Outdoor Research Ultra Trail Gaiters Review

Last week I got a pair of the Outdoor Research Ultra Trail Gaiters for trail running and I have since tested them to their limits! The testing for this gear review involved two 1+ hour training runs, both involving primarily trail running, but also some road. The trails in those two runs were a combination of soft, muddy trails with sporadic rocks, and some gravel path. The testing also included a 50km trail race on some of the gnarliest, most technical trails in North Vancouver.

My brand new OR Ultra Trail Gaiters

Design and Materials of the OR Ultra Trail Gaiters

The OR Ultra Trail Gaiter is designed to be breathable and lightweight while providing protection from debris and mud. The black upper material is both stretchy and water resistant. These gaiters attach to the laces at the front of the shoe using two metal hooks, and attach at the back using velcro and an anti-slip silicone print (see picture below). An additional cord is provided to attach the gaiter around the instep of your shoe. The top of the gaiter has a drawcord to allow easy tightening. And for the safety conscious, there is a reflective pattern on the upper for when, you know, you're running along a trail and you need to warn vehicles of your presence... OK, maybe not the most useful feature for a "trail gaiter", but could be worse.

Cost

These Outdoor Research Ultra Trail Gaiters usually retail for about $50, so they're on the higher end for a pair of gaiters. Fortunately, we managed to get a good deal from an online retailer and ended up paying about $25. If you're just looking for a cheap pair of gaiters, then these are probably not the ones for you (perhaps try dirty girl gaiters instead), but if you're wanting something more skookum then try these out. Plus they come with OR's Infinite Guarantee.

Bottom view of Outdoor Research Ultra Trail Gaiters

My Experience

I'm lucky enough to be running in Altra's these days which come with preinstalled velcro on the back of the shoe, so I didn't have to do any prep to be able to use my Ultra Trail Gaiters. However, for most individuals they will have to apply one of the supplied velcro strips to each of their shoes before using their gaiters. This could be annoying is you run trails in multiple pairs of shoes or switch shoes often. Nonetheless, the velcro seems to really stay in place and keep the gaiter from moving. The metal hooks keep the toe of the gaiter in place really well, and don't seem to bother my foot at all! Plus, the mouldable toe piece helps keep the sides down against the shoe. As for the upper, you can't even tell they're there - they're really comfortable! Even after 5 hours of running they were fine!

Most importantly, my ultra trail gaiters did their job perfectly, keeping out any and all debris and mud from my shoes! I concede that this is probably hard to accurately gauge as I don't always collect debris in my shoes, so not collecting any isn't as noticeable (you just don't think about things that aren't there!).  That being said I think they really do work as I can't see why they wouldn't given their design. I could definitely get used to wearing these gaiters for all my trail runs; it's just nice not to half to worry about stopping to clear debris or any such nonsense on a long run!

So they feel great and do their job, two things that would normally be sufficient to receive full marks in

Instep cords frayed and broke, luckily they're not really needed!

my books, but I did have one issue with them... I opted to use the instep cord to help prevent dirt/mud creeping up between the gaiters and my shoe, but by half way through the race I noticed that the cords were severely frayed. In fact, when I stopped to check them, the one had worn all the way through! Now I know that the race course was extremely rocky and technical, but if I'm able to wear through them in only about 4.5 hours of running (2 training runs plus half of the race), the cords were destined to fail eventually. On a positive note, even without the cord the gaiters stayed in place and kept me debris free, so they really won't be missed.

Overall Pros and Cons of Ultra Trail Gaiters

On the positive side of things, these ultra trail gaiters are unbelievably comfortable! And they work to keep out debris as far as I can tell. Conversely, the fraying of the instep cord is a bit of a downer, and quite inconsistent with my experience with Outdoor Research gear. All said, I'd definitely recommend these gaiters to any trail runner due to the gaiter's comfort and ability keep out debris while on a long run. I just wouldn't expect the instep cord to be useful for very long (not that you need it).

Welcome to debris-free running!

-UltraChris

Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra Gear Review

Whiskey Jacks at the top of Hollyburn

This weekend The Trail Effect's J.B.Running and I took our new Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras out for a test hike up to Hollyburn Peak. It was a fantastically sunny and warm day and we were able to wear just tights and long-sleeves. It took just over an hour to reach the peak via the winding snowy trail that others had made. The trip down was slightly quicker. The highlight of the hike had to be the birds and the view at the top! There were some very tame Whiskey Jacks and a somewhat less-friendly Raven all searching for food.

This is my first gear review so bear with me; I promise they'll get better! First, the trail we were on had a mix of packed snow, icy sections and a few exposed roots. Since this is a gear review for crampons I figure it should be broken down into a couple categories: Traction, Fit & Feel, Cost, and Final Conclusions

Traction:
The Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras feature a number of clusters of stainless steel spikes that are about a half inch long (see photo below). You'd think these would provide unbelievable grip, and you'd be right. In terms of traction, these stood up to everything we could throw at them. I tried running in them, I tried sliding on a sheet of ice and I even tried placing my foot on an icy, near vertical section of the trail and stepping up - they didn't budge! Full marks in this category.

Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultra, pic from Hillsound website

Fit & Feel
Fit and Feel are at the opposite ends of the spectrum on this one. We'll start with the positive: the feel. The feel is great! I couldn't even tell they were there they're so light! Plus, the spikes aren't so long as to make it feel like they're pushing up into your foot. Those things, combined with the excellent traction, make for a phenomenal ride. The negative, however, is that they didn't stay on my shoes like they were supposed to, though J.B.Running's stayed in place for the most part. As you can see in the bottom photo, mine kept slipping to the side, and if I tried to over-correct and place them medially, that little metal bar would dig in to the top of my big toe! I think the issue stems from the fact that my Altras aren't as pointy as J.B.Running's Salomon Speedcross. I realize that most shoes come to more of a point than the Altras, but the Altras aren't that oddly shaped! And to be fair, the crampons did still work in lateral position, but I wouldn't trust them like that for a steep descent. Another thing that I wasn't totally thrilled about was the way the velcro strap attaches on top. It wraps around the rubber upper and, when tightened, it causes the rubber to roll upwards slightly. This isn't a huge problem, but I do think it could be designed slightly better.

Something isn't quite right here...

Cost
If we didn't win our Hillsound Trail Crampon Ultras as draw prizes at the recent Phantom Trail Race, I'm not sure we would have forked out the money for them. They are regularly $69.99 which, compared to some of the other models, is a bit pricier, and would definitely be quite the investment for a casual runner/hiker. If someone does a significant amount of winter running on snowy and icy conditions I could definitely see the benefit of these, but otherwise the cost is somewhat prohibitive.

Final Thoughts
They did what they were supposed to; they gave unbelievable traction on ice and snow! The downside is they didn't accommodate my non-standard, albeit anatomically correct, shoe, so I'll have to do some altering to make them perfect. If you can get a pair of these for a reduced price I would very much encourage you to do so, or if you have a stack of cash burning a hole in your pocket then feel free to grab a pair. Just remember to make sure they fit and stay on your shoes! Also, for the next month or so, Hillsound is giving away 100 pairs of these Trail Crampon Ultras. The caveat is that you have to submit a picture of you wearing a pair of Hillsound crampons. Maybe you could borrow a friend's for a photo shoot...