looking at setting up my kid with SPDS,
will be riding MTB, CX, ROAD and maybe a bit of track so which clipless pedal

Shimano MTB SPODS or something potentailly easier to clip in mud like an eggbeater?
Anyone any thoughts on what is best for kids (or does it not make much difference?)

For that mix, I’d go with CB Candys. How old is your child though?

i wouldn’t put children in spds.

So have CB got their bearing/bushing problem sorted out then?

I have eggbeaters and like the mechanism but they were really difficult to find when i started with them. Candy’s might be better.

Candy 1s have a bushing and a cartridge bearing – 2 yr warranty
Candy 2s have a bushing and a cartridge bearing – 5 yr warranty
Candy 3s and 11s have a needle bearing and a cartridge bearing – again 5 yr warranty

That looks, to me, like a fairly firm commitment to quality with the new models, but as they’ve not been around that long, it’s possibly too early to tell.

I would have said Shimano M520’s, £20 posted including shimano cleats
Solid all round feel in retention and pedalling (less so as they wear) adjustabel tension. 380g isn’t horrendous

I was looking through an old issue of mbr (I apologise .. ) and I came across an SPD pedal grouptest
Wellgo (very similar cleats) WAM19? (something with a 19 in the name) are 300g, which is lighter than even new XTR’s
They were reportidly a touch flexy for mbr test riders*, I think I found them online for just over £20

*But if they’re for your kids axle flex shouldn’t be as bigger issue compared to journo’s presumably doing the odd drop/jump or two?

There were also some Syncros ‘AM’ pedals with a bit of a cage (but very little) for about £40, but still as light as the previous generation xtr’s

EDIT:
“something potentailly easier to clip in mud “
I’d reckon shoe choice can have a lot to do with it. Apart from compacted snow, I only have a problem with mud (with M520’s) when I’ve been walking up a very muddy conditions, all it takes is a couple of kicks of cleat to pedal and they’ll clip back in

Probably the Candys, cheap and easy to use. Fully serviceable

SPD stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics for a reason. Whilst not being very trendy, they do work really well for a long time. I’ve had my M737 for 13 years now and they have covered serious millage with only a small amount of play in the bearings. I don’t know why people piss about with anything else.

Time every time

Shimano 520s – £20 work just as well as the more expensive ones and very little difference in weight. I have them on all my bikes except the road one and just can’t see any point in spending more.

Cheers guys, really appreciated

Personally I like Shimano M647, nice big platform.

http://www.wheelbase.co.uk/shop/images/products/896.jpg