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  1. #1
    TREK! nano's Avatar
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    :banana Gaiters..are they necessary?

    Are gaiters necessary on the AT? It seems like it would help but....can someone with experience with gaiters help? (I will be wearing trail shoes, not boots)

  2. #2
    Registered User hopefulhiker's Avatar
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    I liked to wear the short ones with the trail shoes, helped to keep stones and water out.

  3. #3
    Registered User hammock engineer's Avatar
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    I used to hate them. Then I bought a pair on sale at Campmor. After using them in the muddy trails around where I live, I will definitely to taking them with me.

    Get an inexpensive pair and try them out for yourself. Half the people here will say yes, the other half will say no.

  4. #4

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    I've never worn them. If I get a stick or pebble in my boot, then I welcome the opportunity to take a moment's rest and dig it out.

    Gaiters might keep your socks and boots drier, but in a real driving rain, you're feel are gonna get soaked anyway.

    Some folks feel that gaiters are a protection against ticks and snakes.
    Ticks, maybe. Snakes, no.

    The answer to your question, "Are gaiters necessary?" is "No, they're not. But some folks find them worth the trouble."

  5. #5

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    I still use mine in the winter, but have abandoned them the rest of the year since converting to trail runners. My trail runners (Salomon) have a cord lock that makes getting them on and off quite easy. No tying. They are also non-Gore tex, so gaitors wouldn't be useful keeping water out as they are half mesh anyway.

    I don't really get much in the shoe though. Might be different on scree, but I can't say there's much of that on the AT.

    You can get a really cheap pair of short gaitors from www.mec.ca if you ever order from there.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
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  6. #6
    James Sodt Time To Fly 97's Avatar
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    How often to you expect to see:

    Heavy rain (pants protect against light rain), snow over your boots (I use lows, so this is very possible), deep puddles, dew soaked overgrowth, Summertime dusty trail with little pieces of gravel...

    Gaitors certainly serve a purpose, but are optional gear in my opinion. I use them, but consider them a convenience.

    Happy hiking!

    TTF

  7. #7
    Donating Member/AT Class of 2003 - The WET year
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    Not necessary but they are worth it to me. Used them my entire thru in 2003. Had the shorties in the beginning but switched over a pair of high ones in DWG. When it was warm I just loosened them and pushed them down. BUT ...when the weather started to get cold they served as my lower pant legs, since I hiked most of the trail in shorts.

    'Slogger
    The more I learn ...the more I realize I don't know.

  8. #8
    TREK! nano's Avatar
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    Thanks everyone! I will be wearing shorts the whole way so I think some light, long ones would help against mosquitoes, sunburn, and could be used as rain pants. If I can't find some lightweight ones then Im not going to use them.




    http://nanodiaries.blogspot.com

  9. #9

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    Quote Originally Posted by nano
    Thanks everyone! I will be wearing shorts the whole way so I think some light, long ones would help against mosquitoes, sunburn, and could be used as rain pants. If I can't find some lightweight ones then Im not going to use them.




    http://nanodiaries.blogspot.com
    The long ones are good at preventing sunburn. Then again though, once the canopy fills out, sunburn is not nearly as big an issue. I burn relatively easy too BTW.
    "Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
    Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
    Call for his whisky
    He can call for his tea
    Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
    Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan

    Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.

  10. #10
    TREK! nano's Avatar
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    :banana

    I don't sunburn easily, but when I backpacked the JMT I walked in miles of snow while the sun was out and thats why I got sunburn. Forget gaiters, I have decided they are unnecessary for me. Thanks to everyone who responded!!!

  11. #11
    2007 hopeful
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    I use them year round, depending on where I'm hiking. I will be wearing them on my thru.

  12. #12

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    I have a knack for getting lots of pebbles and twigs in my shoes. Since I started wearing a short pair of gaiters I don't have that problem anymore. And last I heard, the AT still has lots of pebbles and twigs.

  13. #13
    Registered User wilderness bob's Avatar
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    One other thing to note when wearing gators. They actually help keep your socks clean (except for sweat of course). Dirt, stones and debris wear out your socks early if you don't use gators (IMO). A quick rinse and hang your socks inside out on your pack, since they are not soiled, this is a great way for them to last longer between washing them in a washing machine. Also be prepared to replace the Gator's string that runs under the boot as it wears out quickly. Replace them with a heavier cord before you hike (as a suggestion).
    Peace

  14. #14
    GA=>ME 2007 the_iceman's Avatar
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    I use them all the time. It keeps the mud off the inside of my legs, helps with ticks, etc. I was out on the trail a few weeks ago and passed a lot of thru-hikers. I would say more wore gaiters than not. Never did catch the barefoot hiker, he was 1/2 a day ahead on my last day so I do not know if he had any.

    feel naked with out them.
    The heaviest thing I carried was my attitude.
    Montani semper liberi - Mountaineers are always free

    Desire is the main ingredient for success

  15. #15
    Registered User neo's Avatar
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    gaiters are like shelters on the AT,they suck neo

  16. #16
    by oak, ash and thorn nicodemus's Avatar
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    I wear mine on every single hike I go on....I'm a messy hiker, I recognize this, and to compensate for the fact that I walk like a moose, gaiters keep my feet happy. I use the short ones from OR, but the long ones from Black Diamond are good also. Since they weigh nothing and are never in your pack where's the harm?

  17. #17
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
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    Default Pros outweigh the cons (what cons)

    I wear them on all of my hikes. Seems that any opinions of any substance are pro gaitor........ Are there any cons to wearing them? Weight perhaps?
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  18. #18

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    I wore short Outdoor Research (OR) gaiters. They keep out trash, elements, small critters. They also protect laces, keeps them tied, protect the majority of the boots, but most of all they do a heck of a job keeping socks clean and from snagging. They keep the feet much warmer in cold weather (the down side is wearing them in warm weather). Ice will build up on the heel or sole cord and you have to knock it off occasionally with your stick. I also used them as knee pads when building a fire, staking the tent or cooking on the ground. They're not necessary, but I sure like'em and highly recommend them.

  19. #19
    Musta notta gotta lotta sleep last night. Heater's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by lonehiker
    I wear them on all of my hikes. Seems that any opinions of any substance are pro gaitor........ Are there any cons to wearing them? Weight perhaps?
    Nerdish suntan.
    ~~^^^~~^^~^^^~~~^^^^^~^~
    Those who cannot remember the past, are condemned to repeat it.

  20. #20

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    Teva tans and gaiter tans are cool, show you've been there, done that ;-)

    IMHO, definately worth taking, if I had to sit down and rest every time I got something in my shoe, I would never make it to the next shelter! Shorties are best, and not so hot, even in cold weather legs can get sweaty hot under gaitors.
    ad astra per aspera

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