rarely takes a slide at all! She hikes more confidently and that means we can do more together outdoors.
The second think I noticed was the support and foam padding, i.e. quality materials. I’ve purchased cheap shoes for myself and I know that the first thing that goes is the cheap foam behind the heel, then the arch support. Well, not only can you notice on the Vasque runners just by look and feel that it’s a much better quality I can see it in my daughter’s activities and foot health. She hasn’t had a single sore on her foot from these shoes, even if she gets them wet! There was no break in time needed with these and she hikes without a single complaint about her feet.
Another feature I like is the draw string laces. She has no problem taking them off or putting them on by herself. It was a toss-up going for laces or draw strings, but these haven’t slipped any more than my son’s laces, even on hard hiking trails. When you have 3 kids, the sooner the kids can put on their own shoes, the better!
The upper shoe is made of leather and fabric, allowing good support and breathability. It does make them a bit more susceptible to getting wet, but that hasn’t caused a problem for us.
Honestly, I can’t think of anything bad to say about these shoes. Even the color combo is great for her (Canteen/Nile). I will definitely be looking for more of these in the future!
Shopping Online
I can strongly recommend these shoes for an outdoors kid and would strongly recommend checking out the Sierra Trading Post online or in your local area to see what they have to offer.
If you haven’t purchased anything from the Sierra Trading Post, drop me an email paul.osborn(at)theoutdooradventure.net and I’ll invite you for a $10 discount. Oh and this is where this could help me out. If you make a purchase then they will offer me the same deal on my next purchase!
