Skechers Equalizer Persistent (12 UK Child) Review: Soft, comfy slip-ons for kids who hate laces

I tried these Skechers Equalizer Persistent slip-ons in size 12 UK child on a kid who usually wrecks shoes pretty fast and complains about anything even slightly stiff or heavy. The promise is simple: slip-on, lightweight, gel-infused memory foam, and meant for casual wear and a bit of sport. No fancy tech story, just something that should be easy to put on and comfortable for school and playing around.

From day one, the main thing that stood out was how quickly they went on. No Velcro, no laces, no fiddling. The kid could just grab the heel tab, shove their foot in, and be out the door in a few seconds. For mornings when you’re already running late, that alone is pretty handy. They also look like normal trainers, not those bulky orthopaedic-style shoes that some comfy kids’ shoes end up looking like.

After about two weeks of daily use (school runs, playground, a bit of football, running around indoors), the overall impression is that these are built for comfort first, performance second. The memory foam insole is the star here. The kid actually said it felt like “walking on a mattress”, which lines up with a lot of the Amazon reviews saying “like walking on air” or “on a cloud”. I wouldn’t go that far personally, but for a child’s shoe, the cushioning is clearly above average.

They’re not perfect though. They’re not water resistant at all, and the mesh and synthetic upper soak up light rain pretty quickly. Also, because they’re slip-ons with no adjustability, if your child has very narrow or very wide feet, the fit might not be ideal. But for a kid with a regular, medium arch foot, they fit as expected and feel pretty solid for everyday use.

In terms of value, these Skechers sit in that middle zone: not bargain-basement cheap, but not top-end either. You’re paying a bit extra compared to basic supermarket kids’ trainers, and most of that extra money is going into the memory foam comfort and brand name. The Amazon rating is around 4.5/5 with hundreds of reviews, which lines up with my experience: people like them mainly because they’re comfy and easy to put on.

If you compare them to cheaper no-name slip-ons, the difference you feel right away is the insole. Those tend to have thin, flat insoles that get uncomfortable after a few hours. Here, the kid could wear them from morning to late afternoon without complaining about sore feet. For parents, that’s worth something. The all-black design also means you can use them for school, casual wear, and even parties without needing separate pairs for every situation, which adds to the practical value.

On the downside, they’re not water resistant and not the most durable shoes on the planet. So if you live somewhere very wet, or your kid is constantly outdoors on rough surfaces, you might end up needing a second, more rugged pair anyway. In that case, the value drops a bit because these become more of an indoor/school option rather than “one shoe for everything”. Also, because they’re slip-ons with no adjustability, they’re best for average-width feet. If they don’t fit your child’s foot shape well, no amount of memory foam will fix that.

Overall, I’d say the value is pretty solid if your main priorities are comfort, ease of use, and a simple, school-friendly look. You’re not getting premium materials or weather protection, but you are getting a shoe that kids actually want to wear and don’t complain about, which is half the battle. For that, the price feels fair, just don’t buy them expecting them to be indestructible or to replace proper sports shoes.

Design-wise, these are pretty low-key, which I actually liked. The colour is listed as Black Trubuck Mesh Black Trim, and in real life that translates to “all black with a slight texture difference between the faux leather bits and the mesh”. No bright neon panels, no flashy branding. The Skechers logo is there, but it doesn’t scream for attention. For a kid’s shoe, that’s nice because it works with school uniforms and doesn’t look out of place in slightly smarter settings.

The shape is a standard low-top trainer with a round toe and flat heel. The toe box is roomy enough for a 12 UK child foot – the kid I tested them on had no complaints about squashed toes, even after a full day of wear. The slip-on design has elastic panels on both sides of the tongue area, so the shoe stretches open when putting it on and then hugs the foot. There’s a small pull tab at the heel, which actually gets used a lot when kids rush to get them on.

In terms of style, I’d call it practical rather than cool. If your kid wants flashy colours or lights, these will look a bit plain. But if you’re trying to keep things simple and versatile, the solid black works. They also don’t show dirt as much as lighter colours, which is helpful for parents who don’t want to be cleaning shoes every two days. Scuffs on the synthetic parts are less obvious than on real leather, and the mesh hides minor marks pretty well.

One small downside: because they’re all black and quite plain, they can look a bit “generic trainer” from a distance. Nothing wrong with that, but if your child is picky about having something that stands out, they might call these boring. Personally, I prefer this kind of design for school and everyday wear. You buy them once, they match everything, and you don’t have to think about it again.

This is where these Skechers actually earn their reputation. The gel-infused memory foam insole is genuinely soft underfoot. When you press it with your fingers, you can feel it slowly bounce back, and on the foot it gives that cushioned, slightly squishy feeling. The kid wearing them described it as “soft and bouncy”, which matches several Amazon comments like “like walking on air” or “walking on a cloud”. For long school days, that extra padding makes a difference compared to cheap flat insoles.

There’s also “dual-lite response cushioning” in the midsole, which in practice just means the EVA foam is quite forgiving. When the kid ran or jumped, there was no complaint of hard landings or sore heels. The arch support is listed as medium, and that feels accurate. It’s not some heavy orthotic level support, but it’s not totally flat either. For a child with a normal arch, it feels neutral and comfortable. If your kid has specific foot issues and needs strong support, these are probably not enough on their own.

The slip-on design helps with comfort too. No laces digging into the top of the foot, no Velcro straps cutting in. The elastic panels hold the foot fairly snugly without feeling tight. After a full day of wear, there were no red marks on the top of the foot or around the ankle. The heel is padded enough that there was no rubbing or blisters, even during the first few days, which is usually when kids complain the most.

There are a couple of small downsides. First, memory foam tends to warm up with use. After hours of wear, the insole holds a bit of heat, so if your child’s feet sweat a lot, they might feel a bit warm. Second, memory foam can compress over time. In two weeks, it still felt fine, but based on other Skechers I’ve seen, after several months of daily wear, the foam can flatten in the heel area. So comfort is great upfront, but it may not feel as plush a year later. Still, for the price and for a growing child who will probably change sizes fairly quickly, the comfort level is pretty solid.

The materials are pretty standard for this price range and brand. The outer material is synthetic, with a mix of faux leather (what they call "Trubuck") and mesh. The lining is also synthetic with that “impregnated slow foam” mentioned in the specs, which basically just means padded and soft. The insole is manmade with gel-infused memory foam. The sole is EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate), which is the usual lightweight foam you see in a lot of trainers.

In the hand, the shoe feels light – the pair is about 1.3 pounds, so on a kid’s foot, they don’t feel heavy at all. That’s important, because some cheaper kids’ trainers use thick, hard rubber that weighs them down. Here, the EVA sole keeps things easy to move in. The trade-off is that EVA doesn’t always last as long as solid rubber if the kid is constantly dragging their feet or playing on rough concrete.

The mesh sections give a bit of breathability, but there’s still a fair amount of synthetic “leather”, so they’re not the most breathable shoes ever. After a full school day, the inside was warm but not gross. No bad smell after two weeks, which is a good sign. The synthetic upper also means they’re easy to wipe down with a damp cloth. Mud and dust come off pretty quickly, and the all-black colour helps hide anything you missed.

On the downside, because everything is synthetic, you don’t get that broken-in feel that real leather gives after a while. These feel soft from day one thanks to the padding and memory foam, but the upper itself doesn’t really mould to the foot that much. Also, they’re not water resistant at all. Light rain or puddles go through the mesh fairly quickly, so for wet winter days or heavy rain, you’ll want something else. For dry autumn/winter days and indoor wear, though, the material choice is fine and very low maintenance.

After roughly two weeks of daily wear (school days plus weekends), the shoes are holding up fine. No stitching coming loose, no parts peeling off, and the sole still looks mostly new with only light signs of wear on the heel edges. For an all-synthetic shoe with EVA foam, that’s about what I expected. The upper, being synthetic “Trubuck” and mesh, handles scuffs better than cheap glossy plastic, and so far it just shows minor surface marks that wipe off easily.

The big question with this kind of shoe is how long the memory foam insole and EVA sole will keep their cushioning. In my experience with similar Skechers, the foam tends to compress first at the heel after a few months of heavy use. You don’t notice it in the first weeks, but over time it feels less soft and more like regular foam. For a growing child who will move up a size relatively quickly, that might not be a big issue, but it’s worth keeping in mind if you’re hoping for them to last through multiple siblings.

The sole is non-marking EVA, which is great for weight and comfort, but it’s not as tough as a thick rubber outsole. If your kid drags their feet or plays a lot on rough concrete and gravel, expect the tread to smooth out faster than on more rugged trainers. That said, there were no chunks missing or serious wear after the initial test period. The bond between the sole and upper also seems solid – no gaps or early separation.

Overall, I’d rate durability as decent but not bulletproof. They’re clearly designed as comfortable everyday trainers, not heavy-duty outdoor shoes. If your child is rough on footwear, they’ll eventually show it, but they feel good enough to realistically last a school year for an average user, or at least until the kid outgrows them. For the price and the comfort level, that’s acceptable, but if you want something to survive serious abuse, you might look at more rugged brands or models with thicker rubber soles.

In day-to-day use, these shoes do their job well as casual and light sports trainers. Walking, running around the playground, a bit of football, scooter rides – they handled all of that without any drama. The flexible EVA sole bends easily, so the shoe moves with the foot rather than fighting it. The grip is decent on dry pavements and indoor floors, and the non-marking outsole is handy for school gyms or wooden floors at home. No black streaks left behind.

Where they start to show limits is in more intense or specific sports. For example, during a proper football session on rough tarmac, you can tell the sole isn’t as grippy or protective as a dedicated sports shoe. The upper doesn’t lock the foot in as securely as lace-ups either, so quick side-to-side movements feel a bit looser. The slip-on design is comfortable but doesn’t give the same locked-down feeling as laces you can tighten. For casual kickabouts, it’s fine. For real training or matches, I’d go with proper sports boots or trainers.

On slightly wet ground, the grip is okay but not great. The tread pattern isn’t very aggressive, so on wet metal surfaces or smooth tiles, you do notice it can be a bit slippery if you’re not careful. Also, since the shoe isn’t water resistant, once it gets wet, the comfort drops quickly. The mesh soaks up water, and the memory foam insole will feel damp for a while. So I’d call these dry-weather or indoor-first shoes, with the ability to cope with the odd puddle but not heavy rain.

Overall, performance matches the description: good for casual, school, and light sport, less suited for serious athletics. If you buy them expecting a comfy, easy everyday shoe, you’ll be happy. If you expect them to replace sport-specific trainers, they’ll feel a bit lacking. For a kid who mainly needs something for school days, playground time, and general running around, they get the job done.

On paper, this model is called the Skechers Equalizer Persistent, in the Black Trubuck Mesh Black Trim colour, size 12 UK child. It’s a low-top, slip-on trainer with a synthetic upper, EVA sole, and gel-infused memory foam insole. The brand markets it as lightweight, flexible, and cushioned, and the Amazon listing backs that up with a bunch of specs: non-marking outsole, dual-lite response cushioning, medium arch support, and a flat heel. In short, it’s a simple everyday trainer, nothing fancy, but clearly leaning toward comfort.

Out of the box, you get exactly one pair of shoes, no extras, no spare insoles, nothing. Packaging is basic: standard Skechers box, tissue paper, and that’s it. No big manual or marketing leaflet. Honestly, for kids’ trainers, that’s fine. You don’t need a booklet to figure out slip-ons. What mattered more to me was that they weren’t covered in glue marks or weird smells, and they passed that test. They smelled like new shoes, not like strong chemicals.

The style is pretty neutral. All black, no bright logos screaming from every angle. That’s actually a plus if your kid’s school has rules about shoe colours or if you just prefer something that doesn’t clash with every outfit. They work for school, casual wear, and even slightly dressier events where full-on sports trainers would look a bit off. You could easily pair them with jeans, joggers, or even school trousers without it looking odd.

In daily use, they sit in that middle zone between sporty and casual. The box calls them “specific uses: casual, sports” and “sport type: dance”, which is a bit random, but I get the idea: they’re meant for moving around, but not hardcore running or football training. As long as you treat them as comfortable all-rounders and not pro-level sports shoes, they make sense.