I think we all know the challenge of finding the perfect pair of shoes for our outdoor pursuits. Once you find a favorite pair, you can put hundreds of miles on them.
But this becomes all the more complicated when adding a toddler to the mix.
Our toddler wants everything to be soft and fluffy, which it turns out most hiking shoes are not. Because we live in the mountains, I have started to have West wear hiking shoes year round. You never know when you are going to want to scramble up a rock and not be limited by inadequate footwear!
We also put heavy wear on snow boots and water shoes.
We get over 200” of snow a year here, so we put boots to the test and this year I landed on a new favorite.
In the summer, we live by the river – playing with rocks, fishing, and just watching the world go by. Water shoes are notoriously uncomfortable, but this year we have a pair I am excited about.
Here are our winners in the hiking, snow, water categories.
Best Toddler Shoes for Hiking: Merrel Little Kid’s Trail Chaser Shoe
West has hiked in these for two seasons now. Today he proudly proclaimed he could get them on and off by himself, which, if you know toddlers and shoes, is a major victory. They have been put to the test in the Utah desert and mountains of Colorado.
He has never complained about them being uncomfortable. He has hiked over, under, and on top of slick rock and never slid. We really like these.
Best Toddler Shoes for the Water: Teva Toddler Cyclone XLT
The second West took these out of the package he strapped them on. The strap system is easy for a three year old. It also has a large mesh upper, in the place of thin straps. Sandal straps are always the kiss of death when it comes to comfort. The wide band eliminates that challenge. Our whole family wears Tevas by the water. I have even hiked in my sandals. They are sticky in the wet and supportive.
Best Toddler Shoes for the Snow: Bog B-Moc
Finally, a pair of boots that managed to keep our toddler’s feet warm! These are rated to a crazy -22 degrees Fahrenheit. We only put them to the test to 8ish degrees Fahrenheit, but with some wool socks, they did the trick.
We particularly like them for cross-country skiing, when West is in the Burley trailer. Keeping toes warm that aren’t moving is exceptionally hard. West can also pull these on and off easily with the handles.
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