La Sportiva - Tarantula - Climbing shoes

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 ---

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.

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 ---

Recommended for beginners. Sturdy construction, comfortably tight fit when fitted with AlpineTrek's fit guide. They seem durable. Only thing is sometimes don't feel as grippy as I'd like.

--- review of an older model ---

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Found itb a really good shoe, only downsidethe toe started geting holes sooner than expected but great shoe got reasonable mileageout of them

Super climbing shoes with plenty of grip and flexibility for all sorts of routes. particularly for the very reasonable price.

--- review of an older model ---