View Full Version : Gaiters
calberry
12-07-2012, 15:27
I am interested in knowing the pros and cons of gaiters on the AT. Should I take them or leave them at home?
coach lou
12-07-2012, 15:37
Folks will say they are hot, they are heavy, they are useless. I say the opposite. They keep stones, sticks and dirt out of my socks, they keep dew or rain out and off my legs. They keep the snow out. I wear shorts well into the late fall early winter, so they keep the wind off and I sit on them in camp. So, I have a pair and I take them. I have them on most of the time. When they are not on my legs they are on top of my pack as an extra rain barrier.
ChinMusic
12-07-2012, 15:45
I like em for snow. Once that season is over I do not use em.
I read about folks loving em for keeping sticks/stones/etc our of their footware. I just don't seem to get that much stuff in my shoes without em.
Duramax22
12-07-2012, 15:55
I use mine year round. They serve as my rain pants in the warmer months. They are awesome in the morning to keep the dew and such off. awesome in winter for obvious reasons. bottom line- wouldnt hit trail without them. Oh and if you do decide to get some wrap the leather strap that goes under the boot in gorilla tape and they will last much longer.
FatHead64
12-07-2012, 16:24
Around here (sand dune Michigan) they are critical year-round and keep lots of stuff out of my boots. I really like low gaiters except for snow and they don't help so much to keep water out/off.
I use them because I don't like rain pants in the summer and they are lighter than a pair of pants. The seem to keep crap out of my shoes, AND I use them in tall grass to keep ticks and chiggers off my legs. I hate ticks and chiggers.
CarlZ993
12-07-2012, 17:01
Personal preference. I almost always wear them. Less stuff gets in my shoes.
You could always ship yourself a pair on the trail or send a pair home depending on your preference. I'd opt for non-waterproof gaiters. I usually wear 'desert gaiters,' regardless of the locale. The breath better.
brian039
12-07-2012, 18:37
They would be moderately useful for hiking in New England (because of pine needles) but mostly useless south of there. I maybe picked rocks out of my shoes a dozen or so times.
I wore them on the PCT but rarely do on the AT, I dont get much stuff in my shoes. They can also be a fashion statement. http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/. These are very popular with trail runners and are great for everything other than post holing in deep snow which you probably won't have to worry about on the AT. I was able to get over 1000 miles per pair.
max patch
12-07-2012, 20:51
........
Folks will say they are hot, they are heavy, they are useless.
+1
SassyWindsor
12-07-2012, 21:27
Short Gaiters:
Pros: keeps out trash+rain +snow +ticks, keeps feet warm, dry, saves socks and laces from brush/briar's, keeps socks and feet cleaner
Cons: Keeps feet warm, but all the pros outweigh the cons by a mile.
I always wear them, my straps are color coded to speed putting on. Treat them with aquaseal.
Long Gaiters: Same as the short, except they are used for deep snow.
Note: I think Gaiters would be useless if wearing trail runners, I only wear trail runners if day walking or shopping.
Note: I think Gaiters would be useless if wearing trail runners, I only wear trail runners if day walking or shopping.
Why?..........
garlic08
12-07-2012, 22:32
...They can also be a fashion statement....
Ditto this. They do make you look like a "real" hiker.
cliffordbarnabus
12-07-2012, 23:11
just an extra non-necessary thingamajig.
Old Grouse
12-08-2012, 09:58
I don't see how they keep ticks off your legs if you're wearing shorts. The ticks hitch a ride on your gaiters and then begin crawling upward looking for a protected place to dig in. You still have to do a tick check whether you're wearing gaiters or just socks. I've found ticks in the area of my belt line but as yet I haven't begun hiking in a cummerbund.
I find gaiters very usefull like mentioned before they keep stones, sticks, and other objects from intruding my boots, and they also keep briars from scratching and ripping my legs up, so yeah i carry them every single day on any trail. RED-DOG
hikerhobs
12-08-2012, 19:56
[QUOTE=coach lou;1370155]Folks will say they are hot, they are heavy, they are useless. I say the opposite. They keep stones, sticks and dirt out of my socks, they keep dew or rain out and off my legs. They keep the snow out. I wear shorts well into the late fall early winter, so they keep the wind off and I sit on them in camp. So, I have a pair and I take them. I have them on most of the time. When they are not on my legs they are on top of my pack as an extra rain barrier.[/QUOTE
DITTO......
SunnyWalker
12-08-2012, 20:44
Go to LWGear.com for lightweight gaiters that work well and won't set you back much. Unless of course, you need to make a fashion statement. If you do wish expensive ones start with REI.com
Another dirty girl fan, and treat with permithrin for ticks!
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Should have mentioned think about how they fasten. I hate shock cord our string under boot... Causes snow and ice build up...
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ChinMusic
12-09-2012, 17:43
Another dirty girl fan, and treat with permithrin for ticks!
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2
I bought a pair of those for my daughter and my trip to Yosemite last year. Nice design, made even better with the addition of Velcro to the back of your shoes. The JMT is a dusty trail and they seemed to add some benefit. My daughter loved the styling.
I could see the benefits for additional tick protection on the AT.
ranger2012
12-09-2012, 18:46
I've never used gaiters and never saw the need to use them until I got a month or so into my AT thru-hike this past summer. I always thought they looked bulky and uncomfortable. A fellow hiker had a pair of dirtygirl gaiters and they looked like something I would be interested in. Got a pair shipped to me on the trail and I loved them. They really help to keep your socks cleaner. When you are nursing 2 pairs of socks for day after day of hiking this really helps. The dirtygirl attachment system is simple and doesn't use the "cord under the boot" that many other hikers had to keep replacing. My 2 cents...
Used them for the first time over the weekend on the AT. Loved them.
Train Wreck
12-09-2012, 23:22
I bought a pair of those for my daughter and my trip to Yosemite last year. Nice design, made even better with the addition of Velcro to the back of your shoes. The JMT is a dusty trail and they seemed to add some benefit. My daughter loved the styling.
I could see the benefits for additional tick protection on the AT.
When it comes to mosquitoes and ticks, I'm a real chicken...ankles need protecting from bug bites for sure!
I'll have to check out the dirty girl gaitors.
ChinMusic
12-09-2012, 23:44
When it comes to mosquitoes and ticks, I'm a real chicken...ankles need protecting from bug bites for sure!
I'll have to check out the dirty girl gaitors.
I have modified the Dirty Girl Gaitors by sewing a piece of Velcro the the gaitors and seam-sealing the other piece to the back of my shoe. I can't recall where I got this idea but it does improve the fit.
18364
hikerboy57
12-09-2012, 23:49
.....................................
Different Socks
12-10-2012, 01:24
Folks will say they are hot, they are heavy, they are useless. I say the opposite. They keep stones, sticks and dirt out of my socks, they keep dew or rain out and off my legs. They keep the snow out. I wear shorts well into the late fall early winter, so they keep the wind off and I sit on them in camp. So, I have a pair and I take them. I have them on most of the time. When they are not on my legs they are on top of my pack as an extra rain barrier.
Ditto to this. I used a pair on my AT, PCT and CDT hikes as well as many other hikes. They also help keep mud off socks if I am tired from lifting feet and shoes keep bumping my legs.
Moved to the General Gear Talk thread/forum.
I am interested in knowing the pros and cons of gaiters on the AT. Should I take them or leave them at home?
Depends on which gaiters we're talking about. The knee high, heavy gaiters I loved in Scotland would be useless sweaty weight on most of the AT. Waterproof gaiters will keep your ankles dry but you're probably going to be wearing non-water resistant trail runners so it's kind of pointless to have dry ankles and wet feet. The water resistant fabric will also make things hotter and sweatier the rest of the time. However, if you find that you tend to collect junk in your shoes I'd recommend a pair of lightweight non-waterproof ankle gaiters. These have a good reputation on the AT: http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/
Slo-go'en
12-12-2012, 19:00
I use gaiters in the spring when the trail is often wet and muddy. I use knee highs made of thin coated nlyon. Keeps my pants legs cleaner and drier than they otherwise would be. Once it warms up and stops raining, I don't use them any more.
-For Dirty-girl gaiter people: Your website was very colorful, but I want not able readily find out what a pair of your gators cost!
Please, simplify for us techno-useless people!
im one of the people who always get cap in there shoes. tried a pair of MH gaiters and the rubbed my legs switched to OR stretch gaiters( not the actual name) and they are amazing don't even know you have them on. 50 bucks for not much gaiters but id pay 100 for them after using them... no bottom strap either
Not sure why you can't find the price.
http://www.dirtygirlgaiters.com/buy-it.html
WILLIAM HAYES
12-12-2012, 23:47
they keep junk out of my shoes
SCRUB HIKER
12-13-2012, 03:13
Useful out West where you're walking on more loose soil, sand, tiny rocks, tiny sticks, pine straw, etc. Dirty Girl gaiters are seriously in vogue on the PCT from what I've seen and heard. But I would never have any use for them on the AT unless it was snowy.
grateful 2
12-13-2012, 16:36
Exactly what I do. +1
Another dirty girl fan, and treat with permithrin for ticks!
Sent from my DROID X2 using Tapatalk 2
Folks will say they are hot, they are heavy, they are useless. I say the opposite. They keep stones, sticks and dirt out of my socks, they keep dew or rain out and off my legs. They keep the snow out. I wear shorts well into the late fall early winter, so they keep the wind off and I sit on them in camp. So, I have a pair and I take them. I have them on most of the time. When they are not on my legs they are on top of my pack as an extra rain barrier.
They are hot (the taller, the hotter), they can be heavy (but you can buy lightweight ones), but they are not useless.
Unless used with waterproof pants layered under a waterproof jacket (with a hood, thank you) they can be useless in the rain. They tend to make a nice funnel to channel water down your legs and into your socks.
In the summer you can make a pair that will keep crud out of your shoes by cutting up a pair of nylon stockings and rigging an instep strap (you can figure it out, it isn't that difficult) to keep them over your shoes and socks. Mosquito netting will work, too - get nylon - it's tougher than polyester - and don't bother with no-see-um as it is more fragile than family camping tent mesh.
Drybones
12-13-2012, 19:04
Dirty Girl gators, they weigh 1 oz and do a good job keeping trash out of your shoes.
MuddyWaters
12-13-2012, 20:30
Dirty Girls rock. I dont always wear mine, but they generally do help to keep socks cleaner with trail runners, and reduce need to stop for rocks/twigs that get into shoe. When crossing water they work GREAT to keep sand and small pebbles out of shoes.
I also treat my socks, shoes, and gaiters with permethrin, ever since chiggers attacked my feet up once THRU my shoes and socks. I had bites all over my feet.
LevaGaiters are similar to Dirty Girls but don't need the velcro in the back. Andrew Skurka uses them...that's appretty serious endorsement.
http://www.simblissity.net/
SCRUB HIKER
12-14-2012, 00:08
LevaGaiters are similar to Dirty Girls but don't need the velcro in the back. Andrew Skurka uses them...that's appretty serious endorsement.
http://www.simblissity.net/
Yeah but I don't see any $20 bill or hot pink camo patterns on their fabrics. Just black and grey. Yawn.
LevaGaiters are similar to Dirty Girls but don't need the velcro in the back. Andrew Skurka uses them...that's appretty serious endorsement.
http://www.simblissity.net/
You don't actually NEED the undershoe straps or to shoe Velcro with other gaiters either. Oh and Dirty Girls are .6oz lighter.