Seeking the perfect active waterproof boot
Oh, the rain. It has just begun. It will get wetter and colder as days go by. Martha has a question that many of us probably also think about:
With the arrival of wintery weather I'm searching for some boots for my three year old. Last year we used the typical pull on rainboot, but found it to be rather slippery for such an active gal. Does anyone know of any waterproof boots, with better traction, that are more like a hiking boot, yet not so technical that a three year old can put them on herself? Oh yeah - it would be great if they didn't cost the same as her daycare does each month.
Any recommendations? Also, where do you find said boots?
We've had great luck with Western Chief brand (purchased at Nordstrom) pull-on boots. They just seem designed better for daily wear, playground and all. That doesn't answer your question but if you get stuck, you may want to try them. They are great quality.
Posted by: Nic | October 07, 2007 at 10:33 AM
My son, age 3, uses them to climb all over the play structure. I didn't think they were good for it, but he's proven me wrong.
Posted by: mom22 | October 07, 2007 at 11:07 AM
i don't know how difficult they are to get on, but when i was at clogs'n'more for kids yesterday, i saw some really cute waterproof boots by keen - http://www.keenfootwear.com/product_detail.aspx?sku=9509
Posted by: jj | October 07, 2007 at 12:02 PM
They're easy to get on. That's what Fionn has. They are waterproof (for rain) but have good traction and insulation for snow&ice. A little pricey, but they are a good all-purpose boot a child can wear all fall/winter/spring!
Posted by: fionnsnana | October 07, 2007 at 01:39 PM
We just bought some Kamik boots from Sierra Trading Post for the rainy season - great traction, great price.
Posted by: Wendy | October 07, 2007 at 06:01 PM
We had some LL Bean snow boots for my daughter last year. They are waterproof like a normal rain boot but they have a fleece liner, pull cord to tighten at the top and good traction. She loved them and I'll get them again this year. They were about $30 full price. Good luck.
Posted by: Molly | October 08, 2007 at 07:46 AM
We have the Keen Dakota boots that jj mentioned. Philly objects to wearing them because the height is mid-shin. When she runs, it rubs and actually has resulted in abrasions. So, when she wears them, we remind her to wear them with tights or long socks.
We have an extra pair of the dakota boots (size 13) - unused. I bought 2 pairs last year because I was convinced theywere the awesomest boot. Lost the receipt so if anyone wants to buy 'em from me for $20, let me know.
We still haven't found the perfect boot for the Pacific NW fall/winter, but I'm going to check out LL Bean and the Sierra Trading Post.
Posted by: olivia | October 08, 2007 at 10:00 AM
I just got the Kamik Stompup boot for my daughter. It is lightweight, waterproof, has a removable fleece liner, and traction treads on the bottom. I think it's perfect for stomping in puddles, walks in rainy weather, etc (haven't taken them hiking yet). I saw the boots minus liner at OMSI in the water-play area--looks like they got all new boots recently, and I knew I'd like them. The other rain boots have all seemed too heavy. I got them at zappos.com and I think they'll have long life because I can remove the liner for extra room.
Posted by: Rasa | October 08, 2007 at 03:37 PM
I did my own research (research queen here, to a fault, I confess) and came up with the most positive comments on the Kamik Stomp boots which unfortunately are harder to come by then they were last Spring but they're out there -- especially at sierratradingpost.com as Olivia mentioned. They go higher up the legs than most and come in a bit so as not to let splashes of water fall down easily, and they have good traction. I'm planning on getting some ASAP.
Posted by: Marya | October 09, 2007 at 12:09 PM