UKC

Morning folks,
I've had a pair of forces issue yeti gaiters in the shed for a while and although I haven't used them since I got them 8 years ago, I'm loathed to sell them as I always thought I'd want to use them.

Anyway, they are a size 11 and I'm going to fit them to a pair of old Mantas size 10.5 to have in the back of my camper for when we head out into our local normally very wet forest.

Apparently they can be a right bugger to fit, so does anyone have any top tips before I proceed?

Thanks in advance, Den

In reply to Denni: Immerse the rubber rand in some hot water for a few minutes to soften them up, makes them much stretchier and once fitted put a couple of drops of superglue under the rand at the toe to stop them riding up

In reply to Denni: they don't ride up if the.size is right. Put the toe the toe through the front hole in the sole then pull the back up onto the heel on after that its a strong finger pull to get the front down over the toe or use a shoe horn. Excellent bits of kit but I have to confess I've ended up using normal style as it was easier to change between boots.

In reply to Denni:

Easy!

All you need are iron fingers.....

In reply to Denni: Mountain boots + yeti gaiters seem overkill for a walk in the woods. Sell them and get some wellies instead.

In reply to Denni:

Be prepared for a monumental struggle ending in one pair of knackered yeti gaiters and getting your mad up for most of the day

cheers

Gaz

In reply to Denni: quite possibly the most testing thing I have done in my life...

In reply to dale1968:

It actually made me loose my composure and shout "F*CK!" - more than once and very loudly, a word I only use under the most extreme provocation.......

In reply to twm.bwen: Exactly this, warming the rubber with a hairdryer helps too. Also, when you want to pull the rand down over the toe of the boot, I found doing it by sticking the handles of two butter knives up between the rand and the toe of the boot on either side and holding on to the blade, using these to pull/stretch/lever the rand down, if you see what I'm getting at. Have fun........

I just fitted a pair a couple of nights ago. I put the toe of the boots through the front hole and this allowed me to fit the heel section. I then used a hairdrier to heat up the front rand, put the boot on the floor, toe end pointing upwards with my foot inside the ankle section holding it down and then pulled the rand up and over the toe. I tried it without the hairdrier and about broke my fingers. With the hairdrier it was pretty easy.

In reply to Denni: youtube.com/watch?v=UdQpN4yTEMs&

In reply to dale1968:

Clearly you have never tried to set up a tubeless system on your bike with a poor pump.

In reply to twm.bwen:


Oh yes they do!

Related: If anybody else here remembers Koflach plastic boots, you'll remember that the part of the outer over which the Yeti gaiters would fit was manufactured so that it was covered with abrasive 'dots', which helped the gaiters stay in place. The combination of that 'sandpaper' effect, along with the struggle to get the gaiters in place at all, was just a great way to completely skin all your knuckles ...

In reply to abcdefg:

Ended up losing my patience and launching the boots and gaiters out the garage door and they are still in the garden!

Normally very patient with things but I found this one of the most frustrating things I've tried to do, will reclaim them tomorrow and try again!

In reply to Denni:

I didn't realise they came in 'size 11' - is that right? I thought they were S-XL. I have two pairs, including a pair of the older style olive green ones. You don't have a pair of 'M' with the middle bit faded out?

I recommend the method of sticking one or two strong steel things up the backside. Of the boot. I found screwdrivers better than knives, for leverage, just beware of puncturing/ripping the rubber. In the end though, there's no getting around the need for some brute force and finger shredding brutality.

Fitting Yeti gaiters is a rite of passage for British outdoor people, Denni. Failure to do so may result in having your passport confiscated. Get back on it.

In reply to Denni:

an evolutionary cul de sac.

baturas/scarpa6000s for climbing, gumboots for wandering around in the rain.

not sure even the army still bother with them...

In reply to Damo:

Cheers for all the tips and advice folks, appreciate it. Damo, I'm pretty sure they are a size large, no markings on them, and they are the old olive green ones. Also, if I fail, as I'm duel nationality, do I get to keep one passport?!

Ice solo, I know wellies for the woods, but I don't possess such a thing and thought I'd make use of my old Mantas and yeti's because I was bored!

I think they do actually still have them for issue in certain places although I'm sure you wouldn't need them in this day and age, unless of course you're heading off into deepest darkest Hampshire forests!

In reply to Denni:

boredom is a fair excuse: tho maybe sealing your mantas entirely in seamgrip will work as well, plus the fumes will chill you out.

In reply to ice.solo:


Chill me out more :0)

In reply to Denni:
I did my best with the issued yetis, but in the end they reduced me nigh to tears. If you can make them work, they're ace, but without flame, knives, screwdrivers and ANGER, you have no hope.
Maybe think about selling them on thebay for people who are less in the know?

I found a pair of pliers to pull the rand over the front of the tow box was a great help.
Boiling water is a must, and leave them in it for a lengthy period.

Super glue is ok for normal temps, but seam seal is what you need for below 0oc

In reply to Denni:

Like others have said, put toe through the front hole, then get the heel on.

Then I found the best thing to do is turn the toe of the gaiter inside out, so you can really hook your fingers in, then pull forward and roll it over the toe.

I also used them on Mantas and never bothered with superglue or heating to get them on, but it helps to stop them riding up if you pull them down far enough to hook the rand into the front crampon bale indent - obviously not if you're using crampons at the time.

In reply to LastBoyScout:

Don't know why I persevered with my Yetis for so long - on me, they were always too long for my shins and far too baggy for my calves!

I now use a pair of Extremities gaiters.

In reply to Denni:

It's probably too late but for the final stage pulling them over the toe, put them on the floor and stand inside the heel (with the toe of the boot pointing up). You can them use both hands (fingers) to pull them over the toe for the final stage, using your back for power.

In reply to Denni:

What's even better is when at long last you think you've cracked it and take them to the hills for the first time and then find out that what took you a day and a half of prodding stretching and general stress takes about 5 mins to ride back over your boot

cheers

Gaz

In reply to Denni: I have no usefull advice (well that hasn't already been given) but all I will say I hope you don't like having skin on your fingers!

Also reading this thread has made me feel much better about myself after taking over an hour to get 1 over 1 boot and nearly breaking all my fingers and trhowing the boot out the window in the process only to realise that if I'd heated the rubber rand in the first place they would have gone on realy easy and doing the 2nd one in under 10 minutes!

In reply to Denni:
Absolute top tip for this is to have your foot in the boot when you are fitting them, makes it much easier (especially to pull the toe down).

In reply to twm.bwen:

They do!

In reply to abcdefg:


Yes, been there, done that! Ouch.

In reply to Denni:

Still issued for use in Norway, although often they use a cheaper (non berghaus) version in DPM with even thicker, less malleable rubber.

The "toe up, foot inside the back of the boot" method is the current method of choice by those in the know and any use of implements/warm water/radiators will be accompanied by cries of "beefer" from anyone in the vicinity.

It does get easier, either the rubber stretches, or your fingers get stronger as after a few weeks, you can flip the toe back over with just your thumbs without taking your skis off...

Good luck.