 I've just spent 2 hours, skinned all my knuckles and wrecked 2 finger nails, trying to fit new Yeti Extrem gaiters to my Manta M4s. Thing is, I've used Yetis before and, while they've been a pain to fit, they've gone on in the end. These don't even come close. Sizing is right -XL Yetis for a 46 boot. So, before I waste £55 by burning the damn things, has anyone any advice on fitting them? Toe/heel first, for example? All suggestions welcomed. Please!!
|
 |
 Toe first.
|
|
|
|
|
 Stick them on the radiator - might help to make the rubber a little more stretchy....
|
|
 I put mine on by pulling the front of the gaiter right up over the toe until the front of the gaiter is over the instep, then I pull the heel of the gaiter into position over the back of the boot before pulling the front of the gaiter over the toe. If the front of the gaiter is inside out I roll it down over the toe. They can be difficult, especially the Extremes but worth the effort in my opinion.
|
|
I put them on radiator go 2hrs then same as mac .ihold boot between my legs and pull like ell
|
|
Back in my Uni days I saw loads of ppl wearing yetis but not seen them so often of late. I had thought they had stopped being made when berghaus and scarpa separated as weren't they made to fit the scarpa boots with the groove in the sole for the band of rubber underneath the instep. Do they still have that strip and do they still need to have certain boots to use with? I am only asking because I have seen them for the first time in Cotswolds in Keswick and do like the idea of them. Sorry to go off topic but curious.
|
|
I cut some bits out off sole off my mantas to allow band to fit into a groove
|
|
I did the same with my leather ski boots, but some folk cut the extra strap off the gaiters. The Extreme gaiters don't have the extra strap AFAIK (mine don't but were 2nd hand) it was the Yeti Attack version that was made to match the Skywalk? Attack sole.
|
|
Those skywalk soles were a bit dodgy if I remember. Slippy at times. The old Scarpa Sls with skywalk soles had the yeti groove to them and a heel with a running shoe style curve up on the heel. IIRC there was actually once talk that these heels caused less erosion or some other similar crap. Most boots now have a square heel as safer since it digs in more. The old SL's sole was not best but they were well made back then. Scarpa went downhill I think. My last (3rd) Scarpa SLs lasted almost 18 months before the sole was gone and it cracked into two pieces at the instep. yetis were probably the only gaiter I wanted back then. Too out of my studen budget though.
|
|
As some others have said I prefer the heel first method. Push the toe of the boot through the instep hole of the gaiter and pull if far enough for the centre section of rubber to sit correctly in the middle of the sole. Flip the boot over and pull the heel into position. Turn the boot around and give it a good tug to get the toe into place. Make final adjustments and you're done. If being used with plastic boots and crampons where lots of kicking is likely to happen some people run a bead of super glue onto the toe. It's a one time fix but as you don't need to wax plastic boots it doesn't matter. The gaiter with the additional bar under the forefoot were called 'Attak' and date from the mid late 80's. These gaiters can still be used by snipping out the extra bar.
|
|
After fitting the heel nicely and the bit under the boot turn the toe piece inside out over the laces. pull it as far forward as you can, you don't want to be wasting any material. Thumbs on the boot roe, fingers on the rand and pull hard. Don't think that you can go half way then have another go. It doesn't work. Better to over pull and overlap the sole unit a bit. 1 big pull is all it needs. To keep them there try surf board wax or candle wax before fitting. Boots with rubber rands work well. If you have rubber rands, plaster them in Bostick first. It will come off when you want to. -
|
|
