Do I really need gaiters?

[Eywa Dude]

I will be starting my thru-hike in mid-late March, and I was wondering if I need gaiters for snow/mud/wet conditions? I am trying to keep weight down. I'll be using my GoLite Tumalo rain pants for the cooler months. Can they be used for the same purpose? What about in summer? Do I really need gaiters? I'd like to hear what you guys have to say. Thanks.

[Gaiter]

Nay probably not for starting in march, personal choice, I like the mini gaiters because i find that they are also really good for keeping my feet and socks clean!

[Migrating Bird]

Personal choice, I like to use these - http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/or...x-gaiters.html although mine seem shorter than those pictured. As Gaiter said they keep your socks and feet clean, protect your ankles from scuffs and to me the best thing is they keep little sticks and pebbles out of my shoes which allow me to keep going instead of stopping to take off a shoe to get the offending object out.

[Wags]

you'll still hit some snow, and i find gaiters extremely valuable in snow for a reason other than keeping snow out of my shoe. snowball shoelaces! the most annoying thing ever when hiking (shoelaces get little snowballs on the ends of them and become heavy, swinging and hitting the shoes themselves. a major annoyance (also shoelaces freeze and become untieable)). so short gaiters may be a win...

[Papa D]

I use gaiters if I expect substantial snow- you don't, so NOPE.

[Stink Bug]

I hike in trail running shoes and use my gaiters (OR Flex-Tex) to keep crud out of the shoes.

[RevLee]

Integral Designs has some short lightweight gaiters that work well for me. http://www.moontrail.com/integral-de...ie-gaiters.php They actually fit snug enough to use without the strap under the shoe for good weather, then only use the strap for snow. Used them for 1100 miles in 2010, including 16 days of snow.

[TOMP]

If you dont currently use them when hiking, there is no new condition on the AT that will be any different. Personally I use my homemade gaiters (1.6 oz).

[kevperro]

No... but they will keep rocks and sticks out of your boots/shoes. Buy some Dirty Girl Gaitors and they are only 0.8 oz. each and $20/pr. They will save you from carrying 2 oz. in rocks in your boots and help keep the feet dry a little longer than going gaitorless. They also help keep the shoe laces tidy and tied.

[handlebar]

+1 on the integral designs gaiters. They are made of E-Vent and breath quite well. I also don't use the strap under the shoe/boot. A lighter alternative that also keeps duff out of your shoes/boots is Dirty Girl Gaiters (google it).

[mirabela]

Gaiters are real nice for keeping out other things besides snow -- think mud, gravel, ticks, sand, etc. You don't "need" them -- bajillions of people all over the world walk without them, including lots of hikers on American long-distance trails -- but they're nice.

[jacquelineanngrant]

Never used them, wear trail runners, never got a lot of debris in my shoes.

[WILLIAM HAYES]

gaiters work for me they keep mud for splattering up the back of my legs

[Papa D]

I just did a snow trip sans-gaiters -- I forgot them and could have used them but the only slight inconvenience was a little dampness around my ankles - deep snow of course is a different story -- here is a list of (what I believe to be) the top three things mailed home by thru-hikers (that they didn't need in the first place) - actually, this would make an interesting thread

1) Water Pumps
2) "Extra" Clothing
3) Gaiters

[lemon b]

No, cause I don't know what the heck they are?

[Papa D]

No, cause I don't know what the heck they are?

well, YOU do need them them, REALLY, you don't know what gaiters are, OH MAN, you'll never make it.

---- ok kidding - they are covers of sorts that form a barrier between your pants and you shoes and cover your socks - some people (I don't know why) even wear them on their bare legs.

: here is a photo -

gaiters.jpeg

in my opinion, unless you are in deep snow (where they are handy) you don't need them - they don't keep your feet dry.

[Migrating Bird]

well, YOU do need them them, REALLY, you don't know what gaiters are, OH MAN, you'll never make it.

---- ok kidding - they are covers of sorts that form a barrier between your pants and you shoes and cover your socks - some people (I don't know why) even wear them on their bare legs.

: here is a photo -

gaiters.jpeg

in my opinion, unless you are in deep snow (where they are handy) you don't need them - they don't keep your feet dry.

I hike in shorts, bare legs and wear gaiters. The reasons are simple, in the northeast with the vast variety of trail conditions, mud, muck, snow pebbles, sticks, ticks, etc, gaiters keep the junk out of my shoes, protect my ankles and keep my socks clean. I like gaiters but to each his own.

[garlic08]

I've somehow managed to hike a few miles without using gaiters. If I ever wanted a pair, they're easy enough to find in hiker boxes. I remember the early days of gaiters when the shoestring under the instep would break every few days.

It sounds like it's a trade-off--you get some gain in keeping shoes and socks clean (and you get to look like a "real" hiker), but you have to a) buy them, b) fuss with attaching them, c) fuss with keeping them attached, d) lose some ventilation. Some people are OK with all that, some aren't. Try them and see. They're cheap enough to put in a hiker box or send home after a few weeks.

[Papa D]

I've somehow managed to hike a few miles without using gaiters. If I ever wanted a pair, they're easy enough to find in hiker boxes. I remember the early days of gaiters when the shoestring under the instep would break every few days.

It sounds like it's a trade-off--you get some gain in keeping shoes and socks clean (and you get to look like a "real" hiker), but you have to a) buy them, b) fuss with attaching them, c) fuss with keeping them attached, d) lose some ventilation. Some people are OK with all that, some aren't. Try them and see. They're cheap enough to put in a hiker box or send home after a few weeks.

like I said, there is a reason that you're going to find a pair or three in a hiker box (along with a bunch of un-wanted stuff) -- I understand Migrating Bird's post but I just end up with muddy gaiters vs muddy socks - I don't think that ticks or rocks (or poison ivy) warrant gaiters for most people - wearing them on bare legs is uncomfortable to me -- Migrating Bird has obviously likes them and that's cool but it's also a little unusual - Garlic (and my) experience is more typical (I think) HYOH

[TOMP]

like I said, there is a reason that you're going to find a pair or three in a hiker box (along with a bunch of un-wanted stuff) -- I understand Migrating Bird's post but I just end up with muddy gaiters vs muddy socks - I don't think that ticks or rocks (or poison ivy) warrant gaiters for most people - wearing them on bare legs is uncomfortable to me -- Migrating Bird has obviously likes them and that's cool but it's also a little unusual - Garlic (and my) experience is more typical (I think) HYOH

My preference is muddy gaiter versus muddy bottom of pants. I only bring 1 pair of pants and often I am sleeping in them too so if they are muddy, then my sleeping bag gets dirty and I am not happy.

Keeping rocks out is not a concern of mine (someone wrote it keeps 2 oz of rocks out, really you were walking around with 2oz of pebble before gaiters), how often does it happen anyway, and ticks well guess what they can crawl over them anyway, just wear pants. And someone said you have to buy them, well no you can make them too. Fuss, nope, do you fuss with your shoe laces too?

Use them or dont but at the end of the day they are not a bad idea.