I used to read outdoor magazines and gear magazines and eat up the reviews about anything from skis and boards to mittens and hiking boots. But then I realized someone pays these guys to test out gear and it's probably in their best interest to find the stuff from Funding Company to be better than stuff from other companies. (The full color multi-page ads in the magazine supporting the gear that got top reviews was a big indicator.) I'm not suggesting everyone out there is reviewing unfairly, or perhaps they request ad money from top companies, but I still felt slighted when I discovered I couldn't really trust the magazines. At least not with the naivety that I once did.
Anyway, now I try to talk to people and shop around, and barring that just buy it and try it. Recently, my favorite pieces of gear are my gators and my YakTrax. I've had the gators for a year or so now, but the Yak Trax are new. I wear them both nearly every day on walks with the dog. Sadly the boots have seen better days. They're my absolute favorite and have been wonderful for many years but they could use a waterproofing treatment.
The gators are just gore-tex "sleeves" for my lower leg that cover most of my boot. They keep the top of the boot dry, keep snow from piling in, and keep my pant legs from wicking water up my leg. Very useful, especially today when I was post-holing the entire length of our hike. Really wish I had my snowshoes. But my pants were dry! Incidentally I got the gators at REI but I've never tried another brand. They tend to stay up very well and don't move around much.
The YakTrax are new to me. I got them about a month ago at the suggestion of a friend. YakTrax is a brand name for little coiled grips that stretch over the bottom of your shoe. Very useful on icy or heavily packed trails. They look somewhat silly but work really well in treacherous conditions. I already busted one, although it still works. I'm still not sure how durable they're supposed to be. I do quite a bit of hill climbing in them, I'm not sure that's really what they were intended for. Time will tell.
One thing I was not expecting is they have helped protect my knees. Rather than trying to step into existing footsteps, I can step wherever I want on more uneven surfaces. This transfers the work to my ankles and allows me to maintain better knee alignment.
I'm not sure what to get next. I have acquired a bunch of gear. Just about something for every weather condition. Maybe I'll just pray for snow.
