Brendan Hughes

Right, I think I'm going to spend ages trawling through any earlier posts you buggers might have made about "the youth of today", parents losing control, when I were a lad, etc etc...

Before I get any more of the above - he's agreed to the style. And I won't waste money on something he refuses to wear, we've already made that mistake, so yes he'll like whatever we get.

Any constructive comments please?

[Edited by Brendan Hughes - 10/6/2003 9:36:13 PM]

Brendan Hughes

Right, first things first. If you want to accuse me of being an old fogey - I am. So save your keystrokes.

15 yr old son wants new footwear for kicking around in. He does almost no sport outside PE classes, though has started urban mountain biking. He'd like hyper-trendy trainers - AFAIAC he can forget it, I'm not spending a fortune on wasted technology just so he can be at the top of the fashion tree. (He has no income, so can't save for his own).

We'd like him to get leather shoes of sorts (eg deck shoes, moccasins) but understandably he doesn't want to be this square.

I don't mind paying money to get him some "long-distance walking" shoes, with low ankle support - sort of North Face, Salomon, Timberland etc for the same price as AdiNike trainers but perhaps more suited for what he does. I'm interested in foot support, shape, breathability.

Can anyone say if the shoes that look like they are for lightweight backpackers (eg Timberlands) like this



are really better for a walker than Nike cross trainers, or are they all the same thing inside but with a different image?

Cheers
Brendan

yoza

His choice surely, let him have what ever trainer he wants/or you can afford.

RichiW

I'm with Yoza, what did your Dad know about what you wanted/needed at 15?!!

Sweet F.A.!

ProperCharlie

nah - get him some clogs

very hard wearing.

ozzy

yeah, let the kid wear what he wants. If they cost more, make him work some chores to pay for them - wash your car for starters.

There's no way on God's earth did I let my Dad pick any of my clothes when I was that age.

If you make him wear something you've picked he'll be in therapy for years

Stefan

P.S. You old fart

Poor Guy

i wear semi tainer semi walkin shoes. love em.

tough and sporty.

Gus M

Give him a set amount and let him buy his own.

Poor Guy

buy him some £2 plimsels. tell him, shoes, or no shoes.


he'll buy his own.

jbryant

As long as they have a brand name on them, he may be cool with them. They should last longer than the AdiNikes, but whether he gets them depends on how confident he is of being a 'pack leader' rather than just following his mates down the usual trainer route.

Bear in mind that many of the sturdier walking shoes will be heavier than regular trainers. I have boots/shoes from Cats, Solomon, Timberland, etc, and although they're all great I still often choose to wear a pair of trainers if I'm just popping into town due to the simple fact that the others are heavier and almost too sturdy... It's like sometimes you just want to wear a pair of really thick fluffy socks. Not practical but they feel nice and comfy

Joolz

ozzy

OK, more seriously Nike cross trainers are **** for walking or trekking. OK, if you want a lightweight running shoe for cross-country, but absolutely useless for doing any proper walking especially when it's a bit wet and rocky.

Trail a few months back did some test of shoes. Have a look at the following:-

The North Face MT TAM Low - £55
Meindl Magic 2.0 XCR - £75
Merrell Motovator - £65
Teva Ocho - £55
Montrail Java GTX - £80
Aigle Advance Low - £70
Karrimor KSB Vapour Trail - £55
Boreal Kronos - £70
Raichle Cave Low GTX CTR - £80
Scarpa Lite - £80

My personal faves are the Karrimor & Montrail.

You say he does no sport outside PE, so why do you want him to buy lightweight shoes designed for walkers? does he do a lot of walking or trekking?

If so, get one of the above. If not, then it makes absolutely no difference.

Stefan

mwp

LOL@Charlie

Brendan Hughes

ozzy and jbryant - thanks.

Fair point about them being heavier than trainers. He'll still have his PE trainers if necessary, but we're trying to wean him off them. Athlete's foot ain't nice, as he's found out. Hence my concerns about breathability.

We're really looking for a mid-weight, between the high-ankle Hi-Tech hikers he has for long hiking/winter, and the Teva sandals we'll get him for the hot summer here.

Ta for your list Stefan, not sure I've ever seen those brands for sale here!! Hence my quote for Timberlands, it seems to be all we have.

I can go for AdiNikes if the only difference btwn them and Timberlands/Salomons is marketing - one more sporty, one more trekky. But I assume the trekky one is genuinely better for the feet for long periods of time, hence my preference. I assume trainers are good for 2-3 hrs, trekkers are for 8-10 hours.

We'll keep looking.

Taff107

Gt 'em ordered from here'

http://www.mandmsports.com/

Cheap as chips! (How do you make them clicky?)

ozzy

Your fashion trainers are designed just for that - posing about town in good weather. An average pair of trainers will literally fall apart after very little use trekking.

Trainers come in different classes and are designed for specific sports i.e. racquet games, running, cross-country, track, etc.. They're all specific, so a running shoe won't give your foot the ankle support for trekking over rocky or rough ground.

The lightweight shoes are much sturdier, longer lasting and designed for multi-activities i.e. walking, off-road running, cycling, a go everywhere trainer.

They've got proper soles (like vibram found on proper hiking boots) for good grip in different weather conditions and on multi-surfaces. They should be waterproof (to a point) and some will even have a Gortex liner (Montrail for example).

Timberlands have no name in walking/trekking circles as they are more of a fashion brand nowadays.

Really depends how serious he is or is going to be. Any good outdoors shop should stock most of the brands above. You'll certainly not find them in a sports shop.

Stefan

Simon S3

I`ve had a pair of Merrells for ages, top quality shoe.

But...... I`m 32 so don`t give a fat rat`s **** about fashion and I bought them in Canada for about 30 quid!

DRUNKNORGY

Give him a Budget, let him chose, He will think your cool for it, but warn him they need to last until (X), so don't bring home any rubbish which will fall apart after 4 weeks. IMO A budget of £50 should give him some choice in the branded labels.
My bike boots (Frank Thomas Carbon, made in Italy) cost me £90 in a sale 2 1/2 years ago(reduced from £180) They have paid for themselves a couple of times now and although seemed expensive at the time have proved a good buy with a few years left in them yet
Kids are just expensive. You shouldn't have joined if you couldn't take a joke

Brendan Hughes

You mean Scoobynet, or the Parents Club?

StickyMicky

i rember my dad buying trianers for me when i was a kid and i fooken hated it,

let him buy his own with a set budget

Dracoro

Just educate him on how Nike etc. support the slave trade in under developed countries and that it's morally wrong to buy & wear them.

As with all kids, he probably has a distorted view of what 'cool' is. Does he really like following the herd like a sheep?

StickyMicky

the same as your version is cool will probably be distorted, compared with a bloke whos 70 years old?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

OK: I've got two lads who span your lads age, one 17, the other 14.
The eldest is into Mountain Bike trials, (DON'T get me started on that: the cost of repairing an already expensive bike[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]), and wears "Vans" skateboard type shoes. They are suppsed to give support and grip the pedals well.

The youngest sets the fashion for his group, and is in Nikes at the mo.

I tend to let the younger one have what he wants, as his shoes last ages, whilst the eldest has restrictions put on: he can go through a pair in 6 months!
I get him to search out cheap places to buy, and we get 'em from there.
NO WAY would I try to tell either which type to wear: I remember my old man restricting what I could and couldn't wear, and how I had my hair cut, and how miserable it made me.
Alcazar

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

IIRC my parents stopped paying for my footwear when I was 13-14, pocket money / part-time jobs had to fund them from that point, but I can't remember them ever picking trainers for me.

I always wear AdiNikes (have done for many, many years) they last about 6 months (1500 walking miles) before I wear through the sole.

CheekyChimp

if your son's into his metal like I was get him a bloody big pair of DM's or second hand army boots, they're comfortable and durable and never did me any harm. Been wearing em for about seven years now