Bobux are a company based in New Zealand and have been producing shoes since 1991. It all began when Chris and Colleen Bennett designed shoes for their daughter, Chloe. These were the world’s first all leather Soft Sole shoes and from then on, the company has gone from strength to strength and continues to produce soft soled shoes to this very day. Healthy foot development is an area that Bobux heavily focus on and they believe that going barefoot is best. They strive to learn more and increase their knowledge around the physical development of children’s feet and the impact shoes can have on them. In order to do so, Bobux have employed foot experts as well as having created lasting partnerships with podiatrists world-wide. They have studied the way children move and how this changes and adapts as they grow. They understand that it can be a constant challenge day to day to ensure that your child is getting the best out of everything they can, so Bobux believe that the more they learn, the more expertise they have which allows them to worry about your child’s healthy foot development, so you don’t have to.
As babies, their feet are made up entirely of cartilage and it is over several years that the bones develop and create the shape of the foot. Bobux believe that going barefoot allows children’s feet to develop and strengthen naturally. Their philosophy is that rigid shoes can have a negative impact on the development of childrens feet as if the shoes are not correctly designed and shaped to match the shape of the foot then in time the foot they conform to the shape of the shoes rather than the shape that nature intended. However, they understand that children cannot go barefoot all of time and they need some protection when outdoors and believe that the barefoot concept should not be compromised when wearing shoes. They therefore design and produce shoes which conform to a natural foot shape, have thin and flexible soles to mimic barefoot walking, are super comfortable and are also colourful and fun to wear.
After studying the way children move, Bobux have split their range of shoes into 4 distinct ‘stages’ as children go through 4 stages of development. As a child goes through so many developmental changes in the first ten years of their life and children grow at different rates so not all children are the same size and shape. This also applies to their feet and as with clothes, not all shoes will fit all children. When feet are fully grown, they have 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. We may feel that they are such a small part of our body, but in actual fact, the feet contain a quarter of all of the bones in the human body. This is one reason to ensure we take extra care of them!
As children grow, their activity levels will change therefore influencing the needs required from their shoes. Therefore, Bobux shoes are designed based on the developmental stages of a child’s life and categorise their shoes into Pre-walking & Crawling, First Walker, Toddler and Pre-schoolers & Kids.
For New Born and Pre-Walkers, Bobux have created the Soft Sole shoe. This is where is all began back in 1991, when the first pair of Soft soles was created by Chris Bennett at home in his garage. This an ultra-soft shoe made from a suede sole, an unlined upper and elasticated ankle.
Following on from the Soft Soles are the Xplorer range, a rubber soled pre-walker style shoe that can also transition through to first steps. The Xplorer shoes bridge the gap between crawling, cruising and walking. The Xplorer range has a soft leather upper, similar to a soft sole, but a full, durable rubber sole to allow outdoor use.
Following on from the Xplorer is the Step Up range designed for new walkers. Step Up is designed for little ones who are just starting to take their first steps with a design that reflects the distinctive anatomy of a first walker's foot, accommodating the child's rounder foot shape to allows unrestricted growth at this key stage of development. The sole is completely flat (zero drop), nice and thin and very light weight with good flexibility making it an ideal first shoe.
Once a child is walking more confidently then Bobux have developed the i-walk range to suit the need for a more durable shoe that can cope with active children and toddlers. However there is no compromise to the barefoot credentials and all the soles in these ranges are made from a nice soft rubber which is zero drop and flexible. They do offer a couple of different soles in this range with varying fit, sole thickness and flexibility. Under each product we have specified which sole is used so do check the product details before ordering. The white Play sole is the thinnest, softest and most flexible in the range. It is also the narrowest in fit and suits narrow to medium width feet. The tan sole is a medium width with a thin and flexible sole with a good range of options to fit different widths and insteps. As with all Bobux shoes, they are made from eco-friendly and high quality, breathable leather with a natural, non-slip rubber sole.
The final stage of the Bobux shoes is the Kid+ for when your child is completely active. From running and jumping, to kicking and climbing, the Kid+ collection has enough protection for even the most active child. The range is more hard-wearing then previous ones, as the range of activities is a lot wider than it has been in past years. The sole of these shoes is intricately designed, with flex grooves that allow flexibility in the most important areas and the hive grip design provides brilliant grip when required. The slimline silhouette reflects the change in the shape of the feet which now have a leaner shape and a more defined arch.
Here at Happy Little Soles, we stock a variety of Bobux shoes. From sandals to boots and Step Ups to i-Walk we have a wide range for both boys and girls to explore. Take a look at the Grass Court or Lo Dimension trainers ideal for your little run-around, or the smarter Port shoes and Louise t-bars for those special occasions.