This money-saving hack has changed the way I buy Nike shoes — I shop for the exact-same pair I want in big kids’ sizes

Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Nike

Nike offers a wide range of sizes online, but popular colorways sell out quickly, especially in small sizes.
Men’s and kids’ colorways often overlap, offering those with small feet an extra chance to snag their favorite style in their size.
Youth sizes are available up to a 7Y, which is equivalent to a men’s 7 or a women’s 8.5.
As a bonus, kids’ sneakers tend to be a bit cheaper than the adult versions.
Styles such as React Presto, Huarache E.D.G.E. TXT, and Air Max 720 are all available in both men’s and kids’ in identical colorways.

I’m not a sneakerhead by any means, but when I see something I like, I tend to get a little bit obsessive until I own it.

So when I saw a certain colorway of Nike Air Max 97‘s, I knew I had to have them, but Nike was sold out in my size. I wear a women’s 8, which is equivalent to a size 6.5 in men’s. In my experience, Nikes run a half-size small, so I always end up with a men’s 7. I tend to shop in the men’s department because the women’s colorways are just never as cool. Why Nike doesn’t offer the same colorways in both departments has always baffled me.

Online, Nike offers men’s sizes all the way down to a size 3.5 (equivalent to a women’s 5) and all the way up to a size 15 (equivalent to a women’s 16.5). But the extreme sizes sell out quickly because they make so few pairs, which is what happened in the case of my Air Max 97’s. I was distraught that I’d missed out on this colorway, so I spent days Googling, hoping to find them on Footlocker or Zappos or some resale site at a price that wasn’t ridiculous.

What I wound up discovering was a hack that changed the way I buy sneakers.

Nike doesn’t always make the men’s colorways in women’s sizes, but they will occasionally make them in "Big Kids’" sizes. And adults purchasing kids’ shoes is not something Nike discourages. In fact, they have a size chart available that helps you convert kids’ sizes to men’s and women’s sizes. This is great for people with small feet who miss out on their size in the adult version. It’s often the exact same shoe with maybe a minor variation in detailing here and there.

As a bonus, you’ll often wind up saving at least $20 by switching from men’s to kids’. You’re essentially getting a discount on the near-exact same shoe, which more than makes up for the extra effort you’ve made to grab them in the best colors. As an example, right now the React Presto’s are available in both men’s ($120) and big kids’ ($100) in two overlapping colorways, as are the Huarache E.D.G.E. TXT’s (men’s and big kids’) and the Air Max 720’s (men’s and big kids’). These are just a few examples, but there are tons of instances of this on the Nike website, so if your favorite colorway is sold out in your size and you happen to have small feet, do your due diligence and check the kids’ section.

Check out all the sneakers Nike currently has in big kids’ sizes here.