La Sportiva Tarantulace Review

La Sportiva offers a few different bargain shoe options. The cousin of the Tarantulace is the velcro La Sportiva Tarantula 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.

Photo: 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.

Photo: Jack Cramer

Cracks

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.

Photo: 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 the Tarantulace 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.

Photo: Jack Cramer

Steep Terrain

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.

Photo: Jack Cramer

Sensitivity

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.

Another issue affecting sensitivity is the imprecise fit. More advanced models feature an array of features to lock your foot inside. To save costs, the Tarantulace lacks many of these features. In the heel, in particular, there is a lot of extra play that makes feeling and using heel hooks a harrowing ordeal. At a beginner level, though, footholds are usually large, and the need for sensitivity is minimal. As you advance through the grades and holds start to shrink, most people will likely benefit from a more sensitive shoe.

The flat or "neutral" sole of the Taratulace supplies excellent comfort. This shape, however, is inferior to downturned designs on steep terrain.

Photo: Jack Cramer

Value

These days it's easy to spend over a hundred bucks on a pair of rock climbing shoes. There are even a few 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, but we still think they're a great value for beginner and recreational climbers looking to save some money. This is particularly true because your footwork isn't likely to be perfect when you're learning to climb, and any flaws in your technique, such as dragging your toes, can cause your shoes to wear out prematurely.

Although the Tarantulace might not offer the best performance, it's more than capable of some excellent climbing.

Photo: Jack Cramer

Conclusion