Polliwalks: Leave a trail of fun
My kids are almost never as excited about a new pair of shoes as I am. I might be ooh-ing and ah-ing over a grippy outsole or an innovative lacing system, while they’re both totally unimpressed. Shoes can be cute, shoes can be durable, and those things are important … but it’s rare that a shoe is actually fun for the little one who’s wearing it. The boys recently met their match, however, when we received and tested two pair of Polliwalks (MSRP $24.99) clogs. If you’re used to being met with eye-rolling ambivalence when you whip out a pair of new shoes for your toddler, brace yourself for a different reaction entirely.
We were thrilled when our gator (shown at intro of review) and duck (shown at right) samples arrived. Owen, our 4-year-old, immediately seized his pair, whipped off his sneakers and started to put on his Polliwalks. He’s very much into lizards and snakes at the moment so the gator in army green (also available in navy and lime) suits him perfectly. Sam, our 17-month-old, immediately began chewing on the orange duck Polliwalks (also available in fushia and lemon) and seemed equally happy with his sample.
The clogs fit really well. They may run a bit large, but not overly-so. They were relatively easy to get on and off: Simply undo the heel strap which is attached with a loop fastener, slide them on, and re-fasten, or slide them and pull the heel strap up and over the heel. This was our first experience with waterproof clogs, so I was a bit skeptical about whether the kids — especially Sam — would want to walk in them but he quickly toddled off to parts unknown. I can tell that the molded foam construction is comfortable for both boys, because they both reach for their Polliwalks before any other pair of shoes they’re currently wearing. And when they’ve (inevitably) gotten their Polliwalks dirty, the clogs are super easy to care for, in that I can toss them in the washing machine or hose them off in the backyard.
I also love how Polliwalks are constructed. The company goes to great lengths to ensure an environmentally-friendly product, which in our house is much appreciated. Polliwalks recycles all excess material created from its molding process, it uses only recycled paper and plastic with its packaging (including tags and hooks), it employs a water based adhesive during the manufacturing process that is eco-friendly and — speaking of that process — no animal products are used, making it a good vegan shoe.
Now, on to the fun part. In addition to the duck and the gator, Polliwalks come in ladybug (fushia only) and frog (available in lime, lilac and navy). Each of the styles comes available in sizes 4-13 toddler and 1-2 kid. And as fun as the characters are themselves, what’s even more fun is the trail they leave behind. Polliwalks’ (patent pending) Footprinter Bottom ensures that your little one will leave footprints of whatever animal their shoe represents (see bottom of frog, in lilac, at left). If that doesn’t grab their attention, nothing will!
To view a list of retailers who sell Polliwalks, click here.
