These boots are surprisingly nice for being inexpensive off-brand shoes. My 2.5 year old loves them and wants to wear them all the time. The footbed is properly padded but has no arch support. The padding seems to be forming to my son's foot, so I think the arch support will be fine as the pad moulds. We have had these on my little guy for an active summer of hiking, biking, and everything outdoors the Pacific Northwest is famous for. They are holding up well and (with a waterproofing treatment) have been reasonably water resistant. The one thing to keep in mind is these run at least a full size large (maybe 1.5 sizes).