Pediped Sahara review – Our favourite sandals for outdoorsy kids

Pediped Sahara sandals are my go-to choice for kids in the summer. Comfortable, lightweight and durable, and you can even put them through the washing machine! These are the sandals I keep buying for my kids, year after year.

Here are the reasons I really like these sandals:

• They have a closed toe design, which is especially important for the youngest walkers, giving more protection to the toes if they trip up.

• The Saharas are extremely durable, with a robust toe bumper and a hardwearing sole. In my experience, you can generally get two summer seasons out of these sandals, or one season for balance-biking toddlers who brake with their feet! After about two seasons I find that the velcro tends to deteriorate and the sole gets worn down.

• They are very comfortable and are my kids’ clear favourite footwear throughout the summer. They are mostly worn barefoot here, and there hasn’t been a single blister or rubbed patch from Pediped Sahara sandals.
  

• These sandals are extremely lightweight. A pair in size 28 weights 260g (9oz) and a pair in size 21 weighs just 180g (6oz). For comparison, my size 28 child’s trainers way 410g, or nearly 50% more.

• They are a great choice for outdoorsy children who want to be able to run, climb and get wet! I find that the soles are really grippy, and the shoes are not damaged by getting wet so we use them a lot at the beach or riverside.

• Pediped Saharas are machine washable. I quite often hose them down to get the sand off after a beach trip, and a couple of times during the season I will run them through the washing machine on the delicates cycle to get them nice and clean and fresh-smelling.

What is the sizing like?

I find I need to size down one European size from my child’s normal shoe size. This is quite consistent across all my children. So for example, a child who is wearing size 26 trainers will take a size 25 Pediped Sahara sandal. You generally want sandals to be quite close fitting with about 0.5cm of growing room at the toe.

Any downsides to be aware of?

Some of my children struggle to get these sandals on the right feet, but this is a problem they have more generally! You will know if your own children are prone to mixing up left and right. I also find that over time, quite a bit of dried grass and seeds can accumulate in the velcro strap and needs a clear-out. So if you notice the velcro is getting less sticky, this is probably the issue. Apart from plant material in the strap, we haven’t had any issues with the velcro undoing itself.

The other obvious downside is that these sandals are quite expensive. You can sometimes get some quite good deals on them, depending on the time of year. I also find that I am usually able to hand them down and get a second season of wear out of them, which makes them good value for money.