Gaiters are protective covering that can be worn over your footwear and your lower legs to prevent debris from entering your boots. Without wearing gaiters, sand, snow, mud, and thorn can enter your boots. However, wearing gaiters will keep these elements from entering your socks.
It is essential to wear the correct size and types of gaiters. Gaiters comes in several heights. The height of the gaiters will determine the type of terrain you will traverse.
Choose the Right Gaiters and Care for Them
Low cut gaiters are best for trail running. These types of gaiters allow your legs to remain lightly and not obstruct your movement. For individual who hike in various environments, mid-height gaiters work best for everyday hiking.
These gaiters can better protect your legs from water and snow. For deep snow or thick vegetation, individuals should use tall knee high or full length gaiters that will provide the maximum coverage for there legs. The height of the gaiters will determine the level of protection that they can offer your legs.
You must measure your legs correctly to ensure that the gaiters will fit proper. Use a measuring tape to measure the circumference of your calves while wearing the socks that you will wear while hiking. If you plan on wearing thick wool socks, add half an inch to your measurement.
Use another measurement to find the length of your legs from your ankle bone to just below your knee. Make sure that the gaiters have at least one and a half inch of overlap with the collar of your boots. Without this overlap, snow and other debris will enter your boots into your socks.
The type of activity that you will perform will determine the type of gaiters that you should use. Trail runners should use low profile gaiters because they will remain light and provide the best experience for runners on the trail. Day hikers should use mid height gaiters that are breathable and have water resistant material.
Snowshoers will require knee high gaiters that will prevent snow from entering the boots. Mountaineers will require full length gaiters with crampon hooks that will secure the gaiters to their boots. The type of gaiters will have to be compatible with the type of activities that you will perform with them to fulfill there purpose.
The materials used to make the gaiters will affect the performance of your gaiters while they are in wet environments. Nylon is a lightweight material used to make gaiters that can repel light spray from water while you are on the trail. However, nylon is not suitable for use in heavy storm.
Gore-Tex materials are used for those who require their gaiters to be able to handle several day on the trail. Gore-Tex products allow the moisture from sweat to escape their gaiters while keeping the rainwater from entering their boots. Cordura material is heavy and used to repel thorns from plants while hiking.
However, the material is much more heavy than nylon used for gaiters. High breathability and high levels of waterproofing is required from gaiters to keep moisture from building up within the gaiters while also keeping the external moisture from entering the boots. The gaiters will have to be compatible with the types of shoes that you use.
Trail shoes will be compatible with low cut gaiters that feature simple straps for added comfort. Hiking boots will have an opening on the side to allow for the use of mid height or tall gaiters. Mountaineering boots will require full length gaiters that will hook into the boots to prevent them from riding up when climbing steep slope of ice.
The types of closures on the gaiters, such as Velcro, zippers, or buckles, will determine how easily you can wear your gaiters and secure them. Common mistake with gaiters include measuring the size of the gaiters based off the size of your clothes. This is not the correct measurement because your hiking socks will be thicker than your street socks.
You will also make mistakes measuring the overlap of your gaiters with the boots. There must be enough overlap to prevent debris from entering your boots. Lastly, not properly maintain your gaiters.
You should hand wash your gaiters and reapply water repellent to the gaiters after many mile of hiking. You should air dry your gaiters while flat on a towel so as not to damage the material of the gaiters.
