I just received some Equinox Chaps from a good fellow here on WB - I was curious to know of anyone's attempts/successes/failures at modifying them so that they could also serve as gaiters. THe simplest idea would to sew on some grosgrain loops below the knee, run some shock cord around each leg and either fold the uppers down. This bothers me a bit though but I'm not sure why yet.:confused:

In addition I would also need grosgrain loops at the foot end to secure to the shoe - this will be done regardless.

SO... I need some good ideas from the DIY crowd as I don't want to mess around with them and compromise their use as chaps. I am itching at making them multipurpose items as shower bags/water carriers/stuffsacks/SPEstuffers/vaporbarriers-in-bag-if-really-needed/source of ridicule by my wife - that has already begun!! :p).

Any other uses or ideas?

As always, much respect to those with more experience than I

Dan

geez, I apologize for the typos - it's funny how you won't notice them until they are posted on a forum WITH NO EDIT KEY!!:eek:

cheers

I would caution using grosgrain for the under boot strap. Grosgrain is good stuff but the under side of your boot will kill it. Try using something more hardcore like heavy webbing. For the sake of preserving the fabric, try sewing on webbing tabs to the chap and then sew the understrap to the tabs, that way when the underfoot strap wears out, you can resew another strap the tabs, not the delicate fabric.
So are you proposing that in "gaitor mode" that the rest of the chap will hand down to the inside of the "gaitor"? I'm not sure how well that will work as gaitors tend to have enough stiffness in the material that they support themselves upright. Sewing a sleeve around the chap and using elastic and a cord stop might be more effective. You could use grosgrain as the sleeve material and make it easier. In the pic I saw, they look a little baggy so I'm curious how it would work.
TB

geez, I apologize for the typos - it's funny how you won't notice them until they are posted on a forum WITH NO EDIT KEY!!:eek:

cheersEdit key available by going here:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=atdatabase

cheers

"would caution using grosgrain for the under boot strap. Grosgrain is good stuff but the under side of your boot will kill it. Try using something more hardcore like heavy webbing"

THanks TB, I was actually thinking of just securing to the first lace of the shoe and then using the shock cord to draw it snug. I was hoping the sole loop was not going to be needed but I am still in the thought process.

"For the sake of preserving the fabric, try sewing on webbing tabs to the chap and then sew the understrap to the tabs, that way when the underfoot strap wears out, you can resew another strap the tabs, not the delicate fabric."

Great point.

Edit key available by going here:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/index.php?page=atdatabase

cheers

Hey Hey, lookie here! I might have to donate! :D

"THanks TB, I was actually thinking of just securing to the first lace of the shoe and then using the shock cord to draw it snug. I was hoping the sole loop was not going to be needed but I am still in the thought process."
Are you talking about the gator hook that fits into the shoe laces? If so, picture hangers work as a replacemnt for the hook. I don't use the understrap on my minigators and as long as you are using boots, they probably are unnessary. Shoes... I don't know. I recently saw someone who glues a peice of velcro to the heal of the shoe and uses that to keep it in place.
TB