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The Integral Design eVENT Shorty Gaiters are lightweight, low (below the
calf) gaiters designed to keep snow and stones out of boots and trail
runners and keep socks and boot tops dry when hiking in rain or through wet
grass. The gaiters are made from eVENT fabric which is designed to provide
good breathability.
 Putting on the Gaiters:
The Integral Design eVENT Shorty Gaiters are basically cylindrical in shape
(slightly wider at the bottom than at the top as noted in the dimensions
above). They do
not have hook and loop fastener or snaps like some other gaiters on the
market that allow me to put them on without taking my shoes off. Thus the
order of dressing my feet is socks, gaiters then shoes. Once my shoes are on,
I pull the gaiters down and attach the front clip to a convenient spot where
my shoe laces cross, slip the elastic shock cord under my heel, then secure
the elastic cord at the top of the gaiter around my ankle with the attached
toggle keeper. My experience is that the upper elastic cord does not need to
be very tight to hold the gaiter securely in place. When I’ve snugged it
down too tightly, I’ve found that my ankle usually begins complaining of
lack of circulation within 20 minutes or so. It’s a simple matter of
releasing the toggle keeper and adding some slack to correct the problem.
It’s probably obvious, but it should be noted that the gaiters require
something on the shoe for the front gaiter clip to attach to. In most cases
this will just be the laces of the shoe. There are some shoes on the market
that have no laces, but use hook and loop fastener or buckles instead. In
this case there might not be anything to attach the gaiter clip to. This
issue is not specific to the ID eVENT Shorty Gaiters since every gaiter I’ve
seen uses gaiter clips. It is just something to be aware of.
Fit and Comfort:
I’ve found that with a good piece of gear, you forget it’s even doing
its job and take it for granted. That’s the case with the ID Gaiters.
Because the gaiters are so light weight, I don’t even think about the fact
that I’m wearing them once the hike begins. The gaiters are not blousy, like
some I’ve tried which rub against each other in the instep as my legs pass
each other while walking. So there is no noise to announce their presence.
The eVENT fabric seems to be very breathable. I have not noticed any
discomfort associated with excessive heat buildup or sweating even though
several of the hikes during this evaluation were in temperatures in excess
of 90 F (32 C).
Description of Product Performance:
The whole idea of wearing a gaiter is to keep stuff from falling into my
shoe or aggressive plant matter from sticking to my sock.
 Once I start
hiking, I find it to be an annoyance to make frequent stops to shake rocks
out of my shoe or pull seed heads or burrs out of my socks. Simply put, the
ID gaiters do a great job. They provide enough coverage to protect my socks
and they fit snugly enough around my ankle and shoe that they do not allow
any unwanted detritus into my shoe. I’ve found that the shock cord that goes
under the heel secures the gaiters firmly down around the shoe when wearing
either hiking boots or low topped shoes. As mentioned above the upper shock
cord around the ankle also fits securely, even when snugged loosely for
comfort.
The low hiking shoes that I wear do not have much of a heel. Because of
this, when I wear gaiters with these shoes, I am walking on the shock cord
with each step. The manufacturer recommends flipping the shock cord behind
the heel when walking on rocks since this can unduly increase wear on the
shock cord. I don’t know if I’m typical in this regard, but frankly I can’t
be bothered to keep flipping the shock cord back and forth depending on the
type of terrain I’m traveling across, so I just leave it secured under my
heel. As a result, the shock cord is starting to showing signs of wear.
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