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Testing Location
Overview: The hiking environment of the southwest of Western Australia
allows for hiking and backpacking from coastal plains to forest.
Elevation ranges from 0 to 585 metres (0 to 1,920 feet). Within this region, I hike in varying
conditions from forestry roads, to sandy tracks to single-purpose walking
trails, to rock hopping, to beach walking to completely off-track walking
through open and dense country.
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Weather Conditions: During the summer period, daytime
temperatures average 30° C (86° F), whereas from March through to December the daytime average temperatures range from 15° C to 26° C (59° F to 79° F). During the
autumn, winter, and spring periods the normal weather pattern is fairly
wet with frequent heavy rainstorms evident. It does not normally snow in
Western Australia.
According to The Times Atlas of the World (Concise Edition - Revised 1997)
our weather is described as being "Mediterranean - rainy climates with mild
winters, coolest month above 0° C (32° F), but below 18° C (64° F); warmest
month above 10° C (50° F)." The atlas depicts the coastal area north of
Los Angeles as having the same climate.
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Long-Term field
experience:
This report should be read in conjunction with my
Initial Report and
Field Report (two months usage). Since writing my Field Report I have
continued to use the gaiters on my bushwalks. These walks have
included a track maintenance walk into Monadnocks Campsite (on-track), a
26 km (16 mi) weekend walk in Plavins Block which consisted of a mix of on
and off-track walking and a 18 km (12 mi) walk, virtually all on-track
into Noggerup Campsite, again on the Bibbulmun Track. All these walks where
undertaken in dry conditions and the footwear worn was my Scarpa Manta
boots.
Following on from my
Field Report I will up-date my comments on the various
features/aspects of the gaiters. That said, little has changed with the
continued use of the gaiters, so these comments are more of a summary of
my experience over the six month test period.
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25.4
mm (1") Velcro front closure - The Velcro front closure is
described as providing easy access to socks and boot laces; making the
gaiters easy to put on and combined with the elasticised bottom, allow
the nylon instep lace to be tied once to the correct fitting, therefore
avoiding the need to re-tie with each fitment. I reported in my
Field Report that I have found the gaiters relatively easy to
fit to my New Balance 805s trail runners. I pleased to report that I
have had a similar experience wearing the gaiters in combination with
my Scarpa Mantas.
The Velcro closure has continued to worked
okay, being easy to open and close when putting the gaiters on and off.
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Uncoated Packcloth leg section - My
experience has not changed from what I reported in my
Field Report. My comments are repeated: "The uncoated leg
section is designed to "increase ventilation" and to keep the
wearer cool and comfortable. While concepts of comfort are very subjective,
I have found these gaiters very comfortable so far and have worn them on very
warm days where the temperature has gone above 35º C (95º F). I have not
experienced any discomfort or significant levels of sweating with them. I
have found them to perform better in this respect than my canvas gaiters. I
have at times forgotten I was wearing the gaiters. I also found them
quite comfortable and flexible whenever I have had to bend down or crouch. I
actually have worn them pitching the MSR Missing Link tent, when normally I
would find my canvas gaiters very uncomfortable and restrictive in such a
situation."
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Coated Packcloth foot section - This
section of the gaiter is claimed to be waterproof and to provide maximum
protection in keeping one's boots dry as possible in rain etc. I had hoped that Hughie would be more cooperative during the long-term
testing phase, but it rained only on one day of testing and, as I was walking
on track and in a hurry, I forgot to put the gaiters on! So no rain testing
:-(
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Strap and Cam buckle top closure - I
have nothing to add to the comments I made in my
Field Report
which are reported here as a summary: "This design is claimed to be easy to
use, even when wearing bulky hand wear; it is claimed to never slip and the
nylon strap does not cut into the leg. ... Initial impressions are that this
is a small and fiddly buckle which is tight to close. Maybe with usage the
buckle will loosen up.
As can be noted from my comments in the
Initial Report above, my initial impression was that the strap and cam
buckle top closure was small and fiddly and tight to close. Well,
with
some usage the ease of closure has improved. That said, I do find the
buckle a bit finicky to use and still difficult to close. My experience
is that the cam is just to small to apply good leverage. On the positive
side, I have only had it come open once and I suspect this was caused by
me not closing it tightly. From my experience I have found that
the top closure, as Outdoor Research claim,
does not cut into the leg."
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Elastic bottom edge - Claims to create a tight seal
against the elements and to confirm to a wide range of boot shapes. Previously
I reported my experience with the gaiters when worn in conjunction with my
New Balance 805s and in dry weather and I was positive. With further
experience of the gaiters, but now worn with my Scarpa Mantas, my view is
still positive. I have found the gaiters effective at keeping sticks and stones
out. I also tried wearing the gaiters without the nylon strap under the boot
and found they work effectively. I suspect
based on this experience that once the nylon strap wears out I will not
bother replacing it.
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Hook and snap at bottom front - "The gaiters have a
snap at the bottom to keep the Velcro from peeling at the edge. This is one
feature I have been impressed with so far with these gaiters. The snap
at the bottom has worked well to keep the Velcro from peeling at the edge. I have
also found the hook has connected securely to my runner laces and the
gaiters have not pulled away on any of the walks." This comment from my
Field Report remains valid.
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Full protection - The following
comment from my
Field Report stands: "No further claims are made as to
what "full protection" exactly entails. In summary as previously
outlined I have used the gaiters in varying walking conditions including
some very aggressive off-track coastal scrub. I am very pleased with
the performance of the gaiters in these conditions. They have worked
effectively providing my lower legs with protection and have been effective
in keeping foreign objects out of my runners [and boots]."
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Concluding comments:
Overall I am very happy with these gaiters. I have found
them easy to use, effective in protecting my legs and effective in keeping
stones and sticks out of my boots. I have not tested them against snakes
and hopefully never will. I have found them easy to fit and
comfortable to wear in my walking conditions.
Would I purchase them when this pair eventually come to
the end of their working life? Based on this testing, the short answer is
yes. They have become my primary gaiters.
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My thanks to BackpackGearTest.org
and Outdoor Research for allowing me to undertake this test series.
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