Children's walking boots - thoughts and recommendations

[globalgoat]

Hi,

My eldest daughter is 5 and this summer we've got a few trips planned, maybe what you'd call "proper" trips for the first time. We've camped quite a few times before and so she's cool with all that goes with that, but we've never really done much walking or trekking before. We're planning to camp in the mountains (not yet decided whether it'll be English or Swedish yet - may well be Swedish as it's so easy to get there on the night train - but that's another story).

What I'm wondering about specifically is whether anyone has any experience of buying walking boots for children, or any general thoughts and feedback on the process or what happened to their children? My daughter has various boots, but none that I would normally consider wearing in the mountains, none that are really high enough to walk through small streams in etc. So I'm wondering maybe I could just take her normal selection and just carry multiple pairs of everything to hedge my bets, or should I be looking for "real" walking boots. I've been a big fan of Meindl boots for ages now and I see that they do kids products like

http://www.meindl.co.uk/products/Kids/145/Magic-Hiker-Junior

but just wondered whether anyone had any additional points to add beyond the normal boot buying things that I'm familiar with as an adult myself.

Thanks

Graham

 

[santaman2000]

The link you posted looks like a good walking shoe; I wouldn't call it a boot though.

 

[DavidJT]

I think anything a 5 year old could takle they could do in chunky trainers. My son had some sort of snow boots - but at that age they cant walk miles whatever they are wearing.

Don't spend too much as in 6 months time they won't fit any longer!

 

[Bowlander]

We bought our lad (just 5) a pair of the Meindls from Tamarack last summer. They were selling them off for £20, they were too big for him at the time but we couldn't pass up the offer, they now fit well but aren't particularly waterproof though are lighter than some of the chunky hitec types. He wears them with gaiters which helps keep the muck off. He had a pair of Berghaus Raid before the Meindls and I think they were a better boot.

He only really wears boots on walks, preferring Bogs wellies or trainers for dodging about.

its definitely worth investing in good footwear for kids to wear outdoors, my lad will happily spend a day walking - he did walks of 6 miles and a Marilyn when he was 3.

Have fun!

 

[Bowlander]

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1185141

I've still got these boots for sale!