I have been an active backpacker for 28 years, with experience hiking in many parts of the continental United States and Canada.  Most of my time is spent in the Northeast, especially the Adirondack region of New York.  I am a seasoned veteran to 3-season backpacking, and I’m expanding my resume to include winter backpacking.  I would classify myself as a "lightweight" backpacker, but always working towards the "ultralight" title.  I am an avid four-season dayhiker.

Test Results:

Due to the wet summer I experienced, I had an exceptional opportunity to test the Trekkers. First, they are definitely waterproof. I've worn them as much as 10 hours a day, sometimes in mud, other times completely submerged, and I've never had a leak. On that same note though, they don't breathe at all. This really bothered me in the hot, humid summer months, but now that it has cooled off, I don't notice it. In the summer though, when I would remove the Trekkers after several hours, my pant legs would be soaked from perspiration!

The fit was nice for me. The size XL I tested allowed plenty of room for hiking boots, and with the addition of inserts (see Field Report), the Trekkers fit fine with my New Balance trail shoes. The gaiter on the overshoe had a tendency to slip down if I had it adjusted too loosely. I experienced some skin irriation from that gaiter rubbing against me legs, especially around the elastic top.  I found the gaiter to be much more comfortable when I wore long pants, thus eliminating any friction points between my skin and the gaiters.  The Trekkers are simple and quick to put on and take off – lending themselves to times where I only needed them to get across a creek or plow through some "boot sucking" mud. The boots do have a certain "feel" to them when walking. It reminded me of walking around in my bright yellow construction boots – only not as bad. I hope that makes sense!

The Trekkers, albeit some stains, are as sound today as the day they arrived. There are no rips, nor do the soles show any compromise outside of normal wear and tear. The hook-and-loop fasteners still hold well, especially after I cleaned off the debris sticking to them, and all hardware is still functional. The toe guard has done a good job of protecting the front of the boot.

The traction on the Trekkers is good, but not always as good as the boots they are protecting. But, they aren't bad and cleanup is a breeze. They store easily when not needed too. I like to roll the gaiters down and squeeze the two shoes together with the soles facing out. Then, I wrap each strap around the other boot and secure. It only takes a moment to pack them up like this, and then I simply insert them into an exterior pocket on my pack or secure them to the outside another way – depending on my options.

Hiking in the Trekkers is not as nice as hiking in my footwear alone. They do introduce a certain amount of "sloppiness" in my step. But, by securing them appropriately, especially across the top of the foot, this feeling is minimized. In their defense, I can say they are the most comfortable overboots I've ever worn, with the least amount of sloppiness I've ever experienced.

For me, I think the Trekkers have their greatest application to cool, sloppy weather - like what's found in the spring and fall. I'm anxious to see how well they perform in the upcoming winter months. Based on my testing, I've found that they definitely tend to warm my feet and lower legs. I expect that will become a benefit in the cold months ahead.