Stonz: The Only Toddler Shoe You Need (No, Really)
I am not a corporate shill. But if I were, it would be for the children’s shoe company Stonz. I have put them in so many gift guides over the years because both my kids have been Stonz-clad since before they could walk and I truly believe they are the best shoe for babies and toddlers, bar none.
You know how sometimes a hot new restaurant opens up and they only have like three things on the menu, but those dishes are exquisite? That’s Stonz. The Cruiser™ is their signature shoe, and she is perfection.
There are three main versions of the Cruiser™: Original, Dressy, and Mary Jane. Here’s the quick breakdown:
Machine washable
Breathable mesh fabric
12 colors, plus natural options
Original, Dressy, and Mary-Jane each comes in two sizes: baby (sizes 4-7) and toddler (sizes 8-12). They broke it down this way because babies and toddlers have very different movement skills and needs. Babies are learning to walk, thus the soles on those shoes are slightly more rounded, whereas toddler shoes are designed provide balance to 3-year-olds running amok.
I don’t want to get too far into specifics about the APMA-recognized design and blah, blah, blah — you can read about that on their website — I just want to impress upon you, in the boldest terms, that these are the easiest shoes to take on and off and the most durable sneakers I’ve encountered.
“It’s just Velcro,” you say. “What’s so special about that?”
First of all, it’s not Velcro. Velcro is proprietary and you may have noticed that if you wash something with Velcro, it gets all f*cked up. These shoes have an “easy-on hook and loop closure” that does not attach itself to my underwear in the dryer.
Secondly, did I mention you can wash and dry them and they’ll be just as good as new? Try putting toddler shoes from Target in the washer. I promise you they will not look pretty on the other side.
Yes, $60 is expensive for a child’s shoe — there’s no disputing that. However, I tend to buy these a size too big and just put on some thick socks until they’re more snug. It works for us. And I’ll pay almost anything if it means I don’t have to argue with my 2-year-old about putting his shoes on.
The Original line has the most color options so I’m putting them here, but you can go to the website to check out the Dressy and Mary Jane versions:
