Running Shoes
49 products from $40 to $210. Brands include Nike, Asics, New Balance.
Kids' running shoes, priced from $40 to $210, 49 products in total. Brands here include Nike, Asics, New Balance. Every colour and size in stock is listed on the product page, with shoe sizes in US, EU and UK.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much growing room should kids' shoes have?
About a thumb's width between the longest toe and the end of the shoe, checked with the child standing. That allows for growth without the foot sliding forward. A full size of spare room causes the shoe to flex in the wrong place and the heel to slip, which is worse than buying again sooner.
How often should I check my child's shoe size?
Every couple of months during growth spurts. Children usually do not report that shoes have become too tight until they are well past it, so checking is more reliable than asking. Look for pressure marks on the toes and heel, and for the shoe creasing in an unusual place.
Do kids need separate school and sports shoes?
If they do structured sport more than about once a week, yes, and usually it works out cheaper over a year. One pair doing both wears out faster and is compromised for each job. For occasional activity, a single well-fitting pair is generally fine.
Running and sports shoes for kids
Check the fit every few months
Children's feet grow in bursts rather than steadily, and children rarely complain about shoes that are too small until they are much too small. Check the fit every couple of months: press down at the toe with the shoe on and the child standing, and look for roughly a thumb's width of space. Growing room is sensible; a whole size of empty shoe is not, because the foot slides forward and the shoe flexes in the wrong place.
Fastening
- Laces give the best adjustment once a child can tie them reliably.
- Hook-and-loop straps let younger children manage their own shoes, which matters at school and at sport.
- Elastic and toggle systems sit between the two and stay put better than straps once a child is running hard.
One pair or two
A school shoe and a sports shoe do different jobs, and a single pair doing both wears out faster and suits neither. If your child does structured sport more than once a week, a dedicated pair is usually the cheaper outcome over a year, as well as the better-fitting one.
Sizing between brands
Kids' sizing is inconsistent between brands and between a brand's own ranges. The product page lists the sizes the manufacturer supplies, and those numbers are not directly comparable across brands. If you are buying online without trying them, measuring the foot and comparing against that specific model's size run is more reliable than repeating last year's size.
Gear & Gate is an independent retailer, and not an authorised stockist or agent for the brands named here.