Use of Gaiters on the AT??

[Crestview_hiker]

In planning my hike scheduled for a 2014 NOBO leaving April1, is it recommended to use Gaiters or or they just a luxury item?

[CarlZ993]

It is a personal preference item. I like using them to keep crap out of my shoes/boots. I used Dirty Girl gaiters & was very pleased w/ them on my thru-hike.

[max patch]

Yep, personal preference item. I'm of the opinion that they are totally unnecessary for 3 season hiking on the AT.

[slbirdnerd]

It is a personal preference item. I like using them to keep crap out of my shoes/boots. I used Dirty Girl gaiters & was very pleased w/ them on my thru-hike.

I'm about to order some Dirty Girl gaiters for this summer. This winter I have been using for the first time tall (OR) gaiters and they've been great. Personally have found them worth the trouble, and if you're wearing them they're not weight on your back. I think the Dirty Girl gaiters weigh next to nothing and don't look bulky.

[Slo-go'en]

They can be a big help in the early spring when the trail is still real wet and muddy.

[DeerPath]

A friend who Thru Hiked the AT in 2012 wore them to keep wet grass & bushes, mud, snow, dirt, water and tics off.
Happy Trails

[Rain Man]

Yep, personal preference item. I'm of the opinion that they are totally unnecessary for 3 season hiking on the AT.

I agree with Max Patch that they are a personal preference item. However, my preference is to wear them any time I set foot on the AT. Another example of HYOH.

The keep all sorts of things out of my shoes, off my socks, and from crawling up my legs too. I treat with Permethrin.

RainMan

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[bamboo bob]

I have used gaiters and dirty girls are good. But you must adhere the velcro to the back of your shoe so you need to remember to take the supply kit because you'll need to do it each time you get new shoes. My personal preference is to skip them. I know they're the hip cool thing to do but I don't think they are needed very much to prevent that once a day pebble in shoe. But like the man said. Personal Preference item.

[Nooga]

I agree with others….personal preference. I only wear them in the winter.

[Dogwood]

AT gaiters - sometimes, rarely, very light wt ones, in winter or when hiking on ice in snow, or possibly in The Whites at anytime w/ low cut trail runners

[punkin pie]

I wore them on my 2013 thru hike. They kept the snow out of my boots the first month or so. After that I wore them after a heavy rain to keep the mud and crap off of my legs. When you get to Vermont, they will be invaluable. You'll be hiking in mud and slop forever. They're not heavy, and when I didn't use them, I kept them in a stuff sack with my rain gear.

[Lady Grey]

I wore them for most of my hike last year and found them invaluable. As others have said, they do a great job in keeping snow, mud, dirt, small sticks, and pebbles out of your shoes. That said, I wouldn't have liked high gaiters... I wore the low Flex-Tex gaiters by OR and they were perfect. As I got further north and it became hot and dry I wouldn't bother, but would pull them back out during inclement weather. I had a problem with the strap cracking, two different times, and both times OR replaced them for free. The first time happened near Daleville, VA and the outfitter there gave me a new pair for no charge. Same issue happened further north, and my spouse contacted OR and they sent me a new pair in Maine. Needless to say, great customer service on OR's part!

[wookinpanub]

I agree with most everyone's assessment that gaiters are a personal preference. That being said, I wore them every day on my thru-hike many years ago. I wore gaiters that were referred to as "combo-gaiters". They had a cordura lower half and the upper half was made of a thinner water-proof material. They came up to just below my knee, so they were much higher than dirty girls, but could be pushed down around the ankles depending on the need. They weren't the Outdoor Research Rocky Mountain High Gaiters with the leather foot strap, which are much heavier and (in my opinion) overkill.
Some of the advantages and ways that I used the combo-gaiters:
1) Kept dirt, rocks, and trash out of my boot and allowed my sock to stay clean longer.
2) On warm summer days during rain storms, I would pull them up to my knees and just wear my rain jacket. This kept my feet reasonable dry, though if it rained all day dry was a pipe dream.
3) On cold mornings, pulled to the knee they would add warmth. As the day warmed I could just push them down.
4) On mornings when the dew was on the grass they gave excellent protection against wet socks.
5) In places where the trail was overgrown, they gave good protection against shin scratches.
6) I started in the snow and they kept the snow out of my boots.

It's a personal preference, but I wouldn't leave home without mine. (By the way, Crestview_hiker, I grew up in DeFuniak Springs)

[squeezebox]

I remember the post from someone with tall gaiters who cut his pants down to knickers, no wadding up and doubling up over his calfs.
I would use a 1 inch band, mostly like a waist band and velcro closure, an appropriate size gusset. Elastic just might compress some important blood vessels near the surface in that area.

[QiWiz]

In planning my hike scheduled for a 2014 NOBO leaving April1, is it recommended to use Gaiters or or they just a luxury item?

I like gaiters to keep debris out of my low cut trail runners. Dirty Girl gaiters are very light and do this well.

[LAF]

personal preference, I will be wearing a pair of dirty girl gaiters; hate little things in my shoes and at 1.1 oz for the pair, well worth it for me.

[michaelosborne]

Another vote for the Dirty Girl Gaiters. I'll be using them on my upcoming thru.

[rhjanes]

I only have orienteering type gaitors, see lots of talk of Dirty Girls.
Anyone have input on Dirty Girl versus these (click this) ??

[Ox97GaMe]

My preference is to wear high gators (just below knee). There are several reasons:
a) prevents small sticks/stones from getting into my boots
b) prevents water (grassess and other vegatation) from getting in my boots/socks
c) reduces likelihood of getting ticks in the summertime

Ive heard (not tested) that they can also help against snakebite.

I wear hightop boots when I am hiking (weak ankles from years of basketball) and my OR gators form a nice waterproof seal at both the boot level and my high calf level. I have waded through knee deep water and not gotten water in my boots. There are no crossings like this on the AT, except in Maine. and Im not guaranteeing the gators will keep you dry. Just stating that they seem to work that way for me.

[wornoutboots]

Agreed, personal preference. I wear short ones in the Spring, Summer & Fall & knee high in Winter.