[User deactivated.]

Do they want a soft shoe allowing them to feel what they are doing (potentially easier to learn how to use their feet?) or something stiff offering lots of support?

As far as I can see, the available models are nearly all stiff, with only the drago kids being a soft option. I don't want them in something too tight/extreme that could damage growing feet.

[Davo]

Hi Liam

How old are your kids? I have a ten year old and have generally tried to keep him in comfy climbing shoes that don’t compress his toes and feet and that he can wear socks with. My main concern has always been if he is comfortable in them rather than performance.
Bones and joints at that age are very malleable and I wouldn’t want him in anything restrictive

Cheers Dave

[joel]

For my two they preferred a softer shoe, and definitely on the comfort/baggy side of fit. When climbing on the jug problems on my 45 degree board at home one of them insisted on using thick socks as he could hook his toes better into the jugs….

Now they’re a little older we’ve moved on to small sized softer adult shoes that can often be found cheaply. Current favs (probably just because they look cool) are the La sportiva maverinks and speedsters which were v cheap in tiny sizes

[User deactivated.]

Thank you. It's my 8 year old who is showing the most interest. She is VERY tall and already a size 4, so I suspect there won't be too many kids options for her. My 4 year old isn't that bothered yet and he's still happy barefoot on the board (annoyingly he can naturally 1 arm hang edges that I can't  ).

Locally, the only shops I can get to easily are the various Leeds Depots and Go Outdoors. The kids Sportiva Tarantula are widely available but quite stiff.

[Scouse D]

When they are little you can't go wrong with the soft decathlon slippers. My lad moved onto Ocun rivals which are very popular with comp kids. I liked them as they were wide and much softer than adult shoes.

[jwi]

For my two they preferred a softer shoe, and definitely on the comfort/baggy side of fit. When climbing on the jug problems on my 45 degree board at home one of them insisted on using thick socks as he could hook his toes better into the jugs….

There is a move on my board I can only do barefoot for this reason.

[tim palmer]

My son is a similar age and size and just uses small adult shoes,  to be honest durability and comfort is key to me, he has some niads at the moment which I know are stiff but I suspect he would have gone through or disliked anything technical and soft.

[nik at work]

My youngest is 12 (but size 3-ish) and has standard adult shoes. His last pair were Anasazi velcros and has just moved to the unparallel equivalent whatever that’s called??

[slab_happy]

Alas, the Maverinks seem to have been discontinued (they were also great for small-footed adults).

[User deactivated.]

We went to Go Outdoors in Pudsey today and she tried on various models. I was going to take the majority advice and point her towards something softer, but the ones that she liked and found the most comfortable by a mile were the adults blue Climb X shoes so I bought her those.

I know they're good for at least 8A because my mate climbs some hard things in them with socks no less. Though it's notoriously more to do with his steel fingers than his feet 

[SA Chris]

When they are little you can't go wrong with the soft decathlon slippers.

This. He then moved onto his mum's old shoes, has now outgrown them, and we are onto the comfy and reasonably priced ones https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/comfortable-rock-climbing-shoes-turquoise/_/R-p-167271. not massively technical but still smear pretty well and he climbs up to 6b/+ indoors in them, and is outgrowing them before he wears them out.

[highrepute]

Decathlon slippers for us too for the littlers. Can usually get them second hand from eBay.

There's an Ondra video where he says he regrets wearing too tight and stiff shoes young because he believed his feet werent as strong as they would have been had he worn softer looser options more.