Do you think you can get the best kids climbing shoes for your passionate young climber? It’s possible because we’ve reviewed the ideal available climbing shoes and classified them according to their suitability. A few brands are making kids climbing shoes.
In such a case, it becomes an enormous challenge to know what will go best. To help you find the best climbing shoes for your kid, we have picked the shoes according to their varying features and benefits. Let’s dive into the article to know all about our findings.
Table of Contents
Buying Guide to Pick the Best Kids Climbing Shoes
You want value for your time and money. While the wrong shoes can end in frustration for you and your kid as well — you won’t ever wish. Not every kid is the same, nor are his climbing priorities and expertise. Therefore, we’ll let you know how to pick the shoes for an excellent bouldering experience according to the specific needs of your kid.
1. Climbing shoe type
Do you think that all the shoes are the same for different climbing? No…!!! For bouldering, you need shoes that have a softer, twistable sole. These shoes should have more rubber at the toe area to help the inverted climbing.
While support climbing shoes have stronger testing soles to provide more support to climb the higher areas.
2. The outsole of the shoe
It’s a well-known fact that the sand or stones are slippery. Therefore, your kid needs a perfect hold to move in these areas with the help of an outsole.
3. The upper of the shoe
A bad upper material is enough to hurt the feet. So, a shoe with a mix of synthetic and natural material allows good airing for the health of your kid’s feet.
4. Support for turn
Turning is an important part of climbing. Especially, when your kid is practicing, there are certain points when he has to turn, instead of climb, because of holding challenges. Therefore, the shoes must support the turn through supportive heels. So, with good shoes turning doesn’t seem challenging like a manual.
5. Fitting of the shoes
Do you think that shoes having a troublesome toe, midsole, innersole, outsole, or heel will allow your kid to focus on climbing peacefully? No, you’ll agree. Therefore, make sure that the shoe must fit your kid to help him climb
instead of disturbing him. So, be active to change the shoes when it long fits your kid. However, while buying, you can get 1 to 2 size-up shoes because your kids are growing.
6. Hold
What if your kid is climbing and struggling with the lacing or velcro as well? Horrible, indeed!!! He can fall too. So, it’s obvious the shoe must give a perfect hold to your kid’s feet. Hence, lacing offers a better hold than velcro — safer.
7. Better control through outsole pattern
How do you walk with shoes having no outsole pattern? You will prefer to do skidding with such shoes. Hence, a good pattern provides control while climbing down or up.
8. When to get new climbing shoes?
Wears and tears are clear signs that your kid needs to get new shoes. However, if your kid is a skillful climber to practice climbing 4-5 days a week, the shoes will last for 3-4 months only. Thus, you need to buy shoes of his size, not 1-2 numbers above the size every 4 months approximately.
9. Some essential features of every climbing shoe
Here are some important features of any climbing shoes you must consider getting ideal shoes for your kids’ climbing needs. The features have been in our serious consideration while reviewing the shoes.
● Edging is the most necessary feature to consider in any climbing shoes. The pointed toe and hardness of the sole directly contribute to the edging.
● Comfort is essential for any shoe wearer because a comfortable shoe allows focus for your young climber.
● The supportiveness of shoes in cracks helps with the grip and speed. So, we’ll be reviewing the shoes according to their performance in the cracks as well.
● Toes area of shoes allows the transfer of force in pockets during climbing. The shoes with a pointed toe help smooth climbing through shifting force into pockets.
● The outsole of the shoes helps in the sensitivity of the shoes. Most of the time it’s challenging for a climber to look at the surface under his feet. At this moment, the sensitivity of the shoe allows him to feel the surface and make the right decision.
Expert Reviewed Top Kids Climbing Shoes
A good understanding of kids’ climbing shoes, their formation, and their features can allow you to pick suitable shoes for your kids. So, let’s explore the shoe collection our experts have reviewed for you.
1. Best Kids Climbing Shoes Evolv Ashima
Aiming at aggressive and hard climbing, the shoes by Evlov Eshima are the best for medium to expert-level young climbers. The advanced enhancement in shoes with the help of VR rand technology gives an ideal fit to every type of foot.
Thick rubber means more fraction and less speed, yet 4.2mm rubber not only gives max control but also allows the speed. The chiseled toe with downturn helps confident edging. The heel rand also helps to control the movement by shifting the force at the toes area pocket.
The very VTR rand also helps a secure grip in the cracks of all sizes. Similarly, the toe rand gives protection to kids’ toe areas in smaller cracks. For the sensitivity, the Evolv shoe has an average level of sensitivity, which is pretty fine despite its quality 4.2mm TRAX outsole. The lace-up style gives extra hold and confidence while climbing. In short, the shoes will help with powerful steep routes and bouldering through cracks.
Pros
● Superb for edging
● Best for cracks
● Significant support on steep routes.
Cons
● Average breathability doesn’t support day-long usage
2. La Sportiva Kids’ Stickit Rock Best Basic Climbing Shoes
Is your kid new to climbing? Comfort will surely come first to him because his climbing needs are not as tough as terrains are. Therefore, all-rounder shoes like La Sportiva Stick are an ideal choice for him. First, we’ll discuss the edging, which is a direct outcome of a stiff midsole. And this is what La Sportiva isn’t about because the rubber of the midsole is quite flexible to serve new bouldering feet.
The leather outsole of the shoes makes it soft and goes good in average-level cracks. Yet, tough cracks can cause pain. The laces could also be problematic in cracks. The toes of the shoes are also soft and round, with flexible soles to make the shoes have an average performance in the pocketed routes. Hence, it’s a fit for beginner climbing.
Beginners need shoes with great sensitivity, for it helps them to feel rocks and cracks. For this purpose, the climbing shoes from La Sportiva are perfect. Can a young climber bear less breathable shoes? Never!!! It’ll make him tired soon. Therefore, the leather upper of La Sportiva shoes gives your kids ideal breathability.
What makes the Sportiva Stickit shoes superb for the competitor’s climbers? It’s its price also, which is pocket friendly and you’ll not worry to buy it after 4-5 months. To sum up, the shoes bring you 100% value for the crazy new climbers.
Pros
● Superb for beginners
● Comfortable
● Available for any age
● Pocket friendly
Cons
● Lace’s tension is not long-lasting.
3. All-rounder comfortable Evolv Venga Kids Climbing Shoes
Is your kid a middle-level climber and needs comfortable shoes to help him climb on cracks and flats evenly Evolv Venga is for your kid? The shoes are highly comfortable because of the breathable, anti-microbial, anti-stinking upper. In the same way, they are easy to adjust with the size of the feet. So, growing feet will feel easy inside. For adjustability, the hook and loop pull tension system with single lace provides enough hold for the whole foot, besides the heel. Thus,
the shoes are also easy to wear for kids. Tension metal rings make climbing a little challenging sometimes. Trax rubber edges of the shoes allow fine frictions and support against the average cracks. The shoes are softer, as we know. Still, they do an outstanding job at edging. How? Usually, the beginner-level footwork causes the toe to wear. Yet,
the VTR rubber rand of the shoes is thick enough to prevent the forefoot of the young ones. Hence, the kid can focus on the edges and smaller holds. Unlike other climbing shoes, the Evolv Venga new shoes have a flat sole with upward-pointing. Hence, it makes climbing hard. Yet,
the new design has a VTR rand with less coverage to let the kid get a grip on rocks. In short, for toe protection, hold on to the edges and cracks, and breathability these kids’ climbing shoes are at first-rate. While on the downside, the upper is prone to wear soon.
Pros
● Ideal for beginners and intermediate climbing kids
● Comfortable for toes
● Help tricky climbing
● Pocket friendly
Cons
● D rings can trouble climbing
● Average durability
4. SCARPA Piki Junior Climbing Shoes
As an all-rounder, Scarpa Piki is a brilliant choice for beginner to intermediate performance. With full hook and loop enclosure coverage the shoes will fit the feet of your kid. With a Neoprene lining padding, the shoes allow a comfortable and flexible fit for the growing feet of your kid. Thus, the construction of the shoes fairly delivers the comfort that kids want.
The performance has various standards which these shoes fulfill on some grounds and lack on others. So, we’ll be seeing how the kids climbing shoes serve for good first. The performance of the shoes in thin cracks is though not good, yet they are better in the wide cracks.
The Neoprene lining, padding, and rubber friction allow marvelous safety despite a soft midsole — no sole. Thus, the shoes are good for sensitive feet as well. As the shoes have no pointed tip besides the no mid-sole, it is hard to use them in pockets. So, if the kid is doing an easy climb,
the shoes will serve. On the downside, the shoes have less advantage over edging. The reason is the round rubber toe, which helps the durability but not edging. As we know that sensitivity has its importance. With the Scarpa Piki, it’s less. Soon, the climber has to struggle to feel the rocks under their feet. Overall, the shoes are a pleasant choice for being durable, comfortable, and protective, yet for the steep trains, they don’t suffice.
Pros
● Not pricey
● Comfortable
● Durable
Cons
● Not for terrains or pockets
● Less sensitive
5. La Sportiva Maverink as Best Climbing Shoes for Expert Kids
For the aggressive young climber, what else will you need? It’s nothing except La Sportiva Maverink shoes. The well-designed shoes have got so many advantages to let you rely on them. So, the shoes perform above average.
The shoe has a soft upper of microfibers and a comfortable leather heel pocket with coverage of rubber outside. Thus, the kid gets wholehearted support and comfort in the heels area.
The shoes have got No-Edge technology by Sportiva: a thin layer of rubber on the toe. Thus, they fit well inside the small holds and provide a matchless grip. On the downside, the no-sole is quite flexible, which does not do well on edge. However, the P3 platform helps here a lot. In the same way, to perform on crack the shoes are good but not matchless.
As the manufacturers have used XS Grip 2 rubber, it gives max friction to let the kid do well in the cracks. Speaking of the pockets, of course, the shoes are superb because of the pointed toe. As we know that the shoes have “no toe,” they offer excellent sensitivity, which means focus.
To wear, the shoes have no laces. Though you might think of no laces as a disadvantage, it does an excellent fitting. Thus, they are easy for kids. To sum up, the kids climbing shoes by La Sportiva are an ideal choice for well-trained climbers who always look at the cracks and pockets as a challenge.
Pros
● Comfortable
● Sensitive
● Best for edging, cracks, and pockets
Cons
● Resoling isn’t possible.
Final Thoughts
Comfort and support are the two major needs of kid climbers. A careful selection of shoes can help them enjoy their sport with accomplishments. The right choice only comes from a detailed analysis of the shoes. Some shoes are exceptional for some reasons, while others also deliver unique value.
To help you with perfect shoe buying, our kids climbing shoe collection will certainly add more value to your kid’s climbing experiences. So,
which shoes are you going to select to give your kid now???
Discussion about this post