Back-to-Preschool Shoe-tacular Review: Buskins

Little Guy wearing his shoes on the first day of the new school year!

I often feel that putting shoes on the feet of non-walking children serves the purposes of either keeping socks on or acting as foot decoration. Of course, I do it anyway, but I do it with a strong focus on comfort for those little feet! Buskins do both quite well! Buskins are self-described as "good for babies with chubby feet" and pride themselves on their velcro design which is easy are to get on. I found that to be very true-- The way that the velcro opens makes it very easy to put baby's foot down in and fasten it up . Buskins are made from 100% leather which is non-skid and incredibly soft and flexible. Buskins offers sizes for babies up to 24 months and the website includes some handy information about sizing, including a printable chart for measuring feet. There are many styles to choose from for both the fellows and the ladies. I have included some of my favorites along the side.

The official review (based on a four-star scale):

Design and Ease of Use ***- Like I said, I found them easy to get on and was able to fasten them as tight as I wanted them to be to keep them on the little guy's feet! It must me be noted, however, that my husband disagreed with me on this ease of use rating, as he struggled quite a bit to get them on!

Materials and Durability *** - Some of my favorite things about these shoes are their super-soft leather and their incredible flexibility. If the little guy ever decides to take up crawling, I feel confident that he will be able to do so comfortably in these shoes. The company does point out on their website that the shoes are not really intended for outdoor use and will not likely hold up well on hard surfaces.

Cost -
$ under $20
$$ $20-$30
$$$ $30-$40
$$$$ over $40

$$ to $$$ - Buskins run anywhere from $28 for the shoe and sandal styles to $39.99 for the Walker boot (shown at right) . Their website is currently offering sales on some items as well as free shipping on orders over $50.

Overall Rating *** - Overall, Buskins make some great first shoes for babies. My only reservation is their own admission about the way that these shoes may not hold up well outside-Little guy spends a lot of time outside, both at school and home and having a shoe that can go back and forth is important to me. I would love to give their "walkers" a try when the time comes, though, as they seem to be both sturdy and flexible. Also, as an added bonus, the company was founded by a mom, looking to do what she felt was best for her kids- Something we can all related to!