OutdoorGearLab

The Five Ten Kirigami was a top performer in the realm of comfort, which is quite important to kids, especially while climbing cracks. When our primary 8-year-old tester easily slipped into these soft, roomy shoes, her first reaction was "Wow, these are so comfy." When asked which shoe she wanted to wear for climbing a desert splitter crack, she chose the Kirigami.  The single hook and loop closure makes it simple to put them on, take them off, and tighten or loosen the shoes. It is placed close to the ankle so that it doesn't interfere with toe and foot jams in cracks.  The Kirigami comes equipped with Five Ten's Stealth Phantom rubber, a soft and sticky compound, which increases sensitivity while crack climbing. It is often hard to see your feet while crack climbing, so sensitivity is very helpful.  A soft sole also aids in slab climbing by allowing more rubber to contact the rock under the ball of the foot. A rubber rand wraps over the top of the leather upper part of this durable shoe, protecting the top of the foot and increasing contact while climbing cracks, while well thought out mesh placements increase breathability.
Although the rounded, spacious toe box offers comfort and room for growth, it lacks the precision and stiffness desired for trusting smaller edges and pockets on steeper, more challenging climbs. We also quickly discovered that the Kirigami runs quite large, about a size and a half larger than the other shoes we tested. However, its low profile from top to bottom of the forefoot and a protective leather upper make it a great shoe for kids climbing cracks in the desert or elsewhere. Overall, the colorful Kirigami climbs well on beginner to moderate routes and is a great selection for crack climbing, but isn't the best choice for more advanced climbs with smaller footholds.

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yotpo

The La Sportiva Tarantulace is our top recommendation for new climbers who are ready to commit to buying their own pair of shoes. The Tarantulace is first and foremost comfortable - their soft leather uppers will stretch with wear. The shoes are not aggressively shaped like our value recommendation, so they work great for all-day multi-pitch climbs or long gym sessions. They do have a slight downturn which helps them excel as an edging shoe. We found them to work best on vertical terrain with decently sized footholds. 
Once the angle gets steeper, or the holds become more like smears, the Tarantualces start to become a bit more challenging to trust. The rubber compound is not the stickiest we've tested, and the stiffness of the sole makes them a bit hard to smear with, especially on footless granite slabs. This aside, the Tarantulaces are still great shoes for most introductory climbing. 

The La Sportiva Tarantulace is our top recommendation for new climbers who are ready to commit to buying their own pair of shoes. The Tarantulace is first and foremost comfortable - their soft leather uppers will stretch with wear. The shoes are not aggressively shaped like our value recommendation, so they work great for all-day multi-pitch climbs or long gym sessions. They do have a slight downturn which helps them excel as an edging shoe. We found them to work best on vertical terrain with decently sized footholds. 
Once the angle gets steeper, or the holds become more like smears, the Tarantualces start to become a bit more challenging to trust. The rubber compound is not the stickiest we've tested, and the stiffness of the sole makes them a bit hard to smear with, especially on footless granite slabs. This aside, the Tarantulaces are still great shoes for most introductory climbing. 
Read more: La Sportiva Tarantulace review

Climbing Shoe Comparison