Manufacturer:

Integral Designs (http://www.integraldesigns.com/)

Style of Product:

Lightweight gaiters

Color:

Dark green

Year of Manufacture:

2005

Listed Weight:

2.5 oz (70g)

Weight as Delivered:

2.4 oz (68g)

Overview:

Design:
The design of the Shortie Gaiters appears simple enough. They consist of a tapering, continuous cylinder that is wider on the bottom to fit over a shoe or boot. The continuous fabric means that they can not be put on or taken off without removing my shoe (unlike some gaiters I've seen that have a hook and loop fastener strip or snaps that allow removal, though these designs add to the product weight). The top of the gaiter is secured around the ankle with a simple elastic shock cord and toggle, allowing the user to snug to a tension that suits their needs. The bottom of the gaiter connects to the shoe with a standard shoelace hook, along with an elastic, replaceable shock cord that is placed under the instep of the shoe. The shock cord is threaded through brass grommets on either side of the gaiter and secured in place with a bowline knot. The manufacturer has thoughtfully reinforced the instep of the gaiter with supplex nylon. My experience is that this area is the first to wear do to friction caused by the gaiters rubbing against each other when walking.

I should also mention that the gaiters come with a small Silcoat stuff sack which is notable due to its small size. Though I can't imagine needing to carry my gaiters in their own stuff sack, it's a nice addition and sort of cool.

Construction:
My experience with other Integral Designs products I've owned is that the quality of workmanship is high, and the Shortie Gaiters are no exception. The design is professional, with all raw fabric edges folded under or finished so that they lie flat. All stitching appears to be flawless with double rows of stitching at the stress or high wear points.

Initial Impression:
The gaiters appear to be well made, easy to use and lightweight. I like the fact that the upper shock cord is adjustable, since I have rather thin ankles. Other low gaiters I own utilize sewn in elastic in this area, which I've had to hand stitch together to take up enough slack to get a good fit. The gaiters meet my expectations of the product as depicted on the manufacturers web site. The only discrepancy I can find is in the sizing convention. The web site lists the gaiters as coming in small and large sizes, while the tag on the product indicates that the size is medium.

The only minor exception I take with the product is the abundance of tags that appear on the outside of each gaiter protruding from the upper seam. I'm not a big fan of labels and these seem particularly excessive given the fact that the gaiters are such a small item.