REI Flash Gaiters are light-weight softshell gaiters designed to be used with path runners, path footwear and mountaineering boots. They’ve an elastic wire that runs below the soles of your footwear and a velcro entrance closure, so you possibly can put them on after you’ve tied your laces. A second elastic wire helps tighten them in your calf so that they don’t fall down, whereas a entrance hook attaches to your entrance laces and retains them from using up. They’re billed as having replaceable backside elastic cords (those that run below the only) however I’ve discovered them tough to interchange with out making minor modifications. Regardless of that, they’re very snug and efficient brief gaiters in case you’re prepared to tweak or fiddle with their elastic wire anchors.
Specs at a Look
- Kind: Quick 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
Quick gaiters are designed to maintain sticks, small stones, and dirt from moving into your path runners, path footwear, or mountaineering boots significantly across the rear and sides of your heel so as to stop blisters or discomfort. They’re sized based mostly on the circumference of your calves. Some are waterproof and a few will not be. Personally, I favor non-waterproof and breathable brief gaiters for non-winter mountaineering, usually made with a delicate stretch material, as a result of they vent calf perspiration and preserve my socks a lot drier.
These REI Flash Gaiters are made with such a softshell material (nylon and spandex) which is breathable and comfy. They’ve an elastic wire that runs below the only of your footwear and works effectively even when your footwear are flat on the underside and lack a particular arch. The elastic wire is anchored at one finish with a wire lock, so you possibly can tighten the wire if you would like it to experience decrease over the rear of your footwear.
The entrance of the gaiters has a velcro strip to safe the 2 sides collectively, making them potential to placed on after you’ve put in your mountaineering footwear. 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 so 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 supposed 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 must be worn on the skin of your leg so it doesn’t get torn off when your reverse foot brushes in opposition to it. However the facet anchors on these Flash Gaiters are lined with a safe rubber cowl that’s practically flush with the facet of the gaiters and far much less pronounced, making self-inflicted harm much less possible. Nonetheless, the tags are there in case you really feel they’re wanted. In addition 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 using up. These hooks usually level down on gaiters, however REI has rotated them so that they level up and are much less more likely to come undone whereas mountaineering. Whereas they do keep put, they are surely a ache within the ass to unhook whenever you take your footwear off as a result of you’ll want to sit right down to get them off. I’m not completely offered on this new function.
Repairability
I’m an enormous fan of gaiters that 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 alternative elements, or ship it away to be mounted after I can repair it at dwelling 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 forms of footwear (path runners or mountaineering 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. Additional alternative cords (1/16″ / 2mm) past those included with the gaiters will not be accessible at REI however could be bought on Amazon in case you don’t thoughts shopping for a lifetime provide.
Threading the wire by the cordlock is fairly easy if the ends are cleanly minimize. 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 facet so you possibly can knot them collectively. I’ve discovered it needed to make use of scissors to chop partway alongside the facet of the rubber flap so I can entry the cords on the opposite facet 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 snug and breathable softshell gaiters which can be appropriate with all forms of mountaineering footwear from path working and path footwear to mountaineering boots. They’re simple to placed on and take off whereas when carrying your footwear 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 offered), it’s not all that simple to perform. Whereas these are good gaiters, I count on that lots of people will return them after they attempt to exchange the elastic cords and get annoyed. Regardless of that, the REI Flash Gaiters are good gaiters for hotter climate use and are value getting in case you’ve been struggling to discover a gaiter that retains your socks perspiration free and clear on the path.
Disclosure: The creator owns this product.
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