My 9 and 10 Year Olds Are Wearing Reima Rantaan Sandals This Summer — Here's Why

When you own a kids' shoe shop, your own children become the unofficial test subjects. It’s hard though, because they are both quickly outgrowing sizes in most children’s brands… but not yet! 

This summer, we had one choice for my kids the Reima Rantaan, available up to a Junior 7, and both my kids hover around a 6.5/7. We searched around for Sandals at the mall and Winners, but the truth is that adult sandals suck. With the Rantaan the fit around the ankle was secure without being fussy. The toe coverage felt right for kids who are actually running around outside, not just sitting at the splash pad. And the wide toe box meant their toes had room to do what toes are supposed to do:  spread out, grip the ground, move freely all day.

My daughter picked pink. Obviously.

Why I Wanted to Keep Them in a Kids' Sandal

My kids are 9 and 10, which is the age where a lot of families start drifting toward adult sizing. Afterall, she wears a womens shoe 8, and he wears a mens shoes 7 or 8. For her it’s easy to find more, but for him the options are really slim. Mens shoe companies don’t like to bring in small sizes.  

But there are real reasons to hold on to kids' footwear as long as you can: Kids' clothing and footwear is still PST-exempt in BC and when you're buying quality shoes, that saving is worth keeping. Kids' shoes are also designed differently than adult shoes. The construction, the flexibility, the weight, it's all calibrated for feet that are still developing, still changing shape, still figuring out how to move through the world.

But also adult womens shoes are often pink, decorative, and designed for cute not function. Mens shoes are clunky, and less cute. 

Adult barefoot shoes exist, and they're genuinely hard to find,  especially in person, especially in Prince George. But a kids' barefoot sandal that goes up to a Junior 7? That we have. It’s not something many stores can say, but we are actively going above and beyond to carry stock for your biggest kids so that shoe shopping doesn’t have to be a struggle. These are custom order sizes that are only available when a shop orders them. 

What I Actually Love About the Rantaan

The barefoot label can make parents nervous. It sounds like a whole philosophy. But what it really means is: thin flexible sole, zero heel drop, wide toe box. Features that let feet move the way feet are designed to move.

We are not a barefoot family - we sized my daughter into a high support runner at the local running shop - but sometimes we do choose barefoot when the fit is right. Sometimes I think we can get it in our head that we can only wear something if it’s our philosophy - but you can also choose it when it’s the right comfort and fit. 

For my kids, what that translated to in practice was a sandal they could wear all day without complaining. Lightweight enough that they forget they have shoes on. Grippy enough for trails and uneven ground. Secure enough at the ankle that I'm not worried about them rolling their feet on a root.

We've been wearing them for a few weeks. No complaints. In fact, it’s become her go-to shoe choose, even over the slides we bought. That's the review.

We Have More Than Black

The Reima Rantaan comes in more than one colour,  including pink, which was a non-negotiable for one member of our household  - we carry a range of sizes in store. I wish I could say I can order more for you, but what we have is our summer sandal collection is our collection. We hope to order more sizes and colours as the success of our kids footwear goes. 

Finding quality barefoot footwear in Prince George shouldn't require a road trip or a two-week online order wait. We're here, we have them in stock, and you can actually try them on.

📍 Nest & Sprout 3049 McGill Crescent, College Heights, Prince George nestandsprout.ca