Clarks shoes - are they really the best?

[tigwig]

My little one isnt walking yet but has the Clarks cruiser shoes. When he does grow out of them I dont know whether to get him some more or just 'normal shoes' that are in other shops. Are they really the best kind for growing feet or are others just as good? They are expensive but I you can sometimes get cheaper ones at a outlet store but then the design isnt always as nice. What do others think? Do you insist on Clarks shoes (or similar brand)?

[woofgang]

When I was little, it wasn't so much the shoes as the fitting service that set Clarks out as the best. Little feet are very malleable and its important that shoes should fit properly and not squash the foot in any way.....btw not sure why a child who isn't walking needs shoes? Indoors barefoot is best.

[Davethedog]

And thats still the same now Woof. Clarks do sizes to fill all feet, whereas a lot of others don't.

[milly143]

I used to be a supervisor in the childrens department at Clarks and the training you have before you are allowed to fit shoes it good. I think you have to do something like 50 supervised fittings, that get ticked off before you are allowed to fit on your own. But don't buy those shoes for crawling babies. They are a total waste of money. The amount of parents that either came back wanting a refund or came back to buy another pair because one had fallen off somewhere and got lost was stupid. And if a child can't stand on it's own, you can't measure their feet properly.

[roslyn251254]

Startrite are also very good but I think they are even dearer.

[boxtops]

I think Clarks are excellent, I still wear them when I can, they have served me well from small feet to bigger ones. Still not clear though why your tot's wearing shoes when he doesn't need them yet? - barefoot for as long as possible helps feet to develop (as well as being good for playing games with the toes!).

[redcrx]

you could always get babies feet measured at a clarks store and then look at ebay for clarks shoes (as well as the outlet).

I use Clarks as much as I can. Though for some dress shoes / boots i have used other makes (though they were dearer than clarks).

[tigwig]

I got the cruiser shoes once he was standing as after watching other babies and listening to other mums it seemed they offered support. If it had been summer I wouldnt have bothered as I do like bare feet but we go out and about alot and his feet would freeze without them lol. He also refuses to keep socks on too the monkey.

[annie0000]

I always bought clarks, but it depends on who you get sometimes how well they are fitted - you need to use your own judgment too. I think some of the european shoes brands are better quality, but you have to be confident that you know your childs foot shape properly. Ebay is good for buying up excessstock, but again, you have to be careful as sometimes the same size (and width) shoe in different styles is not actually the same size!!!

The last time I went when my son needed new trainers, they wouldn't sell me any as they did not have anything in his size in a narrow fitting - they told me to just go to a sports shop. Didn't find that particularly helpfull as at least the clarks one would have been closer to a correct fitting and the sports shop ones could have been way off! Boiught him clarks ones from ebay in the end!

[joeluke]

Clarks are vastly overpriced, fine if you can afford to shop there, my kids never had Clarks shoes and they have grown up with no feet problems whatsoever

They have a good reputation so you are paying well over the odds for the name, a bit like buying a designer t-shirt - it ain't better quality but hey you like the name and it will impress others huh

[nannyplum]

Hi Tigwig - I think it depends if your child has particularly narrow or wide feet. We are lucky enough to have a wonderful independant kids shoe store where I live and I trust their measuring skills more than Clarks at my local Mothercare. As someone else says you can always get their feet measured by Clarks and take it from there. And to everyone who suggested barefoot - would you like to walk around barefoot on wooden/stone floors (we have no carpets) - your toes would bloo*y freeze :-D

[ganesh]

They are still living on their reputation and just because the staff are apparently trained to fit shoes shouldn't impress.I noticed a recent pair of Clarks school shoes that my son had grown out of had size 9 on the inner labels but when I looked at the bottom I noticed one was a 9 and one was a 9 andahalf. I took them back and got a small refund even though they were obviously worn.Admittedly we hadn't noticed but so much for 'fitting' skills!

[icemaiden]

My Daughter has wide feet so I have always bought from Clarks purely as people have already said, they make shoes for all feet.
They are much better quality and also last a lot longer than other brands. Well worth paying abit extra.