We've tried Stride Rite, Saucony, Tshukioshi, and while we liked them all, this pair has been my 2.5 year-old's favorite. They are very lightweight and flexible, and there's not too much extra rubber around the soles that he might trip over, which has been a problem with other shoes. Not sure that I love this, but my toddler can run REALLY fast in these shoes -- hard to keep up with! They seem to provide support without getting in the way. The straps across the top are a little short -- with my toddler's wider feet I find the shorter strap doesn't close all the way -- but that hasn't been a problem, it doesn't seem to open on its own despite the fact that there's a little velcro hanging out on one end. And they look great and go with a lot of different outfits.