Personal Information

• Name : Graham Blamey
• Age : 59
• Height : 1.82 m (6' 0")
  
• Weight : 75 kg (165 lb)
• Email : gg@higray.fsnet.co.uk
• County : Essex
• Country : UK
  

Additional product related information

• Boot/shoe size : UK 10, US 10.5, EU 44
• Inside leg measurement : 84 cm (33")
  

Backpacking background

I first went camping at about age five and have been camping, on and off, ever since.  I started serious walking about 21 years ago and backpacking a few years later.  I have backpacked, with my wife Ginny, mainly in Europe and the UK. We have spent three weeks of each year for the last six years, backpacking on variations of the GR11, a long-distance, high-level route that follows the spine of the French/Spanish Pyrenees.  We are fortunate in living in an area surrounded by countryside and are able to walk daily on a network of public Rights of Way that exist in the UK.  We additionally spend at least one day a week on long day-walks in different areas within a two hour drive of our home.  We take a number of three- to four-day backpacking trips throughout the year and take part in several night and weekend orienteering events.  Our backpacking style, although essentially traditional (mid-weight backpacks, Therm-a-rests, tent etc.) is getting increasingly lighter as we explore the possibilities brought about by new materials and designs.

Product  Information

• Manufacturer : Outdoor Research
• Manufacturer's website : www.orgear.com
• Sizes : S / M / L / XL
• Weight : 199 g (7 oz) per pair (not stated what size)
• Material : 400 denier Nylon Packcloth
  
• Colours : Black, Black / Purple, Blue / Black
• MSRP : $ 35.00

The following is taken from the manufacturer's website:

• Strap and buckle top closure
• 50 mm (1") wide Velcro front closure
• Packcloth leg section
• Grommeted instep lace anchor
• Hook and snap
• Elastic bottom edge
• Nylon instep lace
• Coated packcloth foot section

There are a couple of illustrations of the gaiter and quite a lot of additional information on the website and in summarising it below, I can say that it covers features of the gaiter material and construction that OR suggest will be advantageous to the wearer.  I stress that these are not my opinions yet, these have still to be formed.  (Manufacturers comments are in inverted commas).

In addition to packcloth being 'highly vapor permeable' (I take this to mean breathable but it probably also refers to it not being waterproof), packcloth gaiters are 'lighter than Cordura'.  They are also lighter than a similar version by OR in Gore-Tex by 28 g (1 oz). They are also 'more stuffable' and 'durable enough for typical backpacking and hiking' (whatever that is :). The lower section of the gaiter is coated (but it doesn't say with what or whether it's re-proofable) and this should provide 'water resistance' for the part of the gaiter that covers the boot.  The 'offset overlapping front closure' is 'easier and faster' to use and 'won't break, freeze or jam like a zipper', it's also an 'excellent seal against snow and water'.  The use of a narrower Velcro in the front closure necessitates the use of a snap (fastener) at the bottom of the Velcro strip and there is a heavy-duty hook for fixing the front of the gaiter to the boot laces.  The top strap and buckle closure has 'a very low profile' to make it comfortable when wearing with shorts, is 'easy to open and close' and 'never slips'. Finally, the elastic bottom edge 'can accommodate a wide range of boots' and allows the instep cord to be permanently tied, once sized to fit the boots it will be used on.

Reasons to wear gaiters !!!

                
                                                                                                                    
Product as received

• Size : Large
• Weight : 190 g (6.7 oz)
• Length : (Measured vertically along rear of gaiter) 46.5 cm (18.25")
• Circumference : (Measured around top of gaiter) 44 cm (17.3")
• Colour : Black

Initial impressions

The gaiters arrived in a sealed, plastic envelope which had survived the journey admirably, despite being covered in rainwater.  My first impression on taking the package from my postman was that this couldn't be the gaiters, the package was too light.  The OR label on the front confirmed that it was.  Carefully slitting the package open revealed the gaiters, fixed to the sort of illustrated card that would be used to display the product in a store display stand.  Also enclosed was an invoice from OR stamped 'Sample only'.  (Fortunately this was stated on the Customs declaration on the outside of the package as 'Gift', thus saving me having to pay Customs duty).

Closer inspection and weighing revealed that the gaiters are light (lighter than stated for a change :), they are also well made and there doesn't appear to be any loose threads or mis-placed stitches. All the fittings; the Velcro, the elastic, the stud fastener, the top strap, the lace eyelets, and the front hook, appear to be of reasonable and robust quality, but time will tell.  The material looks durable enough but, interestingly, isn't stiff like I'd expect; it's quite soft and pliable whereas some gaiters I've had are so stiff they'd stand up on their own with no support.  It will be interesting to see if this softness affects the durability and whether or not they slip down my legs without being over-tightened at the top.

It's possible to discern, on the inside but not the outside, the difference between the coated and un-coated parts of the gaiters.  The  un-coated leg section has a semi-matt finish, while the coated, boot section, has a definite glossy appearance.  A label on the inside tells me that the gaiters are made from: '100% Nylon' and '100% Urethane coated nylon'.  Also on the label are care symbols and the words 'Made in China'.  Because this coated section is (indeed, has to be) in the area that will probably take the most wear and abrasion from it's contact with my boots, it will be interesting to see how this fares over time (I have had gaiters where whole sections of coating peel off over a relatively short period!).  The gaiters are 'handed' in that they are a pair and not simply two identical gaiters.  The OR logo appears on the outer side of each, the Velcro wraps to the outside on each and the top straps fasten to the outer side on each.  This may or may not make any difference but it will ensure that it's easy to put the same gaiter on the same leg every time.

All in all, the general appearance of the gaiters, while plain and without any frills or gimmicks, is good, well made and not 'skimped'. My one concern (and it appears to me to be something of an afterthought) is the lace that fastens the gaiter under the instep.  This is, basically, a piece of lace, nowhere near long enough to fasten doubled. The only way I can see of doing it is to tie it, singly, to the eyelet on either side. Before I've even had a chance to wear them I'm thinking 'Better carry a spare couple of laces'.  It just doesn't seem to match all the other, apparently well-thought-out details of the gaiters.  

Field Testing

As we go into winter here in the UK and the first phase of testing the OR gaiters, we can look forward to wet, windy, cold weather - or wet, windy, mild weather  - or any possible combination but certainly 'gaiter weather'.  Weather in the UK (especially at the moment) is notoriously unpredictable.  Last winter was very wet but not especially cold, we only had snow on a couple of occasions. We can get prolonged periods of rain (the ground is very wet and muddy at this time), followed by periods of clear, cold, frosty weather with temperatures hovering around 0 C (32 F) and below (we've had a few minimum overnight temperatures of -4 C (25 F) so far this winter).  All of this applies to the south east UK where I live; winter can be quite different and very hostile in other parts of the UK, particularly the upland areas and the Scottish Highlands or the Welsh mountains.

I shall initially use the OR gaiters on day-walks, at least once or twice a week.  In addition, I have several short (3-5 day) trips planned in various locations in the UK.  It will be interesting to see whether the gaiters can deal with regular exposure to the wet and mud that is common to UK winter walking.  Do they fit well, not only around my boots, but around my legs?  Are they the right length for me?  Are they comfortable?  Can I wear them all day with no discomfort?  How well will they stand up to the stresses and strains and rough handling that are par for the course when backpacking?  How easy (or not) are they to put on and take off? How water repellent is the untreated packcloth and the coated foot section?  How easy are they to wash after a day walking in sticky mud and how long do they take to dry?

My thanks to BackpackGearTest and Outdoor Research for the opportunity to test this product