Merrell Unisex-Child Bare Steps H20 Water Shoe Review
The Merrell Unisex-Child Bare Steps H20 Water Shoe in Dark Blue/Green is specifically designed to meet the needs of little adventurers who love to splash around. With its water-friendly upper and linings, your child can enjoy their outdoor activities without worrying about soggy feet. This shoe is all about comfort and foot development, ensuring that their growing feet have the support they need.
Related Products
Features
- Water-friendly upper and linings with alternative closure for easy on/off
- Extra-wide toe box and outsole with rounded edges for proper foot development
- Footbed made from 10% recycled EVA and outsole from 20% recycled rubber
- Multi-directional flex grooves in the outsole for maximum flexibility
- Flexible, non-marking outsole with extra grip
Pros
- Durable and water-friendly materials
- Promotes healthy foot development
- Environmentally friendly with recycled materials
- Easy to put on and take off
- Great traction for various surfaces
Cons
- Limited color options
- May run slightly large for some children
Comparison With Other Similar Products
| Feature | Merrell Bare Steps H20 | Native Shoes Jefferson | Keens Seacamp II CNX |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water-Friendly | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Closure Type | Alternative closure | Slip-on | Hook and loop |
| Eco-Friendly Material | 10% EVA, 20% rubber | No | No |
| Flexibility | High | Medium | High |
| Traction | Excellent | Good | Very Good |
Detailed Review
Design and Comfort: The Merrell Bare Steps H20 stands out with its eye-catching dark blue and green color scheme, making it an attractive choice for kids. The design incorporates a water-friendly upper which helps keep the shoe lightweight and comfortable even when wet. Additionally, the alternative closure system makes it simple for kids to put on or take off by themselves, promoting independence.
Foot Development: One of the significant features of this shoe is its extra-wide toe box and rounded outsole edges. These features are crucial for proper foot development as they allow for natural movement and growth. It’s especially important for parents to choose footwear that doesn’t constrict their child's growing feet, and the Bare Steps H20 excels in this area.
Durability and Sustainability: Constructed from 100% leather, this shoe is both durable and capable of enduring the rough-and-tumble lifestyle of active kids. Adding to its appeal, the use of recycled materials in both the footbed and outsole makes it an environmentally friendly option for conscientious consumers.
Performance: The multi-directional flex grooves in the outsole provide remarkable flexibility, allowing for a full range of motion during play. Coupled with a flexible, non-marking outsole, your child will have excellent traction on various surfaces whether they are playing in the park or splashing in the water.
Detailed Rating
| Category | Score | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Comfort | 9/10 | Exceptional comfort level with a water-friendly design. |
| Durability | 8/10 | Sturdy construction suitable for active play. |
| Foot Development | 10/10 | Promotes healthy development with wide toe box. |
| Environmentally Friendly | 7/10 | Uses recycled materials but limited eco-features. |
User Reviews
We love the Merrell brand for our toddlers. Wide toe box leaves room for growth. The sizing is definitely generous compared to other brands which is great. The sole is durable, but flexible which is great for growing feet. Mine have sweaty feet so we love these for the spring-fall and bonus, they are machine washable and clean up so well. These will be passed down for sure
I can't speak highly enough of these shoes. They are classic high quality Merrell. They are so easy to slip on and off. The soles are incredibly supportive. My daughter's feet are secure in these because of the straps across the foot and around the ankle. I love that the ankle strap and straps across her feet can adjust as she grows. The velcro is so strong too! We live pretty minimally and frugally, but I wanted a high quality supportive and versatile summer shoe and these are perfect. They are so cute, people keep commenting on how cute her shoes are. They are worth the price tag in my opinion.
I keep buying these shoes because my son loves them and they are super comfortable. We don't even use them only as water shoes because we live in warm climates so we use them for hikes, bike riding, running around, and pretty much everything and they never fall apart nor make my son's feet feel sweaty or stinky. I will buy thousands more 😄😍
My daughter has had wide feet from the get-go and we have not been able to find shoes for her that fit properly for months. These were the best find for a solution for her. Straps are very easily adjustable with the Velcro. Shoe is leather in the straps and a nice footbed with a nice width. Overall a great value for the price/quality. They have held their quality and held up to high activity and lots of running. I will definitely be buying these in more colors & sizes as she grows out of them.
These are super comfy and cute for our toddler boy. Love that they are Velcro at the back and really easy to adjust to growing feet!
These fit well, my daughter is able to walk in them easily. They are not too bulky. I chose this shoe because it is a “barefoot” shoe, so much better for development. She goes into water with them (sprinkler not fully submerged) and they’ve held up well all summer. I’d recommend!
These check all the boxes for me, flexible soles and wide toe box (both very important for foot health), durable soles, comfy straps, velcro for easy on and off, and they’re cute! My only complaint and why I docked a star, the inner sole material wore down extremely quickly, like less than a month of having them and they look much, much older.
We love love love these shoes. They are the most flexible shoes we have. Great quality, light weight, with great traction, breathable… the list goes on. We have ordered our 3rd pair and sad that we are going to be growing out of the available sizes very soon. Please make these in every size