Second Hand Shoes
* Image courtesy of www.shoeblitz.com/
Is it okay to put your children in second hand shoes?
Here’s a debate that has been going on for decades. Should children be wearing second hand shoes? Is it bad for their foot development?
What about adults? Is it different for adult shoes? Are second hand going to be okay on feet that aren’t still growing?
What Does The Complete Tightwad Gazette Have to Say?
Plenty. And I can’t copy it all here. So I’ll try to pick some of the most important bits.
“While stating that there is disagreement among professionals, Dr Lembach (professor at the Ohio College of Pediatric Medicine in Cleveland) said he believes that if a shoe is in good condition, and if it fits properly, it is okay to hand it down….
Dr Lembach practices what he preaches. He has six kids, and shoes are handed down within his family.”
pg 372Opinion is Divided
From what I can gather, some experts that Amy Dacyczyn spoke to were against second-hand shoes while others stated that the “idea that new shoes are essential for proper foot development is “a myth”" (Orthopaedic Surgeon Dennis Wenger, the Complete Tightwad Gazette pg 372).
There are Some Factors That Matter
Experts cited mentioned that proper fit and good condition were important as well as not wearing shoes that had bee passed down from someone with severe bunions (which would stretch the shoe out of shape.
What Do I Think?
I have to admit that I have never actually bought second-hand shoes for my children (or myself for that matter).
That doesn’t mean that they don’t have them.
I’m happy for my children to wear second-hand shoes if I know where they have come from. Handing down from one sibling to the next or getting shoes given to us from friends for example.
HOWEVER, I prefer to always buy my children’s MAIN pair of shoes new. I figure those shoes they are wearing maybe once a week are not going to affect their development too much. And I don’t mind having a back-up pair of sneakers that have been handed down. But the shoes they are wearing day in and day out, I tend to buy new.
For myself, I don’t really have a “main” pair of shoes I wear every day. So I don’t really see it as quite as important to have all new shoes. But I’ve never actually been able to bring myself to purchase second hand shoes in an op shop (new shoes with tags on the other hand….).
What Do You Think?
Are you in the “no second hand shoes” camp? The “second hand shoes rock” camp? Or somewhere in between?
Is it different for children with growing feet as opposed to adults in your mind?
Next Week: Are expensive shoes worth the money?
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If they are in good condition with no out of shape bits, I have no problem with second hand shoes. Not that I buy them, but I certainly use ones handed on to me.
That said, good condition second hand shoes aren’t always easily come by. I know my kids tend to wear holes in their joggers pretty quickly and it tends to be more dressy shoes that get grown out of before they are worn out that get passed along. I have a few pairs of second hand shoes myself and have had no problem with them. And quite frankly they have all been a much better quality of shoe that I’d be able to afford new for myself so it is a real treat for me.
Secondhand shoes are a big no-no for me. As babies and toddlers my kids had new and secondhand since they grew out of them so fast it didn’t matter. Once at school all shoes were new. I grew up wearing my older sister’s hand-me-downs even after my feet were bigger than hers by a half size at least. When my feet were obviously too big to squeeze into them I got “new” shoes from St Vinnies. As soon as I started in my first job I had a small shopping spree. New shoes, new pj’s, I’ve never had secondhand shoes since. I think secondhand shoes that are clean and in good shape, not worn down at the heel are probably okay. (But I’ll never buy them).
I’m not a fan. Shoes are something that you wear into your own shape, so someone elses would never be quite right.
And the thought of wearing something which has had other people’s smelly feet in it doesn’t inspire me!
Heidi requires special boots to stop her toe walking, they have to be her exact foot size and fit very tightly. At $50 a pair they don’t come cheap. She is 3.5yo now and a size 12 - thats 4 shoes sizes a year and 4 really expensive pairs of shoes a year. :: sigh ::
Those shoes can’t be handed down either as she beats the heck out of them and the toe walking really stretches them.
Annie gets one good pair of runners at the beginning of winter and usually needs a new pair by the beginning of summer. She is 5yo and a size 13 - only one up from her sister.
Hubby wears a size 16 shoe and it is impossible to get cheap let alone second hand shoes in that size.
My mum often sends me her old runners as we are the same size. Mum has this thing about clean footwear and usually buys white runners. Once they start getting a few stains she sends them to me. Plenty of wear left in the shoes as mum is in a wheelchair and rarely walks any longer - the shoes are there to keep her feet warm and dry.
*rocking in the corner*
You KNOW what my answer is… and I wouldn’t wear second hand underwear either…
Have seen some marvellous bargains friends have managed to find.
Would if I could but have funny shaped feet (thank you Mother for the bunions) so can never find anything suitable.
Lightening (hello…I’m back after a lengthy sojourn of not being near a computer that wasn’t doing work related things…BORING!)
My eldest has terrible feet. We’ve spent big $$ on expensive, expertly fitted shoes for him. At 8, he still has terrible feet. Any of the shoes he ever wore more than just occasionally, are unsuitable to be handed down as his gait is so awkward/flat feet/etc. His feet are impossibly narrow. Even if most girls shoes weren’t adorned with pink strips, glitter & butterflies, they’d still be too wide….the moral being that both of the younger children have feet that are too wide for his often rarely worn expensive and expertly fitted shoes.
I don’t have issue with the two younger boys wearing handed down shoes - as long as they are not worn down into an obvious pattern of wear. Like you, I like their main pair of shoes to be new. #1’s main shoes are black school shoes. #2 wears handed down elastic sided riding boots (from a friend whose child wouldn’t wear them so they were basically new) or velcro sneakers I had in the cupboard bought on sale for $5 & #3 is into handed down velcro sneakers that #2 wore briefly, or handed down riding boots. Baby’s shoes I purchased new over Summer are now too small (sob).
And in case I miss next week’s discussion, expensive shoes are “generally” not worth it. Most expensive shoes are costly only because of import tarriffs, exclusivity and brand name. Kids can just as easily scuff an imported italian leather boot, as an imported Chinese one. The greater issue is probably in “shoe miles”, or ethical treatment of manufacturing workers. Does anyone make shoes in Australia anymore? Lisa x
I’m in the “no” camp on second-hand shoes. I love second-hand clothes, but shoes need to have good support for growing feet - and pre-worn shoes are not usually able to provide adequate support.
I don’t tend to use second hand shoes unless they are in near new condition but I hate buying expensive shoes for the kids. Especiallt the toddlers who get hardly any wear out of them before their feet grow to the next size.
Hmmmm, yes and No.
I have used 2nd hand shoes and also buy new.