Sports kit

[Ineedacoffee]

Hi everyone.

Can sports kit be purchased online?
No time on new entrants day. Thanks.

[Fairy]

Not sure about on line but there was a form in the new entrants pack that you can send off and they will mail the kit to you

[OKS]

You can order by phone, I've always found them to be really helpful.

[Volupturaptor]

I've not got anything sorted regarding sports kit either, I've a thing about crowds, so did not enter the library or the thrift shop on new entrants day. (not that I could have paid for it that day anyway)
I didn't get a form in the new entrants pack, and the order form I do have, which was sent later, has no details at all, it is intended purely for handing in on the day. I was a little annoyed actually, that we were expected to suddenly come up with the money for all this stuff with only a couple of days notice of how much it was all going to cost. I have looked at the Kukri website, but no mention of CH kit on there. I suppose I'll call the number on the website...

I originally intended not to get any crested stuff at all, as my daughter is not at all sporty, and I really can't see her getting onto any teams. I thought if she did, I'd get the stuff then, but I didn't realise what a pain it would be to obtain it, so on reflection, I suppose I'd better get her the basics, I don't want her to be in trouble for not having it.

Sports shoes... The white lace up cross trainers, how do I know they're cross trainers? It doesn't always say in the description what sort they are. And the bit about them NOT being "Fashion" trainers, how do I know what is considered fashionable? Does that mean no brand name at all? Is that even possible in this day and age?
Astro shoes, nothing specified about those at all, what is the difference between them and ordinary trainers? Should I be aiming for a particular colour?
Do they really need the two pairs..?

Oh, and a non sporty question... DM's, do they need to be a size bigger to allow for the woolly socks? Do they need much breaking in? If we decide not to get them, how close does the alternative have to be? Will any pair of black leather polishable lace ups do? Or do they really need to have three sets of lace holes?

So much to think about...

[Fairy]

We managed to find reasonably priced triainers (non brand and almost all white) plus the astro boots (also reasonably priced) at Decathlon. I think cross trainers just need to be able to be used for a variety of activities (so not sport specific). Astro boots have a different grip on the bottom to help them less slippy on the astroturf, they do come in a variety of colours but we plumped for white as they were the best fit.

[lonelymom]

Volupturaptor, please don't worry about the trainer thing. 'Fashion' trainers just means avoid the ones that are called trainers but actually give no foot support whatsoever, and get something that your daughter will be able to comfortably play sport in. Brand names are fine, I'd say most of the kids there have brand name trainers, because as you say, it's practically impossible to buy anything else nowdays! Astro trainers - if your daughter isn't sporty then she probably won't get much wear out of them, so just get something really cheap, and any colour goes. As for the DMs, I'd really recommend you get them, mainly because they last so well. But if you really don't want to then yes, sensible black polishable lace-up shoes, no heels etc, the kind of shoes you find in Clarks really. But a word of warning, most of the kids do wear DMs, and I know how kids hate to be the odd one out. The yellow socks don't make any difference, they're not that thick.

And if you don't like crowds (I'm with you on that one) but live close enough to the school to pop in, then give the lovely matron that runs thrift shop a ring and arrange a time to go and buy the crested stuff you need.

And you might be surprised about your daughter not being on any squads, there's netball, hockey, swimming, rounders, tennis, fives, athletics.... I'll bet she finds her sport and she'll be on something

[Atticus]

Volupturaptor, I got about half of dd's sports kit before new entrants day - do you want me to go up there and see what they have got in your dd's size, and email you with what there is...
Or, I think the lady that runs the thrift shop may be on here - if you got it from school, I could even post it too you ( I'm in Horsham)

We managed to get everything except the skort, the house hockey (block) shirt and the swimming costume. The swimming costume we got through broadbridges - the sell the 'banner' schoolwear brand ones that gave no logo on at all. Broadbridges also still have the doc martins - Around £45 . I don't know how that compares with other shops, but they seemed cheaper than online.let me know if I can help..

[Volupturaptor]

Thank-you for the clarification Fairy and Lonelymom.
Atticus, thanks for the offer, I'll bare it in mind if I get stuck.

[CHDad]

I agree with the DMs being a good purchase. They are the only pair of school shoes my DS has ever had which he hasn't managed to ruin within a few weeks. They still look as good as new after 3 terms (amazingly they still fit). Bearing in mind the amount of walking they all do at CH the shoes have been the best value school shoes I have ever purchased!

[Great Plum]

DMs are great - I wear them today as work shoes - they are the only shoes I can walk the mile and a half walk to work and back daily without trashing them!

[englishangel]

We bought our daughter DMs for her 17th birthday (the boots not the shoes) and she is still wearing them at 22. Not every day obviously but I bet she's still wearing them at 30. (she is a meeja person so can wear them to work). She has since bought a blue pair and floral pair herself.

[OKS]

Just got some DMs on e-bay - half the price and unworn. Worth a look, just make sure you know the size.

[wurzel]

when the wardrobe first stopped providing shoes on my UF I got 3 hole DM's and was in trouble at shoe inspection as not 4 hole, until I pointed out we could get them on the farm account from Scats really cheap and i had them for that reason rather than fashion. To this day i still wear them for wok and my current pair have lasted over 3 years.

I would suggest seeking out your local farm supplies or workwear shop (ie SCATS, Avon Farmers or Greenham Tools) as they sell them in there. As an aside when their feet reach adult size then it is worth considering the ones with toetectors as they are considered PPE so attract no VAT

On the boot side be aware there are different grades of DM, some are hardwearing protective grade but the coloured "fashion" ranges are of a thinner leather & cheaper construction. Make sure you know which you are buying

[englishangel]

Yes, daughter's first pair are the real McCoy. Obviously blue and flowery ones are 'fashion.

[eowyn3099]

We are about to do the dreaded shoe / trainer / football boot shop for our son who is due to start in Sept 11. The clothing lists state that trainers have to be white (seriously, are they mad!), my question is how white? Having trawled through the internet to get some idea I have yet to see any white trainers! Just to complicate things we have to get him supernating trainers as he wears insoles in his shoes and by getting the correct trainer it means he's not constantly swapping out insoles! And just to add to it, he's in that awkward stage of being between kids and adult sizes, all the kids ones seem to stop at a 5.5 and he's a 6 but the mens all start at a 7 or 8! Do these manufacturers all think that boys miss out sizes 6 through to 8??