Scarpa Little Terra Kids Hiking and Walking Boots ( Leather / Waterproof )

This is not the stiffest and most supportive children's sole I've seen - our various Decathlon boots have more rigidity. Here you get a lot of forward flex, and quite a marked torsional softness too (the lengthways twist between toe and heel). In an adult's boot a sole this bendy would usually be found on a poor quality budget model, but for lighter children I don't think the sole's comparative softness is a bad thing since they're putting less leverage and weight on their feet anyway. For a smaller child on less demanding terrain in summer conditions, perhaps what you really want is something springy and forgiving. Daisy certainly hasn't yet suggested that her boots aren't clumpy enough.

Bearing in mind a child's inconsiderate habit of growing out of things, £80 seems a top-end price - especially when decent kid's boots (of the fabric/suede variety) can be had for half the outlay. But while we've got on well with £40 boots from Decathlon, and I can't fault them at the price, the Litte Terra just feels a cut above in terms of quality. They're made to the usual high Scarpa standard, so if you have more than one child, and assuming they're properly looked after (the boots, not the kids), then they ought to offer good hand-me-down potential.