Recommend a Flat Shoe for Kids

[stinky1138]

So what do you recommend while I wait for her to grow into 5-10s?

There's nothing wrong with DC or Vans or Etnies or Es or any of them. But a vulc doesn't ride the same as a cupsole... it's pretty much like saying 5.10s are exactly the same as Shimano.

Try these https://www.boardstore.com.au/etnies-youth-marana-black-black/

 

[pink poodle]

If you're not sure what stinky is talking about Dman, it is the way the sole and upper of the shoe joins. Honestly I'm not sure I've ever noticed a difference between a vulcanised or cup soled shoes , but I may not have paid any attention.

 

[Norco Maniac]

Vans and bear trap pedals are the go. You can pick up vans cheap on run-out tables, and there's an eBay store (lmuskett) that sells decent beartrap repos cheaply. We swear by them for retro racing the bmx's, I was sceptical first but the diamond grip does lock in nicely. Nice and stiff for pedalling, shit to walk very far in tho.

 

[DMan]

Vans and bear trap pedals are the go. You can pick up vans cheap on run-out tables, and there's an eBay store (lmuskett) that sells decent beartrap repos cheaply. We swear by them for retro racing the bmx's, I was sceptical first but the diamond grip does lock in nicely. Nice and stiff for pedalling, shit to walk very far in tho.

Sounds great. If they work for you racing I have NO doubt they'll be suitable for a little MTBing 7 year old.

 

[DMan]

If you're not sure what stinky is talking about Dman, it is the way the sole and upper of the shoe joins. Honestly I'm not sure I've ever noticed a difference between a vulcanised or cup soled shoes , but I may not have paid any attention.

I just thought it was something to do with Star Trek before Vulcan was destroyed. I was obviously quite wrong...

 

[stinky1138]

If you're not sure what stinky is talking about Dman, it is the way the sole and upper of the shoe joins. Honestly I'm not sure I've ever noticed a difference between a vulcanised or cup soled shoes , but I may not have paid any attention.

To me it's like riding two different bikes. A vulcanised shoe will have more flex and are generally a little thinner. You get more feel and control. A cupsole is thicker and stiffer. More protection but at the cost of feel. The kids Marana ia a cupsole and built exactly they same as the adult version. I've never used them but they are very well regarded. At $60 i was going to grab a pair for myself.

As for the flats. DMR V6. Fully nylon including pins so shinners won't cut you open. The pins are full length so they grip like anything. Come in about 1200 colours and are $20 from Pushys. Plus only weigh in at ~320g, same as an Electron.

 

[DMan]

To me it's like riding two different bikes. A vulcanised shoe will have more flex and are generally a little thinner. You get more feel and control. A cupsole is thicker and stiffer. More protection but at the cost of feel. The kids Marana ia a cupsole and built exactly they same as the adult version. I've never used them but they are very well regarded. At $60 i was going to grab a pair for myself.

As for the flats. DMR V6. Fully nylon including pins so shinners won't cut you open. The pins are full length so they grip like anything. Come in about 1200 colours and are $20 from Pushys. Plus only weigh in at ~320g, same as an Electron.

Sold. And Funnily enough I was just looking at DMR pedals. I've always run them and was planning on grabbing a pair for her too.

 

[Norco Maniac]

Sounds great. If they work for you racing I have NO doubt they'll be suitable for a little MTBing 7 year old.

Most of our retro racing kids here in SA use the combo too, it does work well.

 

[stinky1138]

Sold. And Funnily enough I was just looking at DMR pedals. I've always run them and was planning on grabbing a pair for her too.

Sorry, I tend to make leaps in my own mind and don't always consider that other people might not take the same route...

If you are wanting your kids to go onto 5.10s, then 110% go with a cupsole style kids shoe. 5.10s are a cupsole as well. I am an adult, but more often than not I buy kids shoes. Given the choice of shoes in my size that are also for adults AND riding is about....well, 5.10 or Shimano...I've pretty much always has a vulcanized shoe, almost always Vans. I love Vans, the pedal feel and grip is so much better than 5.10 or any "mtb shoe" IMPO. But because I've grown so accustomed to a flexible Vulc shoe, I pretty much can't run a cupsole without getting angry at my lack of pedal feel. I hate 5.10s, had my worst ever stack in them due to my lighter weight not being able to bend the sole combined with the lack of pedal feel (both feet bounced off just before a jump on a trail, it was not fun).

As for the V6, it's the same profile as the V12. I wouldn't even consider graduating to a metal pedal the V6 is so boss. But then it will have the advantage of being a familiar shape and feel.

Anyway, good luck.