My six-year-old son could very easily give Imelda Marcos a run for her money. I kid you not. Every time I turn around, he’s asking for another pair of shoes. And beyond just the everyday requests, he will even ask for sneakers for his birthday or Christmas. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has more shoes than me, but I know he definitely has more sneakers than me. So I don’t have to tell you how excited he was when a new package of Uneaks (get it? uneak = unique; it took me a few days too) arrived for him. And the fact that Madagascar socks were included? Totally and completely put him over the edge.
The GOOD: I love the concept. They are customizable sneakers. On the side of the sneakers, there is a little transparent window. By wearing fun socks, you are then able to customize what the sneaker actually looks like, and change it up day to day. Seriously, how cool is that? And since it’s a concept that has not been done (and overdone) before, you know your kid is going to love them … since he or she will likely be the only one on the playground wearing ‘em. Those trendsetters! The sneakers are very durable and stand up beautifully to the wear and tear of a very active six-year-old with no problem at all.
The BAD: I wish the window was just a smidge bigger to be able to see more of the socks. They are only available for purchase online and in select New York and New Jersey locations (’course that could also be a good thing too, because your kid will have something unique and different that other kids will covet).
MONEY MATTERS: Available for both boys and girls, the sneakers start at a very reasonable $34.99 and can be purchased online or in these NY/NJ locations.
The MOM VERDICT
Cate says: Even though he has a few pairs of sneakers, I’ve noticed that he keeps going back to these. He loves that he can change the look just by changing his socks. Of course that also means a little extra laundry for me because sometimes he wears more than one pair during the day, but all for a good cause, and what’s a few extra socks to wash? We love Uneaks – they would make a great present for the kids on your holiday gift list. They are currently running a limited time free shipping and free returns promo – get ‘em while it lasts.
February 9th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I bought these shoes mainly due to your review. I loved the deal they had – buy one get one free – and decided to try it for my 5 1/2 and 2 year olds. The customer service was great, and they even gave me a free pair of socks for each pair. However, after only about one month, one of the yellow treads came off the bottom of my 2 year old’s shoe – and he was indoors on the carpet! It’s a little yellow circle about the size of a penny, which could cause a choking hazard if there are little ones around. The shoes are also a little stiffer than I anticipated, but roomy enough both boys did not seem to mind. I contacted the company regarding this but regardless of their reply I don’t think I will endorse these shoes because of this defect. My 2 year old now has to run around with a missing “bump” on the bottom of one of his shoes! (that is, if more don’t come off!)
February 9th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
I did get a very quick email response from the company (Co-Founder and CEO himself) that they will replace the defective pair for free and they will look into how the defect happened. Hopefully they’ll work out the kinks – I strongly believe good customer service is the secret to success (along with a good product, of course!)