Shoe is Customizable

Child/Youth Rugged Rambler

27 Reviews
From:
$80.00

Get all the indoor/outdoor versatility of our Rambler... and then some! The Rugged Rambler children's slip-on shoes deliver added durability and traction without sacrificing comfort.

New and improved! Rugged Ramblers now feature 5mm Lightning soles with 3.5mm midsoles for optimal flexibility, durability and traction.

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Rugged Rambler Sole

Our Rugged Rambler children's slip-on shoe is perfect for kids who are especially tough on their shoes. Made with durable Lightning rubber soling, this style features the same comfort and fit as our regular Rambler, but built for heavy-duty use on playgrounds, trails or wherever adventure beckons. Elastic concealed in the ankle seam secures this rugged slip-on shoe to the foot while enabling the wearer to slip it on and off with ease.

The full grain leather Rugged Rambler comes equipped with our suede innersole, and genuine sheepskin insoles can be added to this rugged slip-on shoe for moisture wicking temperature regulation from summer to winter.

  • Durable 5mm Lightning rubber sole + 3.5mm midsole.
  • Suede innersoles (sheepskin insoles can be added separately).
  • Indoor/outdoor shoe.
  • Elastic ankle closure... easy on, easy off!
  • Handcrafted in USA from premium, responsibly-sourced leathers.

You can measure your feet or your child's feet at home using a book, a ruler and a wall. You can then see where the measurement fits on our unisex shoe size chart to find the recommended shoe size.


Measure Your Feet...

sizing-feet-steps
Place bare foot with heel barely touching the wall and longest toe barely touching the flat spine of a book. Step away carefully and measure the distance from the wall to the book.

... and Find Your Size

Once you have the measurement, look for it on the charts below to find the recommended Softstar shoe size. Contact us if you have questions.

Note: we do not recommend tracing feet because doing so usually gives a larger measurement.

Softstar Adult
Shoe Size
US Shoe Size Foot Length Foot Width
5 Unisex 4.5 - 5 Mens
5.5 - 6 Womens
22.2 - 23.0 cm Regular: 8.1 - 9.8 cm
Wide: 9.9+ cm
6 Unisex 5.5 - 6 Mens
6.5 - 7 Womens
23.0 - 23.9 cm Regular: 8.4 - 10.1 cm
Wide: 10.2+ cm
7 Unisex 6.5 - 7 Mens
7.5 - 8 Womens
23.9 - 24.7 cm Regular: 8.7 - 10.4 cm
Wide: 10.5+ cm
8 Unisex 7.5 - 8 Mens
8.5 - 9 Womens
24.7 - 25.6 cm Regular: 9.1 - 10.8 cm
Wide: 10.9+ cm
9 Unisex 8.5 - 9 Mens
9.5 - 10 Womens
25.6 - 26.4 cm Regular: 9.3 - 11.0 cm
Wide: 11.1+ cm
10 Unisex 9.5 - 10 Mens
10.5 - 11 Womens
26.4 - 27.3 cm Regular: 9.6 - 11.3 cm
Wide: 11.4+ cm
11 Unisex 10.5 - 11 Mens
11.5 - 12 Womens
27.3 - 28.1 cm Regular: 9.9 - 11.6 cm
Wide: 11.7+ cm
12 Unisex 11.5 - 12 Mens
12.5 - 13 Womens
28.1 - 28.9 cm Regular: 10.2 - 11.9 cm
Wide: 12.0+ cm
13 Unisex 12.5 - 13 Mens 28.9 - 29.8 cm Regular: 10.5 - 12.2 cm
Wide: 12.3+ cm
14 Unisex 13.5 - 14 Mens 29.8 - 30.5 cm Regular: 10.9 - 12.6 cm
Wide: 12.7+ cm
15 Unisex 14.5 - 15 Mens 30.5 - 31.4 cm Regular: 11.2 - 12.9 cm
Wide: 13.0+ cm
  1. This chart accounts for growing room.
  2. Many of our youth sizes end at size 4Y. In these cases, you can find the next size up in our adult category starting with size 5U (adult unisex). Note that measurements differ slightly for sizes that overlap on both our youth and adult sizing charts because the youth chart accounts for growing room and the adult chart does not.
Softstar Youth
Shoe Size
Approx Age Range Foot Length Regular Width
1Y 4 - 6 Years 18.5 - 19.4 cm 6.4 - 8.0 cm
2Y 5 - 8 Years 19.4 - 20.2 cm 6.7 - 8.3 cm
3Y 5 - 8 Years 20.2 - 21.0 cm 7.3 - 8.9 cm
4Y 6 - 10 Years 21.0 - 21.9 cm 7.5 - 9.1 cm
5Y/5U 6 - 10 Years 21.9 - 22.7 cm 8.1 - 9.8 cm
6Y/6U 8 - 10 Years 22.7 - 23.6 cm 8.4 - 10.1 cm
  1. This chart accounts for growing room.
Child Size Approx Age Range Foot Length Regular Width
2 0 - 6 months ≤ 10.2 cm 4.3 - 5.9 cm
3 6 - 12 months 10.2 - 11.1 cm 4.6 - 6.2 cm
4 12 - 18 months 11.1 - 11.9 cm 5.0 - 6.6 cm
5 18 months 11.9 - 12.8 cm 5.3 - 6.9 cm
6 18 - 24 months 12.8 - 13.6 cm 5.6 - 7.2 cm
7 2 years 13.6 - 14.5 cm 5.7 - 7.3 cm
8 2 - 3 years 14.5 - 15.3 cm 6.0 - 7.6 cm
9 3 years 15.3 - 16.2 cm 6.4 - 8.0 cm
10 3 - 4 years 16.2 - 17.0 cm 6.7 - 8.3 cm
11 4 - 6 years 17.0 - 17.9 cm 7.1 - 8.7 cm
12 4 - 6 years 17.9 - 18.7 cm 7.5 - 9.1 cm

Want Sizing Detail by Style?

OR: Try Our Printable Stand-On Sizing Guides

Our printable shoe size charts provide another way to help you find the best fit for your feet. These are especially useful for small children who don't like to sit still. Just print the guide for the appropriate age group below and follow the instructions on the page.

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."

Shoe Care

We want you to get the most out of your Softstar shoes. Follow the guide below for tips on keeping your shoes clean and maintained.

Click these links to jump to tips for specific materials:

 



Care Tips for Full Grain (smooth) Leather Shoes

Includes Sublime, Nova, Dublin, Highline, Torino, Shiny, LITE, Plonge, Aged, and Vegetable-Tanned Leathers

WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE:

Softstar Shoes are made from eco-friendly leathers tanned in the USA. Leather is a natural product and some variation in texture and hide markings is to be expected. Because we use leather colored with non-toxic food grade dyes, there will likely be some initial color transfer to your socks or skin if your shoes become damp. This will decrease with use, but we don't recommend wearing your new Softstars with your favorite white socks the first time you take them for a spin.

If your shoes are a little snug at first in the toe box area, you can gently stretch them by stuffing the toe box with a dry cloth. Push the cloth tightly into the front of the shoe and let sit stuffed overnight to stretch. Do not use a damp cloth as the water can stain the leather or innersole of some leather types, rendering it non-returnable.

MAINTENANCE:

Most full grain leather we use is naturally water resistant, but our special vegetable-tanned leather (available only by custom selection on some of our design-your-own shoes) and Colorado leather are "naked" leathers and will stain from water alone. You can clean shoes as needed with water dampened cloth and let air dry, but please note if you do this on vegetable-tanned or Colorado leather then you will need to wet/stain the entire shoe to avoid water marks. Condition the leather as often as desired with any quality leather dressing, but be careful to keep it away from the edges of your rubber soles. Do not use mink oil on your shoes, as it can degrade the adhesion on bonded soles and cause the sole to separate from your shoe over time. We highly recommend Bee Natural Amore for general conditioning or Rain & Snow or Nikwax Full Grain Waterproofing on smooth leather for enhanced water resistance. The color on shiny metallic shoes will eventually patina with use into an antique wear look, which can be accelerated with repeated use to water and high wear (e.g. scuffing toes).

WASHING:

We do not recommend frequent washing of any leather product as it strips the leather of it's natural oils and tends to dry stiffer. For all of our leathers (except vegetable-tanned) you can clean by hand with a damp cloth, or if needed you can hand wash your leather shoes using a gentle shampoo and cool water. Let them air dry. Do not attempt to dry your shoes by exposing them to high heat, such as a clothes dryer, a hair dryer or by leaving them on a radiator or next to a fire. Doing so may damage leather or rubber soles.

We are often asked if our shoes can be washed in a washing machine. While not recommended as a normal course of action, when in dire straits the Elves have been known to toss a pair of shoes in the machine and generally have had good results. Just don't mix them with any other item because of color bleeding. Shoes with sheepskin can take 3-4 days to air dry if fully submerged in water, but you can speed up the drying by stuffing with old newspapers and replacing the paper twice a day.

 



Care Tips for Suede and Nubuck Shoes

WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE:

Softstar Shoes are made from eco-friendly, tanned in USA leathers. Leather is a natural product and some variation in texture and markings is to be expected. Because we use natural food grade dyes in our leather, there will likely be some initial color transference to your socks or skin if your shoes become damp. This will decrease with use, but please do not wear your new Soft Stars with your favorite white socks the first time you take them for a spin!

If your shoes are a little snug at first across the top of the toes, you can gently stretch them by stuffing the toe box with a slightly damp rag. Push the cloth tightly into the front of the shoe (don't worry, you won't hurt it). Let the stuffing sit in the shoes overnight to stretch the leather.

MAINTENANCE:

Use a suede brush to remove dirt. You can also choose to use a suede/nubuck leather care product to protect against stains and water absorption (we recommend Nikwax Nubuck & Suede Proof). While not necessary, it will help keep your shoes looking new over time. Do not use generic leather care products on suede, but only those specifically formulated for suede. Products for full grain or smooth leather will be too oily and may permanently darken and mat suede fibers. Please do not use mink oil on any Softstar shoes as it will mat the fibers of our natural leather and will break down the adhesive soling on styles that have bonded soles.

Over time, suede outsoles naturally develop a smoother surface with wear If you’d like to refresh the texture and add some extra grip back, a quick touch-up with a suede brush can easily restore the nap.

WASHING:

We do not recommend frequent washing of any leather product because it will strip the leather of it's natural oils and cause it to dry stiffer. When a suede brush is not enough, you can use a damp cloth or hand wash your suede shoes with a gentle shampoo and cool water, then let them air dry. Do not attempt to dry your shoes by exposing them to high heat, such as a clothes dryer, a hair dryer or by leaving them on a radiator or next to a fire. Doing so may damage leather or rubber soles.

We are often asked if our shoes can be washed in a washing machine. While not recommended as a normal course of action, when in dire straits the Elves have been known to toss a pair of shoes in the machine and generally have had good results—just don't mix them with any other item because of color bleeding. Be sure to give your wet shoes ample time to air dry. Shoes with sheepskin can take 3-4 days to air dry if fully submerged in water, but you can speed up the drying process by stuffing them with old newspapers and replacing the paper twice a day.

 



Care Tips for Sheepskin Boots

Softstar Phoenix boots are made from genuine, high quality sheepskin.

While genuine sheepskin is incredibly cozy and beautiful, it is also delicate and will stretch under strain. When wearing your Phoenix boots, use care to avoid stepping off the back or sides of your heels while you walk as doing so repeatedly can affect the shape of the boots and alter the way they fit. The best way to prevent this is by insuring you purchase the correct size. For adults, we recommend selecting a boot size that fits very snugly at first, as they will stretch over time. For children, growing room is important, so a little extra space is recommended. If possible, have your kids wear their boots the first few times on dryer days to give them time to form to their feet.

The boot uppers are made from eco-friendly leathers that are tanned in the USA. Our leather hides are natural products and some variation in texture and markings is to be expected. If you need to clean your boots, wash gently by hand with a damp cloth and let them air dry.

Condition the leather as often as desired with any quality leather care product, but take care not to get any oils on the edges of the rubber soles. Mink oil, specifically, will degrade the sole adhesion and can lead to separation of soling over time—we do not recommend the use of mink oil anywhere on our boots, as it can eventually seep down to the sole. For general conditioning we recommend Bee Natural Amore, For enhanced moisture protection we recommend Bee Natural Rain and Snow or Nikwax Full Grain Waterproofing. Be careful to use these products only on the smooth leather portion of the shoes and not on the suede cuffs (leather care products designed for the full grain leather uppers may permanently darken suede). It is not necessary to apply a suede protectant or waterproofing to the cuffs, but doing so may help keep that portion of the boot looking clean. If you do choose to add extra protection to the suede, be careful to use a product specifically made for suede leather.

Sheepskin boots can take 3-4 days to air dry if fully soaked with water. You can speed up the drying process by stuffing the boots with old newspapers and replacing the paper twice a day. If they become this wet, be very careful to avoid wearing them again until fully dry because the leather will be more susceptible to stretching and the fit may alter. Do not attempt to dry your shoes by exposing them to high heat, such as a clothes dryer, a hair dryer or by leaving them on a radiator or next to a fire. Doing so may damage leather or rubber soles.

Which Shoe 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 genuine leather featuring 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 the scrollbar at the bottom to expand your view.

  Roo Moccasin Rambler Classic Laguna Sandal
Summary

Kids Roo Moccasin

A soft and flexible slip-on moccasin with sheepskin insoles. Ideal for indoor and light outdoor use.

Kids Rambler Easy to slip-on with a rubber sole for increased durability on the playground. Kids Classic A classy fitted style for all occasions. "Closed" design keeps out water, debris and snow. Kids Laguna SandalEasy Velcro strap and open toes and heels keep feet cool on warm summer days.
Features

Our signature moccasin, and suitable for all ages from 0-99!

Roos feature lush sheepskin insoles, suede outsoles and natural leather uppers to allow our most unrestricted barefoot-like movement. Cozy to wear around the house and preferred by schools that require soft-soled classroom shoes. Also recommended for encouraging healthy foot development in early walkers.

A slip-on style similar to our moccasins, but made with a rubber outsole for enhanced durability. Still a good first walker shoe and great for rough outdoor play. Also acceptable for schools that require soft classroom shoes.

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. Features a Velcro closure for easy on/off. Great for outdoor play, but can also work for formal occasions with the right colors.

Keeps kids cool on hot days! Open toe and heel not only provide ventilation, but also give a little more growing room before your kids need to size up. Features a Velcro closure for easy on/off.

Leather

Smooth full grain Sublime leather (a slightly softer, more flexible version of our Nova leather).

Smooth Nova leather.

Smooth Nova leather.

Smooth Nova leather.

Closure

Elastic (slip-on).

Elastic (slip-on).

Velcro strap.

Velcro strap.

Innersole

Sheepskin only. Our genuine sheepskin fleece naturally wicks moisture and helps keep feet dry.

Suede only. Removable sheepskin insoles can be purchased separately.

Suede only. Removable sheepskin insoles can be purchased separately.

Suede only.

Outsole

Suede leather sole; will become smooth and shiny with wear.

6mm rubber Pyramid sole.

Extra durable 8.5mm Rugged soles also available for sizes 6+ (recommended for kids who play rough and wear through shoes quickly).

6mm rubber Pyramid sole.

6mm rubber Pyramid sole.

Wide?

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.

We can also make this style in XWIDE width upon special request for kids with exceptionally large feet. Visit this page for more info.

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.

We can also make this style in XWIDE width upon special request for kids with exceptionally large feet. Visit this page for more info.

Wide widths are available, but fitted design is not as accommodating to extra wide feet as our other styles.

Works well for most wide feet... better than the Classic, but not as roomy as a wide Roo or Rambler.

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Customer Reviews

4.7

27 reviews

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Top customer reviews

  1. Good shoes

    Rating

    These were our go to shoes all summer and indoor shoes for day care this winter. Kiddo is just about out grown them and they are still in great shape.
  2. Verified Buyer

    Incredible shoe

    Rating

    I'm so in love with the shoe. Watching my daughter run down hills and be so comfortable in these is joyful. Very well made & couldn't recommend more!
  3. Good shoes.

    Rating

    Im 20 but these came in my size and looked cool so i thought id try them. Ive had them a few months and i wear them when i go to work as a delivery driver and they're very comfortable and have held up well so far. No visable wear or anything. Took a lil while to get use to the barefoot shoe aspect but i feel my feet have adjusted at this point and i find them to be sum of my most comfortable shoes.
  4. Verified Buyer

    Great shoes!

    Rating

    I have bought ramblers for many of my children, but they are especially great for my son who has an intellectual disability and is VERY active. He can put on his own shoes with these, and they stand up to his hard wear remarkably well. He also loves the bright colors. We once tried a different brand of shoes with him and he destroyed them so quickly... he's a rambler wearer for life!
  5. Verified Buyer

    Finally!

    Rating

    I could not be happier. My lil guy regularly blasted through the “conventional” rambler in about a month or two. It was suggested to try the tougher sole (which I didn’t think was available for his little foot) and in a size or two larger. At last we have success. Highly recommend! My son and I are already planning the next color combo! Thank you Soft Star for being you, all of you!
  6. Verified Buyer

    Good fit for my child's wide feet

    Rating

    My 8 year old son loves these shoes. He normally goes barefoot because it's so hard to find shoes to fit his extremely wide feet. This Rambler is very roomy in the toe box, so it works great. I went by careful measurement of his foot and the advice of the elf who emailed me, but I do wish I had ordered the next size up as his biggest toe is very close to the end of the shoe. Also, I hope Softstar considers making shoes out of tougher material. The top of the shoe is already getting worn and he's only had them a couple months. The sole looks like it will last a long time, but I'm afraid the rest of the shoe will not withstand the wear and tear of a young boy who plays rough.
  7. Our favorite sole yet!

    Rating

    We have loved Ramblers since our kiddos learned to walk but have not been a fan of the soles since the change from the old "sof-touch" sole, until now. These have traction and seem like they will hold up well.
  8. Verified Buyer

    Highly Recommend

    Rating

    My son loves his rugged ramblers which he wears daily at school! My experiences with customer service have always been very positive- Softstar elves are so attentive and kind. They're a bit pricey but worth it!
  9. Great shoes

    Rating

    The little boy loves them just as much as his big sister did!
  10. Love these!

    Rating

    I used to buy my son SoftStar shoes when he was a toddler/preschooler and loved them. After switching to store bought shoes, he had athlete’s foot because the shoes didn’t allow his feet to breathe. I decided to go back to SoftStar again. My son has very wide and high feet and has a hard time finding shoes that fit him right. I love knowing that I can buy him a wide size and they will actually fit him. Love this company!
  11. Thin and Flexible

    Rating

    Great shoes! The soles are thin and flexible and have better grip than previous designs. They work great for my 7 year old!
  12. Verified Buyer

    "They are perfect!"

    Rating

    We ordered these for my son who does not care for shoes and he wears/loves these. His first comment was that they weren't as bendy as the picture shows, but that doesn't bother him, he just liked the idea of having super bendy shoes. He finds them comfortable and easy to get on and off. One thing to note is that they collect all sorts of grass and leaves in the sole that tracks all over the house. The sole also marks on our linoleum floor, but now we have more of a reason not to wear our shoes inside!
  13. best kids shoes available

    Rating

    I bought these shoes for my 2 year old. We did buy a little too big because of how fast he's growing, but it doesn't seem to slow him down much. It's wonderful that these shoes are available. This is the 3rd set of toddler shoes we have purchased from SoftStar (we have 5 kids). They are incredibly durable and if they aren't worn out by the time the kids outgrow them they can easily be used by another kid. I'm a huge fan of SoftStar shoes! I currently own 3 pairs of Primals myself. They are literally all I wear for footwear now. All my other shoes sit in the closet.
  14. More rigid than I liked

    Rating

    The sole of the shoe is EXTREMELY RIGID. The pictures on the website description misrepresent how much the sole of the show actually bends. I wish I could submit my own pictures of how much the sole of the shoe bends in reality! I bought Rugged Ramblers size 10 along with regular Ramblers size 7 (for my younger child), and I have NO problems with the regular Ramblers, I LOVE them. However, the sole of Rugged Rambler, in my opinion, lost 75-85% of its flexibility in comparison with regular Rambler. I wish the website description AND PICTURES (of Rugged Rambler) were accurate! It's a hassle for me now to be sending these back, and paying 9$ out of my pocket because of inaccurate item description and pictures! I brought up my concern with the customer service representative over the phone, and asked her to consider exchanging for free, especially because this was my very first experience with this company, and also because it was not my fault that the item is NOT as advertised, and I was politely turned down.
  15. Great shoe

    Rating

    Our son has been wearing this style shoe for 4-5 years now. The quality has remained solid over the years and he really likes them.
  16. Zion LOVES her rugged ramblers...

    Rating

    My 4 year old daughter loves these shoes, they’re her hiking, biking, tree climbing, rock scrambling and of course just plain everyday shoes :) we got the sheepskin inserts so socks are optional. She wears these every day without complaint, and as I parent I love that the shoes are made of natural materials (the main reason we bought them) We will definitely get a pair for our 1.5 year old once she outgrows her Mocs.
  17. Great shoes!

    Rating

    I have been buying ramblers for my kids for years now, and we love them! We have bought regular and rugged ramblers and while I love the extra flexibility of the regular ramblers, my kids tend to wear out the seams on the bottom pretty quickly. The rugged ramblers are a little less flexible but they last a lot longer without repair. I expect we will continue to purchase these for years to come!
  18. We love Soft Star

    Rating

    This is our son’s third pair of Soft Star shoes. We chose this pair because of the traction the sole allowed while still being flexible. He enjoys rock scrambling and climbing and requested a “sticky” shoe so that he wouldn’t slide as easily. We’ve been happy with every pair we’ve bought and my son love the traction these provide in his explorations:)
  19. Best shoes for hard to fit kids

    Rating

    My son is 6 Years old and doesn't like things touching his feet. These are the only shoes besides floppy cheap crocs that he will entertain wearing. If you have a sensitive sensory kid .....these are the go to shoes for you. So happy. He is tough on shoes and they're showing wear but who cares he will outgrow them quick anyway and he destroys everything that goes on his feet. He is active and im happy with the quality.
  20. Very comfortable

    Rating

    Great for indoor and outdoors. Terrific service.
  21. Three year old loves them

    Rating

    My three year old loves these shoes. She can put them on easily. The rugged sole gives more grip than the standard sole and holds up to running outdoors and climbing trees. At preschool she dropped paint all over her shoes and it wiped of easily with a damp cloth. It took about a week for her to get used to the little extra leather in front of her toes, and she tripped a few times, but I am sure she would have done that with any larger pair of shoes. It is very difficult to find a "barefoot" shoe once out of baby/toddler sizes, so I am happy I discovered Softstar. Will be buying these shoes again when she grows out of her current pair.
  22. great shoes

    Rating

    The more rugged sole is perfect for my kids. They were burning through the standard sole. This one is holding up well.
  23. Amazing

    Rating

    My kid went barefoot until 15 months. At most he wore socks if the weather was cold, since the climate here is mild. Then he started walking everywhere, literally overnight, and we needed something more. I feared the transition would be tough, but he loves his Soft Stars. He asks me to put them on him, even just around the house. Since they're elastic, he is learning to put them on and take them off himself (but they stay on very well). I bought a size up with sheepskin inserts and since the elastic pulls his foot forward he does not trip on the extra shoe. When his foot grows another half size I will pull the inserts out. They take some serious abuse, yet polish nicely for church. Fast forward, and we tried to buy "normal" swim shoes (Keens) for water parks and the beach. They lasted 5 minutes in the backyard. He doesn't love all shoes, just his comfortable barefoot ones. So we're getting some Xeroes for his lake shoes and planning on buying Soft Stars for a long time to come. Thank you for making comfortable, high quality shoes that keep my kiddo's feet super happy.
  24. all around great!

    Rating

    I am a firm believer in a good foundation in shoes but also frugal. My son has been wearing his rugged ramblers for over a year now, guess I caught him on the right side of a growth spurt as they still fit. These surely outprice many children's shoes, but they are his ONLY shoes. He races through the woods in them, climbs trees, rocks, occasionally trips in streams, chases chickens and on Sunday, polishes them up and wears them to church (the dark colors are great with his little suit). I buy the chocolate or the black so they can be polished with "scuff magic" and one would never guess the abuse they take during the week. That any shoe has stood up to what this wide foot with high instep does to it for a year is amazing. I've never seen anything like it! And I couldn't get him to go barefoot in the summer either, he loved his shoes so much they were worn all summer. And the rugged sole seems to do great in New England snow and ice in the winter...the smooth ramblers, however, were like skis! I had been told by podiatrists that my son may need orthotics at age 3 because all other shoes made him cry and caused foot pain. The problem has been solved with these flexible shoes that allow natural movement and are amazingly durable.
  25. Need to consider next size up with wool lining

    Rating

    We ordered two pairs of Soft Star shoes, one rugged rambler with wool lining and another DYO vegan rambler. We used the new sizing guide. The DYO vegan rambler sizing is perfect, but my child can't use the rugged rambler with the wool lining as they are too small and tight.
  26. Good but color wears quickly

    Rating

    I've been buying Softs Stars for my now 4 year old almost from birth, and been satisfied with all of the shoes except this one. It fits well and has been durable durable, but the color wore off of the shoe within 2 months of use. I'm not sure if it's just the particular color or what, but we had a chocolate pair in her old size that still looks great after a year of use. These nutmeg ones just wore off very quickly.
  27. My children are very cool and their son wears these and stomps around like he is a king.

    Rating

    Very well made worth the money so cool
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Customer Questions

Finding the right size shoe for your children can be challenging, especially because you never know when an unexpected growth spurt will come along. Fortunately, we have a lot of experience helping parents find the right size for their little ones, and we've gone through it with our own kids, too.

As a general rule of thumb (literally), have your child try on the shoe and make sure the heel is pushed all the way back. We recommend having a thumb's width of space between your child's toes and the front seam of the shoe. We have found this to be a good amount of space to allow for growing room without being too big.

Following these guidelines, parents buying new shoes during back-to-school season can usually expect the size to last most, if not all of the new school year (but again, growth spurts can be unpredictable).

Softstar shoes that are still in brand new condition may be returned for a refund for any reason within 45 days of receipt from any country in the world. This also applies to shoes that you customized with your own unique colors and motifs. We will refund the full cost of the shoes, but customers are responsible for all return shipping charges.

Visit our returns page to learn more.

There are some exceptions to this policy: shoes treated with leather care products, shoes purchased from our biannual clearance sales and shoes made with advanced requests are non-returnable.

Your refund will be applied after the shoes arrive at our shop. If you would like to exchange your shoes for a different size/color/style then you can simply place a new order at your convenience.

Please let us know if you need help with a return. Softstar also has a Happy Feet Guarantee which outlines replacements/returns for workmanship, fit or durability concerns. 

We 100% guarantee we will repair or replace any defects in leather, sheepskin or workmanship free of charge within 30 days of receiving your shoes. This does not cover wear and tear or misuse on behalf of the consumer. Wear and tear is damage that naturally and inevitably occurs as a result of normal use.

We stand by our product and will send you a return shipping label and either repair or replace your shoes if they fail for durability as described below:

  • Peeling of leather finish or print within the first 6 weeks, excluding our shiny leathers which naturally scuff and/or develop patina appearance with normal wear.
  • Stitching defects within first 3 months.
  • Heel support detachment within 3 months.
  • Innersole bunching, coming loose or developing bald spot within 3 months.
  • Sole delamination within 3 months.
  • Leather inlays coming loose within 6 months.
  • Non-functional closures (VelcroTM, buckles, elastic failures, zippers) within 12 months.

Click here for more details about our guarantee.

It depends on what you mean...

If you want one of our existing shoe styles made with your own unique color combinations and motifs, then YES! You can choose these custom options for any style that shows the swirly "CUSTOMIZABLE" rainbow icon in the upper right corner. When you are selecting colors for these shoes you will see a "Customize Your Colors" button below our collection color options.

This is part of our everyday fun to see what creations you design as we handcraft each pair for you here in our Oregon workshop. These custom shoes are also fully returnable according to the terms of our return policy.

If you are looking for customization beyond the shoe shoe designs, colors, or sizes available on our website then we do offer limited services for special requests. Special requests such as longer straps, special motif colors, split sizes or single pairs can often be done. Click here for more details.

XWIDE can only be made in child sizes 4–12 and is not available in baby sizes 2 or 3. The XWIDE option will only appear in the width dropdown menu above if an eligible shoe size is selected.

Many parents struggle to find shoes wide enough for their children. For the majority of these cases, our standard wide width will be enough, as it is already wider than most other shoes. However, a small percentage of our customers have children who experience a toddler growth phase with extra chunky feet. We call them "potato feet" in our workshop, and they usually even out after a few years. In addition to being wide, these children's feet often have unusually high insteps that make it difficult to even get their feet inside most shoes. Our XWIDE width option was designed specifically for this situation.

If you are unsure whether or not your child's feed are wide enough for XWIDE shoes, then we encourage you to contact our customer service team. They will ask you to provide specific measurements to determine which width will be the best fit for your child.

We can only make XWIDE shoes in certain styles. Due to the extra labor and materials involved in making an XWIDE shoe, selecting this width incurs a $10 surcharge. Sorry, but XWIDE is not available for customized shoes at this time.

If your child wears a half size then we recommend ordering the larger size.

All Softstar shoes are 100% designed and handcrafted at our workshop in Philomath, Oregon, USA. We don't outsource any of our manufacturing processes, but instead do it all under one roof. All of our order fulfillment and shipping happens directly from our workshop, too. For more information and to see how our shoes are made, visit this page.

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