Gaiters?

[Gondor]

What gaiters do you use and when do you use them? I'm not particularly interested in the brand but in material/quality, length and waterproofness.

 

[Barney]

I use a few models from Outdoor Research. Low profile ones for near-trail trips and deeper ones for bushwacking. Some would advise Gore-Tex variants if you need a waterproof protection but I think that's a waste of money.

 

[IndianaHiker]

Never used them. However if I were going in higher elevation and expected snow would be a different story. Will say though that a couple if times when caught in pouring rain would have been nice to have so the water running down my legs didn't collect in my boots.

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


I'm very hard to fit for them...almost all are too small.

They do have their place, though...keeping snow, debris and creepy crawlies out of your footwear, for examples.

 

[Cappy]

Sorry but when it comes to outdoor techy stuff I'm totally ignerent but wanna know? what is a gaiter?? socks? boots? chaps?

 

[Pathfinder1]

Hi...


Now there's a tough one...so here goes: imagine a sturdy sock that goes OUTSIDE your lower pants leg, and is secured by a strap that goes under your footwear. The upper part of the gaiter can also be secured (they're almost the same as some military leggings).

Hope that helped.

 

[Purdey]

Back in WWII they were called leggings and woa be unto you if you were in Patton's army and weren't wearing them.

 

[Refrigerator]

I use them often.. keeps scree out of my boot, snow, and if you step into a deep water hole and you exit quick enough you can keep you pants and boots dry. I have had 2 attempts of copperheads striking my leg and had been wearing OR gaiters.. I was glad too have them on.. Once was trekking in WV through a nettle field and later that evening every body who was wearing shorts without gaiters had the itches.. I had my gaiters on with no problem.. I use them. oh yes I almost forgot this one... it looks cool iffin you have gaiters on too??!!! LOL

 

[Grandpa]

Since I hike in shoes rather thanboots, I bring them along too. Snake country, off trail bushwhacking to keep the debris out of my socks and in snow are the reasons I put them on.

 

[Cappy]

Thanks now I get it. Down here they mostly worn for tick protection some guys put flea collors around their ancles on top of them.

 

[Fox & Hounds]

I use a pair of the low OR nylon gaiters for warm weather hiking. They do work great for keeping the trail detritus out of my boots but I use them more to saturate with permithrin to reduce the numbers of ticks crawling up my legs.

I hate ticks.

 

[briansnat]

My wife and I use Gore Tex gaiters. Mine are LL Bean and my wife's are OR. They basically don't see the light of the day until snow is on the ground. With snow however I consider them essential.

I have a friend however who wears her gaiters all year round. She likes that they keep rubble out of her boots and hitchhiking seeds from attaching to her laces.

 

[Gondor]

Thanks guys for the answers, that is what I hoped for. I will start with a simple pair of gaiters for debris and light rain protection and see how it goes from there.