Kahtoola  INSTAgaiter Mid Gaiters

I’VE USED THE INSTAGAITER MID FOR 3 DIFFERENT 3 to 5 MILES HIKES. I’M VERY IMPRESSED BY THE QUALITY OF THIS PRODUCT. MOST OF MY HIKES ARE IN DRY CONDITIONS, AND AFTER REMOVING THE BOOTS AT THE END, VERY LITTLE OR NO DUST WAS INSIDE OF IT. THE ELASTICIZED DRAWCORD, PREVENTS ANY DUST OR WATER BY GOING INSIDE THE BOOTS. THE SIDE FLEXIBLE ZIPPER, MAKES IT EASIER FOR THE GAITER TO BE INSERTED AND REMOVED. I WEAR A SIZE 15 SHOE, AND I WAS ABLE TO FIT THE GAITER SIZE L-XL. AT THE END OF THE HIKE, JUST SHAKE THE GAITERS TO GER RID OF DUST COLLECTED, FOLD THEM AND PUT THEM IN THE PROVIDED POUCH. LIGHTWEIGHT, VERY COMFORTABLE, AND MADE OF DURABLE STRETCHABLE MATERIAL. I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS GAITER, IF YOU’RE AN AVID HIKER.

These gaiters are well made. The seams are securely sewn, the zipper is reinforced at the top and bottom, it flows freely, stays secured once pressed down, and the gaiter is made of material that is light weight, but durable. I wore the gaiters with two different types of shoes. I tried them several times with my light weight, low profile, flat trail runners on mostly dirt trails. The gaiters were very easy to adjust. The first time that I wore them within about 5 minutes, I had both adjusted and on. I wear these shoes a little loose on my feet, and I’m always getting debris in my shoes. With the gaiters no issues! Once I got the gaiters on, they stayed in position the entire time I wore them, and I really forgot that I had them on. I can wear my low socks and the gaiters, and it’s the perfect combination. I also wore them backpacking with my slightly heavier hiking shoes that are also flat. The original adjustments worked on these shoes too, so within a minute or two I was ready to go. I hiked for the better part of two days on very hilly, rocky terrain. Again, once I got them on, I forgot that I had them on. My shoes never came untied, the gaiters never moved, and in the cooler weather, they kept my ankles warm and puddle splashes out. I was slightly concerned that since my shoes don’t have an arch, that the strap under the foot might get worn on the rocks. They showed no wear after the two days. If you are looking for a well-made and functionally designed gaiter to keep debris and minor puddle splashes out, I highly recommend these. I’m not sure why I didn’t try gaiters sooner! I keep them next to my trail shoes for my next adventure.

Historically, I haven't been one to use gaiters running in the summer, but I am glad I got to try these out. Initially, I wasn't sure they would fit; I wear size 11 shoes and these were the S/M where 11 would max it out. I fiddled around with the customizations and found it very easy to adjust for my Salomans. I would say that the zipper was stretched pretty snuggly but still a decent fit. Pros: These are sturdy, durable, and a great color. I wore them in mixed terrains (snow, mud, dirt, rock) and there doesn't seem to be any wear on the underside of the gaiters. I was worried that on very hot days that my feet would just be sweating, but the material is very breathable and that wasn't an issue at all. I also wore these with different sock lengths and didn't get any chaffing on my ankles/shins where the top of the gaiters fit. Cons: As mentioned earlier, they are difficult to get on with my shoe sizing, which makes them less convenient to get on. I was also bummed that they cover up my sock designs but that doesn't impact the quality or experience of the product. Overall, if someone asked me if I had a gaiter to recommend, I would for sure suggest these, especially backed by the Kahtoola brand.

I received the INSTAgaiter Mid size S/M in gray. The material is very nice, light and stretchy, but feels durable. They’re easy to put on, and the ankle has a bungee adjustment to make as tight or as loose as you’d like. They seem to stay in place well! My only complaint is the instep strap that goes around the bottom of the shoe can be felt when I wear my trailrunners, though I doubt this will be a problem with my hiking boots. This strap is removable too, so you could just wear the gaiters without, though it’s possible debris could get underneath the material from the bottom. Excited to try these out some more!

These gaiters are easy to put on and adjust. The S/M fit perfectly on my size 9 (women's sizing) feet when the instep strap was resized. The sleek zipper design made them easy to use and it takes very little time to put them on and be ready to take on the trails. I found getting them to a size that felt secure and comfortable to be a rather quick and easy process. They are a great lightweight material. I felt that they added protection and kept debris out of the tops of my shoes without adding a lot of extra bulk or warmth. I was also easily able to slip them into my bag when I wasn't using them and they take up minimal space. I wouldn't necessarily recommend these for treks in the winter or fall, but they are a great addition to my summer gear. The material is definitely on the thinner side so I'll be curious to see how they hold up to the elements with continued use. The gaiters stayed up and were incredibly comfortable. I was worried that they were going to slide down and I'd have to keep adjusting them, but was pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't the case. I didn't even remember that I had them on. They felt breathable in the heat and the material is soft and flexible enough that it moves with you. I usually end a hike or run with lots of dust, rocks, etc. in my shoes, but not with these gaiters. They did an exceptional job.

I love my Kahtoola MicroSpikes, so thought I would try their gaiters. It ended up a disappointing experience. After just one use, the shoelace hook from my boots was wearing a hole in the material. I also had the same zipper (not staying up even tho checking to make sure the closure is set right) issues as have been previously mentioned. These might by fine from a trailrunning or lighter use case scenario, but for boots it should be considered a no go IMO. And that being the case they shouldn't be marketed as a boot option as they are clearly not up to the task. These are going back, unfortunately.

I used them for the first time climbing Mt. St. Helens. Gaiters where easy to put on and fit my boots (Lowa Camino GTX) like a glove. The snug form fit made the gaiters quite and prevented them from snagging on objects (rocks, other foot, etc). I've climbed St. Helens before without gaiters and had to stop numerous times to dump out rocks and sand out of my boots. I got "hot feet" using other gaiters in the summer months. The light weight and breath ability of the Kahtoola Gaiters made them very comfortable to wear in hot weather.

At first I was disappointed to find that the zipper would easily “back drive”, falling down with little resistance. After checking the Kahtoola website, it seems that there is a cam feature in the zipper tab that locks it in place when it is toggled to the “down” position. Pretty sweet! Kahtoola should have mentioned this on their printed label though!

These INSTAgaiters were just the ticket to keep dirt and debris out of my shoes during a trail maintenance event at the local state park. And this is no easy feat since usually I'd need to stop several times throughout the day to clean out my shoes. The gaiters stood up to bushwacking through dense summertime foliage, hiking over logs and through streams, and best of all, when carving benchcut singletrack by pulling piles and piles of dirt off the trail with mcloeds and hoes, not a bit of dirt got into my shoes -- That's a big deal! The gaiters are easy to install and fit well. I have the L/XL size and they fit well on size 12 low cut hiking shoes, and I'd imagine they'd fit just as well on mid-ankle hiking boots. The strap that goes below the sole takes only a few seconds to adjust. Pull them on, zip them up, and cinch the pull tab to tighten them around your leg and you're off and running. Easy peasy. There is a hook on the rear that could hang onto a strap on the shoes, but my shoes didn't have anywhere to hook, so I left it undone - that didn't seem to matter. The gaiters were used on a hot and humid summer day and I never once noticed them. They breathe well and didn't hinder movement at all. Time will tell how well they'll hold up over the long haul. The strap that fits under the shoe is plastic and feels burly, like it will last through plenty hikes over rocks and boulders. The nylon gaiter material seems durable enough while maintaining the light weight and breathability characteristics. They are also water resistant enough for rock hopping across streams - you'd have to really take a deep dunk for water to get into your shoe. I imagine they'll work well in the winter, too, in keeping snow and slush out of your shoes, though there is no insulation. For me these are a keeper.

I own these in the short version and they have gone Rim to Rim and Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon with me, multiple times. I loved them so much I bought them for my backpacking boots, because I just got super sick of walking on rocks and sticks and brush. I have zero complaints. Love them. They breathe amazingly well and are very light. You really can't go wrong buying these.