Pediped shoes are absolutely wonderful!  They are made from very soft leather to allow your little one's foot to grow and develop naturally rather than forcing it to conform to the shape of a hard shoe.  We have this shoe for our little girl in the brown/pink in size 18-24 months and it is perfectly sized for her foot with some room to grow.  In fact she LOVES putting on her shoes because she thinks she's extra special.  When she's in a mood, we offer her shoes and she immediately brightens up.  The quality of the pediped shoes is top notch.  The stitching is flawless and the quality of the leather makes me wish I could get shoes like this.  The sole of the shoes has some special foam padding cushioning contact with the ground while still allowing your baby to feel the steps.  As a bonus, it looks like the sole doesn't even show any wear on the outside.  Inside our home, there is just enough grip on the leather that our baby doesn't slide on our hard floors.  I believe the outside of the sole is coated with something but I can't feel anything different in texture.  The velcro closure is easy to remove but it doesn't seem to wear out in the multiple daily off-on routines and grips like a champ.  I HIGHLY recommend these shoes for your beginning walker!