Shoes for kids

[Florida_cruisers]

I recently spent quite a bit of money on waterproof hiking shoes for me for our upcoming Alaska cruise. Living in Florida this is not something I would get much use out of but in the next few years we are planning on going to Peru and China, so I could wear it again. However I am not sure if it's worth spending the money for waterproof hiking our growing son. He outgrows his shoes every six months, so chances are he will wear them for a few days in Alaska and never wear them again.

 

I am conflicted on whether to buy them for him or not. What to do. Thoughts?

[kpd21880]

Not sure how old your child is? We are also traveling with ours - he's 5. I found a great pair of hiking boots for him at Stride Rite on winter clearance for $12 and I sprayed them with waterproof spray. The sneakers he's on the verge of growing out of now, I will also spray before we leave and they will be his second pair of shoes in AK. I would not have bought him the boots at full price - as he grows out of them too quickly as well. But, the clearance deal was worth the price!

 

 

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[easyboy]

Am not the OP but thanks for your thoughts. My daughter has a similar problem on hiking shoes for her 6 & 8 y/o kids

 

 

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[Florida_cruisers]

My son is 11 and wears 7.5 big kid shoes. Honestly they are bigger than my own shoes.

[mapleleaves]

You didn't mention any specific activity that would require hiking boots, so just spray waterproofing on the kids sneakers and call it done.

If the shoes get super soaked stuff the toes with paper towel and/or use the hair dryer on them..

[Coral]

While I have waterproof hiking boots (Keens) for me for home in the winter, I never bring them on a trip to Alaska.

 

I wouldn't bother. Just have him bring sneakers.

[Florida_cruisers]

While I have waterproof hiking boots (Keens) for me for home in the winter, I never bring them on a trip to Alaska.

 

I wouldn't bother. Just have him bring sneakers.

Thank you. That makes me feel better.

[Herfnerd]

I have waterproof Khombu hiking boots I bought at Costco but I need a pair anyways (hiker) and we are sailing in September. For growing kids - waterproof spray on sneakers should be fine

 

 

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[TheCalicoCat]

On our last AK cruise, when my son was 4.5, we just used sneakers.

 

On our next AK cruise, he will be 8.5 & we got him hiking shoes - we've been on 3 hikes in the mean time...

 

We have hiking type plans in AK - Anan Creek in Ketchikan, Mt. Roberts and/or Mendenhall in Juneau, walking around port in Icy Strait Point, hiking in Anchorage, hiking in Sitka - we'll have waders provided in Homer & Kodiak - yes in some of those ports, we could get away with sneakers, but we already have the hiking shoes.

 

If you don't have hiking plans, then sneakers are probably good enough.

[GMRPHRN]

I agree that sneakers are usually good enough. The hiking on these excursions is usually not strenuous climbing. Does he have an old pair of sneakers you can take as a second pair in case his shoes get wet? A few years ago my teenager had to wear his sneakers white water rafting because he didn't have another option. He had a newer pair to wear on the trip so I just washed the old ones when we got back home.

[carol515]

Water prodding sneakers will be fine. I water proffer mi e and they stayed dry and I waked though deep snow on Grouse mountain in Vancouver. Also had rain one day. They stayed dry.