Recommend a Flat Shoe for Kids

Moggio

Likes Bikes and Dirt
My son is 12, growing seemingly an inch a day and rides a lot. Rather than him riding in running shoes I was going to get him some decent shoes to ride in.

So I don't want to spend too much on shoes because they can only be used for a while until he grows out of them, but need something grippy and flat soled.

I have seen 5:10 make a junior shoe but he may be too big for that. Are there any skate shoes that would be suitable, BMX shoes etc and any recommendations where one could grab them in Sydney? Looking at maybe $100 or so.
 

John U

MTB Precision
Yarra Valley Cycles have 5:10s in all the kids sizes. They're good too. About $120. Cool as fuck. Worth the dough.

Distributor wasn't very helpful in tracking kids sizes down. Suggest you look up who sells them and then ring around yourself.
 
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Moggio

Likes Bikes and Dirt
What about Dunlop Volleys? Surely good enough for a young kid.
Done the volleys and they are okish for grip but are too soft. My son has gone past that level now.

Might go looking for the five ten dirtbags and similar, its just very hard to dig these up and get sizing right if ordering online.
 

Paulie_AU

Likes Dirt
Etnies were my go to shoe for years. Would swap between DH, dirtjumping, park and skateboarding and held up great. Softer sole shoes sucked coming up short on the dirtjumper so tended towards the stiffer variety.

I didn't particularly like the super sticky shoes, felt like a little too much grip (weird that is possible).
 

NUMBER5

Likes Dirt
Our little ones dig DC shoes.... They started on Vans, but the Vans seem to be too soft in the middle with a rigid rim round the out side. DC are alot more like 510s, firmer soles and flatter more consistent sole pattern. I've got a pair of DCs just waiting for my 510s to wear out. Mind you our little ones are too small for 510.
 

Daniel Hale

She fid, he fid, I fidn't
Our little ones dig DC shoes.... They started on Vans, but the Vans seem to be too soft in the middle with a rigid rim round the out side. DC are alot more like 510s, firmer soles and flatter more consistent sole pattern. I've got a pair of DCs just waiting for my 510s to wear out. Mind you our little ones are too small for 510.
Number5 which model DC's?
 

NUMBER5

Likes Dirt
Number5 which model DC's?
Don't really target a certain model as such..... more like look for what's cheap... they've been through a whole bunch, but they're all pretty much the same. They're on these atm. I avoid the honey comb soles.DC.jpgDC1.jpg
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
Don't really target a certain model as such..... more like look for what's cheap... they've been through a whole bunch, but they're all pretty much the same. They're on these atm. I avoid the honey comb soles.View attachment 336018View attachment 336019
Do they still get good grip with these? My daughter has grown out of her kids 5.10s but is still too small for a UK 3. Seems strange that they seem to have a hole between US3 and US5 unless it's just me misinterpreting their sizing charts?
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Do they still get good grip with these? My daughter has grown out of her kids 5.10s but is still too small for a UK 3. Seems strange that they seem to have a hole between US3 and US5 unless it's just me misinterpreting their sizing charts?
I ride something similar on the street (skate park, stairs, wall ride etc) with no worries. I used to ride similar off road without any real issues. With some brands the sole can become brittle after a while and it will then start to loose grip in the rough. Also as the shoes wears down they may begin to feel the pedal pins, I know this happens to me sometime but I am quite likely a fair bit bigger than your spawn.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I ride something similar on the street (skate park, stairs, wall ride etc) with no worries. I used to ride similar off road without any real issues. With some brands the sole can become brittle after a while and it will then start to loose grip in the rough. Also as the shoes wears down they may begin to feel the pedal pins, I know this happens to me sometime but I am quite likely a fair bit bigger than your spawn.
Sweeet. So Volleys or the DCs should be ok then. What do you ride with then?
 

pink poodle

気が狂っている男
Sweeet. So Volleys or the DCs should be ok then. What do you ride with then?
I have a huge collection of sneakers...most street rides I'm in Duffs (remember the days crc had a $400 minImum for free post and they were clearing out Duffs for about $30?), DC, Puma, Nike, or similar in the typical skate style. On dirt these days I've got a few different sets of Teva and 5:10s (I'm a sucked for a shoe clearance!). The Teva slay 5:10 in every regard except for trail cred.

I'm currently wearing an old pair of Lotek bmx shoes rock fishing. Grip on the pedals was gone but they stick to rock like crazy.
 

DMan

shawly the least hangeriest guy on rotorburn
I have a huge collection of sneakers...most street rides I'm in Duffs (remember the days crc had a $400 minImum for free post and they were clearing out Duffs for about $30?), DC, Puma, Nike, or similar in the typical skate style. On dirt these days I've got a few different sets of Teva and 5:10s (I'm a sucked for a shoe clearance!). The Teva slay 5:10 in every regard except for trail cred.

I'm currently wearing an old pair of Lotek bmx shoes rock fishing. Grip on the pedals was gone but they stick to rock like crazy.
Thanks PP, I'll grab a pair of those DCs then.
 
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