Hiking footwear is one of the essential items on any good hikers list. It is so incredibly important to have good and supportive shoes for your kids when hiking. This is especially true on uneven and rugged trails.
Our kids love their hiking shoes and it really does increase their comfort and enjoyment levels when we are out hiking together.
We currently have kids wearing Merrell and Keen hiking shoes, and we plan to purchase some more sandals once summer rolls around again.
Hiking Shoes
Merrell Moab
These are our ultimate shoes of choice. They have a sturdy sole with great grip, perfect for the extremely slippery terrain we usually encounter.
I really love the support these shoes offer inside the shoe too. There is great arch support which really adds a huge boost to the overall comfort of the shoe.
While they don’t advertise as being waterproof, my kids have run through creeks and streams in them and not ended up with soggy socks. So I will say they are semi-waterproof.
I think they are fairly unisex which works great for families where you want to be able to pass shoes down to the next kid. I know my kids’ feet grow insanely fast. I have found that these shoes are still in amazing condition after extensive use.
Keen Targhee
We also really love Keen hiking shoes. They are in my opinion a very solid and well-made shoe fit for the purpose. My daughter has the Keen Targhee low style and finds them incredibly comfortable. They are her shoe of choice even on days we aren’t hiking.
These shoes are definitely waterproof and have been put to the test. Lili jumped in a river last month and the only thing still dry were her socks.
Another bonus I have noted with these shoes is that they don’t smell after a long day of hiking. This is a huge bonus when everyone gets back in the car and takes off their shoes. It can definitely get stinky!
The one drawback that I have found with these shoes is that they have stretchy pull laces. While my daughter loved this style, I found it annoying. It wasn’t long before the laces were stretched out. This was easily remedied by a $2 pair of hiking laces I picked up at the store. This would not deter me from purchasing again in the future though and I still highly recommend these shoes.
Hiking Sandals
Teva Tanza
Everyone always recommended Teva sandals to me but I was convinced they looked too simple to be any good. However, this totally not the case. Their simplicity is what makes them work.
One of the ultimate features of sandals is arch support. It really makes a huge difference. Most sandals these days are flat and offer no support at all.
Children need a lot of support while they are still growing, so I really love Teva sandals. They allow for a super comfortable shoe that is perfect for summer and lots of adventure.
Merrell Panther
Merrell also offers really great supportive sandals for kids. That arch support will do wonders on long summer days.
What I love about these sandals is that they are made of leather so you just know they are going to hold up to a lot of rough and tumble.
They come in lots of different colour combinations so there is going to be the perfect match for every child.
One other point I want to make about these sandals is the super flexible sole. I find it difficult to find sandals for my kids that allow for natural movement of the foot. Often it feels like they are walking on wooden planks for a few weeks while they wear them in a bit. These are ready and soft from day one, which means less tripping over for those really little kids.
Keen Seacamp
I think these Keen sandals are absolutely gorgeous. Not only are they great to look at they are also super comfortable for little feet.
What appeals to me the most is the super-soft inner lining which is made of a similar material to wetsuits. So it is nice and gentle against the foot. The reduced friction means no blisters!
These are a different style to the previous two sandals I have recommended but variety is important. This sandal is more enclosed. It is really a matter of personal preference.
Again these kids sandals have maximum arch support for growing feet. Making sure their shoes support natural foot contours and growth is a very important design feature.
