What Shoes Do Your Kids Wear While Caching?

[+Team Snoopy]

My boys are 6 & 8 and while caching this weekend I started to wonder if we need to get them better shoes for hiking. Now they have their shoes from Walmart/Target ect. But I know there is not a lot of support in them and wondering if wearing these will eventually hurt their ankles, feet, legs and cause growth problems or anything? I don't like to spend tons of money on shoes becuase they outgrow them so fast sometimes, but if better/more supportive shoes will help to curb problems down the road, I'll gladly spend the extra for a good pair couple times a year. We do a lot of off trail, up hills, log stomping stuff. Not smooth trails, so their ankles turn alot and deal with rough terrain.

 

Am I worrying too much or is this something I should look further into. And if so, any suggestions for shoes or boots for them?

[+Team Neos]

I have three children, the youngest is 16. My opinion:

 

If you are taking kids over the age of say 6 on serious hikes, where they are doing rock scrambling and wading through creeks, etc, they probably ought to have waterproof hiking boots. If you are just taking them on long trail hikes, anything with good tread ought to suffice.

 

The good news is that kid's hiking shoes (like LL Bean Dayhikers) aren't really that much more expensive than shoes from most of the major manufacturers. Some of the major department stores carry decent looking hikers for kids at an even lower price, but for roughly $35 you can get a decent kid shoe that will last until they outgrow them. Look for sales, and be glad that young kids like you have don't really care that much if they have last year's model, which is always cheaper! If the kids will wear them for everyday wear, that is so much the better for the pocketbook.

[+reveritt]

My granddaughter, who is almost nine, and an active geocacher, wears a pair of Ozark Trail hiking boots from Wally World. They cost about $15, and are actually pretty good shoes--waterproof, good traction, plenty of ankle support, comfortable, and easy to lace up and tie. They're boy's shoes, but so what? Try to find inexpensive hiking footwear for girls--it's all Hello Kitty and Barbie crap.

 

I would spring for a more expensive pair of boots, but she grows a shoe size about every six months, and has no younger siblings to hand down to.

[bogleman]

The only thing I really worry about is the kids coming home with new shoes that are now all muddy and dirty. Momma gets kinda cranky when that happens. I got them all their own "combat" style boots (10, 8 & 6) so we all match (how cute ) and momma doesnt care when the boots get dirty. We dont go on many back country adventures where sturdy footwear is that big of a concern.

[+Fudog1138]

Wal Mart has cheapo rubber boots for $10 bucks. Perfect for SE Michigan mud and slop.

My son wears tennis shoes when the weather is nicer. As long as they have a good tread on them so he doesn't slip when navigating fallen trees then I'm OK, but we don't hike off trail more than .25 miles either. If we did I might buy him some boots with ankle support.

[+Frettchen_2006]

Daughter (15yr old) and I have a set of Timberlands (each, ) for long hikes as our sneakers aren't meant to grip (they're walking shoes). Hubby wears combat boots on the rare occasion he comes along. Nothing beats a good set of shoes.

[+briansnat]

Not really a "getting started" issue. Moving to the general forum so a wider audience can comment.

[+sbell111]

Dang. Brian doesn't want any threads in the noob forum today.

[Trinity's Crew]

Shoes? I think I should buy them some pants before I spend money on shoes.

[+clearpath]

We always seem to have a good supply of old used tennis shoes on hand from older siblings.

[+Team Snoopy]

I don't think we need waterproof ones, don't find too much water, and if we do it's just a small section where we don't get very wet. I'm more concerned about support for them. I think we'll look into getting a pair of hiking boots for now. I think the exrta grip will help alot. Then in August when we take a trip out to the east coats we'll hit up the LL Bean outlet store. They have soley geo shoes right now, so mud and dirt, we don't mind.

 

P.S. thanks Brian for moving, I thought I was putting it here, but guess not, oops.

Edited March 28, 2006 by Team Snoopy

[+Team Neos]

When I said waterproof, I was thinking of snow. I noticed that your avatar said that you lived in Iowa, and when I think of winter in Iowa, I think of snow. If you don't go caching much in winter, that wouldn't be so important, of course. I agree with you that support is important.

[ParentsofSAM]

We have not done any really rough terrian hikes with our girls (9, 5 & 2) so we just wear tennies bought from Wal Mart or Target. I figure if they are good enough to climb on any surface at the school playground then they are good enough for any hike through the woods a park.

[+frelancr]

We have not done any really rough terrian hikes with our girls (9, 5 & 2) so we just wear tennies bought from Wal Mart or Target. I figure if they are good enough to climb on any surface at the school playground then they are good enough for any hike through the woods a park.

 

just jaunting thru the woods with my 5-year old and landing in a few muddy spots was enough for me to take her to Sprots Authority (of all places!) and get her a pair of ankle-high, water proof boots....

 

last weekend while vistiting a cache with a neat river nearby paid for the boots when she did a bit of impromptu 'wading'...I wouldn't think of traipsing around here without my goretex & vaibram, so why would I expect any less for her? especially considering the loose rocks & such we're climbing over, PLUS the off chunk of sharp trash that would go right thru her barbie sneakers from Target....

 

a well-spent $30 if ever there was....

 

M

[+reveritt]

I like to wear Yaktrax when the trails are icy, but I cannot find them in children's sizes. We wear gaiters, too, when the snow is deep.

[+TeamGuisinger]

It's definately difficult to find affordable, good quality hiking boots for younger kids. I've looked high and low for a decent boot for our 9yr. old daughter. Something waterproof, because she usually has the dog, and they like to explore creeks and such together. At the same time, it needs to be light and durable like Gore Tex, so the uphills aren't so draining. She has hiked up to 10 miles with us in a day, but she had to do it in tennis shoes. We tried a pair of boots from wally world, siliconed them, went out hiking. They lasted one trip before they cracked, leaked water, and hurt her feet, so we use the wal bags between shoe and sock if we "might get wet".

[+briansnat]

It's definately difficult to find affordable, good quality hiking boots for younger kids. I've looked high and low for a decent boot for our 9yr. old daughter. Something waterproof, because she usually has the dog, and they like to explore creeks and such together. At the same time, it needs to be light and durable like Gore Tex, so the uphills aren't so draining. She has hiked up to 10 miles with us in a day, but she had to do it in tennis shoes. We tried a pair of boots from wally world, siliconed them, went out hiking. They lasted one trip before they cracked, leaked water, and hurt her feet, so we use the wal bags between shoe and sock if we "might get wet".

 

Check out Sierra Trading Post, REI Outlet, LL Bean and Campmor.

 

You might have to keep checking back with STP and REI Outlet because their stock changes frequently.

[+1NatureMom]

I was just going to post the same links BrianSnat did! They are great sights I visit often as Inventory changes.

 

My 1NatureGirls are seasoned cachers at ages 11 & 8. They have 2 pair of "caching" shoes, one for the warmer months, and one for the colder months. I also permethrin these shoes.

 

I am a FIRM believer in wearing the correct shoes that are made for the correct activity. IMO, your local department store does NOT have the correct shoes for geocaching. For a few dollars more, you are making a healthy investment. I know our cherubs grow like weeds, and will only get one season out of them, but it sure is easier on your pocket then any other sports uniform.

 

I also purchase the correct socks = wool/a wool blend & permethrin these too.

 

1NatureGirls also have their own gear now that they've received as holiday gifts! They have their own camelbacks (Sieratrading post $15!!!), treking poles (ocean state job lot $9), mini-back packs (LLBean critter packs,$15~monogramed!), LED's (WallyWorld $8). So dont forget about geocaching gifts in their Easter Basket!

 

Wishing you many cherished caching times together!

Leslie