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.