Tester #5

Here is the product review from Tester #5 about her first impressions of the new-for-fall TinySoles gear that she received to test out (shown to the left).

Name: Erika

Children:
Savannah, age 2 and a bit, size 7
Wyatt, coming soon!

Products tested:
Hatley Farmer Jill Rain Boots size 6

Robeez Tredz Cupcake Party MJ Brown Patent size 7
Country Kids Whimsy Sock Lilac size 6-7

SmartWool Baby Bootie Batch Blue Mist Heather/Cobalt size 0-3 months

"I wanted to let you know we got the package Monday before last - thank you so so much! Savannah was THRILLED. She kept saying "let's open my present!" and the funniest thing was that she was most enamored with the infant smart wool socks you sent for Wyatt. She was bound and determined to try to get them on her big ole foot, thankfully she gave up and moved onto the shoes instead! My apologies for taking so long to write this - I had every intention of trying to get it out to you before we left on vacation last week but our life was suddenly filled with multiple events that seemed to consume us; the worst was finding out our beloved dog was full of cancer and we had to put her down 2 days before we left town. So anyway...here are my first impressions - sorry for the tardiness.

Hatley Farmer Jill Rain Boots: Savannah admittedly has a bit of a boot fetish so the Hatley boots are by far her favorite. As with all Hatley boots the quality is very good and I like that they are still flexible despite the thick rubber - flexibility is super important to me. The inside is lined in what feels like a knit fabric which I expect will keep Savannah's feet toasty on cold rainy days and well... also on hot sunny days when the child puts on nothing more then her boots and runs naked through the yard (I swear I do not encourage this!). I also like that the print we received (Hatley Farmer Jill) can be viewed asunisex (although Farmer Jack is very cute as well) so we'll get use out of these for both kids. Robeez Tredz Cupcake Party MJ Brown Patent: I am so thrilled that Robeez changed their sizing and that Savannah can wear Robeez again, even if this will be the last season for her as she is rapidly approaching a size 7. When I first looked at the shoe I actually doubted it would fit but upon putting her foot against the sole, it looks like it will but probably not for long. I think the sizing on these may run smaller (maybe by 1/2 size?) then the other brands thatwe usually purchase. The Mary Jane is super cute - these are a bit funky in that the colors all have an irridescent/metallic look to them but it's subtle enough that they can easily be used for dressing up or dressing down. I like that the back of the shoe (the part that surrounds the ankle) features a "gathered elastic" that keeps the shoe on the childs foot but will also "give" if needed and adds an element of protection around ankles to keep blisters/rubbing at bay. They'll also go with a lot of Savannah's outfits this fall - just waiting for the temp to drop to break out all the fall shoes!

Country Kids Socks: Considering that I admittedly go a bit overboard on clothing and shoes for Savannah, socks have not been something I've given much thought too - it's been more like "oh you don't have socks that fit...I'll just grab some from Target" but with the arrival of the country kids socks in our tester box, I've decided I've (or rather Savannah) has been missing out! These come is such great colors and prints. They're super soft and these will fit her for a good long while as I feel they run big. I love the pair we received - the plum/pink colors are going to be perfect for fall. My only wish is that they had "grippy's" on the bottom to keep lil ones from slipping.

SmartWool Baby Bootie Batch Blue Mist Heather/Cobalt: How did I not know about these before!? I've decided that these are the perfect babyshower/new baby gift! I can't wait for Wyatt to arrive so we can test these out but I just know they are going to be perfect. They are so so soft, warm & fuzzy...heck I wish they made them in adult sizes! Savannah was a spring baby so I hadn't given much thought to the fact that I needed to find something to keep my lil guy's feet toasty when he arrives in December - this is the perfect solution! I like that the top of the sock is a bit tighter - they look like they'll definitely stay on which is important and the colors and designs are just too cute. I'll definitely be picking up a few more of these in other colors. Thanks again for all the wonderful goodies - we look forward to reporting on our findings as we break everything in!"

~Erika

Thank you Erika and Savannah, and we look forward to seeing pictures of Wyatt!

Tester #4

Tester #4 recently sent us her first impressions of the new-for-fall TinySoles gear that she received to test out (shown to the left). Here is what she had to say:

Name: Nikki
Children:

Emmie, age 15 months, size 4/5

Addie, age 3, size 8/8.5
Products Tested:

Umi Praline Deep Red/Amber size EU25

Smaller by See Kai Run Olivia size 12-18 months

Country Kids Organic Infant Stripe Tights Pink/Stone size 12-24 months

pediped Emily Pink Pearl Hair Clip

"Hi, Tinysoles friends and fans! So sorry for the delay, but here are my first impressions of the FREE tester items I received last week.

First of all, a huge shout out to Tinysoles for once again amazing me with their customer service. I was almost embarrassed to email them and tell them that the shoes they sent (for FREE, I remind you) for my younger daughter were borderline too small. I’m sure they matched up to the measurements/sizes I originally sent, but the little bugger had a growth spurt in the past couple of months (her dr.’s appointment on September 3rd confirmed this), and her feet were no exception to the all-over growth. So they graciously sent me the next size up – thank you, Tinysoles. J
Smaller by SKR Olivia – These shoes are adorable. The size we’re going with is the 12-18 months, and she turned 15 months today (Sept. 3), so I would say that’s pretty accurate. As soon as I put them on her chubby little feet, she took right off in them. Love the leather circles sewn on the toes – hopefully those will stay securely in place as the shoes get worn this fall. I like how the sole comes up over the top of the toes – definitely makes sense for babies who are just starting to walk, as they often still spend a good chunk of time on all fours, and when they do walk, they frequently scuff their toes. On these particular shoes, the soles are nubuck (or maybe it’s suede?), so you can kind-of wipe the soles in one direction to remove the marks. I’ve heard that nubuck can also show dirt easily, especially in a light color like the pink, but we’ll see. The leather uppers are so soft and supple, and the nubuck sole is soft and firm at the same time. My first impression is that it’s going to be a great shoe.

Country Kids Organic Infant Stripe tights Pink/Stone - I have not had the fortitude to wrestle these on my 15-month-old yet, as our weather here in NC has still been in the 70’s & 80’s, but they feel VERY soft, and they will look adorable with the Olivia shoes. I’ve found Country Kids products to be really great, so my guess is that these will be no exception.

Pediped Emily Pink Pearl Hair Clip – If you’ve read any of my reviews, you know that I’m a huge pediped fan, so I was thrilled to be able to try one of their bows. Typical of No Slippy bows, this stays put like a champ – great for scooping my baby’s hair out of her eyes really quick, as getting a bow in place is often like trying to hit a moving target. Now that her hair is a little longer, I’ve actually been putting the top of it in a Pebbles-style ponytail with a small elastic hairband, and then clipping a bow at the base of the ponytail, under the hairband. (I do this while she’s distracted with eating, in case anyone was wondering. J) I wasn’t sure I’d be able to slide this bow in very easily because of the velvet, but it didn’t take much maneuvering to get it in. So if you like pediped and you like No Slippy Hair Clippy, these bows are winners.

Umi Praline Deep Red/Amber - This is our first pair of Umi shoes, and my first impression is that I LOVE them. If you look at this particular pair on the website, please know that it is MUCH cuter in person. A great, deep red color, coupled with the brown trim, and the sweet leather flower details – I think it will go with a lot of things this fall – jeans, skirts & tights, etc. Tinysoles had mentioned that the Umis might run a little long, and I would say that’s true. But they hug my 3-year-old’s foot very nicely, even though there’s plenty of room to grow. She walked around in them for a while, frequently looking down to admire her feet. I think the previous two reviewers mentioned an odor to the Umis – I guess there was an odor of new leather, but I didn’t find it overpowering. Then again, I kind-of like the new-shoe smell.

So, there you have it. I’ll send more info as time passes and shoes get worn. But again, thank you so much, Tinysoles. This is so fun!!
Nikki

P.S. Some photos attached. I’ll take more as the opportunities arise."

Thank you Nikki, Addie and Emmie for your review!

Tester Review #3

Tester #3 recently sent us her first impressions of her TinySoles loot that she received to test out (shown to the left). Here is what she had to say:

Name: Sara

Child: Lilly, size 4/5

Products Tested:

See Kai Run Jennifer Lee size 5

Robeez Mini Shoez Moccassin Boot size 5

Country Kids Double Trouble Striped Tights Plum size 12-24 years (available at TinySoles very soon!)

"We got our package of shoes and tights today and had such a good time going through them. My daughter unpacked and packed the box for about an hour. She loves her new treasures, but I think her favorite part might have been the pink tissue paper!

See Kai Run Jennifer Lee: It was love at first sight with these two tone Mary Janes! The gold and bronze will be perfect with fall colors, and the faux fur is a fantastic detail. I can see how they will work as well with jeans on a trip to the pumpkin patch as they will with a party dress for Thanksgiving dinner. This versatility is one of the things I love about See Kai Run, and the Jennifer Lee could easily end up as our go-to shoe for fall.

Robeez Mini Shoez Moccasin Boot: These shoes are quite a bit larger (in the length and width) than other size fives we’ve tried, and my daughter can hardly walk in them. She has rather chubby feet and ankles, and these boots have more than enough room. I can’t get them secured tightly enough, so they’re probably just too big right now. At the rate her feet have been growing, they might be just right by the time it’s cool enough to wear boots. These Robeez have great styling, and my daughter seems to love them. They are also really, really easy to put on. Although the soles are a non-skid, waterproof material, there doesn’t seem to be much padding to protect her feet from rocks and sticks, so we’ll probably just wear them to play inside.

Country Kids Double Trouble Striped Tights in Plum: My daughter has never worn Country Kids tights before, but I can’t wait for the temperature to drop enough to try them on her. In multiple shades of pink and purple, these tights will pair perfectly with dark fall colors, and the varying width of the stripes is really fun. These tights are undeniably adorable, so I have really high hopes for them!

Thank you for such a wonderful selection of items. We’ll have a lot of fun trying them out!"
Sara

Thank you Sara and Lilly, we look forward to hearing more :)

2nd Tester Weighs In

Another one of our 6 Parent Testers recently sent us her first impressions on the new-for-fall products she received to test out (shown to the left). Okay, so if your paying attention then you caught us out with BabyLegs, they might not be new for fall but they are a classic staple and matched the Umi Cuddles so well we couldn't resist. (BTW, our new fall BabyLeg styles, socks AND tights should be arriving very soon!)

Name: Caitlin

Children:
Boy, 4 years old, size 11
Boy, 2 1/2 years old, size 8
Girl, 7 months, size 6-9 months

Products Tested:
Keen Austin Shitake size 11
See Kai Run Carl size 8
Umi Cuddle Chocolate/Pink size 18
BabyLegs Pink/Heather/White

"Hello Tinysoles. Thank you for the wonderful new fall products; my boys were almost as excited as I was to see what you sent us! Here are my first impressions. I'll keep you updated about anything we discover as the shoes are broken in, and I'll try to get some pictures of them in action as well. Thanks again!"
Caitlin

Keen Austin -My boys both wore Keen sandals this summer, which I really liked despite their fairly stiff soles, but this is the first pair of regular shoes we've had from Keen. Right out of the box, the Austin is definitely not as flexible as my son's Eleven sneakers, but they seem like they're going to be very durable. My 4 year old son was able to put them on himself, which is always a big plus. After a couple of days of wear, I think the sole is actually becoming more flexible, which I also noticed with the boys' Keen sandals after a little while. It's tough to tell whether the fit is exactly right since it's hard to feel where his toe is underneath the rubberized toe cap, but they seem to be true to size compared with his Elevens, which run a little bit big. The padded collar is nice and soft, and the way the velcro strap closes back on itself makes for a good snug fit. I'm excited about the upcoming colder snowy weather since these seem like they're going to hold up really well. Style wise, they're not as flashy as the Eleven trainers, but my son really likes them; he says they're especially good for riding his bike.

See Kai Run Carl - I love the wingtip inspired design, the white stitching and the great fall colors of the Carl. It goes with just about anything, too! Since it's SKR, of course it's super flexible and the leather is supple with no need to break it in. My almost 3 year old son did a little dance when we put them on his feet. The collar on this shoe is more padded than any other SKR I've had, which is great for comfort. Unfortunately, my son can't get these on by himself. I'm not sure if it's that the collar is a little higher than a regular loafer or that the tongue doesn't open up very far, but he just can't get his narrow little foot all the way in without help. I'm hoping that as the leather stretches a little he'll be able to wriggle into it on his own. I'm also not yet sure how this color green will hold up to scuffing, but I'll let you know once it happens!

Umi Cuddle Chocolate Pink Pram -These little Umi's are just adorable; I love pink and brown together and the scalloped overlay is super cute. They did smell a bit funny coming out of the box, but after airing out for a day they've lost that really strong new shoe smell. My daughter, who is just about 8 months, isn't yet crawling, so it's hard to say whether the little rubber circles are going to help her grip, but she is fascinated with them! Just as with the Robeez that my sons wore, the elasticized part of the opening leaves marks on her little ankles, and her ankles are far from being chubby. I ended up switching to another brand of soft soled shoes for my boys because I didn't like how the Robeez elastic dug into them. We'll see what I decide once she's mobile, but I think I'm going to prefer the SKR Smaller brand for my daughter since they don't have elastic on the crease of the ankle. The Umi's also seem a bit stiffer than other soft soled shoes; I think the rubber actually lines most of the sole, rather than just being in the places where the circles are. I'm definitely going to keep these in the rotation as she starts to crawl and cruise, just to give them a fair shake and see if the soles soften up with use.

BabyLegs Pink/Heather/White - BabyLegs are so cute and practical, what's not to love? I did find a fun new use for BabyLegs recently. They make a great sock puppet to distract and entertain a crying baby on a long car trip (provided that you're not the driver, of course!)

Before we had a chance to post this, Caitlin sent us some more feed back on the Austin's:"Hi again. We recently visited my friend's horse farm in RI so I had a chance to put those Austins to the test. He rode, ran, jumped in dirt and wood shavings, and washed a horse in them. He never complained about his feet being too hot or uncomfortable, and his socks stayed dry and clean, even after standing in a puddle. I've attached a couple of photos of him riding with me and finishing up a horse's bath. Thanks again for the chance to test out something new!"
Caitlin

First Tester Weighs In

One of our 6 Parent Testers recently received the 3 new-for-fall products shown to the left. She sent us this to post as her first impression:

Name: Rasa
Child: Girl, 22 months, size 6
Products Tested:
-Umi Primero Lissy Chocolate Heart Print/Pink size 22
-See Kai Run Sadie size 6
-SmartWool Saturnsphere Deep Purple 2T-3T

I just wanted to let you know that we got the shoes and socks, thank you!!! Last winter my daughter had a pair of Umi boots that were the absolute best so I was super psyched to hear you were sending some her way! I also, am a huge fan of smartwool so that was a fantastic surprise too!Okay, so here are my initial impressions of the shoes and I'll write a more detailed review when she's had some more use with them.

Umi: When I took them out of the box I was a little hesitant about the pink hearts, but the style was really great. I love the Mary Jane look and the rubber soles on the front made perfect sense, my girl is always scuffing the tips of her shoes from running and these rubber fronts seem like such a good idea! She immediately wanted to try them on and check herself out in the mirror. They fit true to size, a 6.5, so she definitely has some growing room, but not so much that she is clumsy in them. I love the way the uppers really fit snug to her foot, other Mary Jane type styles bunch out on her sometimes. They seem to have a great grip and she said they were very comfortable. She wouldn't take them off for ages! And I when they are on, I even like the pink heart pattern, not too girly. So far, these are real winners!!! They also feel like really good quality (although they smelled a little funny coming out of the box, just an FYI)

See Kai Run: I love the red and had seen these on your website, so I was really psyched to get them! They actually fit like her size 6 See Kai Run sandals, not any bigger. So I wouldn't really say they are a 6.5-like size (although I personally think this brand tends to run a bit big anyway). I think she probably needs to get used to the stitched over lip because she is pretty clumsy in them. The poor thing keeps tripping and falling! I think her toe is catching the floor when she runs in them. They look GREAT, they fit really nicely, and we'll see if she gets used to the new style and stops tripping.

Thanks Rasa!