In this time and age, rock climbing is no longer just a leisure fun activity for adults or a one-off adventurous pursuit. With tonnes of kids and toddler-friendly climbing gyms opening up all around the world, rock climbing has become like a regular sports activity and workout for the young as well, similar to swimming or dancing.
Playing in the park’s playground is now comparable to hanging out on the climbing walls and grabbing them colourful holds. At a young age, toddlers and kids are attracted to rock climbing, due to the curious minds in that developing stage, as well as natural tendency to like to discover what is around them by touching and grabbing things. For this reason, parents are happy to enrich their kids lives by bringing them for rock climbing and even signing up for group classes as a young child.
With this surge of popularity and demand, climbing shoes become the first gear that they will help purchase for their children, just like ballet shoes or soccer boots. There is a new market for kids classy rock climbing footwear. And they are nothing like adult rock climbing and bouldering shoes.
What are they? Let’s find out.
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What are the Best Climbing Shoes For Kids?
To find the list of absolute Best Climbing Shoes For Kids, we have researched many kids climbing shoes and what parents who bought and have their kids use them say about these products. Based on their experiences, we compiled for you the top 7 climbing shoes for kids.
Also, to make it easier for you to making the right choice, we also wrote a mini kids climbing shoes Buying Guide and frequently asked questions (FAQs). You will find it at the end of this article.
1. La Sportiva Kids Stickit
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: Leather Shape: Flat and Neutral |
Popularly known as the all-rounder shoes is really comfortable and will provide excellent grip for your kid’s little feet. Children can easily wear and remove them due to the single lace velcro tightening strap design. It has a less technical and straightforward style that will simplify climbing shoes for your kids. Frixion RS rubber will provide good grip as the skills of your child develops.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Excellent comfort
- Varied range of sizes are available
- Comes at a good price
Cons
- Good ankle support compromises heel hook
- Not good for edges
- Straps wear out easily
2. Climb X Kinder Kids
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| Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: Chamois Leather with Dope Lining Shape: Flat and Neutral |
Climb X Kinder’s design is for pure comfort for any type of feet. Their heel filler is an invention to adjust to the increasing feet of your child and make the shoe last longer. The single strap and lose style will be a good fit and will cause no tightness or pain. The X factor rubber will provide the grip your kids needs for climbing.
Pros
- Great comfort and no tightness
- Unique heel adjustment loop
- Best for wide feet
Cons
- The outer layer may wear off soon
- No scope for heel hooks
- Not good for small holds
3. Mad Rock Mad Monkey 2.0 Kids
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Rubber made in USA Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: SynFlex Soft Synthetic Leather Shape: Flat and Neutral |
Mad monkey comes to help your monkeying children. This Mad Rock’s shoe has an adjustable heel loop that can fit the growing size of your kid. Their innovative style will not stop the heel hook moves for your child. This shoe is most loved owing to its single strap, better functionality and natural comfort design. The shoe rubber is also good for outdoor climbing.
Pros
- Excellent comfort
- Worthy price offer
- A great choice for beginners
Cons
- Not good for hard/competitive climbing
- Not durable
- Sole is flexible but less sensitive on rock
4. Black Diamond Momentum Kids
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Rubber NeoFriction Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: Microfabric synthetic leather Shape: Flat and Neutral |
Black Diamond has always brought indigenous solutions in climbing. With Momentum, they have introduced a knitted net outer layer. Your kids will enjoy sweat-free in hot climates for its breathable outer layer. With a single strap on and heel locking loops, the shoe is easy to use. I bet you can find your kid’s favourite colour from many of bright colour options. The flexible midsole is good for any kind of toe movement.
Pros
- Good for beginners and intermediate climbers
- Highly breathable
- Sizes for adults are available
Cons
- Less durable
- Not good for smearing and slabs
- Uncomfortable for wider feet
5. Butora Youth Brava
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| Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Eva cushioned Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: Synthetic microfibers Shape: Flat and Neutral |
If you are fed up with your kid’s constant running around with climbing shoes? Butora Youth Brava is your saviour. The EVA midsole rubber adds cushioning and extra comfort for the kids. The design is narrow fit but it has a wide opening to fit any size of feet. With an adjustable heel strap, this shoe is your money saver option that will make the shoe usable for longer.
Pros
- Midsole cushioning comfort to keep the shoes on for a longer time
- Reasonable rates
- Best performance
Cons
- Narrow feet design
- Not good for tiny footholds
- Less breathable
6. Evolv Venga
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| Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: TRAX high friction rubber Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: MX-P Synthetic Mid Sole and Nylon Lining Shape: Flat and Neutral |
If your kid is into hard climbing Evolv Venga is best for you that will remain with your kid as he/she progresses towards high-grade routes. It is one of the best shoes in the market that promises comfort, adjustability and competitive climbing ability. The shoes have adjustable lacing and heel loop that your kid can easily learn using. The shoes have excellent grip and are good for smearing.
Pros
- Good for technical climbing
- Asymmetric toe
- Suitable for crack climbing and edging
Cons
- Outer layer may wear soon
- High end pricing
- May seem less uncomfortable compared to other shoes
7. Scarpa Piki Junior
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| Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper) Sole Material: Vision Rubber Closure Type: Velcro Shoe Material: Lycra and microfiber panels Shape: Flat and Neutral |
Scarpa Piki Junior introduces Neoprene lining for padding around the toe. Therefore, a shoe for your kids if they enjoy crack climbing. The shoe has a comfortable heel covering so no ankle back pain. If you know about Scarpa, living up to it has brought high quality and durable shoes.
Pros
- Best comfort and fit
- Additional toe lining
- Best durability
Cons
- No Midsole support
- Not good for small holds
- Rounded toe
Climbing kids is the new breed of children that are creating an identity for themselves. With new records of 5.14 climbs by younger and youngest girls and boys, there is no stopping for kids. So, let the kids soar high and climb high with comfortable, pretty footwear. In time to come, they will grow up to become young women and men who are really passionate in this sport and are still climbing in their old age.
What You Should Know Before Buying climbing shoes for kids
Do kids need climbing shoes?
This is really a big question. You cannot let your child go through the pain of breaking into the tiny pair of climbing shoes. The discomfort and constant burning of toes is the last thing we want the kids to go through. However, a good pair of comfortable shoes that boosts their performance is acceptable.
Normal sports shoe or canvas shoes are not made to stick on tiny edges. They are a good start for beginners though. But, as the kid evolves skills, a climbing shoe will advance their grade. For regular climbing, there are shoes without the twist and turn of the big toe. For competitive climbers, there are shoes with a modified big toe for more grip.
Climbing shoes are more importantly needed for outdoor climbing. Crimps, slabs, friction moves can be hard with traditional shoes. Therefore, a good pair of climbing shoes is a must for a climbing kid.
How to pick the best kids climbing shoes?
For children, it is all about comfort. Neglect the petite scarring shoes. Kids have softer feet that are still developing, hence must enjoy every move reaching to the top. Let’s not forget that any painful experience will scar their memories and they may lose their interest in climbing.
Kids grow fast, hence so must their shoe. Pick a shoe with velcro or laces so that it can be adjusted as the kid grows. Select shoe size that is either the same size or only a half size smaller than regular shoes, not more than that. Not as you would do for a full-grown climber. If the kid is not able to tie laces pick a shoe with velcro.
One trick is to wear socks with shoes to tighten the fit. As the children grow socks can be omitted and they still can use the same shoes.
Another tiny detail is back of the ankle comfort. I have seen kids giving up half-way through routes just because their back of ankle hurts. This also means an easy process of putting on and removing the shoes.
What is a good age to start climbing
Children are meant for climbing, they are born-climbers. Their process of development is learning body movements just as climbing moves. When the child starts crawling you can make them grab holds and support them as they stand on holds.
Kids are anyway climbing up/down and jumping from furniture or stairs. Rather learning these motions on a climbing wall is more beneficial. Let them commence with big holds and pockets of various grips to develop a full range of hand and finger motion.
Depth analysis, jumping from safe heights, various leg and hand movements, colour and shape understanding are all part of their climbing adventure So, there is really no start age for climbing. You can start as early as possible to enforce healthy growth.
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