These were bought as an incentive to get my child to wanting to tie shoes. The pink sparkles have done their job! The ties are a decent length and width for little learning fingers. These will NOT be for wet, cold, or long walking days. They have a single hole on the sides to allow feet to breathe (or socks to get wet). This could be an issue in winter, too. The biggest downside to these shoes is the lack of cushion and support for your feet. Still, I’d buy them again.