Thru-hiking has gone by means of a footwear revolution over the past decade and a half. Ft as soon as clad in heavy leather-based boots are actually mild and free in path runners. This transition solved a number of issues, but additionally launched a couple of new ones. A standard challenge for contemporary hikers pounding out mile after mile is the annoying intrusion of particles by means of the low-top ankles of sneaker-style sneakers. In come path gaiters, a stripped-down model of the winter boot accent.
Path gaiters have risen in recognition over the previous few years as thru-hiker have pushed for extra miles, much less cease time, and prolonged into tougher terrain. Final Course (UD), a model greatest identified for its ultra-running equipment, has taken a stab on the class with the FK Gaiter. Have they created a cross-category hit for hikers and runners alike?
Final Course FK Gaiter At-a-Look

Have you ever ever tried taking photos of your ft whereas nonetheless making it appear like you’re standing? It’s more durable than anticipated.
MSRP: $50
Weights: 2.7 ounces (measurement giant)
Supplies: “Kill Twill Stretch Cordura” (89% Nylon, 11% Spandex)
Sizes: Small/Medium/Massive, protecting US Males’s shoe sizes 5-13, Girls’s sizes 7-14.
Supposed Use
These midrise gaiters are meant for low-top path runners in soiled and/or moist situations. They might discover their restrict in exceptionally deep snow or muddy situations which could name for various footwear completely.
Circumstance of Evaluate
These landed on my doorstep in the midst of desert mountain climbing season and obtained examined all the best way till spring snow melt-out within the Rockies. They noticed roughly 150 miles of mountain climbing throughout sand, talus, packed dust, mud, and snow.
Final Course FK Gaiter Options

FK Gaiter’s first main problem: Sand. I by no means stopped to shake out a shoe throughout this 15-mile desert day, a rarity for me.
Safe match: Final Course gave customers a number of methods to safe these gaiters. There may be an adjustable underfoot strap (5 attainable size configurations), a plastic hook on the entrance, and a large strip of velcro up your complete gaiter. There may be additionally a plastic snap button on the base of the velcro for backup if the velcro pulls.
Wrap-around velcro closure: These gaiters totally unwrap from the ankle, and are secured by a big vertical strip of velcro. This makes the dimensions barely adjustable and permits them to be taken on/off independently of the sneakers.
Burly Cordura material: The Cordura branded nylon chosen for these gaiters is pretty strong in comparison with the tender, stretchy choices out there in different manufacturers. Hopefully, this results in an extended life.
How’d They Do?
As long as the gaiter stayed tight, I discovered the FK very efficient for decreasing the quantity of snow and dirt that my sneakers collected. Nonetheless, it’s vital to notice that these won’t preserve your ft dry throughout a river crossing, nor will they cease something from seeping into the mesh round your toes. This can be a prime avenue for grime getting into your sneakers, but additionally past the purview of those gaiters.
And though the material wasn’t stifling, when I discovered myself on dryer stretches of path, I sometimes eliminated them to let the shoe mesh air out unencumbered. Even breathable gaiters are much less breathable than no gaiters.
Final Course FK Gaiter Execs

A few of the extra delicate mud on this hike. Earlier, I stepped in fairly a little bit of ankle-deep mud. Whereas I obtained moist, the quantity of sediment that obtained trapped round my ankle was very minimal.
Unbiased from shoe
Due to the full-length velcro there isn’t a must nail your order of operations when lacing up your kicks. Many different gaiters slip over the foot like a sock, which might be surprisingly complicated to the trail-muddled mind. Final Course’s method can be good if you wish to take them off mid-hike to get some breathability again to your shoe uppers.
Common compatibility
A number of different path gaiters available on the market are stored in place with a strip of velcro on the heel. Whereas purposeful, it requires both shopping for velcro-equipped, suitable sneakers (i.e. most Altra path sneakers) or including your individual. Modifying your shoe is annoying and produces lackluster outcomes. Final Course as an alternative makes use of an underfoot strap to maintain the gaiter from floating up, creating near-universal compatibility.
Snow and dirt safety
I’ve hiked 1000’s of miles with out gaiters, and I’m advantageous choosing off the occasional sticker plant embedded in my sock or shaking some rocks out of my sneakers. In different phrases, I don’t use gaiters until I’ve to.
I discover that these gaiters’ actual worth is in protecting mud and snow out of my ankle openings whereas post-holing. Sometimes whenever you step deep into one thing squishy, getting again out scrapes a number of the sidewall into your shoe. After one step, your foot is sloshing round with this crud, which might be actually uncomfortable and result in blisters. If it’s snow, then your ft are continually steeped in an ice tub. The FK Gaiters did a terrific job in these circumstances, protecting my ankles freed from aforementioned crud.
Final Course FK Gaiter Cons

The underfoot strap seems durably constructed, nevertheless it nonetheless appears weak. It’s replaceable, however that may not be handy throughout a thru-hike. Picture through.
Minimal ankle adjustability
The diameter on the ankle is about primarily by a skinny vertical strip of Velcro, which is a part of the general closure system. Whereas the fabric is 11% spandex, it isn’t stretchy sufficient to meaningfully contribute to fitment, so the slender width of the Velcro represents the entire vary of adjustability.
Messing with the velcro to make the ankle opening both bigger or smaller means a much less safe contact space. As somebody with skinny legs, extra much like giraffe’s than these of different people, I discovered it difficult to shut the highest snuggly round my ankle with out working out of velcro. On the flip aspect, securing them correctly resulted in a free match.
This is also a problem on the different finish of the spectrum for an individual with wider calves, or with a swollen harm. I might like to see an prolonged strip of velcro across the ankle to permit a wider vary of adjustability.
Underfoot strap is weak
As talked about above, most path gaiters are secured by a hook entrance and velcro strip hooked up to the heel. Whereas the underfoot strap is sweet for its adjustability and wider compatibility, it additionally resides in one of many highest influence zones of the shoe. Whereas mine didn’t maintain any deadly harm, I do rock hop with my midsole fairly a bit on rockier terrain and will see it getting lower.
Heavier than the Competitors
At 2.7oz for a big, these weigh about 80% greater than a comparably sized Soiled Lady Gaiter (1.5oz). Accepting the outdated saying “a pound in your ft is 5 in your again”, the disparity between the 2 is way more vital than the uncooked .8oz distinction signifies.
It’s clear trying on the FK gaiters that UD made sacrifices, including weight for the sake of adjustability and sturdiness. The strap is purposeful, and the material is hard. Extremely runners are likely to embrace somewhat further weight for higher operational continuity, whereas ultralight hikers fall extra into the ‘mild is correct, at all times’ class. Additionally for the load, I feel a metallic lace hook could be extra sturdy and repairable than a plastic one, which are likely to snap as an alternative of bend.
General Worth

First morning mild results in on the spot post-holing. I appreciated not utilizing my already chilly ft as snow-melting factories.
Going ultralight is as a lot about simplicity as it’s about discovering mild gear. Whereas I’ll preserve these gaiters round for future snow and sand-bound adventures, I plan to shelve them for the core of the summer time season. In my view. the additional weight and added step to the morning routine merely aren’t definitely worth the profit in customary Colorado situations.
That mentioned, the FK Gaiters are designed with a transparent objective in thoughts and execute nicely on that imaginative and prescient, even when it’s not one which I share. There’s worth to the adjustability, sturdy material, and talent to depart one’s sneakers on when switching from gaiters to none. Should you’re a gaiter-lover who covets these tenets, then the FK’s are a strong alternative.
Store the Final Course FK Gaiter
Comparable Path Gaiters
Soiled Lady Gaiters
MSRP: $20
Altra Path Gaiter
MSRP: $25
REI Co-op Swiftland Operating Gaiters
MSRP: $30
REI Co-op Flash Gaiters
MSRP: $40
The Final Course FK Gaiter was donated for the aim of assessment.
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