20 Best Outdoor Shoes For Toddlers (2022 Updated)

I got a pair of these for my toddler grandson about 8 mos ago not knowing his father had a pair of Merrell’s also. My daughter and her husband want to make sure he is wearing a good fitting shoe. My son in law is very pleased with his Merrell’s and has observed that his toddler walks better in this pair than other shoes he has.

I bought him another pair, different color to wear, as he has almost outgrown his first pair. This is a very sturdy, nice fitting shoe of very good quality. I like these as much or more as as Stride Rite shoes that I also buy for our 4 toddler grandchildren.

I just keep buying these in different sizes for each of my boys. They rock. They are so durable. No other shoe can withstand our playground at our preschool and daycare with mulch and rocks and dirt and just the activity level of my boys.

These go an entire season before I must retire them. They are waterproof for puddle splashing and grippy for climbing and walking on unsteady surfaces like rock trails and dirt. Until I found these, I was purchasing tennis shoes way too often.

The size is just right and they are easy for my sons to get on and off. My boys are 2 and 3. 5 yrs old. I know this is a major ask, but I would love to see a light up sole version and more consistently a red color option.

That’s the only thing that would make these shoes better at least in my boys eyes! Thank you.

I bought these for my grandson in need of a new pair of sneakers. I found that they seem to run a little smaller than the shoes I had bought here as well as his Nike sneakers, so I had to return for a larger size.

But with the correct size for his foot he loves them and wears all day long. His only other concern with these is my 3 year old grandson likes to dress himself and these sneakers are a little tougher for him to get on.

The velcro closure gets stuck in the eyelet limiting the opening width. More importantly he says his feet are very soft.

My son loves these shoes as his go anywhere, do anything option. They’re sturdy, fit well, manage the muck and are reasonably easy to get on by himself. My only issue is the draw-cord. It’s pretty long and, I don’t know about your kids, buy mine reef on those things when they put their shoes on.

It’s stretched out even more, so instead of just reaching the toe, it goes beyond and needs a trim. They could probably halve the length and be just fine without that hassle. Otherwise, no issues!.

My son wears day hikers to school in the fall and spring. These hikers are waterproof, whereas his Merrell’s were not. They are comfortable and easy to put on. They do not have toggles, so I bought toggles.

It makes tightening them a lot easier. The only thing I have to figure out it what to do with the longer laces. I could cut them and singe them. It’s worth it though as they are sturdy and comfortable.

I bought these in the next size up for my son, he has wide feet. I’m glad I went a size up as they are snug in the width and not as easy to get on as other kids’ styles from Columbia. They fit good after they are on.

The elastic adjuster works well to tighten the shoe but when he outgrows these I may purchase the velcro style like my daughter has because you can open that style up more to get on easier, we’ll see how these break in as they are getting easier to get on with wear time.

Other than the snug issue putting the shoes on they are a great product. My son has way better traction from the omni grip sole and he can stomp through puddles without getting his socks soaked. He can move on the trails a lot easier and he’s not slipping all over anymore.

I notice he’s moving a lot easier on rugged ground with these shoes. I do like the elastic adjusters so the only thing I would change about these shoes is maybe be able to open them more or be able to pull the tongue down more so they are easier to put on.

This is definitely not a deal breaker because my son loves them. They are overall great shoe if you take your kids hiking and trail walking with you.

We bought the Bison-Black and they look fantastic. The typical Keen quality is present here. We always bought Keen sandals but often used them with socks. I know – sandals with socks. I don’t know why, but Keen sandals start to stink after a long day of barefoot use.

We thought we’d buy shoes this year instead. The soles look like they’ll stand up to some light hiking, walking and bike riding. We’ll also be able to use them in the spring and fall. They have pretty good arch support.

If your child needs a wide shoe, this should be your choice. They do seem to fit big. We bought a size 2 (big kids) – it’s a half size bigger than his other size 2 shoes. Better too big!.

my three year old will absolutely not take these off. she wears them with everything (whether or not they match). they’re not the lightest shoes, but are surprisingly light for how sturdy they are. she has the black/tie dye and gets compliments constantly.

the only drawback is that the neoprene(?) bootie isn’t all that breathable. it’s been pretty hot here, so when we finally get them off her, she’s got sweaty little feet. doesn’t seem to bother her at all though.

My kid definitely likes these shoes, they provide good foot support and comfort for long days walking around. It has the anti-microbe foot bed which is great as it seems to help reduce odor build up in the shoe.

He has worn them with and without socks and seems to have now issues with them. The shoe did seem to run a little bit bigger than his foot size but overall nothing he won’t be able to grow into soon.

He does have slightly wider feet than most kids shoes his size and these still seemed to fit well for him and was pretty true to size.

My LO is 13 months old and started walking at exactly 12 months old. We didn’t understand Sorel’s size guide, so purchased size 5, 6, and 7 during Black Friday sale at $37. 50 per shoe. (My son has chubby feet, but they are not wide and his feet measures 11.

5 cm in length. He generally wears a size 4 US in other brands. ) For the Sorel Toddler Snow Commander boot, he was able to fit a size 5. The recommended size per the guide, size 7, was too big. ) Although we love the black/white design, I ended up returning all 3 pairs because we went with an alternative brand that was sleek, lighter in weight and more comfortable for my son to walk in.

I reached out to customer service about doing a return without using their $6 shipping label return fee and inquired about the size guide. Per customer service, the size guide is a guide for “all” shoes sold by Sorel, and it is not specific to the snow boots.

If you want to do a return using your own shipping method, you will need to include a letter with your contact information, order number, and reason for the return. You may use the packing slip that was included with the order.

First -15 degree day today and my kids’ feet were toasty warm with thick socks. I love how easy it is for them to put them on and tighten themselves. True to size but they are clunky to walk in. Don’t size up in the hopes that they’ll get multiple seasons from them as they’ll have a tough time walking! Overall a warm, stylish boot.

I bought these for my son when he was 1. 5 years old. For new walkers, the boots are heavy and made for a klunky walker. Saying that, I found these boots kept his feet toasty and performed well on slippery surfaces.

We played daily for hours in -20 Alberta weather and I never doubted these boots performance. We are on our third size. The boots get handed down to his sibling for her enjoyment.

We love these shoes! They have become the everyday favorite for my 2. 5 (almost 3) year old. She wears them to daycare, and they are perfect for all-day wear in the fall/winter months. They have good traction for walking & hiking on dirt trails, and the slightly higher ankle keeps out the dust and rocks.

These do seem pretty wide and large for the size. This may be intentional since the barefoot style allows for flexibility and for the toes to spread out. I love this, especially for shoes she wears all day at school.

They are lightweight, very easy on/off and the retro styling is adorable. These are absolutely worth the investment! We will likely get a full year of wear out of them.

These shoes were awesome for our trip hiking the Red Rocks in Sedona. I appreciated that they came in little girl and big girl sizes so my girls could match outfits and provided more substantial ankle support.

They do run wider than regular M sized Merrells but this worked out well with our thicker Smartwool hiking socks so the footwear was super comfortable. I even bought the next size up for each for the future.

The bottoms do not grip as well as other Merrell Trail Ridge Jr sneakers we bought with deeper grooves on the bottom, so I would just watch your kids a little more closely on slippery rocks and in icy conditions.

In any case, these make great everyday shoes. My kids loved them too and preferred them over their other Merrell Trail Ridge Jr. sneakers.

This is the second year I’ve bought these and I will keep buying each year. They are the only shoes that work for his wide feet. The sole is sturdy and flexible – perfect for climbing and exploring. The only downside is the Velcro.

It stopped working after less than 3 months of wear but I filled out the form and Merrell sent us a new pair! With a company that stands by their product like that, I am a loyal customer. I do think it’s important to note that this shoe protects his feet from getting wet while walking briefly in the rain but is not actually waterproof.

Stepping in a puddle will yield a wet foot.

I’m one that never writes a review actually its my first. I hope I can save a lot of moms. As soon as I put my sons feet in the shoes he took off and never looked back. I’m a new mom but Im use to seeing the old school ways I grew up.

My grandmother would put lil bells on mine when I was a little one. These shoes are generational in my family every one had a pair. My baby started walking at 10. 5 months and even better with the hard bottom shoe and ankle support.

I have Spent a lot of money on other pairs of shoes and it all came down too one.

Although my son absolutely hates shoes period, I am in love with these! I immediately noticed the difference in how he stands with these shoes. He has some soft (rubber) bottom shoes and he tends to stand on his top toes with those, but these shoes force him to use his entire foot.

Hey, my mom used then with me and I used them with my daughter, why switch up now? They do run a bit large, but I prefer more room for growth. Only con I have is they’re slippery, but that easily fixed goth a few dabs of glue from s glue gun or scuffing the bottom with sandpaper.

These shoes were perfect when my grand baby started walking. They support his ankles and give a nice platform for walking. They are a little slippery for floors but perfect when walking outside. I would buy them again.

I bought my first pair of Moab series a years ago. Was disappointed and agreed with other reviewers (that I didn’t head the warning) that most of the Moab series are mostly “water-resistant”. A stroll through early morning wet grass and socks and feet were soaked within a few minutes.

This is due to most of the Moab series having what appears to be a mesh material in between the leather strapping that wraps the sides and part of the top of the shoe. I like the look this design gives and the support it creates for wide feet that I have.

As for water proofing. Fail every time. Not sure how Merrell keeps most of the Moab series advertised as “waterproof”. Now for the Moab 2 Prime all leather. The mesh was replaced with full leather strips all the way around.

THIS makes it a sealed leather shoe/boot IMO. I have walked through puddles and even stood in some and my feet remained dry. Does this make the shoe not so breathable? Yes, and that is the point of an actual “waterproof” footwear.

I will say being a veteran and having worn a lot of boots. Even though it’s all leather with little breathability. My feet do not sweat in these boots like they do in others. I think this is due to the outstanding cushioning that makes up the inner side walls of the boot.

Very comfortable and I wear them a vast majority of the time as a person who has a career in the water and wastewater industry. However, when the going gets tuff, I switch to rubber boots with steel toe.

As is a reasonable act to do. The Moab 2 “all leather” is my everyday go to work/hiking boot for legitimate ‘WATERPROOF” footwear. Very durable and comfortable boot. Most definitely waterproof.

First pair I bought on Amazon around June of 2010, it’s now a year and a half later and I’m here to buy a second pair of the same model. My objective was to find a boot that I could wear riding my motorcycle to work, comfortable to work in (a healthcare setting) and also waterproof so it wouldn’t matter if I got urine, vomit, feces, blood, etc on them.

These boots are perfect for my needs, and I see them as versatile enough for backpacking, adventure, and/or security professionals. After a year, there was a spot worn in the Achille’s tendon area from my heel rubbing the material when I slipped the boot on and off.

I sewed in a piece of sacrificial fabric and they lasted another 6 months. Honestly, they could keep going except the waterproofing is shot. I tried spraying them heavily with Kiwi silicone waterproofing but that only kind of worked for a month or so.

But I’m happy with 1. 5 years of service for this quality boot. Better than some of the $80 boots on Amazon that the sole peels off of in 6 months. I’d rather have one pair of these for a year, than two pairs of those.

I have been wearing steal toed boots for 30 years, replacing them about every 2 years so I have worn my fair share of boots. I decided to try out the Merrell Moab Vertex as I have used there hiking boots and love them.

Well this boot is the worst boot I have ever worn, not comfortable, I have a constant blood blister on my middle toe but only on my left foot. Something is digging into my left heal, they are super super stiff.

The laces NEVER stay tied and I mean NEVER, once you do any unusual movement with your foot the laces are loose. the area around the ankle is so stiff you can not tighten the shoe enough to get ankle support with out causing major discomfort elsewhere in the foot.

My laces are pretty much destroyed and I have had the boots for 3 months now. I honestly can not find any positives about this boot. I have emailed customer support with no answer so Doubt I will be buying Merrell boots again.

If you are looking for steal toe work boots I would stay away from these lemons.

These were fine for my 11-12 yr olds 2-3 day backcountry trips with me in terms of rugged soles and decent uppers on dry terrain but he got total soakers on stream crossings where the water level exceeded the lower part of tongue.

I know all boots leak a little through the tongue gusset but these performed exceptionally poorly. One stream crossing early on and he had to deal with sopping socks for the next 8 hours. We kept switching out back and forth with his one extra pair of socks while we tried to dry the other pair outside my pack but the boot liners I guess hold too much water and kept on re-soaking the switched socks.

You’ll need to stick to the dry if these are going to work out for you. Also the lacing bungee wear out very quickly at the top eyelets.

My son never liked Keen shoes in the past, but we wanted to try it again. We wanted to buy his next size up so we had the shoe in our possession, however his typical brand is no where to be found. So we tried this specific shoe (I love Keen shoes myself).

To my surprise, he said he loved it. He liked how comfy it is and how there is air flow into the shoe from the top of the shoe. It does run big, which he wanted for next year, but he will grow into it.

If he is happy, then I am happy and Keen is always a brand that I would trust.

Edit 7/29/2022I’m finally starting to wear down the tread on the boots after extensive use in hiking, music festivals, and working construction because they’re more comfortable than my work boots. But the boots themselves have kept together perfectly.

Gotten plenty of use for the 100 bucks and kept me comfortable every step. Bought these because I love to hike, but never invested in boots for it, but also because I was going t attend a music festival in the WV mountains in some rough terrain.

I wore these on two water filled hikes to break them in and after that period they were beyond comfortable. Especially on the soles of my feet. I thought anti fatigue was a marketing term, but boy was I wrong.

Didn’t take the boots off at the festival except to sleep, and wore them during all my flights to and from the festival. I’ve only had these less than a month but I’ve put them through some real tests on hills, rock, water, and regular walking.

I’m going to continue to buy these for as long as they’re around 100 bucks!.

Used for hiking. Super comfortable. No break-in required for me. Sized same as my running shoe and they fit perfectly with a bit of extra room in toe (as hiking boots should have). I used a coupon so I think I got great bang for buck hiking boot.

From my one experience in mud, they are waterproof. My only complaint is that the material (I got brown) scuffs/gets dirty quickly but cleaned quite well with a wet rag. If you like to keep your boots pristine looking for as long as possible, maybe go a different way.

But if you want a comfortable and affordable hiking boot and are willing to clean them, I’d definitely recommend these. They seemed to have good grip on my one hike experience going downhill on rocks but not sure how they’d do on ice.

I like that these boots are easy to put on but they also fall off easily. At daycare these boots are constantly falling off my daughter’s feet leading to wet socks and an unhappy toddler. The size should be correct because she has boots in a size down from another brand and those are too small.

I’m surprised at all the positive reviews here since I read reviews on another site and one reviewer said they ended up losing a boot while her toddler was riding in her stroller because the boot did not stay on her feet.

There is no way to cinch this boot tighter. The velcro strap is mainly for looks. It is loose and can’t be adjusted. This boot is so disappointing. I’m going to see if I can return these but unlikely since my toddler has already worn them and now I’ve got to look for and purchase another pair of winter boots that stay on toddler feet.

I bought these for my 3-year old. I loved the look and they seemed really easy to get on unlike her older Sorels. Anyhow, I hate these boots. They constantly fall off. They are easy to get on but my kid will be running and a boot will come off.

These do not stay on the feet. There’s no way to tighten the velcro and it’s loose. They are the right size. Another con for these boots is they are so short. The legs of her snowsuit or snow pants constantly comes up over these boots.

There’s not much winter protection from these short boots. I guess these boots will be okay for non-walkers or kids that don’t play in snow outside or kids that won’t be moving. Just be prepared to lose a boot or two.

I read one review on another site that said, that a mom lost one boot pushing her daughter in the stroller. Next year I’m buying a taller more waterproof boot. No TNF.

The shoes are very nice quality. They have nice warm fur on inside. Huge advantage is they are easy on and easy off. The velcro strap is a nice and easy to adjust. I just wish the Velcro strap was not so elastic as I feel it will stretch too much over time.

A little firmer material would be better, Make the strap longer and add more velcro for adjustments. One real complaints are that the boots are short so snow does come in over the top of the shoe, so you have to make sure you put pants over them.

Other complaint is that the tongue on the front is not full height on the sides so snow can come in on the sides as the tongue goes over the sides. The inside rib should extend all the way up to keep snow and or water from coming in.

The upper is not waterproof at all.

These go back to the days where my mother would only allow this type of shoe for first-time walkers in my family! Even thereafter until 2-3 toddler, so I was elated to see that they were still available! Not only that, even better.

They’ve been modernized and are sturdier than ever. They really help my twin granddaughters with keeping their balance, as well as looking adorable. I received so many questions about where did I get them from and so many compliments about how cute they looked.

I highly recommend. Some may feel they are a little pricey but you can’t put a price on a babies feet, ankles and stability, they are well worth it.

The shoes are great quality and value. Great old-School quality like my children wore. !!! Brought this pair for my grandson 9 months. One thing the sole is not slip resistant enough, please add more non-slip material to the soles.

I would buy again.

Brought these shoes for my 9month old Granddaughter. I love the look and the quality is really nice. I actually brought these and some pink Mary Jane hard bottoms.

I bought these boots because I love Timbs, they’re waterproof and look very slick. They look great! The only con is I bought my normal size they were very snug on the sides. I have wide feet. No way could I wear a thick pair of socks and put these on.

Had to exchange for 1/2 size up.

Beautiful hikers! Absolutely nice. Beautiful shoes, and at half the retail going price anywhere!!!! Just an awesome deal, and they fit perfect. True to size. Heck of a deal for genuine Timberland boots! You just can’t beat the $70.

00 price tag, for genuine Timberland boots, with all tags, and in the original box! These are 100% genuine! Not knock offs! My friend has the identical pair, that he bought from a retail Timberland outlet store, and these are absolutely identical in every way and minute detail to his, and he paid $149.

99 plus tax for his! He was soooo jealous! Great boots! I would definitely buy them again, and highly recommend them to anyone who’s looking for a nice pair of genuine Timberland hikers! AAA PLUS!!!!.

We are always looking for barefoot (or at least close to) shoes for our toddler and young kid, for proper foot development. We have had multiple pairs of the Bare Steps Ridge Jr. by Merrell however those have a fatal flaw of the velcro growing weak very quickly and then they can no longer be tightened or held on snug.

I was so excited when this Bare Steps version hit the market! These have been loved and worn lots by my 5- and 2-year olds and thank goodness we have not yet had the velcro fail! They are not truly waterproof, but more water resistant than most kids sneakers, and these happen to work great for us in shoulder seasons as we live in a cooler mountain climate.

We’ve also worn wool socks with them for dry winter days. So far these have been very durable which is fantastic with young boys in the Rocky Mountains. Both boys love the colors, feel of them, and ease of putting them on themselves.

Will definitely purchase these again as our boys grow. Wish the Bare Steps Ridge Jr. was upgraded to this better velcro so that we could keep buying those too!.

Love this hiking boots. They are waterproof, which is great because my 2 year old loves stomping in puddles along the trail. They fit true to size, and are comfortable for long hikes. They are breathable and my daughter doesn’t end the day with sweaty socks.

Love these boots and will be buying the next size up once her feet grow out of them.

I love the Bare Steps line of shoes. They have flat soles so that my son’s feet can grow and develop naturally. The soles are also very flexible and I love that they also come in wide width. These are very durable shoes.

Great for the winter when you don’t need snow/rain boots but you need something high enough to keep the feet dry and warm.

I just want to say, I never write reviews. I think this might be my first on a product ever. My son has cerebral palsy and has worn an AFO on his left leg since he was about 4 years old. Finding shoes to fit such a wide and cumbersome addition to his foot was nearly impossible.

We would spend HOURS trying on shoes, only to try to squeeze on a pair of crocs in desperation over his orthotic. One day while out searching we happened upon a pair of Keen Chandler CNX (at that time, the little kids version), and miracle of miracle, it fit!!! Since then, for the past 6 years, we have ONLY bought Keen Chandler CNX for our son.

The soles withstand his uneven walking, the ridiculous wear and tear from his AFO, and the general craziness of a 10 year old boy. Not only that, but this company has been SO GOOD to people with disabilities who require two different sized pairs of shoes.

I honestly cannot sing their praises enough and tell every parent of kids with orthotics that they need to buy Keen shoes. WE LOVE THIS COMPANY!!.

We are now on our 3rd pair in this style. My nephew has loved these shoes and they have held up great. My nephew received his last pair the same week he got another brands pair of shoes. Within a few months it was shocking the difference in the two pair.

The Keens looked brand new and fit well where the pricer other brand are worn and dingy. These are by far the first pick when dress himself. They have held up to dragging toes while bike riding, jumping in muddy puddles and daily wear and tear.

We are now ready for the next size. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a well fitting shoe that will hold up to wear and tear.

My 5-year-old found these shoes so uncomfortable that she refuses to wear them. She says that they “press her feet on the sides” and also complained that she could feel the bungees through the thin padding of the tongue, which apparently also was intolerable.

I tried to explain how shoes sometimes need to be “broken-in”, but she’s not buying it. She has had 4 previous pairs of Newports that she has had no problem with. Maybe they used a different last for this model? Other than the fact she refuses to keep them on her feet for more than 30 seconds, they seem totally fine in every way.

I’ll be returning these.

I purchased these to replace an old pair of Regatta walking shoes that were worn out. As I was very happy with the fit and quality of Regatta, and being unable to get to shoe shops due to lockdown, I decided to stick with the same make.

I am not disappointed. Sometimes a size 5 can be a little tight depending upon make and style. These fit me perfect as expected in size 5. They are very well padded and appear to be up to the usual very good quality.

I am delighted with the colour, not black but dark navy blue so enough to hide all the muck and scuffs they will get on them. Excellent price and service from Charlies too.

I bought these for my son, he’s 14 and liked the look of them online. I’m pleased to say he was also happy with the fit and they are excellent quality for the price. I’m not an expert and we don’t go hiking all day or anything but these are decent walking boots for his outdoor adventures, (climbing, kayaking, walking in the woods, getting muddy etc.

) I didn’t want to pay the earth for something he will grow out of soon. I would recommend them.

These boots are so comfortable from the first time of putting them on. I wear them for walking the dog and my feet have remained completely dry even walking through wet grass. Plus the heel has a good grip for winter time.

Definitely recommend these boots.

The boots are amazing. Keeps my sons feet warm and he was able to walk in them. I also got them to see if they would help from walking on his tippy toes and they have because of the heaviness of them.

I got them a bigger size and it still fits perfect on him.

My baby boy is growing fast. But these are his go to shoes. He loves wearing them. And I love him wearing them. They are warm and comfortable for his little traveling feet.

The boots were for my son, he loves them. They are comfortable and cute.sizing was perfect .bought matching pair for his dad and he loved them.