A Hi-Tec Guide to Buying Children’s Outdoor Footwear

If you are thinking about buying your child a new pair of Hi-Tec walking boots, multi activity shoes or holiday sandals, an essential piece of kit for all your families outdoor activities, it’s crucial that you purchase footwear that fits correctly, as incorrect fitting will cause damage and discomfort to their growing feet not alone a miserable experience for all!

The feet are one area of the body that take a long time to grow fully – it may take up to 18 years before the cartilage has fully hardened and all 26 bones in the feet are formed properly.

Every parent wants to ensure they give their child the best start in life and caring for their feet is an important part of that. As a handy helper, Hi-Tec has produced the following fitting guide to guide you through the perils of choosing your children’s footwear.

In the first instance it’s essential to know your child’s shoe size; obviously this should not be a guess, it’s a good idea to have their feet measured professionally if you can.

Correctly lacing them will add to the fit and help the boots fit snugly on their feet. It will also help their feet from slipping forward, such as when running down hills or slopes, and will reduce the friction that often leads to uncomfortable blisters.

When you’ve chosen your child’s perfect Hi-Tec footwear, always give them a good test run first. Although it’s tricky to stop them sprinting out the door of the shop wearing their new Hi-Tec boots, DO NOT let them! They may well need to be broken in a bit first, so give them a bit of time to be worn at home, indoors and you’ll be doing your child’s feet a massive favour.

Your child’s Hi-Tec outdoor footwear should provide much needed support and protection, so their feet are comfortable and their natural growth is not restricted. Making sure their feet are well supported is crucial, as whatever they have on their feet needs to still provide plenty of space for growth. Shoes that don’t fit properly, as well as badly fitting sleep suits and socks, could cause damage by pushing your child’s feet out of shape. Damage such as this caused at an early age can have a lasting effect into adulthood.

Correctly fitting Hi-Tec shoes are not only comfortable for children to wear, but also ensure their feet aren’t caused any damage by unwanted rubbing or other problems. As children’s feet grow steadily throughout their life, it’s vital they always have the correct fit of shoes.

In many adults with foot problems, the problems stem from childhood and badly fitting shoes. The wrong size, width or type of shoe can cause all sorts of damage, especially to growing children. Children’s feet can grow at a rapid pace, so it’s important they have their feet measured regularly, by a qualified shoe fitter.

Don’t be alarmed, for example, if one foot is bigger than the other, as this is a common occurrence. In such instances, the larger foot size is the size of the shoe required.

Hi-Tec’s children’s shoes are made of soft leathers, as this is flexible, breathable and durable. What’s more, shoes made of soft leather gently mould themselves to your child’s foot, so they’re fully comfortable.

It’s also advisable to avoid slip-on style shoes in young children, as these don’t give as much support as shoes with straps or laces. Any shoes that do up with laces, have a strap across the foot or do up with a Velcro fastening keep the feet firmly in place in the shoe, but also allow for minor adjustments to be made as and when need be. It’s also recommended that children’s shoes be flat and without heels, except perhaps on special occasions.

It’s often hard to know when children’s shoes are no longer fitting correctly, unless they’re able to tell you they aren’t comfortable. As a general rule of thumb, some experts recommend there should be 15mm of surplus length in shoes, as this small amount of extra space allows space for toes and growth. If you notice there’s no space in your child’s shoe, or their toes seem to be squashed up in the front, then it could well be time to move up a size or two and get a better fitting Hi-Tec children’s shoe.

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Category: Fitness Advice, Health News, Kids Fitness & Nutrition Advice