Throwing a Lot at Rob Krar

When we decided to stray out of winter and enter the spring and summer seasons with the Kahtoola INSTA™gaiter Low and Mid, we had to ask ourselves a simple question: How do we make gaiters fun?

Up to that point, hiking and running gaiters have always been a niche accessory product and piece of gear that’s not considered “essential.” So, we set out to change that paradigm.

Gaiters may not always be needed, but they should always be wanted. And they should really work. It takes one rock before having to stop and empty out your shoes, so we thought we’d throw everything at them that the trail would, but in excessive amounts. Rocks. Dirt. Mud. Sand. Seeds—all by the bucket. Even glitter for good measure (because that s@%# gets everywhere).

Simply put, nothing got in.

To show just how well our INSTA™gaiters work, we also thought it would be smart to wear white socks. White socks quickly turned into white shoes, and from there a person dressed in all white, in a white room, getting trail elements thrown not only at their feet but all over them—and turning it into a video. That someone? Kahtoola athlete Rob Krar.

After a combined 48-plus hours of brainstorming, planning and staging, we were left with Throwing a Lot at Rob Krar, a one-minute video (shot in one take) and a gold glitter beard, which we can proudly say was Rob’s idea.

The point? Take a piece of gear once-thought to be “non-essential” and show just how valuable it can be in all seasons if carefully thought out and designed with purpose. And do so with a bit of humor.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at Throwing a Lot at Rob Krar. See the full video here.