Gaiters or not

[rdaviskiwi]

what do yall guys think about wearing gaiters for prevention of possible snake bite.
Thanks for your comments

[Moose2001]

You would have to wear knee high gaiters. Not something I'd want to do. It's easier just to watch where you're walking if you're in snake country.

[jlo]

I bought gaitors after a few weeks into my hike just to keep the dirt out of my socks and it was a great move! They were the short ones, and just right. Don't know how they'd do for snake bites, but they definitely kept down the blisters by keeping grit out of my shoes.

[Blissful]

Snake bite? On the AT?

I'd worry more about ticks.

Still I don't like gaiters for the east except maybe in snow. Makes the feet hot and can contribute to blisters.

[Rain Man]

what do yall guys think about wearing gaiters for prevention of possible snake bite.

I think it's a solution looking for a problem. Besides which, it's a false solution. Snake fangs would go right through gaiters anyway, IF a snake were to strike you.

Rain Man

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[snowsusie]

I almost always wear gaiters. I have different types for various conditions. I doubt any of them would protect me from a snake bite.

[Papa D]

Wearing gaiters to prevent snakebite is silly - a snake is not going to strike at your ankles - just not going to happen - if in the extremely remote chance it did, it would be like wearing a rubber hat in case of lightening - you are just going to get zapped anyway - a fang is going right thru packcloth. Don't worry about snakes. Now, as for gaiters, I have found that they are basically worthless in keeping rain out of your shoes and pretty much just add pack weight. So, in my opinion gaiters are good for 4 things - the first three of which should merit attention:

1) SNOW - Yes, I do wear gaiters in the snow
2) Stinging Nettles - yes, if you have gaiters they protect against nettles
3) Poison Ivy - same as # 2
4) Ballast

[Lone Wolf]

what do yall guys think about wearing gaiters for prevention of possible snake bite.
Thanks for your commentsi think there's no need for gaiters.i've never known of a hiker getting snake bit

[Praha4]

I wore OR flextex low gaiters on my AT section hike from Springer to Damascus last year. Would not bother with them again. I agree with Blissful, gaiters make your feet hot and encourage blister formation.
Think of hiking in a raincoat, how hot/sweaty you get, that's what gaiters are doing to your feet. My socks were always wet from sweat, I was changing socks 3-4 times a day trying to keep feet halfway dry. Had problem with foot blisters by the time I got to NOC.

They really didn't help much in keeping shoes dry in rain. The only time I found them helpful was hiking in tall grass in early morning dew when the grass was wet, gaiters did help keep my socks/shoes dry, but i don't think this was worth the problem I had with foot blisters, which I attribute a lot to the gaiters retaining heet in the feet/shoes.

[leaftye]

Gaiters would do very little good and a whole lot of bad.

[English Stu]

Have a look at the Dirty Girl gaitors just to keep bits out of the shoes, I find them useful. Certainly no need for tough gaitors.

[Spokes]

Snake bite gaiters? Why in the world would you even think such a thing? Next thing you know you'll get talked into carrying a Coleman stove and a bow saw.

[Tractor]

The gaiters you refer to are VERY HEAVY, I have a pair. I would not want to wear them more than an hour or so, let alone a day of hiking.

[rdaviskiwi]

Thanks for your comments, I will forgo the gaiters. This forum is a great way to get other people's perspective. thanks again, Git Bear

[SassyWindsor]

I always wear gaiters, short of long, depending on conditions. I do not wear snake "gaiters". I do have a pair of plastic type lower leg coverings(snake protectors) I've worn maybe twice.

[lissersmith]

I agree; gaitors are great in the snow, but don't like them otherwise.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Good for snow. Good for keeping dirt, pebbles, and other debris out of shoes / boots (short gaiters work well). But they offer no protection from snakes which likely aren't going to bite you anyway.

[Different Socks]

I wore gaiters on my long hikes to keep lower legs cleaner and to keep debris from getting in my shoes/boots. Also helps keep muddy soles from getting upper part of socks dirty much quicker.

[4Bears]

You don't have to wory about snake bite with these 'Gators. :eek:

14170

[Gaiter]

I love short gaiters, for keeping feet clean more than anything else, I don't think mine are even water proof any more

[MuddyWaters]

I like dirty girls

Gaiters keep pebbles and dirt and twigs out of yourshoe, keep socks clean(er).

[blackwater slim]

there is a difference between regular gaiters and snake gaiters....most don't cover top of foot, and with boots that have fabric and not all leather, poses the question of how to protect top of feet when all else is protected from knee down....wondered about a way to remedy that???

[Dodds1990]

I have been hiking for a few years now and there still hasn't been a time where I thought "damn I wish I had gaiters" but that is just me.

[swjohnsey]

I like dirty girls.

And nasty ones, too! Just one more thing to futz with. I haven't had any problems with rocks and twigs and I wear running shoes.

[Derek81pci]

A 4 foot Timber rattler has 1 inch fangs. Better get some wooden gaiters if you are really that worried about snake bites.

[ScottP]

never owned gaiters, never seen the need.

Maybe if I did more snowshoeing I'd have some.

[BarFight]

I did not wear them for most of my thru. In Monson, Maine, I suddenly got this brilliant idea that I was going to wear knee-high gaitors through the hundred mile wilderness-it had been incredibly muddy in Maine and somehow I thought I was going to save my pants by doing so (which were already ductaped to hold together). So I bought a set in Greenville, and hated them from the first day-I found them incredbily hot. They do work great for winter snowshoeing post-trail though, so not a total loss at all. The only reason I would wear them in the summer would be for ticks, and I probably couldn't stand the heat of them anyway. I would never wear them in the south in the spring.

[Mountain Mike]

For snakebites no. I normally wear them for brush & keeping my boots free of crap. Never felt them to be to warm. Snakes do not want to bite you. They would rather save their venom for something to eat. I have witnessed numerous hikers walk within a foot of a coiled rattlesnake without it even stirring. I even stopped to check my map one time next to one & it just rattled. It could easily have bit me just 8" away. Another hiker had passed by it just 30 yards in front of me & never noticed it. It just let me know I was molesting his hunt & it was time to move on. The only people I have heard of getting bit on the trail were messing with snakes.