Details
When the weather outside turns frightful, these boots are SO delightful! Phoenix uppers are made of nothing but the softest leather and are fully-lined with sheepskin to naturally wick away moisture for warm, dry feet. These boots also feature replaceable sheepskin innersoles for long-term comfort.
A zipper on the outside makes this boot easy to put on and take off, and our zero-drop Geo Vibram sole provides excellent traction in mild to moderate winter conditions. Go ahead, don’t let cold weather stop your kids from “blazing” a trail!
(Please see care and sizing tips below to ensure proper sheepskin maintenance and a great fit!)
- Premium shiny pewter leather uppers with black sheepskin
- Durable, flexible and lightweight soles
- Durable Vibram™ 6mm Geo sole with improved traction on snow and ice
- Fully lined with genuine sheepskin featuring replaceable Sheepskin Plus Innersoles
- Roomy toebox
- Can be worn with or without socks
- Designed and handcrafted in Oregon, USA
Phoenix boots are only made in one width. New boots should fit snugly, as the natural sheepskin will stretch, but the length of the boot should not cause your child's toes to curl against the front seam—a sign that the size is too small. Please allow 1–2 weeks lead time for this product.
(Need this boot in a larger size? Outfit the whole family with Youth and Adult sizes!)
Customer Reviews
- Perfect in all ways!! Review by Cori
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We love these boots. Never a cold toe. We're located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They are soft and flexible which I love. The sizing was a little tricky for us, as we were just movIng into the next size up. I still ordered one size big, and while they are too big, the flexibility has made them work. Hoping to get two seasons out of these for that reason. We couldn't be happier. (Posted on 1/20/18)Rating - Really good Review by Popham
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We got these boots (size 7) for our 18 month old for the winter. She loves them! And we love them, too. They are easy to put on, stay on, are warm, and keep her feet dry from snow and light duty wet adventuring in our cold weather location. I use the Bee Natural Leathercare and it seems to work well. Highly recommend. Will buy another pair in future years. (Posted on 12/14/17)Rating - Lovely shoes Review by Malou
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My child loves her golden shoes which makes her pick them every day - perfect choice for her feet I believe.Rating
Only negative thing is that they tend to be a bit wet inside after playing in wet snow. (Posted on 2/6/17) - Just what I've been looking for! Review by Taylor
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These boots are everything I've been wanting for my kids. I kept putting off buying them because I was afraid they would soak through too easily. I decided to give them a try for my 2 year old. She has worn them out in the snow everyday since getting them a couple weeks ago. Her feet stay dry and warm. We've tried several other barefoot brands and these are by far our favorite! Only Soft Star from here now on for us! (Posted on 12/21/16)Rating
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Find Your Child's Size!
You can measure your children's feet at home using a book, a ruler and a wall. You can then see where the measurement fits on our charts below to find the recommended Softstar shoe size.
Note: we no longer recommend tracing feet because it usually gives a larger measurement than the method described below. Our sizing charts work in accordance with the following method.
To measure your child's feet:
- 1. Remove shoes and socks and place your child's bare foot so that the heel is barely touching a wall.
- 2. Place a book on the floor, parallel to the wall, so that it is barely touching the front of the longest toe.
- 3. Move your child's foot away carefully and measure the distance from the book to the wall.
- 4. Look for your measurement on the sizing charts below to find the recommended shoe size.
- Wiggle/growing room is already taken into account.
- If your child is on the border between two sizes then we recommend the larger size.
SANDAL SIZING: Our child sandals tend to run big since they are open-toed and open-heeled.We recommend ordering one size smaller than the recommended size for sandals.
BOOT SIZING: Boots tend to run small due to sheepskin lining and (often) thicker socks. It is usually safe to go up at least one size when buying Soft Star boots for your child. The North Star is a more "fitted" style, so order a wide if you plan to wear with thick socks or if you want a roomy fit.
MOCCASIN NOTES: The good thing about soft, moccasin-style shoes (like the Roo or Viley) is that extra length is generally not a problem, so you can often buy with growing room. Your child's foot will slide right to the front of our moccasins and the excess length will be in the back behind their ankle—no worries about tripping over extra length at the toe. Think of it like a glove for their feet. The moc style shoe is very forgiving if too big, which is a good thing if you are on a budget.
If your child has thick or chubby feet, be sure to indicate you need a wide width. If your child has EXTRA wide feet, please read this.
Printable Stand-On Size Guides
We recommend using the measuring method shown above for the most accurate sizing, but if you'd like a simpler method (especially when measuring squirmy children) then you may want to try our printable size guides. Just print the guide below and follow the instructions on the page.
Note: before you print these guides, make sure your printer settings will not shrink or scale the page. Uncheck any boxes labeled "Fit to Printable Area" and/or set scaling options to "None."
Which style is best for your child?
Use our handy chart below to compare our child shoe styles and find the best fit for your needs. Remember that all Softstar shoes are made from soft, eco-friendly leather and lightweight, flexible soles for healthy foot development. For children in particular, this is important as the bones in their feet are still forming and not fully ossified until ages 9-11. We believe shoes should provide protection from the elements while doing their best to mimic barefoot conditions.
If you cannot see the entire table, swipe left/right or use scrollbar at bottom. You can also download or print this chart for easier viewing:
Download / Print Comparison Chart
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Roo Moccasin |
Rambler |
Classic |
Merry Jane |
Sandal |
North Star |
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| Description | Soft and flexible all around. A cozy slip-on moccasin that allows feet to move and spread naturally. | Similar to our Roo moccasin, but with a rubber sole for better durability on the playground. | The first shoe made by Softstar in 1985, and still a family favorite! Upper is made from a single piece of leather stretched around the shoe for a classy fitted design. | A traditional mary jane style shoe with adjustable buckle strap and stylish scallop trim. | Based on our Classic design, but with an open toe and heel to keep feet cool on hot days.. | Based on our Classic design, but with laces along the side and a genuine sheepskin cuff. |
| Best Use
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Perfect for first walkers with flexibility for early foot development. Cozy to wear around the house and preferred by schools that require soft-soled classroom shoes. Also good for light outdoor play. |
A more durable version of our Roo moccasin. Still a good first walker shoe and great for rough outdoor play. Also acceptable for schools that require soft classroom shoes. |
Great for outdoor play, but can also work for formal occasions with the right colors. A popular winter shoe, as the “closed” design helps keep out water, snow and debris. Adding sheepskin innersoles provides extra warmth on cold days. |
Great for outdoor play or for dressier formal occasions. |
Keeps kids cool on hot days! Open toe and heel not only provide ventilation, but also give a little more growing room before you need to size up. |
Great for keeping feet warm on chilly days! Cuff can be worn down as a winter shoe, or pulled up around the lower calves like a boot. |
| Leather Uppers |
Choose from Suede leather or Smooth Sublime* leather (a slightly softer, more flexible version of our Nova leather). Suede feels cozier, Sublime is easier to clean. |
Smooth Nova leather. |
Smooth Nova leather. |
Smooth Nova leather. |
Smooth Nova leather. |
Smooth Nova leather. |
| Closure |
Elastic (slip-on). |
Elastic (slip-on). |
Velcro. |
Strap with buckle. |
Velcro. |
Laces. |
| Innersole |
Sheepskin only. Our genuine sheepskin fleece naturally wicks moisture and helps keep feet dry. |
Suede, with option to have sheepskin stitched-in if you customize your shoe. You can also purchase separate sheepskin innersoles with instructions to glue onto footbed yourself. |
Suede, with option to have sheepskin stitched-in if you customize your shoe. You can also purchase separate sheepskin innersoles with instructions to glue onto footbed yourself. |
Suede. |
Suede. |
Sheepskin only. Our genuine sheepskin fleece naturally wicks moisture and helps keep feet dry. |
| Outersole See our soling page for more details on different sole types (link below). |
Suede leather sole; will become smooth and shiny with wear. |
Up to child size 7: 4mm rubber Sof-Touch soles. Child sizes 8+: 6mm rubber Pyramid soles. Extra durable 9mm Rugged Trail soles* also available for sizes 8+ (recommended for toddlers who wear through shoes quickly). |
Up to child size 7: 4mm rubber Sof-Touch soles. Child sizes 8+: 6mm rubber Pyramid soles. |
Up to child size 7: 4mm rubber Sof-Touch soles. Child sizes 8+: 6mm rubber Pyramid soles.
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Up to child size 7: 4mm rubber Sof-Touch soles. Child sizes 8+: 6mm rubber Pyramid soles.
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6mm rubber Geo soles. |
| "My child has thick and/or wide feet. Will these work?" | YES! Wide width options are available, and this flexible shoe stretches well to adapt to big feet. Elastic can also be adjusted after shoe is made if more ankle room is needed. |
YES! Wide width options are available, and this shoe will stretch a little to adapt to big feet. Elastic can also be adjusted after shoe is made if more ankle room is needed. |
Fitted design is not as accommodating to extra wide feet as our other styles, but wide width options are available. |
YES! Wide width options are available. This shoe's open front and adjustable strap allow this shoe to easily accommodate large or tall insteps. |
Works well for most wide feet... better than the Classic, but not as roomy as a wide Roo or Rambler. |
Fitted design is not as accommodating to extra wide feet as our other styles. Wide widths are available, but not with the fully lined* option (it is already made wide to account for the extra layer of sheepskin). |
* This feature is only available on select collection colors, or when you design your own.
