Did you wear gaiters?

[Anumber1]

I've heard a lot about the rain that occurs during a thru-hike. How many people wore gaiters?

Do you think they are worth their weight. why and why not?

I appreciate all of your opinions...thanks a bunch!

[Footslogger]

Sure did ...short ones in the warmer months and knee highs when it got cold. In fact, I work shorts all the way to Katahdin. The hight gaiter along with knee length shorts were all I needed.

'Slogger

[stickat04]

I wore gaiters the entire way. I get poison ivy easy, so I think they were worth it for me. I also like to keep the dirt and rocks out of my boots.

[neighbor dave]

nope! too hot!! plus didn't think i needed them. wore sock liners and nb runners the whole way,cept for a couple of times when the snow was knee deep! then wore wool socks, that it!

[Lobo]

I also wore short gaiters on my 2000 hike. Along with keeping stones out of you boots, they also help to keep your socks clean.

[Peaks]

I also wore short gaiters on my 2000 hike. Along with keeping stones out of you boots, they also help to keep your socks clean.

Sometimes I wear them, sometimes I don't. It depends on how rocky and muddy the trail is. I did wear them for much of the AT, but if I were to do the trail again, I'd probably wear them less. In any event, I didn't wear them when wearing long pants.

[Mouse]

I did not wear them at all. There is so much traffic on the Trail that only rarely was I walking on untrampled snow and sleeping in until after more hikers left would have avoided even more.

[Heather]

Do they help prevent rain running down your legs and into your boots? I had this problem without gaiters and thought maybe gaiters would solve problem.

[neighbor dave]

Do they help prevent rain running down your legs and into your boots? I had this problem without gaiters and thought maybe gaiters would solve problem.

nope. your feet will get wet!!

[Spirit Walker]

No, I find gaiters too hot too. The only time I wear them is when walking through deep snow.

[max patch]

Too hot for 3 season hiking on the AT.

[Footslogger]

Do they help prevent rain running down your legs and into your boots? I had this problem without gaiters and thought maybe gaiters would solve problem.

=================================
No ...but that's not why I wear them. In summer I use them to keep stones and dirt out of my shoes and off my socks. In Winter I use the high ones as my lower pant legs. Allow for some ventilation without my legs getting the full blast of the cold.

'Slogger

[bulldog49]

nope. your feet will get wet!!

That is absolutely not so. I hiked from Dick's Creek to Fontana Thanksgiving week through considerable rain and snow and my feet remained completely dry wearing Crocodile Gaiters. I never do it, but if I were hiking in the summer I would not use them, but for the other 3 seasons they definitely work.

[bulldog49]

I want to add, one day it rained so hard I soaked through my Marmot Precip jacket and pants, but my socks were so dry after, that after changing into dry clothes, I did not bother changing my socks and slept in the same pair I hiked in all day.

[TwoForty]

I wear short packcloth gaiters all the time. If there is snow, I take goretex high gaiters.
My main reason is that they keep your socks and pants clean from mud. I know it sounds silly, but it makes a huge difference for me.

[general]

Do they help prevent rain running down your legs and into your boots? I had this problem without gaiters and thought maybe gaiters would solve problem.

hell yes. if your boots are waterproofed reasonably well, tall gaiters will help to keep your feet dryer. granted, if your wearing pants that soak up water, then water will run down your pants legs under your gaiters. waterproof pants that will stretch over your boot upper, combined with tall waterproof gaiters, will keep your feet drier. your feet will still sweat, and if you walk in deep water they can still get wet. even wearing shorts, it helps, especially in stinging nettles, or somewhere you might find some blackberries.

had a pair from Outdoor Research that i used until they had holes in the sides. it took about 1200 or so miles to wear them out. have some from mountain hardware now, and the seem to work fine.

[MedicineMan]

if you are going to do a thru-hike you must def. get the snake bite proof ones.

[strnorm]

where can you buy the snake proof ones? i hike a lot in Pa.with the snakes

[swamp dawg]

I use them mostly to keep mud off my socks and small rocks out of my trail shoes or mid cut boots. I use the OR short style but the will not keep a whole lot of water out of your boots during a hard rain. Life is good on the trail ... Swamp Dawg

[MedicineMan]

http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/sto...OF+GAITERS.htm

I was just teasing though