REASONS TO BUY
Breathable knit
Comfortable fit
Good edging
REASONS TO AVOID
No heel adjustment
Knit doesn't fair well in excessive crack climbing
Black Diamond Momentum - Kid's Review
The comfortable kid's model is a new option with good edging performance and great breathability
Credit: Black Diamond
Our Verdict
The Black Diamond Momentum - Kids is a great new offering to the kids' climbing shoe market. The 4.3mm Neo Friction molded out-sole has good friction and pretty good edging ability making it a tremendously well-rounded shoe. Instead of the typical leather or synthetic suede uppers, they use their Engineered Knit Technology, which allows for excellent support and a much higher level of breathability. The flat lasted, neutral shaped, Momentum makes a great new option for any new climbers and would be a good choice unless steep bouldering or crack climbing are the primary uses.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Black Diamond Momentum - Kid's | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Kids Climbing Shoes |  Best for Beginners on Tight Budgets | |||
| Price | $59.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $68.99 at Public Lands Compare at 2 sellers | $59.00 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $50 List | $49 List |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | If you are looking for an incredibly breathable shoe with best in class edging performance, this may be your shoe | A great kids shoe, packed with a ton of great features that help it perform well in almost every type of terrain | This all-around shoe has good performance on beginner to intermediate climbing terrain at a great price | Butora has impressed us with a good performing, great priced, all-around kids shoe | This inexpensive, yet comfortable shoe is great for kids who are just starting to climb |
| Rating Categories | Black Diamond Momen... | Evolv Venga | La Sportiva Stickit | Butora Brava | Mad Rock Mad Monkey |
| Edging (20%) | |||||
| Cracks (20%) | |||||
| Comfort (20%) | |||||
| Pockets (20%) | |||||
| Sensitivity (20%) | |||||
| Specs | Black Diamond Momen... | Evolv Venga | La Sportiva Stickit | Butora Brava | Mad Rock Mad Monkey |
| Style | Velcro slipper | Velcro slipper | Velcro slipper | Velcro slipper | Velcro slipper |
| Upper | Engineered knit | Polyester Mesh | Leather | Synthetic | Syn Flex |
| Width Options | None | None | None | None | None |
| Lining | Micro fabric | Agion Antimicrobial | Unlined | Unlined | Unlined |
| Rubber Type | NeoFriction | TRAX SAS | Frixion RS | Butyl Butora F5 | Science Friction |
| Rubber Thickness | 4.3 mm | 4.2 mm | 3 mm | 4 mm | 3 mm |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
Black Diamond hasn't exactly entered the kids' climbing shoe market and blown its competition away. The performance is good on face and slab, but they lack the steep climbing ability of some other elite kid's shoes, and the fabric upper makes it a poor choice for those who do a lot of crack climbing.
Performance Comparison
While the kids Momentum performs okay on the the textured rock, it didn't have the best sensitivity.
Credit: Adam Paashaus
Edging
Black Diamond did a great job of making a kid's shoe that can edge well. Assuming the shoe fits well (slightly wider) and is sized right, it shines on small holds due to the slightly stiffer midsole and the Neo Friction outsole. Sure, some higher-priced performance-based shoes outperform the Momentum, but at twice the price investment, that shouldn't come as a surprise.
The kids Momentum did a pretty good job at edging in most cases, having more stiffness in the mid-sole than the others we tested.
Credit: Adam Paashaus
Crack Climbing
This shoe can work well for crack climbing. It has the stiffest sole of the group tested, a nice wide toe box, and fabric that does a decent job of padding the foot, but there is a caveat. The knit uppers don't hold up to being stuffed in cracks over and over without getting a little fuzzy, but the occasional crack won't pose any significant problems.
A random crack every now and then won't pose much of a problem but the fabric may not hold up well to repeated crack climbing.
Credit: Adam Paashaus
Pockets
Although this shoe is wider than most of the others tested, the toes narrow in such a way that it ends up being a relatively pointy shoe. That, combined with its stiffer sole, makes this a good choice for those vertical routes where you are on your toes, but the flat last holds back the performance when the pockets get steep.
The toe shape on the Black Diamond is pretty tapered, considering the extra shoe width, and does a decent job of getting into pockets.
Credit: Adam Paashaus
Sensitivity
This shoe has a relatively stiff 4.3mm sole that doesn't allow for much sensation on the smaller holds, especially for the smaller lighter climbers. If sensitivity is important, other options have a similar shape and style but a much softer, more sensitive sole.
Comfort
The knit uppers, microfiber footbed, wide toe box and flat last make this shoe super comfortable. We heard some reports that the knit could rub the bare-foot, but we didn't have those problems. The breathable knit keeps feet dry, and the comfortable flat last is excellent for long sessions on the rock. Although the shoe is the widest in the lot, it isn't the highest volume. The top of the forefoot is quite low profile, and the knit fits snug and feels great, almost sock-like. We recommend sizing up one full size for a good fit.
This shoe is best used as an all-around gym shoe and also works really well as a moderate outdoor cragging shoe.
Testing session at Pilot Mountain, NC.
Credit: Adam Paashaus
Value
While it is true that it's the most expensive of the flat lasted kids climbing shoes, it maintains a decent value if edging and/or gym climbing are your top priorities. Features unique to this shoe, like the knit top, add breathability. Durability is in question since this knit hasn't been put through the wringer, but time will tell, and it seems to be more durable than one may think.
Conclusion
The Black Diamond Momentum is the kind of shoe that will work for most kids. For those who are looking to seek out lots of crack climbing or those that are working overhanging routes, we would recommend looking towards more specialized shoes, but for the average kid, these shoes will do the trick.
—
Adam Paashaus
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