Well this is the sports forum...

8th grader and 5th grader going to play basketball. which shoes are the ones to get? Yeah, it may sound stupid- but when I was in school, ohh so long ago, my parents did not care- and I dreaded wearing the crappy payless shoes. (mind you, i buy em payless shoes- specially my youngest. They all get them for the summer shoes too- nothing wrong with them, its just... you can't wear em during basketball.)

I don't want my kids to be ashamed of their shoes. I want them to feel comfortable in em, have em fit good, and I want them to work on their game. I know the shoe should not matter at all- and I didn't/am not bringing them up to want name brands, it's just something that I feel strongly about from my childhood... kinda a pet peeve I don't want them to have. Make sense?

Now the 5th grader has no care at all, but the 8th grader(13yrs) is starting to care more about looks and such. So we went looking at famous footwear and foot locker- are NIke still considered a good shoe? He liked some basic hightop Nikes, which works for me.

This whole thing may seem really stupid- but I just don't know and don't want to point a shoe out I think is cool, only to have him wear it and be called a dork. Acne is bad enough to deal with!

Thanks!

I only buy Nike for myself and they're the only sneakers I've worn for the past ~18 years or so.

With that said, the types of sneakers I buy and money I spend on them is probably the least rational thing of all the purchases I make but I only do it every 18 months or so and get tremendous use out of them, so I don't sweat it that much.

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Kuwen Furyblades
Hunter of Memento Reejeryn
Champion of Faydark

As long a Jordan is around, Nike will never be out of style on the basketball court.

My son is in 7th grade but I have let him pick out his own shoes for the last few years. Set a price limit, show him the sale racks, even Footlocker has them and let him go. If he wants to go over the price limit he has to spend his own money. From what I have seen most kids just wear whatever looks cool the first year and the 2nd year they care about fit. The marburys are pretty good and also pretty cheap, but they won't last as long as other shoes. Long enough for a season though, so if they fit there ya go.

This year I think he got Nikes with a lower top. I'm not sold on high tops anymore, I don't think there is any evidence about decreasing ankle sprains that would make them preferable.

Nikez baby

Try Addidas Pro-Models from Finishline. They come in black or white and you can change the color of the stripes. They give you about 10 different colors I think.

When it comes to sports equipment, you'll always be better off getting brand name shit.

good to hear- I am not that outta date, lol!

So far I think he wants the Nike hightops. I don't like hightops, never did. Hubby lives by em.
I am just glad he likes em, we're going to pick em up later before practice.

I am gonna check out the Addidas pro model ones mentioned, I didn't see those before.

As for the price, I usually get away with really cheapo shoes for em, so I closed my eyes as they looked around. So far I am looking at $55 for one, and $20 for the other, buy one get one half off. Not as bad as I thought! Can't beat $65 for 2 pairs.

Thanks, I just didn't want to be the mom that made em get the crappy shoes.

I played basketball throughout junior high, high school, and college. Still play recreational occasionally at the local gym or park. I would STRONGLY encourage you to buy some very very good shoes once your children stop growing, as they are definitely worth it. In high school, once my growth spurt stopped and I pretty much knew what size of feet I would have... my parents spent around $110 on Nike shoes. They lasted me a good 5-6 years, and were pretty much a fantastic investment.

Right now, I would look at the following-

1. Nike shoes. They are more expensive, yes; however, they are sturdy and comfortable and won't break down like cheaper shoes will. Plus let's face it- your sons are at the point where fashion is importance, and his teammates may laugh him off the court if you get him non name brand shoes.

2. Get high tops for good, solid ankle support. I don't like the 3/4 tops, they just don't give me the ankle support I need. Most players use high tops.

3. Do NOT use the shoes outdoors. These are strictly basketball shoes, use them as such. Taking them outdoors is going to wear them down quicker, and damage the shoes more. My Nike's lasted that long because I only used them indoors on the court, I suggest the same. Of course, another thing to consider is you may be buying a pair every year because your kids are going to continue to grow, and their feet will be bigger... maybe only use them indoors once they stop growing.

Hope they enjoy the sport!

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