View Full Version : Do you use gaitors
Mikereisner
02-22-2008, 10:28
When I got into hiking years ago, i went all out. Reading all the books and buying all the stuff. In the books and on the videos I saw hikers wearing the gaitors, but when I was on the trail I haven't one person wearing them. Now I'm not a thru-hiker, just a section hiker out for 9 to 12 days. So my question is do I really need to bring them?
Lone Wolf
02-22-2008, 10:30
no you don't need them. plus they look goofy as hell, especially those tall ones gear weenies wear :D
tlbj6142
02-22-2008, 10:32
I think it is one of those religious things. Some folks can't live without them, others can't understand why you need them. I'm in the later group.
The only time I find them useful is in deeper snow. And you are not likely to see much of that on the AT.
wrongway_08
02-22-2008, 10:37
Nope.
In deep snow I just tighten the strap on the bootom of my rain pants and that takes care of it.
Cannibal
02-22-2008, 10:37
I use the short ones in sandy or rocky (pebbles) areas. They don't keep all the crap out, but the do limit it a bit. Of course, I could just pick up my feet when I walk then I wouldn't need them.
sirbingo
02-22-2008, 10:59
In wet or mud or snowy conditions they rock!
I wear those short 3/4 ones when its muddy and I wear the long dorky looking ones when its snowy.
Check out the image below. My wife is wear our long tall gaiters
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery/files/1/2/4/the-big-moment.jpg
I bought a pair of the short ones and am going to wear them through the Smokies next week. So far, 3 of my 4 AT hikes have included periods of rain and snow and plenty of mud which works it's way into my socks through the laces and tongue of my boots. If I can avoid that by wearing gaitors I'm all for it.
They help a bit to keep debris out of your socks and shoes, especially if your shoes are low cut. The biggest problem is that, in hot weather, they make your feet sweat, even the most breathable ones. I've been using sandals the past year, and they certainly won't help much in that situation.
When hiking in cold weather with medium-high boots I don't use them unless there's snow.
hopefulhiker
02-22-2008, 11:23
I liked the short ones. They worked well with the trail runners. They keep the mud and scree out of your shoes. They can also help keep your feet cleaner and drier. The long ones are good for bushwhacking but you really don't do that too much on the trail.
max patch
02-22-2008, 11:29
So my question is do I really need to bring them?
Of course not.
No Belay
02-22-2008, 11:44
I stealth camp most of the time so I keep a pair of the shorties for when I'm off trail. Don't worry about what they look like, if you try em and they work for you, enjoy em. They're really easy ro make.
Savor happy!
stickat04
02-22-2008, 11:56
I wear them when I wear shorts. Keeps the socks clean and the rocks out of the boots.
Cindy from Indy
02-22-2008, 12:01
I'm thinking that by wearing gaiters, it will cut down on my exposure to poison ivy, sumac, oak. I am extremely allergic to such stuff!!!
Of course not.
I agree - you don't need them.
I happen to like using them but I agree with the posts above - some like em some don't! If you already own them, give them a test on a day hike.
For me it's more about the mud and puddles and that low underbrush in fields - good for keeping ticks out and that yucky car wash feeling off your calves. It's a comfort thing - not a necessity.
i own a pair although i have never used them. maybe i'll wear them for halloween next year?:D
taildragger
02-22-2008, 12:11
Other than snow or really slushy conditions I don't see a need for them. If (hopefully when) I do the AT I think I'll just have zip pants. Poison ivy sucks, but the pants should be all the protection that I need.
I use the short ones only when I wear shorts.
I'm thinking that by wearing gaiters, it will cut down on my exposure to poison ivy, sumac, oak. I am extremely allergic to such stuff!!!
Remember, you have to touch them, to take them off.
Other than snow or really slushy conditions I don't see a need for them.
Don't forget one of the original uses -- protection against snake bites! (Not that you have to worry much about that on the AT but interesting tho think about)
envirodiver
02-22-2008, 12:47
In the snow
The Weasel
02-22-2008, 13:29
In the West, they can be useful in rattler habitat, which also tends to be rocky so they help keep rubble out of your socks. Other than in very wet periods involving a lot of walk-thrus of brush or such things, I haven't found them of use in the East.
TW
Gaiters can, in a sense, substitute for pants -- in terms of keeping your calves warm, and protecting your calves and ankles from brush, scree, etc. I don't like wearing long pants while hiking -- I'd rather wear thin shorts, polypro base, and gaiters. My ankles and feet were seriously attacked by chiggers last summer, and I might have avoided that by wearing gaiters.
GratefulHike
02-22-2008, 14:11
I suppose I am one of those gear geeks cause i always wear mine. If you see me on the trail and it is not hot, I will have them on. I have a pair of the super geeky high ORs.
pros
- In rain or snow keeps the moisture away from my boots. In snow that is very important in my book, cause it keeps your feet from getting cold. also in rain goretex is great but can only handle sooooo much.
- Warmth, in the dead of winter they provide a lot of extra warmth.
- Stickers and poison ivy. I get poison ivy very bad. This really keeps the nature away from my calves and feet, so in spring, I just get to camp and end up taking them off near the creek and wash them out. Some people may say not to wash them in creek, but I am not using some and I am only washing nature away from them.
cons
-look nerdy - I don't care they suit my purpose
-weight - some people may say it is extra weight, but if you are wearing them it doesn't really count does it.
With that I am now prepared for the bashing....
never used them, don't plan to use them unless I'm in fresh snow.
Cindy from Indy
02-22-2008, 15:00
Remember, you have to touch them, to take them off.
Yep, I thought of that. Not sure what the best solution is.
I cannot wear pants while hiking unless it really cold. So, that's not an option. I liked Gratefulhike's idea of wearing polypro under the shorts and then the gaiters. But again, when it warms up, that polypro underlayer is going bye-bye!
How about a pair of convertible pants. Morph them into shorts when not brushy . . . zip the full leggings back on when you sense the poisonous stuff! :)
I've carrier my gaiters a lot more than I've used them. This thread is causing me to think about giving them a retirement ceremony! :)
I don't wear gaiters because they hold in heat and make my feet extremely hot. Yuk! But to each their own. :D
I always hated gaiters and never wore them until Paintbrush '02 who owns an outfitter http://www.wildasaphoutfitters.com/ told me I hated them only because I didn't use the right ones. So she sold me these: http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/w_s_crocodiles.html and they actually work well in snow and mud - I do a lot off-trail. I don't take them on nice-day hikes or in hot weather, and they are certainly more worth having on paths receiving less maintenance than the A.T.
Cherokee Bill
02-22-2008, 16:56
:-? In the summer with a heavy-dew, the tall grass in the early morning is like walking thru a "car wash":cool: It's just a thing!
The dew I don't mind . . . it's those dang spider webs! :eek: That's why the first hiker I encounter coming towards me gets a very warm welcome! :D
My hubby uses them to do maintenance. Keeps mud off when digging sidehill or going off trail.
AlwaysHiking
02-22-2008, 17:55
I don't wear them on trail, but I do off.
I bought a pair back when I first started backpacking. At some point a few years later I realized I'd only worn them once actually on the trail. The first time out with them b/c they were new and that was it. So I stopped carrying them on trail. There have been a few times when walking through nettle I've wished I had them though.
Bushwhacking/off trail I've worn them several times if it was too hot for pants. Even if it's not too hot for pants I still wear them if there's really thick underbrush so I don't shred my pants.
I've worn them under my pant legs in deep snow. Again, off trail.
Thought a few times 'bout getting some shorties for scree, but now I wear 'amphibian' shoes for three season hiking so there's no keeping dirt out anyhow!
No, U don't absolutely need them! Sometimes I bring them on a hike; other times I leave them home. But, I like the shorty version for, as has already been said, to keep debris/snow/slush out of my shoes, protecting my ankles from brush(particularly out west and the midwest, think chaparral and cactus, or if I bushwack anywhere). Some hikers don't mind wet feet. I like to keep mine dry. Gaiters help keep water out of my waterproof shoes during prolonged heavy rain. If U also wear waterproof shoes and copious amts. of rain gets into them be prepared to hike with what feels like fish bowls on your feet! U R going to eventually encounter heavy or prolonged rain if U spend any significant time hiking on the east coast(AT). All AT thru-hikers be forewarned. I'm yet to find rain pants that used alone totally keep water out of my shoes during prolonged bouts of rain. It should be noted that I often hike in trail runners with a low or mid rise ankle cuff and while wearing shorts. I presently wear 3 oz. gaiters made from stretchy Schoeller fabric, that while not being completely waterproof out of the box, I have increased their water repellency by applying Revivex or Nikwax, which virtually makes them waterproof. Some companies, like Integral Designs and Outdoor Research, make completly waterproof gaiters, but I also find them excessively warm to wear. If U R seeking to just keep out debris with low water repellency, not spend much money, and want to make a fashion statement I suggest U check out Dirty Girl gaiters(not just for girls). And yeah, Lone Wolf is right, I am a gear weenie.
I bought a lightweight pair made of epic for deep snow hiking and have yet to use them. I have not really needed them when hiking in 6-8" of snow with low cut trail shoes.
Egads
Toolshed
02-23-2008, 08:40
Gaitors have regional connotaions.....
In the NE especially the ADKS, most wear them simply because of the mud and snow - and I mean really mud somnetimes up to your calves - just waiting to suck your boot in completely.
Besides anywhere in the snow, I think of gaitors as essential gear in the ADKS, Whites and Maine, as well as in Northern PA on the NCT when the thick wet ferns get almost waist high and you slog through them for a 1/2 mile or more at a time -
If I am on the AT, the are not so much a concern. Infact if I see someone onthe AT with a set of crocs, my first thought is that they are a section hiker, visiting from the NE.
aaroniguana
02-23-2008, 10:35
I wear low gaiters in light snow and loose rubble. I think the ones that come up to your knees make you look silly, like a british commando or something.
I wear low gaiters in light snow and loose rubble. I think the ones that come up to your knees make you look silly, like a british commando or something.
Hiking is silly. Who cares what we look like?
Toolshed
02-23-2008, 11:57
I wear low gaiters in light snow and loose rubble. I think the ones that come up to your knees make you look silly, like a british commando or something.
You obviously haven't hiked somewhere that they are truly needed :cool:
I wear low gaiters in light snow and loose rubble. I think the ones that come up to your knees make you look silly, like a british commando or something.I'm not into GQ-hiker . . . if it is practical (not necessarily defending the use of gaiters), wear/use it! I could give a rip about what anyone thinks I look like. :) :p
Wise Old Owl
02-23-2008, 15:21
In the West, they can be useful in rattler habitat, which also tends to be rocky so they help keep rubble out of your socks. Other than in very wet periods involving a lot of walk-thrus of brush or such things, I haven't found them of use in the East.
TW
I don't get it - I have seen video of Rattlers biting through a boot, They put a balloon inside the boot to test the durability. I would expect the Rattler to bite through the gaiter. I have been bit by a non poisonous snake on the trail, I fail to see how a gaiter would make a difference.
I do use gaiters if I am wearing shorts, on occasion I might wear them with convertibles.
This is a question I've been pondering myself... to gaitor or not to gaitor... reading your responses on why you wear them or why you don't has caused me to do this: buy a pair and try them out myself. Seriously. Some of your responses had me putting this on my list of things to buy with my EMS gift certificate and a couple others had me scratching it off. I wear the green army issue thigh high (exaggeration) socks and just pull them up when I'm concerned about mud or poison ivy... then I could always throw on my rain paints if it's really yucky, and save myself the gaitor weight. some things I guess you just have to try out.
taildragger
02-24-2008, 00:51
I don't get it - I have seen video of Rattlers biting through a boot, They put a balloon inside the boot to test the durability. I would expect the Rattler to bite through the gaiter. I have been bit by a non poisonous snake on the trail, I fail to see how a gaiter would make a difference.
I always understood that gaiters for snakes (as well as snake boots) were a lot harder than other boots. The stuff that my family had for hunting birds in SW TX were a combination of gaiters and plastic sheets (HPET) if I remember correctly.
Jason of the Woods
02-24-2008, 01:02
I am going to try them. I used to tease my other half about wearing them but now that I am contemplating wearing low shoes instead of boots the gaiters may come in handy. I picked up a pair for like 16 dollars. If I don't like them I'll give them away.
Toolshed
02-24-2008, 11:42
One of the nice things about the OR Crocs, is that they do an excellent job protecting your boots, laces and tongue from being caked with mud and vegetation. Also when crossing a stream with properly waterproofed boots and correctly fitted gaitors, you can very quickly take a step into the stream that might come to the top of your boot and normally soak your foot and remain dry. Again, I wear them in the ADKs and other NE mountains, but find them overkill when not in the mountains.
Toolshed
02-24-2008, 11:43
PS LL Bean has their version of the croc available at their outlet store discount to $9 right now.
Wise Old Owl
02-24-2008, 12:05
Kevlar gaiters.
Yes you are right, But for the AT you don't need them. I have seen many snakes on the AT and side trails. Balistic nylon tested snake gaiters are very unlikly to be purchased for $15-30 dollars. I have bush wacked without them with low boots and high, Lightweight Ripstop nylon pants with removable legs that weigh a few ounces is perfect for backpacking. Gaiters is to keep 4-5" snow from getting into the top of the boot. Thanks to the debate on Global warming:cool: Gaiters & Ice crampons are a thing of the past. If you are worried about snakes see this....
https://www.turtleskin.com/Snake-Gaiters.aspx
i only wear chaps when horseback riding. and that's really what these are tbh
EarlyBird2007
02-24-2008, 13:17
I found they helped to keep the rocks and dirt out of my boots. I sent them home for a while, but then I noticed the difference and had them sent back. I wouldn't say you need them but I found them useful.
My experience with gaiters (full length - just below the knee) is as follows:
1) Keeps scree out of your boots very well - this is a given. Both the long and short ones do this very well. Personally however, I do not get scree in my low cut, trail runners on the AT enough to bother with gaiters in dry weather, especially given the sweaty feet condition they cause, unless the temperature is quite cold. Scree is much more of an issue in the Sierra Nevada and Northern Rockies, where I would opt for the above-the-ankle variety.
2) Keeping feet dry in rain - If worn with shorts, gaiters are only marginally helpful in moderate to light rain. In heavy rain, water runs down your legs and eventually makes its way past the top elastic closure. Add that to the sweating and you wind up with water in your boots/trail runners anyway. If gaiters are worn underneath waterproof long rain pants, rain can be kept out, but excessive sweat becomes even more of a problem due to two layers of non-breathable material.
3) Keeping feet dry in snow - Gaiters work well for this, IF the fitting with the boot is good and snug, but in the Southern Appalachians, where I typically hike, significant snow is seldom encountered, and does not warrant carrying gaiters for those rare occasions.
I'm sure some hiker's mileage varies with what I've stated. The above are the reasons why I intend, in keeping with my goal of shedding weight with all the new gear I've recently acquired, to dispense with carrying them.
As for keeping feet dry, rain or snow, although I've never tried them, I would think sealskin/Gortex socks would be a better solution.
fiddlehead
02-24-2008, 21:45
I see some ultra runners use the short ones to keep pebbles out.
My friend got frostbite in the Himalayas after a 2 foot snowstorm because his Sherpa sold the boots he bought him so my buddy loaned him his gaitors for his tennis shoes.
Now he bought super gaitors and won't loan them out to anyone.
I usually hike in trail runners, even in the himalayas but will take gaitors along in case we get dumped on.
They were quite popular on the AT back in '89, came and went, sort of like: hiking poles, crocs, external packs, gore-tex, Limmers, iodine, signal mirrors, white gas, etc.