REI Flash Gaiters are light-weight softshell gaiters designed to be used with path runners, path sneakers and mountain climbing boots. They’ve an elastic wire that runs beneath the soles of your sneakers and a velcro entrance closure, so you may put them on after you’ve tied your laces. A second elastic wire helps tighten them in your calf in order that they don’t fall down, whereas a entrance hook attaches to your entrance laces and retains them from driving up. They’re billed as having replaceable backside elastic cords (those that run beneath the only real) however I’ve discovered them tough to interchange with out making minor modifications. Regardless of that, they’re very comfy and efficient quick gaiters when you’re prepared to tweak or fiddle with their elastic wire anchors.
Specs at a Look
- Sort: Brief Gaiter
- Gender: Unisex
- Gater Top: S: 7.6 inches, M: 7.8 inches, L: 8 inches, XL: 8.2 inches
- Max High Circumference: S: 12.2 inches, M: 12.5 inches, L: 13.1 inches, XL: 13.7 inches
- Weight: S: 12.2 inches, M: 12.5 inches, L: 13.1 inches, XL: 13.7 inches
- Materials: 88% nylon/12% spandex
- Closure: Snap, Velcro
Brief gaiters are designed to maintain sticks, small stones, and dust from entering into your path runners, path sneakers, or mountain climbing boots notably across the rear and sides of your heel with a view to stop blisters or discomfort. They’re sized primarily based on the circumference of your calves. Some are waterproof and a few usually are not. Personally, I desire non-waterproof and breathable quick gaiters for non-winter mountain climbing, typically made with a comfortable stretch cloth, as a result of they vent calf perspiration and hold my socks a lot drier.
These REI Flash Gaiters are made with such a softshell cloth (nylon and spandex) which is breathable and cozy. They’ve an elastic wire that runs beneath the only real of your sneakers and works nicely even when your sneakers are flat on the underside and lack a particular arch. The elastic wire is anchored at one finish with a wire lock, so you may tighten the wire if you’d like it to trip decrease over the rear of your sneakers.
The entrance of the gaiters has a velcro strip to safe the 2 sides collectively, making them doable to placed on after you’ve put in your mountain climbing sneakers. There’s a snap on the backside finish to make sure that the velcro stays closed and a cordlock and elastic wire to cinch them round your calves in order that they don’t fall down and bunch across the ankles.
These REI gaiters have tags sewn into the seam that let you know which leg they’re meant for, proper or left. That is usually a requirement on winter gaiters the place one of many backside strap anchors is bigger than the opposite and needs to be worn on the surface of your leg so it doesn’t get torn off when your reverse foot brushes in opposition to it. However the aspect anchors on these Flash Gaiters are coated with a safe rubber cowl that’s almost flush with the aspect of the gaiters and far much less pronounced, making self-inflicted harm much less probably. Nonetheless, the tags are there when you really feel they’re wanted. Additionally they assist decide which is the within half of the gaiter (tags inside) and the outer.
The gaiters even have a hook that attaches to your entrance laces and prevents the gaiter from driving up. These hooks usually level down on gaiters, however REI has rotated them in order that they level up and are much less more likely to come undone whereas mountain climbing. Whereas they do keep put, they are surely a ache within the ass to unhook whenever you take your sneakers off as a result of it’s good to sit all the way down to get them off. I’m not solely bought on this new function.
Repairability
I’m an enormous fan of gaiters which you could restore with on a regular basis supplies, like elastic wire as a result of I don’t like having to throw gear away, buy substitute elements, or ship it away to be fastened after I can repair it at house myself. I additionally just like the portability of gaiters with a heel strap as a result of it means I can use the gaiters with a number of pairs and kinds of sneakers (path runners or mountain climbing boots) extra simply with none preparation, like gluing a bit of velcro behind the heel.
Whereas the REI Flash Gaiters include a pair of spare elastic cords, it may be difficult to interchange them as a result of they’re secured at one finish with a tiny cordlock that have to be squeezed to feed the wire by way of. Further substitute cords (1/16″ / 2mm) past those included with the gaiters usually are not obtainable at REI however may be bought on Amazon when you don’t thoughts shopping for a lifetime provide.
Threading the wire by way of the cordlock is fairly easy if the ends are cleanly lower. However there’s a rubber flap sewn over the cordlock which makes it tough to squeeze and which blocks the ends of the elastic wire from poking out the opposite aspect so you may knot them collectively. I’ve discovered it essential to make use of scissors to chop partway alongside the aspect of the rubber flap so I can entry the cords on the opposite aspect of the cordlock. I really feel this attachment level has been over-engineered when a bigger grommet and cordlock would have been simply as efficient and far simpler to make use of.
Advice
REI Flash Gaiters are comfy and breathable softshell gaiters which can be appropriate with all kinds of mountain climbing footwear from path operating and path sneakers to mountain climbing boots. They’re straightforward to placed on and take off whereas when sporting your sneakers and supply good safety in opposition to scree, sticks, and stones. Whereas they’re designed to be repairable if the underside elastic wire breaks (one pair of spare cords is supplied), it’s not all that straightforward to perform. Whereas these are good gaiters, I count on that lots of people will return them once they attempt to change the elastic cords and get annoyed. Regardless of that, the REI Flash Gaiters are good gaiters for hotter climate use and are price getting when you’ve been struggling to discover a gaiter that retains your socks perspiration free and clear on the path.
Disclosure: The writer owns this product.
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Final up to date: 2023-07-19 12:57:04
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