Mountain Hardwear FTX Ventigaiter

Dave Morris
Reviewed: 13 September 2004

CRAMPON PROOF...BUT OTHERWISE NOT CONVINCED

Super durable: 'Duraguard' kick patches have survived being cramponed on several occasions without any real damage and the Gore-Tex uppers have survived all the abuse that has been thrown at them (uppers have never been attacked by crampons though).

The strap with buckle method of securing the underfoot strap is considerably better than webbing with a threaded plastic webbing lock as found on my other gaitors.

The velcro only seal at the front is snow proof yet quicker than a zip and easier with numb hands/mitts on.

Having a lace hook that hooks the laces from underneath is a much better idea that the usual hook from the top method, and stays hooked all the time.

Whilst being a nice idea, the vents don't seem to add anything (depite being a hot runner I hardly noticed the difference) and if you are unfortunate enough to end up knee deep in sticky, gritty moranial mud (yep, happened to me) the waterproof zip can get clogged - highly annoying when your vents are stuck open and your wading though knee calf high glacial slush.

Some of the metalware (lace hook and rivet on underfoot strap) is starting to rust which is very disappointing after only one 4-week expedition, I would expect the materials to be chosen to avoid this as the designers must have known that the steel would get scratched and exposed to water!

Whilst the gore-tex seems to cope well on the breathability side, the duraguard kick patches are simply not breathable: when you take them off there is no condensation on the gore-tex but (for me at least) the duraguard is almost dripping!

They're not cut too well either, there is lots of spare material around the ankle area, increasing the posibility of crampon related falls and rips, and crampon straps increase the problem by pulling some material in, creating more loose material.

The velcro closure may be easier than zips with gloves on, but it's annoying and time consuming to try and line up the velcro closure correctly, and I the velcro at the bottom will not line up at all (size large ventigaitors on size 46 Mantas).

The underfoot strap is sold as being "field replaceable". How? Its riveted in place and where would you buy a new strap from, you can't just buy a length of webbing. This concerns me as the strap is wearing though already.

The drawcord would be much better emerging from behind the knee, the excess cord sticks out upwards from the front, which looks stupid and the plastic bit at the end is uncomfortable to kneel on.

£60 (from Rock and Run) is damn expensive for what they are.

Some nice ideas, but the overall product is not what I would expect from the brand nor the price tag.

The toughness is the one big plus, as not many gaitors will stand repeated attacks from your 12-points, but these gaitors are spoiled in their execution by poor cut and poorly thought through details (steel metalwork, clogable waterproof zip etc.).

By no means the worst pair of gaitors you can buy, but have a good look at other brands before buying these.

john mcallister
Reviewed: 17 February 2004

TOUGH GAITER.......BUT.........

Tough rubber kick patches
Very breathable

Bit expensive, although they're now a bit cheaper.
Those kick patches still ripped when they came into contact with my brand now crampons. Gutted really

I love these gaiters, I like the rubber kick patches, they give a good tough bombproof feeling to the gaiter. However watch brand new sharp crampons with them. mine caught and ripped a 2" hole in them. I was not amused.

Eric Smith
Reviewed: 17 February 2004

GREAT DESIGN

Side vent; tough as nails

Bit pricey, but you get what you pay for

I find these indispensable throughout the year in Scotland. The materials used are very tough and feel like they'll last for ages. The wide velcro closure makes them quick to put on and the venting panel is a real God-send. Even in summer you need gaiters for tramping through boggy ground and high vegetation, so the fact that you can roll back the outside of the gaiters and get some fresh air to your legs makes the experience much less sweaty. Looking back, I think I've only not worn them about 3 or 4 times in the last 3 years, so I've been getting my money's worth. They're now £10 less than I paid, which makes them even better.

Robert Pinate
Reviewed: 03 October 2003

Not your average gaiter

Has a large front opening velcro strip so really easy to get on and off. Also has a hook at the toe to hook onto your laces so it stays put.
Gore XCR means you stay dry from both sides.
The boot straps are replaceable, although no signs of wear even after a year of use.
These are really tough but fit round the foot really well.
Finally, the venting roll back panel is simply genius, it really works and thus broadens the comfort range considerably.

Sorry I know it's not very helpfull but I can't think of any!!!
Ok, ok they are a little expensive.

If your a gaiter type, I know some of you aren't, then you have to add these to you possible list.