Discussion: O-pants and gaiters

Where do I buy them? Any normal online store sells them in the US, our do I need to email one of the guys on OUSA site short list, and hope for a reply? Trimtex or axis gear?

Hi guskov,
O-store.ca sells Trimtex orienteering pants (as well as clothing from Vavrys - a Czech company). If you put an order in online with them it will get to you within a week.

I say that with confidence as it's my family that runs the store. I can't speak for the others on the OUSA list.

The primary US O vendors are usually present at US A-meets with a decent inventory of their gear - which vendor usually depends upon which part of the country the meet is located in. But when you want to "try before you buy", this is usually a decent route to go.. You can always check with the meet director ahead of time to see which vendors may or may not be present. Some venues preclude vendors setting up, so sometimes that may limit participation by vendors. I've also dealt with Scarborough, Gales and Bermans via email/phone and in person and never had issues...

I did not see anybody at the Flying Pig a month ago.

Scarborough is great but they do not carry what I need these days.

I am a happy customer of o-store.ca but the shipping costs to the States are kind of high.

I tried ordering from Gales and/or Bermans in the past but I do not think I ever got a reply, seems a bit involved for 2013, maybe I do not have communication skills.

So here we are.

For what it's worth, I don't think the Berman's O Supply carries any clothing. They do have gaiters, but definitely not pants.

my bad, I usually just wear running tights, so have never gotten O specific clothing from any of them. Have gotten gaiters, shoes, socks, compasses etc..

One of the vendors was registered (and confirmed) for the Pig, but did not show.

Hope he's okay...

Said vendor (Gale) has a new regular job and was unable to attend either the Interscholastics or the Pig. I don't think any US O vendors are making a full time living in that pursuit.

Bermans don't travel much outside the northeast and Gale has historically been pretty regular at big meets in the Midwest. Both have websites and both take phone or email inquirys.

Gale offers a nice reinforced knee sock that I use instead of gaiters. Highly recommend.

In pink?

I just wish I could go to Amazon, click a couple of buttons, and be done with it.

With the exception of super hot weather in terrain with lots of grass or underbrush when 3/4
O pants are nice to wear the rest of the clothing I use now (incl. shoes) can be bought at my local running store.

3/4 tights or tri shorts
Compression socks
Inov-8 shoes
Variety of running jerseys

Good riddance "o suits"

I do all my shopping these days at tractor supply co.
They have a nice selection of bib overalls, also for ladies, in pink, that totally replace
those fancy foreign-made o-suits

Stocking up for future Bubba Goats? I remember the couple years that they gave a ten minute head start to anyone wearing bib overalls. Definitely worth it!

I'm with Hammer...

Hammer's got it figured out - ditto here. Love compression socks, got them off Amazon, Smartwool makes a good pair. But I agree guskov, I wish there was one-stop shopping online for all the O stuff. Oh, Pink Socks, I got some pink compression socks off of Amazon too!! :)

He guys,

Maybe you could try some European shops. Here I have some good options. I don't know if they ship to the US.

http://www.sportvogl.eu/cms/
http://www.o-crew.com/
http://ol-shop.at/index.php?language=en
http://www.compasspoint-online.co.uk/

Good luck!

I tried the running pants option yesterday in adverse conditions and it worked pretty well, and those probably cost about a third of the price of a similar O-pair. So as long as we get a reliable source of decent gaiters we should be all set.

Check out Zensah compression socks or calf sleeves - very durable, tight weave protects lower leg from most of the vegetative thrashing. Other brands of compression wear may also serve the same function, but a number of alternate ones I've looked at wouldn't hold up against multiflora rose, blackberry and other nasties the way the Zensahs do. I find them paired with a 3/4 running pant to be an excellent combo for orienteering & rogaining duty.

The Zensah tend to slide up or down the leg for me, so I wouldn't value them as highly as, say, gaiters from o21e. The Zensah are OK for trail runs and probably Sprints.

Probably depends a lot on individual leg morphology and sizing - Zensah's are sized based upon calf circumference, so if you get a size too large, then they would indeed tend not to stay in place. I find my Zensah's stay firmly in place over 24 hours whereas more traditional gaiters I've used like Treklites and VJ's tend to rotate around my leg below the knee and become a twisted hassle. YMMV

hold up against... blackberry... the way the Zensahs do

Whoa, I thought the only thing tough enough to handle blackberry bushes was metal armor.

Do these compression socks have any padding in front? My favorite gaiters so far were Zitex from Gale -- those held for a long time, Vapro is also good but less sturdy.

Whoa, I thought the only thing tough enough to handle blackberry bushes was metal armor.

You'll still know you you're going through them, but there won't be much bloodletting... They also come in flourescent pink, btw...

Speaking of gaiters. I have practically no interest in gaiters to protect from thorns. I don't mind scratches on my legs, and high socks do plenty for me.

However, I do have a rather high fear of rattle snakes. And running through high grass in the spring and summer out west, I've had two or three close calls now where I've almost stepped on them.

Has anybody tried running in a pair of these? I'm sure they aren't the most fun to run in... but I'm thinking they are worth a try.

blegg- I bought a similar pair of "snake proof" gaiters, (canvas with plastic inserts, covering all sides) at Cabelas, for $55. This was after a close call (a couple seconds of sheer terror) at our Hickory Run venue. I've used them only for mapping, only at Hickory Run, and never tried running seriously in them. My guess is that they would be slightly annoying, and hot, but not worse than the bulkiest O shin guards that I've seen people wear, perhaps more common in the 80's and 90's than currently.

After ~35+ years of O running and work without a rattler sighting (I'm sure some have seen me), I now have an elevated fear/awareness of rattlesnakes as well. I have no evidence that the gaiters are bite proof, but I can report that they make me feel better. :-)

The Zensah compression socks seem to retail for about $50. That's more than 2x the Trimtex O socks. I realize there's a technology difference between an O sock and a compression sock, but if you're just looking for something to cover your leg and maybe get a bit torn up, isn't the compression sock a bit pricey?

I am fairly new to the sport but it didnt take long for me to realize I need shin protection (the way I run) I have been unsuccessful in finding a pair even when being at a vendor setup at NAOC last fall. I have been using field hocky pads and they work quite well. I used to wear the sturrip but my legs are too long and I got whacked good just above the pad so now I leave my lower ankle exposed and move them up higher.
As far as pants, I had a pair of winter cycling tights that work very well. I have one or two little holes from thorns. This spring I found a pair of running pants that are thinner. tried them out last weekend and they worked well too. They dont stop thorns but they seem to hold up and not tare.

The secret is to never pay retail... show up at Road Runner Sports' Adventure Runs and win stuff! (probably not coming to Norway soon, sorry).

I'm still working through about a dozen pairs of neon pink soccer socks that I bought online in bulk for $1 pair (because they were "irregular", which I don't really care about because the lifecycle is so short from the abuse that they take).

Show up at Road Runner Sports' Adventure Runs and win stuff

I don't remember the brand, but at one Adventure Run, the first 5 people to show up to the compression sock tent were given a pair of free socks ($40 value or whatever). I was there early to set up the orienteering stuff, and my dad was in town so he tagged along to run in the event, and he came away with a free pair of socks.

I've also got a lifetime's supply (it feels like it) of ankle socks that I've accumulated from all of the runs that I've attended.

Rest assured, St. Patrick has temporarily run all the snakes out of Hickory Run, so the coast is clear for the Hickory Hop weekend. Of course the porcupines remain.

For what its worth, my rattler encounter was not on either of the maps scheduled for Hickory Hop weekend, Sand Spring Lake & Shades of Death. I have spent hundreds of hours on these maps without a sighting.