Madelynn, a Midwest grade schooler Test Drove a pair of etnies Fader Vulc. What did she and her mom think:

• Style: Madelynn's mom said, "I typically do not care for black tennis shoes, but I love these shoes and so does Maddie. We were extremely impressed when we got them. According to Maddie these shoes are 'super cool.' These shoes are very stylish with their skater look. The black leather with hot pink stitching and 'E' (etnies) symbol make the shoes cool and girly at the same time." Madelynn said she "loves, loves, loves" the shoes.

• Mix and Match: "What I like about the shoes is that they are black with some pink accents but not TOO busy. A lot of other trendier tennis shoes (such as twinkle toes, Ed hardy, retro Nikes, etc) add so much color and business to their shoe that it makes it hard to wear them with EVERYTHING. These shoes are cool but can be worn with just about any outfit. They can be worn with pants, shorts and skirts in just about any color. They are versatile and I absolutely love that!"
• Comfort: "The shoes fit great and are extremely comfortable. They are roomy in the toe and they do not slip at the heal area. Maddie wore them for several hours to a baseball stadium and had no complaints of her feet hurting, even after walking a long distance."
• Quality: Madelynn and her mom were impressed with the quality of Madelynn's etnies, saying, "These shoes have awesome quality!! They have very nice leather upper, durable (flexible) souls, and a cushy tongue."
• Fit: Both my little Test Driver and her mom agreed that the etnies Fader Valc fit true to size.

Buy Direct: etnies.com

10 year old California girl Ani Test Drove one of etnies most popular shoes for girls, the etnies Kids Jameson 2. These sleek, denim skater-inspired shoes for girls feature a cool denim upper, multi-colored lace holes and an overall fun and funky look. What did Ani and her mom think?

• Style: Ani's mom said, "They are very cute with the colorful eyelets. My daughter is planning ways to cute them up even further with colorful funky laces. They will match with a lot of clothes. I like the denim. It's different." Ani, who according to her mom isn't normally the type of girl to squeal and gush said, ""Ooooh!!! These are for ME!? Thank you mommy! Thank you thank you thank you!"

• Comfort: Both Ani and her mom thought her new etnies were very comfortable. Ani's mom said the shoe excelled in areas such as great shock absorption, balance and a sturdy construction.
• Quality: "The quality is excellent. I may be biased because I have been to the etnies HQ and have seen the testing they subject their kids shoes too. These shoes are made to stand up to SERIOUS abuse. etnies are great shoes. I think they are better than many of their competitors because of how seriously well made and tested they are. If your kids play hard and abuse shoes, you should check them out. They are made to withstand skater abuse and that shows in the details such as the rubber they use, how it protects the foot, the padding and more. If your kids drag their feet and jump off everything, and wear through their shoes normally... you need these!"
• Wash Up: "They just need a wipe down. I would not recommend machine washing."
• Fit: Ani and her mom agreed that the shoes fit true to size.

Buy Direct: etnies.com