How often do you buy your kids new shoes? longevity

[liz]

Typically, how often do you need to replace your DC shoes? I'm talking about shoes wearing out/getting holes not because they outgrow them. I was thinking about this as my kids were getting ready for school. I'm hoping their new shoes last until next spring. By that point their shoes are going to look pretty beat up.

FWIW, I have boys and I typically buy Stride Rite, Merrells, Keen, LLBean, Columbia. I buy shoes for my boys that are more like a hiking/running shoe hybrid because from experience they would put holes in regular sneakers within weeks. They wear the same shoes everyday.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Our New Balance have held up the best, fwiw. Last year was the only time shoes didn't last til spring and it wasn't a NB pair.


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[KrisM]

Our New Balance have held up the best, fwiw. Last year was the only time shoes didn't last til spring and it wasn't a NB pair.


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Funny, because those wore out the fastest here. Nike seem to last the longest here and look decent until outgrown.

[mikala]

I usually buy one pair of sneakers and a pair of something a tiny bit dressier when school starts. They usually last until around spring break, but that includes at least 2 months of primarily indoor wear when the kids change into snow boots for the playground so probably 5 months of hard wear. I also buy similar brands to OP. So far Keens have lasted us the longest because the stitching near the top of the toe is a typical wear spot on other brands.

[georgiegirl]

DS1 blows through his shoes (and pants) quickly. He's very rough on them. I talked to someone at a shoe store about this, and he told me to look at how the shoe is constructed. A lot of sneakers have more of a mesh-like fabric near the toe. Those are horrible for boys. He said I need to get the shoes with a thicker material covering the top of the toes...either leather or a face leather (or rubber). Since I started doing that, DS hasn't worn through his shoes quite as fast. But truthfully, unless they are like Keens, rough boys will blast through any regular sneaker before they outgrow them. I typically buy DS two pairs of sneakers at a time, at least twice a year.


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[jgenie]

I generally buy two pair at a time to rotate because we have smelly feet issues. Old sneakers become yard shoes. They change out of school shoes when they get home and play in the sand and mud in their yard shoes. We generally buy at the beginning of school then replace for spring break.


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[specialp]

Other than last year’s experience with NB, they last through school year until we buy summer shoes, but they do not wear the same pair everyday. We buy 2 pairs of everyday sneakers for school and they aren't often worn on the weekends.


Funny, because those wore out the fastest here.

They were the worst for us, too. Bought each a pair last year, different style, and rubber on the toe of one came unglued. Used shoe glue to repair and it stayed, but then a hole developed right beside the glued part - like that part was really determined to unattach. The other pair were velcro and developed a hole on the side! We threw them out and bought new pairs around Thanksgiving so the NB lasted 3 months maybe and weren't even worn everyday.

[JamiMac]

Our Nikes have not ever worn out, but instead have been outgrown. Converse start to fall apart a little bit, with eyelets coming out, etc. For me, I had some Brooks running shoes that seemed to age more quickly than others.

[bisous]

It totally depends on the kid. I have three boys right in a row and one of them is murderous on shoes and the others have shoes that look almost perfect before they are grown out. Nikes are toast in our house, but we buy them because we have an outlet locally and DS likes the way they feel on his feet. Honestly, it is the mesh that wears out! Maybe next time we'll look for a non-mesh pair.

[AnnieW625]

DD2 has the hybrid lace/Velcro Nike kids shoe and she has out grown them before they have worn out. FWIW we get them at Nordstrom Rack.

Dd1's mass shoes (Keds Oxford tennis shoe) lasted a whole school year, as did DD2's Smart Fit Mary Janes from Payless. This year we had to go to Nordstrom and get her mass shoes (Nordstrom Kids brand) because I procrastinated and Payless was out of Mary Janes in her size (and our Target, Penneys, and Kohls have crummy dress shoe selection and Macy's no longer does kids shoes in store) so we will see how those wear. I was really happy with the Payless shoes from last year and was surprised they lasted as long as they did.


Funny, because those wore out the fastest here. Nike seem to last the longest here and look decent until outgrown.
Consider the 990. Kind of fugly in style, but they last. Dd1's pair lasted a year. They aren't cheap though, but at least the big kid size goes to size 7 so if your kids have small feet you will always save some over full price.

[rlu]

During the upper elementary years - 3 months. We tried Stride Rite (at least they replaced them if the same size) and other more pricey shoes before just going with whatever fit him at the various shoe stores at the mall. Might as well pay $30 instead of $50 if they last the same amount of time.

DS has foot issues and was really really hard on shoes due to his play style (lots of wallball which involved quick pivots, etc.). Now his shoes last longer due to changing play style. Due to the foot issues, we look for stronger material in the toebox area (what OP are also saying, leather not mesh). He finally got to the smaller men's size that many stores carry so shoe shopping isn't the daylong experience it used to be.

He prefers sneaker type shoes. We do buy him hiking boots before summer camp. His school lends out black shoes for band performances so at least we aren't trying to get all black on top of everything else.

[gatorsmom]

Well, my boys have 3-4 pairs of shoes (winter boots, dress shoes for school and church, athletic shoes and flipflops). I usually buy new athletic shoes once per year. Their previous year gym shoes become their athletic shoes to wear around when they are not at school (unless they have outgrown them but hat hasn't been happening the last few years). At school they wear dress shoes. My boys are at an age where their dress shoes last much longer so I don't have to replace those every year. They are leather and I get them polished and a silicone treatment applied by a local cobbler a few times per year and that has helped tremendously keep them nice. Dd has a few more pairs of shoes besides school uniform shoes (maryjanes), winter boots, athletic shoes and flipflops. She has some dressier flats and sandals for church. She generally gets new gym shoes each year and new dressy flats for Christmas and/or Easter. She outgrows those before they wear out.

[lizzywednesday]

We do OK with fabric/mesh shoes, but have had the worst luck with Saucony brand which I last bought under protest because they were the ones that fit DD best at the start of last school year. At least they lasted until she outgrew them!

We're trying ASICS (from the outlet; current size plus a half-size up) for gym days, but still want to find a Mary Jane that will hold up to running/recess without falling apart. (She's had Hush Puppies and Stride Rite in the past; they were bonded leather that peeled long before she outgrew them. For fashion-y stuff, we have gotten boots/booties from OshKosh that held up OK, but I won't pay full price.)

ETA: I guess we've been very lucky about shoes because, generally, DD doesn't destroy them before she outgrows them, the exception being the Sauconys she had 2 or 3 years ago.

[hbridge]

Totally depends on the child. DC destroys all shoes (Keen's, Merrell's, ect.) in about two months...EVERY TIME!!! While, most of my friends kids have perfect shoes to hand down to the next child...

PS DC tried Toms once, they lasted 30 minutes...

[belovedgandp]

About twice a year. Typically for July/August to start school and they are outgrown or ruined by February/March.

[carolinacool]

We buy Nikes for DS. They typically last about six months. That said, DH is a completely sneaker head. I'll think a shoe still looks OK, and he'll be like "Oh no. Not my kid." *roll eyes* So there have been times we've replaced them before I think we needed to.

He has black dress shoes from Payless and Steph Currys for basketball games that still look great, but he doesn't wear them very frequently. At this point, I think he's probably outgrown them.

[KpbS]

We do OK with fabric/mesh shoes, but have had the worst luck with Saucony brand which I last bought under protest because they were the ones that fit DD best at the start of last school year. At least they lasted until she outgrew them!

We're trying ASICS (from the outlet; current size plus a half-size up) for gym days, but still want to find a Mary Jane that will hold up to running/recess without falling apart. (She's had Hush Puppies and Stride Rite in the past; they were bonded leather that peeled long before she outgrew them. For fashion-y stuff, we have gotten boots/booties from OshKosh that held up OK, but I won't pay full price.)

ETA: I guess we've been very lucky about shoes because, generally, DD doesn't destroy them before she outgrows them, the exception being the Sauconys she had 2 or 3 years ago.

Lizzy,
These are the BEST mary janes out there! They are fantastic. DD wore them for years and years, on the playground, around town, etc. Just great. http://www.payless.com/girls-smartfit-amber-leather-double-t-strap-casual-shoe/53503.html?dwvar_53503_color=black&rrec=true I buy them online and return them in store since the sizing can be guesswork.

[Dream]

I generally buy shoes the beginning of the school year. Tsukihoshi shoes have lasted a whole year for us, we have 2 sneakers per kid. By the end of the school year they look worn so I keep them over the summer and buy new shoes for the new school year.

[Kindra178]

DS' NB's ripped in three weeks. We stick with basketball shoes, which are decidedly stronger. End of August to February/March - these are worn every day to school. They don't really have other shoes that are worn for any other period of time, absent snow boots and Vans for church (And sport specific shoes, I guess too - soccer cleats, turf shoes, basketball shoes, baseball cleats).

[anonomom]

Once a year, roughly. All 3 kids still prefer Crocs mostly, and they last a good long while. I just had to throw out DS's last pair when the strap broke almost exactly a year after we bought them.

[lizzywednesday]

Lizzy,
These are the BEST mary janes out there! They are fantastic. DD wore them for years and years, on the playground, around town, etc. Just great. http://www.payless.com/girls-smartfit-amber-leather-double-t-strap-casual-shoe/53503.html?dwvar_53503_color=black&rrec=true I buy them online and return them in store since the sizing can be guesswork.

DD tried them on last year and thought they were too heavy. I really like the look of them, but she was NOT having it. I'll try again, though, and thank you for the recommendation!!

[DualvansMommy]

DS1's NB sneakers I bought him in late feb is completely wore out now; so gonna try score some new sneakers with the holidays sale. It seems with him, about twice a year I've to replace at least one pair of his sneakers before they got to outgrow stage.

[gamma]

I think a lot depends on how they play and walk. If they use their shoes as brakes on bikes and ride-ons and shuffle their feet when they walk, they wear out faster. Also, their natural gait can cause wear, depending on if they toe in or out.

[AnnieW625]

DD tried them on last year and thought they were too heavy. I really like the look of them, but she was NOT having it. I'll try again, though, and thank you for the recommendation!!

My DD2 is funny about shoes too and she had these from Payless (https://www.payless.com/girls-smartfit-becki-mary-jane-shoe/77521.html) last year and she never complained about them. I thought the same thing about the other linked Mary Janes and the ones with Doc Marten like sole (https://www.payless.com/girls-smartfit-ruthie-t-strap-mary-jane-shoe/77510.html?dwvar_77510_color=black) that they would be too heavy. She did also try on these (https://www.payless.com/product/77512.html?dwvar_77512_color=brown) but they were too small and didn't have the bigger size, but they did feel light but then I am not sure they would wear as well as the other ones.


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[smilequeen]

Mine outgrow before they wear out but I do tend to buy more pairs than most. A few colors of athletic shoes or sandals plus dress shoes. My oldest will only wear Nike shoes right now. He's in men's sizes and growing fast. He is the most athletic and does tend to wear them out faster.

My little guys have Nike, Underarmour, Keen, Natives, Sperry, Livie and Luca,sometimes New Balance or Tsukihoshi