Smart Kids' Shoes

While doing my usual evening reading of Jezebel yesterday, I spotted a link to these bizarre (yet kind of brilliant?) Inchworm shoes that grow with your kids' feet. All you have to do is push a button on the side of the shoe, pull on the toe, and presto: You've got a larger shoe for your child's growing-bigger-every-second feet. They're not a bargain—the "Stretch" model, the most stylish one (in my opinion anyway), is $79. But I might cough up that much for sneakers my kid wouldn't outgrow 10 minutes after I bought them. What do you think—would you be willing to take a chance on adjustable shoes?

Comments

[Kathleen]

This is a great idea...but I wonder how practical it is. I mean my son is rough on his shoes and even if he doesn't grow out of them, he definitely wears them out. I would question how durable and long-lasting they are for that price.

[Ann]

It's a great idea as long as the shoes are durable. My daughter is very rough on shoes. They are usually worn out and begging for mercy by the time she outgrows them! With older kids you've got to worry about their ever-evolving taste in shoes. Are they really going to want to wear the same sneakers for 3 years straight?? (Imagine the smell!!!) :)

[Sandy]

I definitely would not buy them. I buy shoes for my kids at Target, where they cost at most $15. So for the 3 sizes covered by the Inchworms, it costs me $45. I'd rather spend the money on an extra pair - sneakers plus sandals.

Besides, I think the Inchworms are pretty ugly.

[Annie]

This is a gimmick and I predict a very short lifecycle for this product.

What they're missing completely is that a child's feet will grow in girth as well as length.

Growing feet, and looking after them by buying shoes that fit correctly all around the foot are too important to me - feet can be damaged by ill fitting shoes.

[Reyna]

i think the intentions for these shoes was good, but I don't think my kids would like them. They aren't a very good-looking shoe. Besides that, many times it isn't that my kids outgrow their shoes that I have to buy new ones. Rather, the dog gets ahold of one or they lose one or forget them at Uncle's house two states away!

[Jaimee]

I would not buy this because my kids usually wear out instead of grow out of their shoes.

[Bobbi Jo]

I would not by these shoes only because of the cost. Like many of the others have stated, children are very hard on clothing, especially shoes. I have a two year old son and he loves nothing better than to play in the dirt/mud. I will not spend a lot of money on shoes to be ruined and I am not about to keep him locked in the house or on a leash. But I must say that I do like the shoes and would by them if they were more affordable. He is a big boy and his feet are an odd size even for his young age and I often have a hard time getting shoes that fit nicely.

[Gracie Claire]

Great invention!! I got a pair of those shoes for my nephew one and half years back. Size is really expand these shoes for work long.