Less than five months. That’s how long the average pair of the most expensive branded school shoes last if the latest research is to be believed, with some lasting as little as just three months.
According to new research by super durable school shoe brand Treads, set up by a dad fed up with the limited life span of his kids’ school shoes, buying big brand name shoes can be a false economy when you consider how long they actually last.
Treads surveyed more than 1,000 mums and dads and found some of us shell out up to Β£8.16 a month for the most expensive and well-known brands, yet 40% of us admit they don’t last longer than a few months.
I’ve bought both branded and supermarket school shoes in the past and to be honest found little difference between the two, other than price of course. This year though, with the middle one starting reception in September, we’ve got two sets of school shoes to buy so I’m keen to shop wisely without spending money unnecessarily.
So, what do we need to think about when buying school shoes? Here are 5 top tips for buying school shoes from Treads (with one or two words of wisdom from me based on past experience!)
5 top tips for buying school shoes
1. Don’t leave it until the last week of the school holidays to go shoe shopping
Trust me: I’ve been there, done it and got the t-shirt! You might think you’re being super savvy by waiting until the last possible moment to go shopping – when their feet can’t possibly grow any more – but couple that with all the other parents who decide to do the same thing, the first-come-first-served ticketing system you’ll find in certain shoe shops and the lack of stock owing to the fact everyone has come at once, and it’s really not worth it.
2. Consider how long school shoes will last when assessing their cost
Of course this one largely depends on how quickly their feet grow. The oldest’s last pair cost Β£44, which sounds expensive for a pair of kids’ shoes. But they lasted the whole year, so that’s Β£3.66 a month, which is actually less than the Β£3.98 a month Treads claim for theirs.
3. Look for independent product reviews from real parents and kids
If you really want to know whether something is worth it there’s nothing like hearing it from the horse’s mouth. Mumsnet and Made for Mums are both good ports of call for honest, impartial reviews.
4. Look for a genuine manufacturer’s guarantee
Treads, for example, come with a 12 month ‘indestructible’ guarantee. Which is quite a claim and one I’d be interested to put to the test!
5. Remember if your kidsβ shoes should prove unfit for purpose, then you have the right to ask for a refund
As with most things in life, know your rights!
Will you be shopping for school shoes this summer? Have you already bought them, or are they still on your to-do list? I’d love to hear about your experience!
I always buy supermarket shoes and they last just as long as the more expensive one’s. My girls are older now so they are a bit more sensible with them. When my youngest was about 6 or 7 she was lucky to get half a term out of a pair of shoes. lol #MMBC
Definitely don’t leave any back to school shopping until the end of the holiday, I remember going past the Clarke shoe shop in town last year at the beginning of September, I saw the queue and silently thanked God that my children were no longer in school #dreamteam@_karendennis
I was always guilty of leaving it too late and then struggling for things in their size! #DreamTeam
I’ve just posted about this on https://anorganisedmommy.wordpress.com . Buying an ” at home” foot measure was a must for us! So much less stressful than taking a toddler in store. X
Itβs all about the fit for us, not the cost. My son is hypermobile, particularly in his ankles, and benefits enormously from wearing correctly fitted shoes. It costs me a fortune but makes such an enormous difference to his walking and running, plus Iβm supporting an excellent local independent shoe shop.
Popping back #kcacols@_karendennis
Popping back from #KCACOLS, still not sorted any uniform or shoes out!
My youngest got through no less than 5 pairs of shoes in her first year of school. Some kids are definitely serial shoe killers. Even now at age 13 (almost 14) she manages to damage them more than her big sister ever has.
#KCACOLS
These are great tips. I typically buy my kids shoes when they are practically falling off of them. The kids tend to appreciate them a bit more once they’ve had the feeling of wearing worthless shoes for a period of time. I know that sounds a bit neglectful, but I used to buy them shoes every couple of months. They tore them up within weeks of getting them. Then a wiser woman told me to make them wear the shoes out completely and suffer for a bit. Amazingly, she was right. They now make their shoes last as long as possible! #KCACOLS
Some fab tips. We are going to buy school shoes this summer, and I am going to see if I can prebook a measure! #KCACOLS
You’ve got me here, I was planning on leaving shoe shopping until the last week of the holidays! Might need to bring that one forward a bit to try and avoid that last minute rush and panic! x #KCACOLS
I hated school shoe shopping as a kid, and I can’t imagine I’m going to enjoy it much more as an adult but this definitly helps. Thanks for linking up with #kcacols, hope you can come back next time.