REVIEW – Teva Charge Kids Sneaker

My youngest son has some foot problems. As a very young child he had to wear special orthotic inserts. Can you say expensive? After a while with those, the orthopedist said that the inserts would never cure the problem and that our best bet was to get our son quality shoes. It was at that time that we knew quality was the most important factor for his shoes, even more than price. Generally CJ wears his shoes out rather then outgrowing them. As we started the back to school shopping season this year, we noticed that he’d worn out his last pair of sneakers. As it happens, at that same time I was offered the opportunity to check out a new kids shoe for this season from Teva, a brand of shoe that I had no experience with.
ABOUT TEVA

In 1984, a young Grand Canyon river guide revolutionized the footwear industry when he created the world’s first sports sandal. This idea soon spawned a brand, and the new adventure of Teva® was born.
It’s been 25 years since we took our first step into the Grand Canyon, and not a moment has gone by that Teva® (that’s “teh’-vah,” not “tee-vah”) hasn’t been hard at work developing products that enable and encourage your adventure. Of course, given our heritage, we have an obsession with water, and our passion lies in identifying and enhancing the areas in which water effects an adventure. To us, water presents a paradox. It is the source of a year-round playground, but it simultaneously poses a year-round problem. Anyone who has ever slipped on a patch of ice or been forced to deal with soaking wet socks can attest to this duality.
Essentially, Teva® has two fundamental responsibilities: to play and to protect. We play in the water, but we also see the need to be protected from it. Our responsibility is to manage this delicate balance, so you can go forth without reservation. Armed with a quarter-century worth of knowledge and technology, we are dedicated to developing products that strike this balance to deliver the most out of your adventures.

MY THOUGHTS
I received a pair of Charge Kids Sneakers from Teva.

The Charge Kids Sneaker is sturdy and seems very well made, perfect for kids who play hard.The dark gray color on the outer sole is made of Dermabrasion Rubber, which helps the sneaker get traction when connecting with the ground. It also looks great with the lighter gray mesh, and together they hide dirt really well.
My favorite thing about these sneakers is the lacing system. CJ’s 12 and for the most part has been in velcro sneakers until now because he can’t tie. Velcro sneakers get harder and harder to find in kids shoes once you’re his age.

The Charge Kids Sneakers have a stretch draw cord lacing system that’s easy to use. There’s only one lace in each shoe, and it’s got a tab at the end. (You can see it in the picture above, it’s the black tab towards the front of the shoe.) You press the tab and pull to loosen the lace to put the shoe on, and slide the tab to tighten the lace. I really like this lacing system – it’s easy for me to use when I’m helping him and it’s something he can learn too.

The other thing I really like about these sneakers is that they are very water resistant. If your child is anything like mine, his (or her) feet are always winding up in puddles of water – sometimes on purpose and sometimes by accident. I’m sure you know how uncomfortable it is to walk in wet shoes, and how unpleasant wet shoes can smell. These sneakers have gotten a little damp but they haven’t gotten completely soaked all the way through yet.

Teva Charge Kids Sneakers retail for approximately $45, or $55 for the waterproof version.
MORE INFO
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The product featured was provided free of cost to me for the sole purpose of product testing and review. This post has not been monetarily compensated and is based on the views and opinions of my family and/or self. Please note that the opinions reflected in this post have not been influenced by the sponsor in any way.