pediped Sahara Flex Water Sandal (Toddler/Little Kid),Navy/Pink,28 EU (11-11.5 M US Little Kid)

My son and I prefer minimal shoes, meaning those with great flexibility, low or no rise at the heels, and little cushioning and arch support. In other words as close to bare feet as practical. Most baby and smaller toddler shoes are like this, but it's harder to find in little kids shoes. We've been using whatever vivbarefoot shoes we could find on clearance somewhere (they are very expensive). Closed toe sandals are almost as hard to find. The best widely available, protected toe minimalist kid's sandal is the Nike Sunray Protect. But they don't work at all for kids with wide or high volume feet like my son's. After a lot of looking, we took a chance on the Pediped Flex Sahara because some reviews on other sites were complaining that they were too roomy. Both of us are happy with the result. They are nowhere near as minimal as the Sunrays, but are much roomier, and they are lighter, have less cushioning (lower stack height), more flexibility and less heel lift (I'd guess 4mm) than anything in the wide sizes from Stride Rite or Jumping Jacks. They are also washable and the two white stripes are reflective. My son has worn them for two days now, including lots of running, jumping and climbing and is very happy with them. This is after flat out refusing to take more than a step in a couple of varieties of Stride Rite wides. Note that the Euro sizes are a full size up from normal. The US size equivalents are close, but I wouldn't size up. Note that these may be too loose for kids who don't have wide or high volume feet. I'll update later with durability, but they certainly look to be made of tough materials and to be well put together.UPDATE. Still 5 stars. My son has worn these exclusively for 6 weeks now (he's outside at least 6 hours a day) and they are holding up very well. Only a small amount of wear on the soles and no issues with the stitching. He has worn through a little bit of the fabric next to the rubber toe cap on the toe of the left foot, but that's from dragging his foot on the ground to stop his scooter. He destroyed his previous left shoe (a vivobarefoot rooty) doing that, so the rubber toe pad is really helping out. I've put the sandals in the washing machine a couple of times and also handwashed them in the shower with no problems. They dry out in a couple of hours. All in all, I'm very happy with these sandals.

Definitely Size Down! Otherwise these are fantastic shoes. My daughter loves them and can wear them all day comfortably. The sides are large enough for her feet to breathe but small enough to keep playground wood chips from getting in her shoes. She loves the color and they are easy for her to get on by herself (she is 3). She picks them out almost every day because, as she says, "they are cute, her favorite colors and she can run the fastest on the playground"I cannot speak to durability as we have had them just a few weeks. If they wear out, I will buy another pair. Worth it!

Love these shoes, so cute and they seem very comfy. They run a little large, as stated on Pediped's website description. Order one size down! We haven't had them long yet but they look very well made and all of our other Pedipeds have held up very well.

I bought my son a pair of Sahara sandals a couple of years ago, and was not happy. I ordered a 7-7.5 (a size up for him at the time), and they were HUGE. They didn't fit him until the next summer, when his actual size was a 10-10.5 in all of Pediped's other shoes. I was also not happy with the strap, because it was no thicker than a ribbon with very little velcro. It tended to get twisted, didn't allow for much adjustment, and started to fray. After awhile, one of the straps almost completely detached from the shoe.I was hesitant to buy them again, but since I couldn't find colors I liked in the other styles, I decided to give them another shot. This time I bought 2 pairs-- for my 6 year old and 2 year old. They are much improved. The strap is now made of thicker, more durable material, and the velcro runs about half the length of it, which is great for adjusting the fit. It does not twist, and probably will not easily fray. They do still run big, but not as big. I ordered a size down for my older son (he is an 11-11.5 and I bought the 10-10.5), and a half size down for my toddler (size 6, ordered 5.5). They fit perfect!

Great sandal at a great price! I bought it for my son for next season. This style accommodates his extra wide feet, which is very important when I look for shoes. Even though this brand/design does not say Wide, it fits. Also the shoe is super light weight and flexible, which is great for active boys on playgrounds. I also like the cutouts which provide more breathability. In addition, the machine wash option is great! I am very pleased with this purchase.

My daughter has worn these all summer and they've been fantastic. Better than the Keens she's always had before. The Pedipeds don't get stinky the way Keens do. They're really cute and well made, they dry quickly when wet, and they washed up perfectly in the machine when they got dirty. Plus they protect little toes like a sneaker, while still allowing airflow to keep feet cool in the hot weather. We'll be buying these every summer from now on!

My little one loves the rich red color and the fact that he can 'help' put his shoe on and take off. I love the fact that his foot is protected. The straps are placed very well so that even mulch doesn't get in his shoe. (His older brother has a different pair of Pedipeds that are wonderful in many ways, but somehow allow mulch pieces to get inside. He is always taking off his shoe to dump out the mulch.) The nice thing about all the Pediped sandals is that none of them have given the boys blisters. Previous purchases of Stride Rite, Timberland, and Tevas have left blisters or red marks on their feet. No need to break in the Pedipeds. They were comfy from day one!Only critical point is that the strap sometimes comes undone. Not sure if it is because I need to be better at 'sticking' it down, but it may be because the strap is on the thinner side. Overall, another Pediped winner!

I really like this shoe for my almost 3 year old boy. Nice style and fit. Great everyday play shoe. I do think it fits a little bigger in the length than I expected.