aight dude.. im just tellin you from personal experience get the kid some boots... wether he can shift or not its called breaking the boots in... just like you do a baseball glove... make him wash your lawnmowers or something while wearing the boots...
and i know from personal experience cuz i had the same mindset.. i dont need no stinkin 300 dollar pair of boots...
3 week outta work 2 broken ankles later adn 6 months on crutch's... cost me a helluva lot more than 300 bucks..