Kids and boots

[JoeR]

My children, ages 5 and 8 love to be outside, especially, in the barn and in the chicken coop. My wife buys them $15 garden boots from Wal-Mart or Target. They are good rubber boots, but my kids wear them out in 3 months. Next thing I know, they have holes in them and the kids are coming into the house with dirty feet. So, I asked my wife why I keep buying them boots! She responds with, "Because they are cheap." I ask why not buy a nicer pair of leather style pull on boots and they last over a year. She responds that they would get filled with dirt or get wet and be destroyed anyway.

So, what does everyone else do about their kids and footwear out in the pastures and barn? Don't even recommend barefoot! My wife would go nuts if the kids were stepping in chicken poop barefoot.


Thanks,

Joe

[RayH]

My children, ages 5 and 8 love to be outside, especially, in the barn and in the chicken coop. My wife buys them $15 garden boots from Wal-Mart or Target. They are good rubber boots, but my kids wear them out in 3 months. Next thing I know, they have holes in them and the kids are coming into the house with dirty feet. So, I asked my wife why I keep buying them boots! She responds with, "Because they are cheap." I ask why not buy a nicer pair of leather style pull on boots and they last over a year. She responds that they would get filled with dirt or get wet and be destroyed anyway.

So, what does everyone else do about their kids and footwear out in the pastures and barn? Don't even recommend barefoot! My wife would go nuts if the kids were stepping in chicken poop barefoot.


Thanks,

Joe

Not speaking from experience because I dont have kids, but wouldnt they outgrow a good pair of boots before they could get full use out of them?

[dmccarty]

Joe,

I think with kids the cheapest is the way to go. We bought a pair of leather boots for my oldest since she wanted something like daddy's. If she wore them more than six times before she out grew them, I'll EAT the boots. Not sure how much they cost though. I'm sure they are from Wally World. Or as my kids say, "Siler City Wallmart."

Those rubber boots wear quick. I have a pair and it did not last long before they tore up.

Later,
Dan

[MossRoad]

Speaking from our experiences with boots and shoes....

Buy cheap boots for yard work. They will either ruin or outgrow expensive boots before you get your return on investment.

On shoes, buy better quality, sturdy shoes, as that is what they wear day to day and good shoes are important for proper foot development. Pay special attention to the arch support. They are in the shoes 14-16 hours a day and you will get your money's worth out of them and develop healthy feet. Also, buy some foot powder... kids' feet stink!

[RonR]

These posts made me laugh. When our daughter was about 3, she was an outside child, so, being winter, I figured I'd get her a pair of cheap cowgirl boots that would work in the snow.

WRONG. The leather soles she couldn't stand up on snow or ice. It was a little funny, but it was not a good idea.

ron

[3RRL]

IMO, 3 months is pretty good! Chances are they'll outgrow them before that sometimes. I find those same Wall Mart rubbers boots a bargain for the kids and grandkids. I keep several sizes at camp for the grandkids and Wes's friends ... those that Wes hasn't worn out yet.
He does have a nicer pair of boots, but they were still inexpensive. Bought them at Sportsman'g guide for $29. But real leather ones are expensive and hard to find in kid's sizes.

[EddieWalker]

We buy the cheap walmat boots. They haven't wore out on us yet, but our place is all clay and they only wear the boots when it's muddy out, so there's not much to wear out. Soft, squishy mud doesn't do much damage to them.

We just bought a new pair for our son the other day since the rains are back. He outgrew last years pair quite awhile ago.

Our daughter doesn't enjoy the mud like her brother does, and she doesn't even want a pair of boots this year.

I have a pair from Walmart that I wear when doing concrete or slopping around in the mud. I've had them four years and there's no signs of wear on them so far. I'll keep wearing them until they wear out and then get another pair.

For hunting and backpacking trips, I have a good pair of Mendle boots that are top quality, but not something I wear around the land while working in the mud or doing concrete. Sometimes it's good to have disposable boots.

Eddie