Gear review - Salomon Trail Gaiters Low

Much overdue greetings of 2016!

While I haven't yet had the time to reflect on 2015 (or write about my last trail run) I did say awhile ago I'd be posting gear reviews, since the blog description does mention them.

Time flies!

Here we go. I figured I'd start with something that was a staple in my OCR gear back in 2013 and 2014 - the shoe gaiter. I had to retire a pair of Asics gaiters after a full season's use, and some Outdoor Research ones didn't even last 3 races. It also seemed no one really knew what shoe gaiters were - participants kept asking me what I had around my ankles. (Props to Kelly Ripley for correctly ID-ing them!)

While volunteering at a 5 Peaks run, when raffle prizes were being drawn for the volunteers and I got chosen, I picked some Salomon Trail Gaiters Low amid all the loot.

At first glance, they seem solidly built. The stirrup that goes under the shoe is tough, flat and wide enough (about 1cm) to resist pounding and rough surfaces, unlike other models where I'd be continuously replacing the shock cord. The trade-off here is the stirrup isn't elastic at all, versus shock cord which has some stretch.

The upper part that covers the ankle is light and stretchy and uses Velcro to close. I am not sure if after multiple uses and dirt accumulation it will hold as well as when it is new. The gaiters can be worn on either foot (there isn't a right or left designation which could bode well on early morning race prep!)

I was still using Asics Gel-Fuji Racers at this point, and initially the gaiters fit nicely, perhaps not as snug as I'd like otherwise there'd be no Velcro left to secure them tightly. However, not long into the event the stirrups kept sliding off the back heels of my shoes, making me pause to re-adjust a few more times than I'd like.

2014 Ottawa Beast - Asics Gel-Fuji Racer paired with Salomon Trail Gaiters

I was pleased enough to wear them at the Killington Beast (I can't remember if I had to adjust them because that whole day is blurred), and found out they (obviously) fit better when paired with Salomon footwear. Trying to curb Achilles pain led me to acquire a pair of Speedcrosses (as the Asics were worn out, almost leading me to borderline pioneer a new activity called kamikaze downhill mud skiing at the last event.)

During the Killington Charity Sprint the next day, there hardly is any worry factor and I notice that the gaiters fit snugly on the Speedcrosses and there is barely any slippage of the stirrup strap.

My jubilation is short-lived when we get to the rope climb. Spartan Race USA had a nasty habit of having the bottom of the ropes in almost waist-deep water, therefore making the first part quite slippery. The width of the stirrup strap is slick and is covering part of the shoe's arch curve.

This results in: very clumsy, slippery, awkward, foot position for climbing wet rope.

Now of course these are trail gaiters, right - so I'm guessing very rarely will someone be sporting these and attempting rope climbs. (Whaddaya mean I'm supposed to wear them for trail runs?!) Somehow I shot myself in the foot that day and with the rope slipping, grip failing and me struggling to get any foothold on the rope = failure.

Not long after the rope climb, one foot feels a little lighter...I look down and realize I've lost one of the gaiters back in the murky pool, and of course don't feel like going back to search for it.

Bottom line:

Salomon Trail Gaiters Low do their job in keeping scree out of the shoes and keeping footwear on the feet in sticky mud. They are easy to put on and off, easy to clean and the construction is solid.

However, the design is best fit for Salomon brand footwear and if the shoe is smaller than a Salomon one, be prepared to adjust the gaiters every so often. They could be worth considering for OCR's as long as you don't mind a possible foot slippage for rope climbing. While they are not the cheapest option available, the durability is worth the price.

XMan Race Sutton 2016 - new obstacles oh my!

It's the first weekend of June and look at that, my first OCR in warmer weather.

I could have done like others and done a Super Spartan in Stoneham, Qc, or perhaps the New Jersey Beast...oh wait a minute, there aren't any Spartan Races in my calendar! So what better way to kick off my season than with XMan Race!

The first of 3 in Quebec (there was one in Toronto), I have to admit Sutton is my favorite one. (Try it and find out!)

Most of you who follow my (mis)adventures have already read my rambling posts on XMan Race (this, or perhaps this post) so I am not really going to delve into too many details.

Once again the winner of the 3-Seconds' people's choice award, XMan Race had some teasers on their Facebook page (both photos and videos) of new obstacles, several of which I'll admit I'm not super thrilled to see but like anything else, might as well give it the old college try.

After Friday evening volunteering of handing out race packets, some of us find out that we are running in the first open wave at 9:30am in order to have us ready for afternoon shifts. Well, this is new - running early with relatively clean obstacles!

The course is advertised as 7.5km with 48 obstacles. I'm not too worried about endless hill climbs here, but typically before the first race of the season I always get a little anxious - did I train enough? Did I rest enough? Will I succeed at the obstacles? I also am not in complete running form yet, having spent most of the winter doing strength work.

I don't think I've mentioned the pre-race animation too much in the past - there's always an emcee getting the crowd pumped, a DJ cranking out some good tunes and Nic, the race's founder, will usually grab the mic and say a few things. Fittingly enough, as we count down to the start, "Thunderstruck" is playing (which happens to be one of my songs of the hour)

Thunder!
Thunder!

Off we go, and we wind our way up a gentle slope. It isn't too long before we get to the first set of obstacles (log carry, water jug carry, barbed wire crawl) including a new one that involves dunking my head in water under some low-hanging blue trash cans. The photographer of course is waiting at the end and the resulting shot makes me look like Swamp Thing.

I'm struggling to get a running rhythm. I know it'll take a bit of time to get my running legs back. I do feel a difference at certain obstacles (better grip strength, easier time pulling my body weight), but the lack of cardio part is bugging me. That, and (quoting a teammate), my legs feel like two stumps that I'm dragging behind me.

One of the newer obstacles is the Irish table, something I've never done before but the cheerful volunteer helps me up. Another one, the Kraken, involves belly sliding (or shimmying) across a large PVC pipe:

I mentally kick myself for failing the monkey bars again. I really shouldn't think too much.

I also find I'm a bit lacking in the dynamic balance obstacles, such as log hops.

The one I'm dreading is the sternum checker (see Battlefrog Xtreme post), and although it doesn't seem as daunting as the one last year, I end up doing the penalty loop. But the next part of techincal, steep trail leads to possibly my favorite obstacle, Indiana Jones (Sutton version), and it never disappoints.

Once I get through the last set of obstacles, collect badass medal and clean up, it's off to volunteer for the rest of the weekend.

Hitching a ride with Phil, one of the main crew members

Sunday is looking grey, I hope the rain doesn't dampen too many spirits. I am assigned to the sternum checker.

The first couple of waves get through their race without too much interference from Mother Nature, but after 11 or so it starts raining and never lets up. I'm hearing over the walkie-talkies of some obstacles becoming too dangerous to continue on (monkey bars, for one) and the lake rising rather quickly due to all the rain so Indiana Jones gets shut down as well. Emergency blankets are handed out in a jiffy and about 1 in 5 racers who come trickling in the afternoon have one wrapped around them. Some look cold and miserable (I'm pretty cold standing around), others are still in good spirits. I just feel bad for some of the participants who couldn't fully enjoy the whole XMan Race and the fun obstacles that got closed off.

My rain-soaked jacket drip-drying after my shift

Another great race weekend slightly dampened by Mother Nature, but most everyone is looking forward to the 2nd race in August, in Mont-Orford. 'Til then!