La Sportiva Tarantulace vs Mythos

Hello!
I am looking for a new pair of climbing shoes because I need something more built for comfort. I found out I have plantar fasciitis in my foot so I would like something that isn't super aggressive and can be worn for long periods of time. I would also like to be able to avoid removing the shoe in between climbs.

The tarantulace looks like a nice shoe but there aren't a ton of reviews on it. Just a small handful. Searching the forums on MP doesn't yield any results on them. Price point is pretty nice at $80 bucks.

Mythos has tons of reviews and positive things said about it. I am leaning toward this shoe but wanted to learn about the tarantulace before I make a decision. My climbing partner has these so it would be annoying to get our shoes mixed up all the time. I will snag these if they are better/more comfortable than the tarantulace but I would like to avoid it if possible.

Also open to any other suggestions to check out.

One huge difference is the rubber. The Mythos is XS Edge, while the Tarantulace is LS' own Frixion RS. As far as I know, it's only available on this shoe (aimed at beginners), and kid's shoes. I hope it's not too close to the Frixion rubber on my Raptor trail runners, because while those are some seriously sticky runners, it isn't as good as real climbing rubber.

Also, the Mythos is a flat-toe smearing and crack machine that doesn't edge particularly well. You can certainly face-climb in them, but it's not their strong suit. The Tarantulace, as a beginner shoe, is an all-rounder. I'm sure it won't climb thin crack or smear like the Mythos, and if it edges better I doubt it will be by a huge margin. I haven't climbed in them, but I've tried similar shoes from Evolv, Scarpa, and 5.10. All were a bit dissappointing to me - unless LS has figured something tricky out to make it perform better at that price point (and they do figure stuff like that out sometimes), I'd be skeptical enough to suggest you make sure you try them out before committing.

Oh, as far as other suggestions - what kind of climbing (face, slab, crack), and what kind of rock? What shoes fit you well right now?

Auto-X Fil wrote:Oh, as far as other suggestions - what kind of climbing (face, slab, crack), and what kind of rock? What shoes fit you well right now?

I do a little of everything. I am currently using the Evolv Defy. It has been a nice shoe that fits great. It is a little painful to wear more than 20 mins at a time under normal circumstances. Since my foot has developed the plantar fasciitis I cannot wear it unless I am climbing. Hoping to find something that is a good all around shoe that is more comfortable than the Evolv shoes I have now.

One thing to consider is that I am often climbing in Devil's Lake, WI. Very tiny edges for footholds on most climbs.

As a Lake climber myself, I would say the tarantulace might be a little bit more reasonable. The Mythos are a good trad shoe in the wear-forever, fit-into-cracks sense, neither of which is very critical at Devil's Lake. It looks like the tarantulace would be a bit stiffer, helpful for all those quartzite edges.

If you're looking for something you can walk around in all day, Mythos might still be the way to go, but remember that climbing shoes in general just aren't made for walking (or for all-day).

After a quick glace over the LaSport lineup... you might also consider the Nago. It seems to be similar to the tarantulace, but with better rubber, and at a price point that lies between them and the Mythos.

I ended up caving in and driving a couple hours to a gym that has a few shoes. The Mythos fit like a glove. I picked up a pair in the purple. I'm so pumped about them!

You will like your Mythos. The only time I do not like them is on really small steep holds (i.e bouldering). I would have also suggested Scarpa Force for you. Like the Mythos but a little more pointy in the toe. I like to use them at the gym. Enjoy the purple!

Not that you asked; but for me the silver bullet on Plantar Fasciitis was to get an 8 foot length of surgical tubing, tie loops in the ends, tie the middle around the leg of the dresser, sit on the floor, loop the end loops over my toes and stretch the tubing by bringing my toes towards my shins. 20 reps, two sets evey day and it was gone in a couple weeks. I had no luck with months of tweaking orthotics.

best of luck!

+1 on the Mythos. I'm on my third pair now and love them. Pretty long lasting too.

I have owned both of these shoes. I climbed one day a week with the mythos for a year at which point the sole ripped and I replaced them. I climbed two to three days a week for 3-4 months with the tarantulace shoes and they ripped much worse and more quickly than the Mythos. They also stretched so much that the toes were loose and became unusable for precise edging. They both are good all around shoes, but the mythos is much better at small edges and crack climbing in particular.

Id recommend looking into the tenaya masai.

great all around shoe that climbs hard and edges like a beast. Super comfy.