My boys are so rough on their school shoes, particularly as they spend most of their break times and lunch times playing football on the playground. So I need shoes that are as hardwearing and durable as possible, otherwise they look scruffy and scuffed within the first term!
We were sent a pair of Start-Rite school shoes for Z and he was put them to the test during the last half of the summer term. Even after his football games and plenty of running around, they’re still looking like new with plenty of life left in them for the new school year!
The shoes we went for are a new style from Start-Rite called Extreme-Pri which is available in sizes S10 – L4, and in width fittings of E, F, G or H and the RRP for these shoes is £52.99. They are also available in a similar style Extreme SNR for bigger feet of size L4½ and up.
The feature that really makes these shoes for me is the reinforced area around the toes. As with the boys football, this area of their shoes really takes a battering and wears out quite quickly on previous shoes we’ve had. After trying these shoes with Z, I made sure to only buy shoes in a similar style with the reinforced toe area for T and R too! Based on the performance of these shoes last half term, I can see them lasting longer and even making it through the full school year.
I much prefer the velcro fastenings like the ones on these shoes for the boys, as it’s quick and easy and no danger of them leaving their shoe laces trailing undone.
My kids feet don’t grow too fast, so one size can often fit for the whole year, but in the past I have had to replace school shoe mid year just due to wear and tear. That has been the case with both expensive and cheap shoes, and seems to be more about the style.
There are of course a variety of other boys school shoe styles available from Start-Rite too – all of which having a combination of looking smart and being practical.
You can order Start-Rite school shoes from their website (with three suggested methods of measuring and checking sizes) or find them in plenty of independent shoe retailers, with a stockist store locator available on the Start-Rite website.
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
very nice