4.81 of 5 stars
La Sportiva - Tarantula - Climbing shoes tested
Do you own this product? Have you tested it out?
Other customers will be happy to read your review – share what you know.
An average shoe that lacks durability
I have used these shoes for 2 months.
The feeling on the rock is below average, with the shoe starting to feel slippery on smaller pockets.
In terms of durability, it alre shows signs of wear on the leather above the sole
It's ok for first shoe but just that
- Disadvantages
- Not sturdy
- Recommended use
- Beginner
I have used these shoes for 2 months.
The feeling on the rock is below average, with the shoe starting to feel slippery on smaller pockets.
In terms of durability, it alre shows signs of wear on the leather above the sole
It's ok for first shoe but just that
-
- Disadvantages
- Not sturdy
-
- Recommended use
- Beginner
I have been using this shoe now for three months and it keeps up with my progression in sport climbing very well. I would say it's a great shoe to start in if you don't have a store close to you to try different styles. For reference, I got three sizes smaller than my normal size and it still fits comfortably enough.
--- review of an older model ---
-
- Advantages
- Versatile
-
- Recommended use
- Sport climbing
- beginners
what size to buy for a girl with 23cm feet (med to narrow width) 4.5 street size, and a boy with 26cm feet (med-wide width) 7.5-8 street size
Hi Elisabeth,
It's important to know that , especially , with climbing shoes trying on is the only way to know for sure if the fit will be right for the user. Often it's best to order a few sizes to try on at home and return those that do not fit for a refund.
I would however estimate a size a size EU 37.5 (UK 4.5) if new to the sport or perhaps a 37 if with some experience. For size 7.5-8UK an EU 41.5 or 41.
This was in fact my first pair of climbing shoes that I bought back when I began climbing (with laces). My first pair lasted me about 1 year of fairly constant use, mostly indoor bouldering, before giving in to the wear and tear I put them through. I also used them for trad and sport climbing where the performed brilliantly. Having bought other shoes that are "more advanced", I'm returning to these for their comfort for longer days at the crag!
They're extremely comfortable, durable, and can handle a range of types of climbs, performing best on vertical / slabby climbs but can do well on some overhangs. I also very much like the back of the shoe which performs well doing heel hooks. They are a little weaker for toe hooks, but then these shoes aren't designed for that type of climbing, and the little bit of rubber over the big toe does help.
Overall, I find myself buying these shoes again for their comfort, durability and versatility. They can be worn for hours and withstand quite a bit of abuse before your toes begin to poke through (you can of course get them resoled!). I certainly recommend them for a beginner climber looking for a shoe to carry them through the early stages and up to when you start climbing harder. I also recommend them to more advanced climbers looking for shoes that have great mileage, are comfortable, and can cope relatively well with harder sends. An excellent bang for buck.
--- review of an older model ---
-
- Advantages
- Robust
- Good grip
- Comfortable
- Good fit
- Versatile
-
- Recommended use
- All around
- Bouldering
Just started bouldering and these could not be better. Went half a size down for a good fit, with a balance between tightness and comfortability. Only downside is that I can feel slightly unstable at times on tiny foot chips, but overall great.
-
- Advantages
- Good grip
- Versatile
- Robust
-
- Recommended use
- Bouldering
- Indoor climbing
- Beginner
My husband liked these so much he bought a second pair when the first pair wore out - used for 3 hours a week for about 14 months before the edges wore down too much). They were an excellent beginner shoe, and now the second pair is for comfort on long climbing sessions.
--- review of an older model ---
-
- Advantages
- Good fit
-
- Recommended use
- Bouldering
- Beginner
There are 443 more threads!