My first pair of gaiters was a coated nylon number with shoelace instep straps and a zipper up the back. They were cheap and effective, but incredibly hot and nearly impossible to put on with cold/gloved hands. I saw a lot of other people wearing OR Crocs and talked to some folks who wore them, and nobody had a bad word to say. However, I was still reluctant. They are very expensive, and I was skeptical about the velcro closure in the front. It just didn't seem as secure as a zipper would be.

I finally decided to splurge (when someone got me an REI gift certificate), and haven't felt a moment of regret. The Gore-Tex fabric really does breathe - a vast improvement over coated nylon. As for the velcro closure, it hasn't been a problem. If you make sure to close it carefully the first time you can forget about it. As an added bonus, the velcro strip is wide enough that the uppers are somewhat adjustable, so you can wear them over heavy snow pants or just a pair of polypro tights with limited gapping. The instep strap is some sort of coated neoprene material that appears to be quite durable and is easy to operate even when cold. The heavy cordura lower sections seem utterly bombproof, and if you're careful with the crampons the thinner uppers are a good trade-off between durability and breathability. Bottom line: if you have the $50 to spend, Crocs are a very good investment.



Recommended: Yes