Outdoor
Research
Salamander
Gaiters
Tester
Information
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Name:
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David
Wilkes |
E-Mail:
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amatbrewer@yahoo.net
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Age:
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42 |
Location:
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Yakima
Washington USA |
Gender:
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M |
Height:
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5'11"
(1.80 m) |
Weight:
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197
lb (89.40 kg) |
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Biography:
I started
backpacking
in 1995 when I moved to Washington State. Since then, I have
backpacked in all seasons and conditions. I am currently
getting into condition to summit some of the
higher peaks in Washington, Oregon, and California. I prefer trips on
rugged trails with plenty of elevation gain. While I continuously
strive to lighten my load, comfort and safety are most important to me.
My current pack is around 30 lbs (14 kg), not including consumables.
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Product
Information
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Manufacturer:
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Outdoor Research
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Year
of Manufacture:
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2009 |
Manufacturer’s
Website:
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https://www.outdoorresearch.com |
MSRP:
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US $45.00 |
Listed
Weight: |
6.2 oz / 176 g |
Measured
Weight: |
6.3 oz / 179 g (L/XL) |
Material:
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Leg
Section : 3-Layer 50D ripstop Ventia fabric
Boot Section: Cordura with a polyethylene sheet. |
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Image
courtesy of Outdoor Research |
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Product
Description:
The Outdoor Research Salamander Gaiters are a mid-height water proof
gaiter with a unique Cordura and polyethylene boot section molded
to conform to the shape of the top of the user's footwear.
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Initial
Report
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Raingear
for my boots?
I
received the L/XL size as requested. They arrived attached to a
cardboard hangtag. The hangtag listed features, sizing information, and
instructions, along with contact information for Outdoor Research.
I have used a pair of Outdoor Research Cascadia Gaiters for a number of
years and they have not let me down. When I applied to test the
Salamanders I was expecting a mid-length version of the Cascadias, but
these are something entirely different. Where the Cascadias are
constructed out of materials like a good rugged backpack, the Slanders
are more like a high quality rain shell. The uppers are made of a slick
rain shell-like material, with a check pattern from the
rip-stop material. There is a ¾ in
(2 cm) wide elastic cuff around the top. The gaiters open in the back
with hook-and-loop fasteners, with additional hook-and-loop shear tabs
at the
top and bottom. The lower section of the gaiters is made of lined pack
cloth (similar to what is used for the uppers of the Cascadia gaiters)
that extends down the sides of my boots almost to the ground. The front
part of the lower section extends out like the bill of a hat with a
stiff Cordura liner and a lace hook. Also attached to the lower section
of the gaiters is an instep strap. The instep straps look to be of much
higher quality than what they used on their older products (the old
style was good but these look better). Since this component probably
takes the most abuse, it is the part I worry the most about. In looking
at the materials, stitching and buckle it is clear that these are made
to last.
The
inside of the gaiters is where I really get the impression of rain
gear, with their flat-sewn and taped seams. Here is where I found one
possible defect in the construction. Both gaiters have tape over the
front seam and where the upper and lower sections meet. On the buckle
side of each gaiter is a small section of material used to keep the end
of the instep strap from flapping loose; on one gaiter there is seam
tape over the stitches but not the other. I am not concerned about this
minor flaw, and only mention it in order to be through and in case of
the unlikely event that it becomes an issue during the testing. I do
not see this as being a reason to return the product and in fact doubt
I would have ever noticed if I were not inspecting them for this review.
The fitting instructions on the hangtag are as follows:
- Wrap the gaiter around leg and boot top with OR
logo on the outside of ankle.
- Close hook-and-loop closure and fasten shear
tabs.
- Attach hook through boot laces.
- Fasten instep strap.
I
tried putting them on this way but I found that if I hooked the lace
hook first it was easier to fasten the hook-and-loop closures. I found
buckling the instep strap was a bit difficult and thought that it was
not something I would want to try with cold or gloved hands. With the
other gaiters I own, I leave the instep strap attached and slip it over
my boots so I don’t have to mess with them. I tried this with these and
found it not only worked but also made putting them on quicker and
easier.
I am really looking forward to using these gaiters. I
use gaiters for most of my hiking to help keep dirt and debris out of
my boots, ticks out of my pants, and to help keep the legs of my pants
dry. Except for snow and very cold conditions I prefer non-waterproof
boots as I find they allow my feet to ventilate more and are normally
more comfortable. Unfortunately this means that rain or even just wet
brush can quickly soak my feet if I am not careful. These gaiters, if
they work as advertised, should give me the best of both worlds.
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Field
Report
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Usage:
- Day hike – Rainier National Forest – humid, but
no rain
- Backpacking 1 night - Eastern Sierras
(California) in a pine-forested
valley at about 10000’ (3000 m) – deep wet snow, no rain
- Half day hike - Eastern Sierras (California) in
a pine-forested valley
at about 10000’ (3000 m) – some deep wet snow, no rain
- Day hike – Shoe lake, Eastern
Cascades (Washington) – mud,
wet brush, fog &
freezing fog, light mist and some deep wet snow
- Backpacking two nights – Pacific Crest
Trail Eastern Cascades (Washington) –
mud, wet brush, dense
fog, and light rain
Since receiving the Salamander Gaiters the weather has been horrible!
Nothing but warm sunny days. As spring fades into summer I have been
increasingly annoyed as I awake to yet another clear blue sky.
No, it is not necessary to have a few screws loose to be a gear
tester…but I am finding that it sure helps.
Prior
to the gaiters arriving we were having a wonderfully cold and wet
spring, but as luck would have it nary a drop of rain once the gaiters
arrived. So when I heard my daughter's class was going over to the west
(read “WET”) side of the mountains for a fieldtrip in the Rainer
National Forest, I jumped at the chance and volunteered. Conditions
looked promising with clouds building up against the mountains, but I
was not that lucky, no actual rain. The trip did give me a chance to
evaluate how breathable the gaiters are and I found them wanting. I
spent the better part of a day chasing up and down the trail trying to
keep a bunch of 5th and 6th graders from falling into the river, over
the falls, or into the mud, and lecturing them about staying on the
trail and not tossing their trash on the ground. The weather was
comfortable and slightly humid. When I pulled off the gaiters I noticed
moisture had condensed on the bottom side of the section that covers
the top of my boots (and I have repeated this experience on subsequent
trips) and some of the moisture soaked into the boot, but not my socks.
This really surprised me; I figured the stiff material over the shoe
would allow air circulation and prevent this.
These gaiters are clearly not intended for snow. So far I have used
them three times in soft snow and the result has been the same, the
section that
covers the boot act as scoops, and as my foot would sink into the snow,
snow would get shoved between the gator and the top of my boot, where
it would become trapped. When I did not remove it immediately the heat
from my feet would quickly start melting the snow and my feet would
become soaked (I foolishly did not use my winter boots for these trips
as I had not expected much snow on any of them…I just never learn).
While enduring yet another warm sunny weekend I heard on the news that
there would be thunderstorms in the mountains that Monday, so I took a
vacation day and headed into the mountains towards the darkest nastiest
clouds I could locate. I hiked up part of the Pacific Crest Trail into
the Goat Rocks Wilderness towards picturesque Shoe Lake. I found
predictably steep muddy trail and very wet brush. The gaiters did a
fine
job at repelling the water from the underbrush. They covered my boots
almost entirely and did a good job at keeping them dry. As the day wore
on and my altitude increased, I entered thick (sometimes freezing) fog,
but the closest thing I got to rain was an occasional sprinkle blown
down from the trees and a light mist. Like my other trips the mud and
dirt that collected on the gaiters easily came off. I was able to brush
most off when it dried, and the rest came off with a simple rinse in
the sink.
During my final trip of my field testing I
finally managed to locate
some wet weather. No real rain, but mud, dense fog, light sprinkles and
some large heavy drips coming out of the trees. The underbrush was also
soaked. I was surprised at how quickly the water seemed to soak into
the gaiters and expected my boots to become soaked. However it appears
that this only occurred on the outside of the gaiters and aside from
the
aforementioned condensation, I could find no evidence that any of the
water penetrated the gaiters. The gaiters did a fine job at keeping my
boots dry. In similar conditions I would have had to wear my heaver
waterproof boots, so I was glad to have the Salamanders.
In my Initial Report I mentioned that one gator seemed to be missing a
piece of seam tape, and after looking at the pictures from the other
testers, I believe that to be true. I considered contacting customer
service to see what they had to say and if they would replace them, but
realized that if I had purchased them I probably would not have even
noticed the defect and would not have returned them (unless the gaiters
leaked), so I decided to wait to see how they performed. So far I have
seen no indication that the missing seam tape affects their
performance. I have looked closely to see if water has soaked through
that area and it has not.
Over the years, I have used gaiters that open in the front, back and
side. When it comes to putting them on and taking them off, I find the
front-opening ones are easiest, with side-opening ones second. However,
front-opening rain gaiters would be kind of an oxymoron. I consider
myself to be of about average flexibility, and I find getting the
opening of the gaiters to line up and close properly a bit tricky,
especially with stiff boots. It is a bit easier with my trail running
shoes. The instep strap is a bit stiff and the holes for the buckle
seem too small, but as I use them I find they are loosening up a bit
and getting easier to adjust. I still don’t think I could operate them
with gloves, even thin liners.
The gaiters seem well made and durable. So far I have seen few signs of
wear despite some rather rough use. I have brushed them against a few
trees and rocks during some of my trips, at least once or twice hard
enough for me to stop and inspect the buckles for damage. So far the
only signs of damage I can find are a bit of frayed material over one
of
my boot lace clips where I jammed it against a rock. And this damage
looks to be quite superficial, not affecting the performance at all. As
far as I can tell they are at least as durable as the other gaiters I
have owned.
Overall I think the gaiters are a well-made product best suited for
rainy conditions. While they seem very effective at keeping water
from rain and wet brush off my boots, they are not effective in soft
snow, and they don’t seem to breathe well. This makes them slightly
less versatile than other gaiters I have owned, but they are far
superior at keeping my footwear dry, thereby allowing me to wear
lighter more breathable footwear in wet conditions. The instep strap
while a bit difficult to adjust at first look to be a much more durable
and ascetically pleasing design than on my
older gaiters (no
rough edges or loose threads). As I use them more I
am finding it easier to put them on and take them off.
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Long
Term Report
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Long Term
Report 13 October 2009
When
dressing to head up Mt Addams I noticed the pin in one of the buckles
was bent. I can not be sure what caused the damage, but I presume it
was due to a combination of having the straps very tight and striking
them against rocks and trees. While probably still serviceable, I chose
to leave them behind to avoid doing any more damage. As is my luck, I
ended up spending an hour hiding under a tree in the pouring rain later
that day...with no gaiters.
I
sent an e-mail to the Outdoor Research Customer service on Sunday when
I returned, explaining the problem and requesting they be repaired. I
received an RMA number first thing Monday morning. I put them in the
mail on Tuesday and received a brand new set on Saturday. I inspected
these and found no deficiencies.
The
night before our scheduled Adopt-A-Highway* we got a light dusting of
snow in the mountains and the forecast was for rain. While it did not
rain on us there was a thin layer of snow on the ground and all of the
grass and brush was wet. The [replacement] gaiters kept my socks dry as
well as the upper part of my boots and lower paint legs. However when I
removed the gaiters, I noticed that the left side of my left boot was
quite wet, but the insides of the gaiters were dry (aside from some
condensation near the upper part of my foot). It appears as if some
moisture managed to get under the lower part of the gaiters and thereby
soak up into my boots.
*Adopt-A-Highway
is a program where individuals or groups can volunteer to clean up one
or more section of a highway. I participate in cleaning up part of a
scenic highway (HWY410) in the Washington Cascades as part of the
outdoor group called the Cascadians.
Overall
I am rather disappointed in the Salamander Gaiters. While they do
appear to be waterproof, they do not seem to breathe nearly enough,
resulting in condensation wetting my boots. And since the lower section
is stiff (something I originally assumed would provide good
ventilation), they do not conform to the shape of my boot enough
thereby allowing snow, mud, and wet brush to get up under them. As with
other OR products they do appear to be well constructed, and despite
the broken buckle they seem quite durable. So the result is that they
simply do not provide significant moisture protection for my
non-waterproof boots and are redundant with my waterproof ones. I just
have not found any conditions where these will work for me, which is
highly disappointing since these looked to be such a good idea.
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