REASONS TO BUY
Affordable
Flat midsole is comfortable all day
Well-balanced performance across many areas
REASONS TO AVOID
Insensitive
Imprecise fit
Ineffective design for steep terrain
La Sportiva Tarantulace Review
An entry-level shoe ideal for beginners that comes at an awesomely low price
The flat or "neutral" sole of the Taratulace supplies excellent comfort. This shape, however, is inferior to downturned designs on steep terrain.
Credit: Jack Cramer
RELATED: Best Climbing Shoes of 2024
Our Verdict
For beginners and recreational climbers, the performance benefits of a high-end shoe likely aren't worth the cost. That's where the La Sportiva Tarantulace comes in. You can get your hands on a pair for less than half the price of a premium shoe. It is also fitted with 5 mm of FriXion RS rubber, roughly 1 mm more rubber than the average shoe, likely providing additional long-term durability. However, everything is not entirely rosy with these shoes. The Tarantulace does not offer the same precise fit or edging performance as a high-end shoe. There are also much better choices for specialty applications like crack or pocket climbing. But the Tarantulace does offer impressive performance for its bargain price, which is why it receives recognition for its outstanding value for beginner climbers. To compare it to the competition, check out our article on the best climbing shoes.
Editor's Note: We updated this review on January 2, 2024, to make adjustments to our rating metrics.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
La Sportiva Tarantulace | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best for Beginners and Tight Budgets | Best Value for a Trad Shoe | Best Value for a Well-Rounded Climbing Shoe | ||
| Price | $66.69 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $119.89 at REI Compare at 3 sellers | $96.69 at REI Compare at 4 sellers | $109.00 at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $72.69 at Amazon Compare at 4 sellers |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | A great deal for an adequate climbing shoe | A simple shoe with solid performance for trad climbing | A bargain price for a climbing shoe with respectable performance | This super comfy shoe is perfect for folks who are just starting to climb | This shoe isn't the highest performer in our review, but it's a bargain for someone looking to train in the gym |
| Rating Categories | La Sportiva Tarantu... | Black Diamond Aspect | La Sportiva Finale | Evolv Defy Black | Black Diamond Momentum |
| Comfort (20%) | |||||
| Smearing (20%) | |||||
| Edging (20%) | |||||
| Pulling (20%) | |||||
| Cracks (20%) | |||||
| Specs | La Sportiva Tarantu... | Black Diamond Aspect | La Sportiva Finale | Evolv Defy Black | Black Diamond Momentum |
| Style | Lace | Lace | Lace | Velcro | Velcro |
| Upper | Leather / Synthetic | Leather | Eco Leather / Microfiber | Elastic Synthratek Synthetic Rubber | Synthetic Knit |
| Width Options | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular | Regular |
| Lining | None | Hemp | Unlined | Nylon | Hemp |
| Rubber Type | FriXion RS | NeoFriction Force | Vibram XS Edge | TRAX XT-5 | Neo Friction |
| Rubber Thickness | 5 mm | 4.3 mm | 5 mm | 4.2 mm | 4.3 mm |
Show full specification details ▼Hide full specification details ▲
Our Analysis and Test Results
Product Update Note — May 2022
The Tarantulace is largely unchanged from the model we tested, but it has some new aesthetics, which can be compared above. The previous Tarantulace we tested is on the left, with the new version on the right. We suspect the performance of this award winner still holds up, though we have yet to test the updated version.
The Tarantulace is largely unchanged from the model we tested, but it has some new aesthetics, which can be compared above. The previous Tarantulace we tested is on the left, with the new version on the right. We suspect the performance of this award winner still holds up, though we have yet to test the updated version.
La Sportiva offers a few different bargain shoe options. The cousin of the Tarantulace is the velcro La Sportiva Tarantulace that we've tested in the past. Our testers confirmed that the lace-up closure does a better job securing our feet inside the shoe. However, the velcro version is still a worthy option for bouldering or with anyone that prefers a quick, convenient closure.
Performance Comparison
A bargain shoe like the Tarantulace can't offer the same performance as an expensive premium model. Nevertheless, the Tarantulace manages to receive overwhelming positive customer reviews.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Comfort
The Tarantulace is made primarily from unlined leather. Although there is a small amount of black synthetic fabric on the lacing system, it doesn't inhibit the orange and black leather from stretching and molding to your feet. This malleability greatly improves the shoe's comfort compared to hemp-lined or entirely synthetic shoes. Be careful, however, because the stretchiness can make sizing this shoe tricky. Our lead tester wears a size 44.5 street shoe but a size 43.0 Tarantulace. Initially, he found that the Tarantulace fit uncomfortably tight, but after a few sessions and a little sweat, the leather stretched out a half to a full size.
Also enhancing the comfort is the unaggressive design, with a flat sole that allows your foot to lay flat. Beginners, in particular, are likely to appreciate this flat sole until their feet strengthen enough to be constantly curled inside aggressive performance shoes. The only knock against the comfort of the Tarantualace is its soft-ish midsole that creates more fatigue if you're forced to stand on small holds for long periods of time.
The midsole of the Tarantulace is softer than most. This improves sensitivity but it can cause you feet to get tired faster.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Smearing
Even though this shoe's midsole isn't particularly stiff, our testers lament that it also feels insensitive. The most likely explanation is because the Tarantulace is made with 5 mm of rubber. For comparison, the average in our climbing shoe review is fitted with 3.9 mm. That means there's 28% more material between your toes and the rock than with an average shoe, not to mention the most sensitive models that usually feature 3mm or less. However, the extra rubber improves durability, which is probably a good tradeoff for a bargain shoe aimed towards beginners.
Despite the insensitivity of this shoe, it does have admirable smearing capabilities due to its softer flex and flat shape. It's not going to be your shoe for climbing technical smearing test pieces, but it is great for moderate slab climbing and using larger holds in the gym.
Although the La Sportiva Tarantulace might not offer the best performance, it's more than capable of some excellent climbing.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Edging
The La Sportiva Tarantulace is fitted with 5 mm of FriXion RS rubber and a 1.8 mm LaspoFlex midsole. These combine to create a shoe with medium stiffness and below-average edging performance.
In our tests, the FriXion RS rubber didn't feel as grippy as the Vibram XS rubber found on La Sportiva's more premium models. The Tarantulace feels a little better on small edges than other inexpensive designs that use velcro straps because you can crank the laces tight to reduce lateral play within the shoe. If an intricate sequence forces you to stand around on small edges for a long period of time, expect to feel significant foot fatigue — the medium-stiff sole simply doesn't provide the same support as you would get from a stiffer shoe.
The Tarantulace lacks the support of some sturdier premium shoes, but it is still able to provide near-average edging performance.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Pulling
This isn't our favorite shoe for pockets or steeps. One of the bigger problems is the flat sole that diminishes your ability to pull with your feet on overhanging terrain. Another issue is the profile of the toe. Although it's pretty narrow in the vertical direction, it's wide horizontally, which makes it harder to squeeze it inside tiny pockets.
Fortunately, the Tarantulace is designed and priced for beginners, and beginner routes usually don't feature tiny pockets. If you do encounter some pockets on moderate, less than vertical terrain, we're confident this shoe will be up to the task. But if you're headed to an overhanging limestone paradise, you'd be better off with a pointier, downturned model.
There is a fair amount of dead space in the heel which makes heel hooks much less secure than with a premium downturned shoe.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Crack Climbing
This shoe's low-profile toe allows you to fit more rubber and material into thin cracks. It's also designed to let your foot lay flat, which prevents your toes from uncomfortably bunching together. That means the Tarantulace should feel better while resting on foot jams than more aggressive shoes with a sharp downturn.
We also prefer lace-up closures over velcro straps for crack climbing because it avoids any pressure points from velcro strap buckles. Nevertheless, the Tarantulace doesn't offer the same amount of padding or precision as a specialty crack climbing shoe. The bottom-most laces are left exposed and unprotected, so expect to wear through them quickly if you climb cracks frequently on gritty rock.
The relaxed fit of the Tarantulace lets your toes lay flat to ensure that crack climbing isn't unnecessarily painful.
Credit: Jack Cramer
Should You Buy the La Sportiva Tarantulace?
Despite all the new technologies flooding the climbing shoe world, sometimes you just want a simple, inexpensive shoe. The La Sportiva Tarantulace is exactly that. For less than half the price of a high-end shoe, you get a quality-made Italian shoe fitted with sticky rubber that would make the Stone Masters of a bygone era madly jealous. Sure, better shoes do exist, but for plenty of folks, the performance benefits of a top-scoring shoe won't be worth the added costs. The affordably priced Tarantulace performs reasonably well in all areas while providing above-average durability.
What Other Rock Climbing Shoes Should You Consider?
These days it's easy to spend over a hundred bucks on a pair of rock climbing shoes. In fact, there are plenty of models that now retail for more than two hundred. For a fraction of that price, you can get your hands on the Tarantulace. They won't offer quite the same performance as a premium model like the La Sportiva Katana Lace, but we still think they're a great value for beginner and recreational climbers looking to save some money. The other shoe we suggest weighing against the Tarantulace is the La Sportiva Finale, which offers better performance in key areas for only a bit more money.
—
Jack Cramer
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