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La Sportiva Stickit Review

A good basic shoe that does just about everything well, but doesn’t excel in any one thing in particular
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La Sportiva Stickit Review
Credit: La Sportiva
Price:  $59 List
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Manufacturer:   La Sportiva
By Adam Paashaus ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Oct 24, 2022
62
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#2 of 5
  • Edging - 20% 6.0
  • Cracks - 20% 7.0
  • Comfort - 20% 7.0
  • Pockets - 20% 5.0
  • Sensitivity - 20% 6.0

Our Verdict

La Sportiva has a wide assortment of shoes for children that range from super comfortable to high performing. The La Sportiva Stickit is their middle-of-the-road shoe, and it has good performance with a comfortable fitting design. It doesn't have the most amazing performance on all terrain types, but it will happily do what most new climbers will ask of it, both in the gym and outside at the crag. A nice blend of comfort and performance, the Stickit is a great option for kid climbers advancing to more challenging terrain.
REASONS TO BUY
Good price
Comfortable
Easy on/off
REASONS TO AVOID
Single lace tension strap can wear out quickly
Adjustable heel sacrifices heel hooking rubber
Editor's Note: This review was updated on October 24, 2022, to showcase the current red colorway for the Stickit (shown above). The specs appear identical to the green and yellow shoe we tested in our review.

Compare to Similar Products

 
la sportiva stickit
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best Overall Kids Climbing Shoes
 Best Buy Award
Best for Beginners on Tight Budgets
 
Price $58.95 at Amazon
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$69.00 at Backcountry
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$59.95 at Backcountry
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$50 List
$49.95 at Backcountry
$49 List
$48.95 at Backcountry
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Bottom Line This all-around shoe has good performance on beginner to intermediate climbing terrain at a great priceA great kids shoe, packed with a ton of great features that help it perform well in almost every type of terrainIf you are looking for an incredibly breathable shoe with best in class edging performance, this may be your shoeButora has impressed us with a good performing, great priced, all-around kids shoeThis inexpensive, yet comfortable shoe is great for kids who are just starting to climb
Rating Categories La Sportiva Stickit Evolv Venga Black Diamond Momen... Butora Brava Mad Rock Mad Monkey
Edging (20%)
6.0
9.0
8.0
5.0
5.0
Cracks (20%)
7.0
8.0
6.0
7.0
6.0
Comfort (20%)
7.0
8.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Pockets (20%)
5.0
8.0
5.0
5.0
5.0
Sensitivity (20%)
6.0
7.0
5.0
6.0
5.0
Specs La Sportiva Stickit Evolv Venga Black Diamond Momen... Butora Brava Mad Rock Mad Monkey
Style Velcro slipper Velcro slipper Velcro slipper Velcro slipper Velcro slipper
Upper Leather Polyester Mesh Engineered knit Synthetic Syn Flex
Width Options None None None None None
Lining Unlined Agion Antimicrobial Micro fabric Unlined Unlined
Rubber Type Frixion RS TRAX SAS NeoFriction Butyl Butora F5 Science Friction
Rubber Thickness 3 mm 4.2 mm 4.3 mm 4 mm 3 mm

Our Analysis and Test Results

The average performance and the beginner-friendly, comfortable package make this a great all-around shoe for young kid crushers. It will provide good performance for kids just entering the sport - up until they start to progress into more advanced types of climbing.

Performance Comparison


la sportiva stickit - gripit being tested in an arizona oak creek canyon splitter corner.
Gripit being tested in an Arizona Oak Creek Canyon splitter corner.

Edging


Most kids' shoes put a priority on comfort, and many times, that means making shoes that are soft and flexible. When you have a soft, flexible shoe, it reduces the ability to edge on super small holds. This shoe is no exception. The rubber is pretty sticky, which helps, but this shoe requires more foot strength to stay on those little jibs. For a better edging shoe, we would look for a shoe with a stiffer midsole.

la sportiva stickit - edging on basalt with the stickit.
Edging on basalt with the Stickit.

Crack Climbing


The thin leather upper and soft outsole keep this shoe from being the best choice for crack climbing due to the lack of protection around the foot. However, the actual performance is pretty good if the crack doesn't cause too much pain. We also had some issues with the lace wearing out from jamming the shoe in hand cracks.

la sportiva stickit - the splitter cracks at oak creek canyon overlook az. were great for...
The splitter cracks at Oak Creek Canyon Overlook AZ. were great for testing the fleet.

Pockets


The rounded front toe, combined with the soft, flexible platform, keep this shoe from being a Top Pick for climbing steep pocketed routes. If we wanted an intermediate shoe that performed well in pockets, we would look for something with a pointy toe that would do a better job of fitting in smaller pockets.

Sensitivity


The 3mm of sticky Frixion Rs rubber is soft enough to allow for great sensitivity on slabs and foot-intensive climbs. Finding the sweet spot of a foothold will be no problem in these shoes.

Comfort


For an intermediate shoe, the Stickit has a good deal of comfort. The soft leather upper breathes well, and the synthetic dual overlapping padded tongue wraps the top of the footwell. A single pull hook and loop enclosure tightens the heel and instep with one easy-to-use strap making it super easy to get in and out of.

Value


The Stickit has a good value. It climbs and holds up well, and is one of the least expensive options in our comparison. It was a close contender for the Best Buy Award, but the small hook and loop tab (that can wear out before the shoe does) and the lack of performance (due to the soft nature of the shoes) made it barely fall short. However, the shoe still offers a good overall performance and durability for the price.

la sportiva stickit - testing the stickit at black rocks climbing area in st. george, ut.
Testing the Stickit at Black Rocks climbing area in St. George, UT.

Conclusion


The Stickit is a good option for most kid climbers. Its performance is comparable to the other intermediate kid's shoes but has a slightly better price on average. Its comfort and user-friendly design make it a good choice for new climbers and casual intermediate climbers alike.

Adam Paashaus