Gaiters for Alpina Alaska (or any nnnbc boot)

[jooleyen]

What gaiters do you like? I got some Alfa Outbacks with integrated gaiters, but they don't fit me as well (too much ankle volume) so I'm returning them. Now that I'm back to my Alpina Alaskas, I need something to extend their temperature range down a bit. This means I need an overboot style gaiter, not just an ankle wrap style to keep snow out. I seem to get a little cold in the feet while skiing if it's below 0-10F, depending on wind and snowdepth.

Are the Berghaus Yeti Extrem Pros discontinued? Do those get in the way of the nnnbc toe bar? How about the Yeti Attaks. Or others...

[lilcliffy]

Hi @jooleyen
I don't currently wear insulated gaiters.
I wear gaiters year-round- and while I do find they improve insulation, by reducing drafts-
I primarily wear gaiters to protect my field/touring pants-
also, to keep snow out of my pants.

I have tried a number of different gaiters- my experience is that very expensive gore-tex gaiters are not worth the cost for standard fieldwork and touring. My $10 MEC nylon gaiters have lasted longer than my $100 OR Goretex gaiters!

However- I am certainly interested in reports on insulated gaiters for very cold touring conditions.
I am comfortable in the Alaska BC + non-insulated gaiter to -30C- but, this is not in an expedition context.

[randoskier]

Are the Berghaus Yeti Extrem Pros discontinued? Do those get in the way of the nnnbc toe bar? How about the Yeti Attaks. Or others...

I have Berghaus Yeti Attak gaiters mounted on my Alpina Alaska boots. My boots are size 45 the gaiter is size XXL and fits perfectly. The Berghaus size-chart was way off for both mine and my wife's pair- she had the insulated Yeti Extreme Pro III. They stated mine should be large or XL but neither fit, they stated my wife's size 37 should be small- medium fir perfectly- her boot was the Crispi Svartisen 75mm and it worked with the 75 toe as well- she now has Alfa boots for the Xplore binding and the Yeti gaiter will not work with that binding (nor with cables).

In my opinion the insulated one is too warm, the regular one keeps snow off your toes and is plenty warm on its own (we ski mostly in the Norwegian arctic). I have skied in warm May weather with them too- no problem.

Berghaus has brain-dead customer service they never know when they are making these or where stock is and they are slow on technical questions which they half-answer- I suspect they make most of their money on large contract military sales as the Royal Marines use this gaiter. Also the UK is not known for CS "Aye gov its a gaiter, innit?"

Looking at their website- I think they totally re-did their sizing because there are fewer sizes now- best to contact them to be sure. I found mine (incredibly) at amazon Italy and my wife's I found at addnature.com which I think is based in the Maurienne valley in Savoie if I remember correctly. I had a previous pair off of ebay UK, these were for hiking Norwegian bogs, they were fine too, but I don't use them in the summer anymore as the rubber strip on the bottom split from the occasional rocky section.

Mine are on season 4 this year. no problem- I have always had dry and warm feet- you can wade small streams with 'em the seal is so tight.

If you can find them and size them they are the best.

[randoskier]

I checked with Berghaus and they said- no the sizing system is the same as before they are just out of XXL and XL and don't know when they will re-stock- same thing they told me 3 years ago! Really a wacky company, too bad because they make good stuff. So order up on them their size chart always runs way too small. They are not so easy to get onto the boot but not as hard as some clowns on Youtube make it out to be- I did not have to boil them or anything. I have the toe attached to my Alaska boot with a dab of flexible glue- Loctite Stik-n Seal Extreme Conditions- they have not budged in 3 seasons. You don't want to be taking this gaiter off and putting it on again. Good luck finding them! I had quite a hunt last time.