nm

[Guest inoubliable]

.

[Unicorn.]

. Has anyone else ever heard this? Not the part about germs. Good grief, I know how to Lysol a pair of shoes, know what I mean? The part about shoes being formed to someone else's foot, though, and potentially causing damage to a kid's foot because of that.

 

Yes, it's one of the reasons I never buy used shoes. Our weight, and how it is distributed (our stance, how we walk, etc) forms indentions in the shoes/soles. I've typed out several responses on the how's and why's of it being bad, but I'm too tired for any of it to make sense. I'm sure someone will explain it better than I could.

[msjones]

Most of my boys' boots have come from thrift stores.

 

No foot damage, no foot infestations.

 

I've probably saved hundreds of dollars buying their boots there over the years. Most of them looked almost new when I brought them home.

 

I'm not a liberal, vegan, or atheist, but I do agree with you on boot shopping standards. ;)

[justasque]

I don't buy everyday shoes second-hand or use hand-me-downs because I've been advised against it by various family elders, and I do think that sole wear can be different based on how one walks (think about shoes with wedges designed to change how a child walks). I'm pretty obsessive about buying new, quality everyday shoes for growing children, because some family elders had horrible feet due to poorly fitting shoes. (To make quality shoes viable financially, my kids have significantly fewer shoes than their peers.)

 

That said, though, most folks don't spend a whole lot of time in snow boots, so we've happily used hand-me-down boots for many years with no issues. Ditto for other low-use shoes, such as boy's dress shoes for weddings. The savings on these low-use shoes also helps me buy quality everyday shoes.

[alpidarkomama]

I love my $3.49 Good Will Danskos.... and my $15 ebay Danskos... and those Clarks? Got those for under $10! All three pairs were barely worn and I wear them ALL the time. I love my shoes! :)

[Joshin]

There is actually something about this in the Tightwad Gazette, and two different podiatrists said opposing things, one for, one against. Honestly, I grew up on hand me down shoes and get most of my shoes used as an adult and have never had a single issue with my feet. My kids get used boots because most are barely used anyway before a kid outgrows them. Youngest sometimes gets hand me down shoes from older brother, but I rarely get them used tennis shoes because you can't find them unless they are completely worn out.

 

Check the bottoms, especially the edges, for heavy wear. Some people walk on the inside or outside of their feet, which can prematurely wear down shoes. If you are worried about the interior structure of the sole being broken down, invest in an inexpensive insert for the shoes.

[MomtoCandJ]

I don't see any issues with it. Dd would have thrift store boots but she outgrew them before snow came so we had to buy her a brand new pair because the local thrift stores didn't have any her size. She was kinda mad because her thrift store boots were strawberry shortcake.

[SKL]

The part about shoes being formed to someone else's foot, though, and potentially causing damage to a kid's foot because of that.

 

When I was a kid (40 years ago), my mom mentioned this old wives' tale to me upon buying used baby shoes for my kid brother. Nobody in my family had new shoes most of our childhoods (6 of us), and none of us have any foot problems. In fact, I have never known anyone IRL who can trace a physical problem back to second-hand shoes.

 

So someone else's foot preliminarily shaped the shoe. If you buy a shoe from a shoe store, it's not going to exactly match your kid's foot either. What's the difference? Either way each kid has to break in shoes that are new to him.

 

That said, I'd be iffy about used boots, because they could have tiny holes in the soles that you don't discover until you step in a puddle. I guess it depends on what kind of boots you buy.

 

I would definitely blow off anything said by a person concerned about "germs" in second-hand boots/shoes.

[mamakim]

So someone else's foot preliminarily shaped the shoe. If you buy a shoe from a shoe store, it's not going to exactly match your kid's foot either. What's the difference? Either way each kid has to break in shoes that are new to him.

 

This. It's not like there are teams of pediatric podiatrists involved in the creation of every new shoe last by every brand, and even if there were, SKL's point holds - it's not your child's foot.

 

I think that's one of those myths passed down by grandmothers who heard it from shoe salesmen back in the day. This would be the same day when we all got Xrays to fit our shoes, in the shoe store, for the same "reason". Fun Wikipedia article on that here.

[swellmomma]

yes I would and I do, almost every year. This year I didn't need to. Last year right after xmas a store was shutting down and I bought winter boots for 3 of the kids for less than $4 a pair. I didn't get any for dd13, this year she happens to be the same size as me so she wears my boots. But up until this year I have always bought their winter and rain boots at the thrift shop. I also have bought sneakers, skates, and dress shoes at the thrift shop. The only shoes I do not buy there are sandals because they are not in good shape and I can by crocs and flip flops for dirt cheap at the $ store. Oh and ballet slippers must be bought new each year because those actually can not be reshaped to a new foot after a year on someone else, jazz shoes and tap shoes we can buy used though.

[violamama]

Totally. If they have something new enough, cute enough, and the right size enough, gosh darnit we'll buy it and they'll like it.

[Audrey]

Snow boots? Heck yes! Buy used if you can. Word of advice though... if you child is still growing, buy the next size up if they aren't going to be wearing them for another 3-6 months. Go even bigger if they're for further ahead than that.

[Chris in VA]

Agreeing with Audrey--snow boots around here are not daily use, so it's easy to find practically new ones at the thrift store.

 

I'll buy regular shoes for me at the TS, too, but they usually don't have much for dd. I occasionally get her a pair of sandels or something, but mostly buy new. My boys grew up with 2 pair of shoes per size--one dress, one sneaker.

[bettyandbob]

I bought used snow boots, I even found llbean used snow boots. I also bought used rain boots.

[Lisbeth]

We dont buy shoes or underwear at thrift stores.

[Pod's mum]

I used to have a cereal box cut-out for each child's foot in my handbag, so I could check it in shoes if I was op-shopping without them and found good shoes.

My eldest hated buying shoes, so I used the cardboard cut-out to find which ones fit and she only had to try on to confirm. She would scream that they hurt, I'd buy anyway and then next week she'd wear them, no problem. It's often hard to feel where their toes get to, much easier to test with cardboard first.

 

My mum would never let us wear 2nd hand shoes, only clothes. She believed it would ruin our feet. All her grandkids do though, we even pass them between us.

 

ETA Definately with you on the underwear Lisbeth. That needs to be new.

[DawnM]

I do but typically I buy close to new shoes used.....you know, the ones your kids grew out of so fast they didn't get much of a chance to use them?????

[windmillmarie]

I buy used shoes in boots in good shape. My kids will be in them what, maybe 6 months tops before they need a new size?

[Mergath]

We get used boots for dd from the thrift store all the time. I wouldn't buy something like running shoes used, where it's important to have a really good fit, but something like boots, I have no problem getting used.

[Carrie12345]

I will not do used every day shoes, but snowboots? Sure! My kids wear them a couple of times a year. I just paid $40 for my 10yo's because it was my cheapest option, and my only consolation is that her sister will get to wear them a few times someday.

[Durriyyah]

You can find darn near brand new shoes at Goodwill sometimes, so even if you're worried about it, it's still worth a look, especially for shoes you don't wear all the time. My MIL is pretty set that kids need good shoes, and I do look for good shoes, but not all of DD2's shoes are top of the line. I have a pair of Walmart sandals and Stride Rite sneakers. You can also look on CL for shoes. I found a listing the other day where someone had around 20 shoes in just two sizes. How often do you think some of those shoes were worn?

[RoundAbout]

Daily wear shoes - NO.

 

Snow or rain boots - YES.

 

I am very picky about quality kids footwear, but living in SoCal there is no way I will pay full price for boots that get used just a few weeks out of the year if I can help it.

[ScoutTN]

Sure. My kids' rain and snow boots have all come from either thrift store or consignment or yard sale.

They don't wear them that much and new boots are $$. It doesn't snow often enough here to justify spending on new ones.

 

Athletic shoes I usually buy new, but sometimes I find new or nearly new at consignment sales.

[Impish]

Nope, shoes/boots are about the only things I won't buy 2nd hand, if I have a choice. (Ok, underwear, carseats and cribs make that list too)

 

Here, boots are worn for months on end, so finding a decent pair 2nd hand can be difficult to start w/.

[Julie Smith]

I buy, when possible used rain boots, snow boots, and down hill skiing boots.

[swellmomma]

I used to have a cereal box cut-out for each child's foot in my handbag, so I could check it in shoes if I was op-shopping without them and found good shoes.

My eldest hated buying shoes, so I used the cardboard cut-out to find which ones fit and she only had to try on to confirm. She would scream that they hurt, I'd buy anyway and then next week she'd wear them, no problem. It's often hard to feel where their toes get to, much easier to test with cardboard first.

 

My mum would never let us wear 2nd hand shoes, only clothes. She believed it would ruin our feet. All her grandkids do though, we even pass them between us.

 

ETA Definately with you on the underwear Lisbeth. That needs to be new.

 

 

That is brilliant. You would think after 4 kids I would have figured that out, If I happen to be out without them I have to phone home and ask them to check their shoes at home for what size they are currently in.

 

Undies are one of the only things I will not buy used, ever, I don't care how much you can bleach it I can't do it. But I did buy cotton training pants and cloth diapers used so not sure what the difference is, but in my mind there is a huge one

[Reya]

I have messed up feet that mean I wear orthodics almost every day. I always bought new shoes. Dress shoes were always really, really tough for me to buy. I just don't wear them enough to properly break them in so they don't hurt.

 

Then I tried on a pair of dress shoes in a thrift store. The clouds parted! Trumpet sounded! :) They didn't HURT!

 

Now I never want to buy a new pair of dress shoes again.

[Reya]

Tennis shoes I would buy new or virtually new if I were broke. I buy new dress shoes for the kids only because I'm lazy and we have the money. They rarely are wearable after one kid, so I mostly trash them when they are done, but if they're pretty nice, I donate. (I discovered the hard way that most shoes don't last in storage--they discolor.)

 

They hand down snow boots to each other. Wal-mart snowboots are like $12.50, so it's not really a priority for me to make a special trip and hope that the thrift store has some on the right size for $3. $9.50 once every couple of years doesn't mean that much to us.

[J-rap]

We have always gotten used snow boots, plus used everyday shoes and used hockey skates. I'd be least of all worried about snow boots because they are not form fitting. There is no way we could have afforded to buy each of our five children a brand new pair of boots and hockey skates every year. Every pair of boots and skates we owned for many years started off at a thrift store and then went through five children. We have never had foot issues.

 

That being said, a couple of my children have very flat feet, so we sometimes have to put insoles in their boots/shoes.

[AndyJoy]

I buy used snowboots (and shoes) if they're in good condition. I scored for DS a few weeks ago--Cars snowboots in his size for $2.50! I had to pick through a lot of really broken-in pairs because I was buying in a town that gets a lot of snow. The only boots at Walmart were $17 for plain but they only had small toddler sizes, and $22 for Cars! We'll only use the boots 3-4 times so there was no way I would pay that price.

 

My best used shoe find was a $100 pair of Keen sandals for $2 at a garage sale! They're so comfy I could actually possibly see paying that price someday when I wear these ones out!

[Reya]

My best used shoe find was a $100 pair of Keen sandals for $2 at a garage sale! They're so comfy I could actually possibly see paying that price someday when I wear these ones out!

 

 

I have 2 friends who buy approximately 4 and 10 times the number of shoes that I do with exactly my shoe size, so I get their hand-me-downs all the time. :)

[Tammyla]

I donate them every year, but I buy them new.

[Parrothead]

Sorry, I can't wear someone else's shoes or underwear. It is a very big stretch for me to wear someone else's clothes in general.

[Ewe Mama]

Yes, if the soles aren't showing wear and tear (aka like new), I would buy them.

[fraidycat]

The part about shoes being formed to someone else's foot, though, and potentially causing damage to a kid's foot because of that.

 

Yes. This is why my kids wear new and "good quality" shoes. I buy the best I can afford at the time of the need, and if that best happens to be cheapest from Walmart or Payless, then that is what they'll get, as long as they are new. I do realize that many people can't even afford those options, and some shoes are better than no shoes, so we do pass on any useable pairs to places like Goodwill. For the most part my kids completely trash their shoes, though, so they usually end up in the trash.

 

Feet and backs are nothing to mess around with, IMO. Especially in growing children. This is also why I don't scrimp on mattresses. Although, right now, they are both sleeping in Brazilian hammocks and their mattresses are put away.

[Hwin]

We generally buy good shoes even if we have to save up for them (plus, both of the boys have wide, flat feet, so that narrows it down to Stride Rite and similar brands). But the winters have been so mild here that I wouldn't have a problem with used boots.