Isn't it a little weird that most shoes for kids are just tiny versions of adult shoes? Children are growing and developing. They are building and strengthening muscle that will be the foundation for their body for decades to come. That tiny foot is still growing. They are still developing their walking gait. So how can they possibly be running around in smaller versions of shoes designed with an adult foot in mind? Fila shoes considered this when developing their answer to Vibram's five toe shoes.
Fila shoes wanted to design a shoe that was good for overall foot health. A natural fitting shoe that feels as natural in use as going barefoot. The barefoot shoe phenomenon has primarily been marketed to serious runners who are tired of their spine being jarred with every impact to the pavement or dirt. Runners who have suffered long enough from shin splits and knee or hip problems from over hyped but poorly constructed performance shoes. Anyone with kids can tell you that there is nothing as active as a growing child. They may not be marathon runners but children are playing outside, on the playground, and on the sports field.
Fila shoes considered this when designing their line of Skeletoes. Skeletoes are a natural shoe with a ground feel that is akin to being barefoot. The shoe contorts to the foot's form to promote natural mobility. There is no period in our lifetime where natural mobility is as important as our developmental years.
Many kids prefer running around and playing barefoot. Shoes are something kids are forced to get used to. I remember growing up and playing pickup baseball and football games in my bare feet. I would marvel at Pele playing soccer barefoot or Jimmy Superfly Snuka leaping from the top turnbuckle barefoot. Being barefoot simply felt the best given the terrain. Perhaps it wasn't the safest option. Shoes are necessary for protection from the elements but they shouldn't be so padded, arched, thick, and constricting where the feeling in no way resembles being barefoot. That's just too much of an unnatural change to the foot. Fila shoes understood this also applied to an active, growing child's foot when they made the decision to not limit the customer base of Skeletoes. A barefoot simulation isn't limited to just runners and foot health is important in a child's development. It's his or her physical base.
Skeletoes are also eye catching which should appeal to kids. The toes are curved upward and the shoe has skeleton images that simply make this a fun looking shoe. Kids are not only wearing them while playing, while on bicycles, or while swimming or fishing but they can also be seen as casual everyday wear with jeans or shorts. Fila shoes have made Skeletoes available to both boys and girls. Boys can get their Skeletoes in sizes 3 to 7 and in colors black, blue, and red. Girl sizes range from 1 through 7 and Skeletoes are available in pink and purple.