Gaiters? What do you feel is the main purpose

[Jason Snyder]

Gaiters work well for keeping moister from wicking down my socks and into my boots in wet grass/brush. But, they make my feet and legs sweat. Added to water proof boots, after a day or two I would rather just have wet feet.

There is a balance in there for sure. I don’t wear them if I think I can get away with it. Those are usually the days it will rain all day I have about two gallons of water I each boot that has wicked/ran down my plant leg.

 

[LostArra]

So, when you tie a bow, make the standard single wrap/twist for the half knot, make sure to be tying a square knot (no granny knots), but on the top, add a second wrap/twist for the bow loops and pull tight.

If you look up a surgeons knot, this is basically an inverted surgeons knot using loops.

You can pull it out by the ends almost as easily as a standard shoe lace knot, but I have yet to have it come untied inadvertently

Thanks I think that's the method I use and it does help a lot but some of the very short sage brush has dexterous fingers that can snag and untie anything. The gaiters I use are very short and don't cover much more than the boot.

 

[Marbles]

Thanks I think that's the method I use and it does help a lot but some of the very short sage brush has dexterous fingers that can snag and untie anything. The gaiters I use are very short and don't cover much more than the boot.

No, that is just a properly tied shoelace knot. I'll try and make a video.

 

[taskswap]

I think I wear mine more in brush than snow. Here in CO we have a few types of plants that, when they dry up in Sept, have small seeds and burrs that get knocked off very easily when you walk through them. If they get into the top opening of your boot you're gonna have a bad day. Gaiters help stop anything foreign getting in through the top - snow or otherwise.

 

[100percent]

They also protect the lower leg portion of your pants from getting thrashed and torn, as well as all mentioned above. I always wear mine as well, unless it is really hot and i am above treeline.

No doubt! One reason I wear them in cactus and briar prone areas is I tend to launder my base layers along with pants and everything else. A pair of merino baselayers is a damn magnet for burrs and cactus needles that transfer from your pants legs! Needles around the noodle is a bad day especially 6 or 7 states away from home. Garbage at that point!

 

[Marbles]

@LostArra

 

[slowelk]

I hate gaiters. They make my feet wet from the inside out more often than they are keeping anything out.

I only wear them when I have to. Deep snow, active rain, or wet brush from recent rain.

Treated/waxed Fjallraven g1000 does a good job with most moisture I run into, and keeps me from having to wear gaiters until I must.

 

[EdP]

I haven't found a gaiter yet that covers the toe box hinge point which is where water has entered in most, if not all the leaking boots I've had.

Google "super gaiters." Outdoor Research x-gaiters are one example. I have used super gaiters in the past hiking miles in pouring rain and ended the day with dry boots but they seem to be more targeted to the mountaineering community rather than hunters. For hunting I wear Kenetrek goretex gaiters. Camo, waterproof, and soft shell (quiet) is what I was looking for. They work well unless you need to take them off. Then peeling open the huge Velcro closure is very loud.

 

[LostArra]

@LostArra

The video I posted was wrong. I use your method but on the first "half knot" I wrap twice. It does not allow slippage when making your loops and it helps keep your heel locked in place. I've also found using waxed kevlar laces keeps things more secure while tying and after it's tied.

Thanks for making the video.

 

[MJB]

For me it's snakes, foxtails/brush and wet grass or snow.
Snakes and foxtails/brush they work great...... water better than nothing!

 

[Daniel.j.s.cooper]

Probably should have mentioned this- I have either an older set of either expedition or crocodile gators from Outdoor research- I’m 6’5 and they almost reach my knees, after 3-4 visits to a seamstress to have the bottom strap repaired I’m about ready to retire my gaiters after several years and probably close to 200 miles in them. I was just very surprised to see every brand and then some advertising their gators and wondered if I was abusing mine, here in Alaska they keep devils club out of my socks, and when I was in California they made following mule deer trails through poison oak and stinging nettle almost pleasant to do in shorts

 

[Marbles]

The video I posted was wrong. I use your method but on the first "half knot" I wrap twice. It does not allow slippage when making your loops and it helps keep your heel locked in place. I've also found using waxed kevlar laces keeps things more secure while tying and after it's tied.

Thanks for making the video.

That would be a surgeons knot in style, and is the exact purpose. I find the longer bottom half not using that technique actually makes my loops more likely to work loose as it limits the tension for the top half knot.

The double turn on the top locks the loops as securely as a "double knot," but unties easier. Well, in my experience, more securely as I have had "double knoted" laces come undone hiking, I have never had the improved shoelace knot come undone (my name for it, I've actually not encountered it anywhere, but I'm sure someone else has done it).

I've also tried two turns on both bottom and top, it was no better than a standard shoelace knot.

With high topped boots, gutted 550 cord laces, wrapped around the top of the boot to take up the excess, and tied with a square knot works, but I've stopped doing it as the improved shoelace knot holds just as well.

If I come across some waked Kevlar, I'll have to give that a try.

Ok, I'll stop showing what a nerd I am. OP, sorry for thread jacking.

 

[rayporter]

gaiters help keep feet warm when your in the saddle.

 

[EvanG17]

They keep rain and what not off of me. And most of the brush action I occur is within the area of my gaiters

 

[Jason Snyder]

I can’t say I have ever worn my OR Crocs with shorts.

 

[Desk Jockey]

I use them often. I feel like with high hunting boots, I don’t always need them. When I do p, I have 3 pair

OR crocs - rarely used for anything but the heaviest snow. Those straps are wear items by the way and are meant to be replaced.

Kuiu - I would call these mid weight. Mainly for snow and when I expect a lot of rain or wet vegetation.

OR spandura - these guys get the nod for light trips. They keep debris out of my shoes. Shed a good bit of water and snow.

 

[justinspicher]

I used to wear them religiously everytime I went out. Over the past few years I stopped wearing them as much and I can’t even remember the last time I wore them.

I won’t disagree, they do keep various “things” out, but for me they have become unnecessary.

 

[ljalberta]

I’d say I wear gaiters about 50% of the time. Love them for keeping my pants and socks from soaking out when there’s low wet grass. Also for any muddy hiking. Hot dry days, or alpine days, and I’m going gaiterless.

 

[5MilesBack]

I always wore gaiters during winter hunts to keep my pants and upper boots dry and/or from freezing up. Without them there were times I felt like I needed an ice pick just to chip away until I could try to pull on my frozen boots strings.

But these days I wear them the whole month of September elk hunting to keep all the pine needles, dirt, debris, twigs, burrs, etc.....out of my boots and off my lower pants. They also protect my lower pants from holes and ripping. A few years ago I forgot to put them back on one evening and that's when a snag ripped my pants, the gaiter would have prevented that.

 

[black dawg]

In real wet conditions, they only delay the inevitable. As soon as my upper legs start getting wet from walking through brush, its like the gaiters funnel the water right down into my boots. Have had better results wearing the gaiters over a base layer, and pants over them.

In snow, work well for me keeping snow out of boots, and depending on the gaiter add some insulation.