Outdoor Research Sparkplug Gaiters

Got these for my 5'10, 155-pound ultrarunner husband. Wears size 11.5 street shoe, size 12 running shoe. Totally normal ankles for a guy that size. Tried the l/xl AND the sm/med -- and you definitely need to size down, as other posters have said. The sm/med is great -- fits closely enough around the ankle that it doesn't fall down, but not what I would call "snug." Put it this way, if his ankles swelled on a 100-mile run, the gaiters would still fit OK.We added industrial strength velcro from Home Depot (about $3) to the backs of his shoes. It was obvious just from looking that the included velcro patches were dinky and would come unstuck pretty fast. The industrial-strength seems like it'll stay on with no problem -- but if it comes off, we'll just attach with waterproof construction adhesive (like Loctite).He ran nearly 100 miles with these on crushed limestone trail. Said he didn't even notice he had them on. Kept 99% of the crud out of his shoes and amazingly, his socks were hardly dusty -- and they're white, so you can really tell.He doesn't remove them to change his shoes or socks during runs -- he just unsticks the velcro, unhooks the metal tab from the shoe laces and scootches them up his ankle.A+ for function, F for sizing accuracy, D for dinky velcro patches. Definitely worthwhile.PS these are not waterproof, and that is NOT a design defect. They are designed to be breathable in hot weather. That's why they are super lightweight. Weatherproof gaiters are an entirely different product, much heavier (often made of Goretex, for example). They would cook you in hot weather. If you really want waterproof gaiters, you're looking at the wrong product.

Very helpful on the trail. I have used then on 3 backpacking trips that were 3 days each at this point and they are great. Keeps those pesky pebbles, dirty, and twigs out of your shoes while hiking. They have weathered through lots of rain and muddy trails. There are some Pros and Cons just like every product. I give this 4 stars because of the velcro that sticks to your shoes is not very durable and only lasts a few backpacking trips if that. Still a great product, just have to replace the velcro on your shoe often. I chose these over the "Dirty Girl Gaiters" because of the better warranty Outdoor Research offered.Pros:-Good warranty through Outdoor Research-Light weight-DurableCons:-Velcro for your shoe will start to come off due to dirt and moisture. This is an easy fix by going to Walmart and buying more velcro and sticking on the back of your shoes

So far, so good. I've had them about a month, and I've run in the rain and snow with them about five times. They stay in place and keep the snow out. I wear them with Gore Tex running shoes so I stay dry and comfy. Cons: There's only one pair of velcro tabs to attach to my shoes so I can't use the gaiters with any other shoes. Also, other reviews I'd read indicated that the velcro attachment you place on your shoes tend to come off, so it would be nice to have a spare pair--but so far I haven't had any troubles with them coming off. I guess I could buy velcro and create a makeshift replacement if it does happen. Either way, these gaiters work for running or hiking in light snow, but I wouldn't use them for snowshoeing or anything in deep snow: you'd need higher and more waterproof gaiters for that.

I use these daily o m lunch hikes. I am not going over super rugged ground or doing any sort of trailblazing with them. I stay to well developed trails most of the time. As such, they have always stayed firmly in place and have never come loose on me. These gaiters are held in place by a hook that is attached to your laces at the toe and a velcro strip at the heel. The Spark Plug Gaiters are really lightweight and I have occasionally forgot to take them off when I get back to town because of it. M main reason for getting them was to keep sticks and pebbles out of my shoes... which drives me crazy. These do that job just fine. I would love to see a water resistant pair of these in the future. These are not water resistant.

Great product! Two things I had to do for it to perform better. The hook on front is fine. The Velcro in back didn't stick to shoe well. So I bought some Velcro and found whether to fluffy part and hook part worked better. I don't quite remember but think the fluff worked better. Testing both was close to same result. Anyway now the back doesn't let go at all during a run. Also the top was a little loose. An elastic band on each leg, holding each gaiter up, was the fix. Does now keep pine needles and rocks and all out of the shoes. They are light. You do not feel them while running. If you decide to buy and do as I did. Put the Velcro low down in back. No need to put all the way down, just above the rubber sole area. That way it covers you sides much better. Being there is no strap going under the shoes like other gaiters. Would I get them again? Most assuredly!

While I am a fan of Dirty Girl gaiters, I wanted something a little more durable for crossing scree fields. While the OR gaiters are made with marginally heavier weight fabric, they also seem to stay in place better when bombing down scree, which was somewhat surprising. Both gaiters have the same basic design with a hook that goes under the front shoe lace and velcro that secures to the back of the shoe with a self-adhesive velcro strip and similar nylon/spandex fabric. The only difference I could see between the two was a minor difference in the "duckbill" of the gaiter where the hook is attached to the body of the gaiter. On the Dirty Girl gaiter the duckbill is a little more pronounced and results in a slightly greater distance between the front hook and the back velcro. A difference that seemed to make a difference. As Dirty Girl states on its website, size matters. Bottomline: OR gaiters did the job, stayed in place and held up under extreme abrasion.

These things are terrific. Light weight, durable and functional. I've logged around 200kms of hiking on them since purchase. Sometimes the velcro disconnects from the heel patch but they still do their job properly. They dry quickly and pack tiny if you opt not to wear them. They are fantastic for keeping small pebbles, sticks and debris out of your boots/shoes and aren't as cumbersome as the full calf size gaiters. They also offer some measure of protection against insects as well. The only reason they don't get five stars is the lack of colour options. Something a bit more subdued would be ideal. But, they get dirty so quickly, the 'neon' is gone after a few hikes.

Ajusta muy bien , tela suave y transpirable ,funciona a la perfección , 100 recomendable , muy Feliz con esta compra