La Sportiva  Stickit Climbing Shoes - Kids'

We bought these for our three year old because they were the easiest kids climbing shoe REI had to put on. They have held up fine for almost 6 months of climbing in the gym 3+ days per week, but lets be real he is three so he's not really killing them. I wouldn't say this is a bad kid's shoe. But there is nothing exceptional here. It's definitely not a scaled down version of one of their many bomber adult shoe choices. It seems to me a lot of engineering was taken out of this thing to hit their price point. I would rate it as just okay, and wouldn't recommend it for a child over five or six. It is fine for anything younger (like in our case) and gets the job done.

These are a great cheaper shoe for my daughter. She climbs once or twice a week both inside (gym) and outdoors. They are perfect for her and the price is great for a fast growing kid. I have to point out I have no clue why anyone would buy these for an older more serious climber. They are designed for kids. They sell a size that would fit my 10 year old competitive climbing son yet I would never buy them for him because he would hate them and destroy them in a very short time. Basically what I'm saying is know your child and what their climbing level is. These are very intro level shoes and are great for that. If your kid is a serious climber these are not what you should be buying.

This is our six year old's second shoe. He's at climbing camp this summer and we also sometimes boulder at night (gym). He also climbs in the back yard with these shoes on. I'm telling you, they take a beating. They are comfortable on his feet, unlike his last pair. He can easily get them on and off, and he hasn't complained that the design is "babyish" which is always (apparently) a concern. Sigh. To some of the other complaints, at some point let's exhale and acknowledge this is a $40 climbing shoe; good climbing shoes are now $150-190. I wouldn't purchase these for a young, avid climber who has finished growing, I'd buy something heavier duty and more expensive.

These are fantastic shoes for small kids. I have 3 kids ages 7,7, and 6. They've been using these shoes for the past 2 years. (I bought them a little big). These are not the same type of design that you would expect for an adult climber. Kids cannot, and probably should not, handle tight climbing shoes with a boomerang rand. Because of that the toe is not quite as tight and stiff as an adult climbing shoe, but that's ok. Kids are small and light enough that they don't need it. My kids paste their feet on the same tiny nubs that I use and are just fine (they only weight 50 lbs, you don't need a super stiff shoe for that). The great thing about these shoes is the ability to get them a little big and let your kids grow into them, or at least fit them for more than 6 months. The way the heel pulls in to snug the toes into the toebox is a great design. It has enabled my kids to get used to climbing in tighter shoes, without being uncomfortable. This also creates the same level of confidence that quality shoes do for me. I whole heartedly recommend these. The only reason they don't get 5 stars is that the lace system can breakdown after a while. It's both the great part of the shoe and the weakness.

These shoes are pretty good for the money. My daughter is noticeably more confident placing her feet now that she has well fitting climbing shoes. (Shocker, I know) The only thing about them is I'm not sure how they will hold up as she keeps using them. After just 4 uses one of the laces rubbed too much against the wall and broke. Luckily they are easy to replace with some paracord, but keep that in mind when you buy them. These will probably work until she grows out of them but I don't imagine they will be any good as hand me down shoes after.

I had comically small feet as a kid, and when I started climbing at age 11 the climbing store recommended these. They're definitely a good intro shoe for young kids, but not for that age. I'd recommend these highly for any kid up to 7-8, but after that there are much better kids climbing shoes that they can get. Also, the closure system is problematic. It's very thin and when I had to get rid of the shoe, it wasn't because I grew out of it or the rubber wore down, the string had torn. The idea is great, but it needs to be improved on.

I bought these for my 9 year old about a month ago. She has worn them once outside and since the beginning of September, climbed in them 2-3 times a week for 2-3 hour sessions. They now have holes in the toes. The strap also comes open on her often. They seem like they'd be find for smaller kids who aren't super serious about climbing, but once your kid is climbing on the regular, forget about it. They just aren't durable.

I picked up two pairs 6 months ago - one for my 4yo serious climber, and one for my 7yo not-so-serious climber. They were the only climbing shoes available in that size. Both kids love the shoes and haven't had any issues. They're comfortable on their feet and fit a range so that I don't have to buy new ones every month as they grow.

My daughter has been using these shoes for a year now and climbs 2-3 days per week. In the beginning the shoe was fine but a few months in she started having problems with her Velcro coming undone in the middle of a climb. One time it partially came off towards the top of a boulder causing her to panic. (Not safe) we have started taping the flap down with some success. While bouldering she wears her old shoes that are too small but much safer.

I bought these for my daughter who got invited to join climbing team. The shoes lasted for two and a half months and then the lace snapped. Overall impression: flimsy, the velcro closure is far too small for a custom fit. Not a good fit for my daughter who climbs competitively. The only reason I bought them is because her feet are tiny (at age 8.5 she wears US kids size 11).