I remember growing up and begging my parents to buy me new shoes.  Not because of fashion going in and out like there was no tomorrow, but because I was just outgrowing them way too fast.  My mom would always groan and put it off as long as she could get away with it, only to buy my next pair of shoes big enough so I could grow into them – even though they seldom fit properly when they were bought.

So when I heard about shoes that actually stretch out and grow… well that just makes sense to me.  Inchworm Shoes makes runners for kids up to nine years old or so.  They feature a mechanism that allows the shoes to become longer and accommodate feet as they grow.  You press a button on the side of the shoe, and push or pull the shoe in half size increments.  So if you buy size 11-12, that includes size 11, 11½, and 12 all in one.

The company says this can extend the life of shoes for a growing kid by up to 6 months.

A quick search of Nike’s website shows kids’ shoes can range from $30 to $150 a pop.  At the rate kids grow, it doesn’t take much work to do the math and realise what kind of cost that means for the parents.  So I guess from a cost perspective, buying a $40 pair of Inchworm shoes could be a really great investment.

Then again, there’s another thing I remember about shoes when I was a kid – I would trash them.  And I don’t mean just a little dirt or the odd scuff… I would run through the mud, end up with broken laces, and my shoes would end up looking very much as though I’d thrown it into a blender.  I wonder what the odds are these shoes are more durable than regular shoes?

Another thing some people might be skeptical about is how well the shoes will actually fit.  If you’re able to make the shoes longer and shorter, how will that affect the general shape of the shoes?  I wonder if the company considered that and managed to design shoes that offer proper foot support and a comfortable fit.

At any rate, the concept of the technology is definitely long-overdue, as I’m sure many parents will be able to vouch for.  Maybe Inchworm Shoes are worth a try.