Gaiters and safety

[El Cascayal]

After walking in a recent heat wave in the rain while wearing rain pants aka glorified black trash bags/personal sauna. Wetter inside than outside the pants.
Can anyone please give their experience with gaiters that have straps while wearing trail runners (not boots or shoes with an indentation between heel and plantar surface)?
How is the risk of getting trapped and face planting, falling or twisting your ankle?
Does this strap post a risk of getting caught on rocks, tree branches, Roman roads etc…?
Has anyone cut off the straps and used Velcro to attach?
I don’t mind getting upper legs wet, I need to protect what potentially gets in my trail runners. I always get blisters when shoes and socks get drenched.
All experience and advice is welcome and appreciated!
Thanks, Aymarah

 

[J Willhaus]

There is a type of gaiter called the "dirty girl" gaiter that attaches to the shoe with velcro. There are other similar brands as well.

 

[El Cascayal]

JWilhaus, Thanks for responding. Dirty girl doesn’t have WP. I am thinking of McGivering one with straps and attaching Velcro similar to the above brand.
I would like to know how it has fared for those who use straps.

 

[Former member 92300]

There is a type of gaiter called the "dirty girl" gaiter that attaches to the shoe with velcro. There are other similar brands as well.

But dirty girl won't keep your socks dry. They do a great job of keeping rocks out, but not water resistent.


My experience with gaiters have been mixed. Sometimes I wear them. Sometimes I don't. And I won't for a Camino, but will for some back country wilderness hikes.

On the Camino - most of the time - even if it rained a lot - my socks stayed mostly dry. I wore non-waterproof trail runners with injinji toe socks and merino wool socks. They did a good job of keeping the moisture away from my foot. I never even had to change my socks mid-day for most rain days. That said - I did have a day where I had to walk through tall wet grass ALL.DAY.LONG. And my other socks hadn't dried from being washed several days earlier (too cold and damp and nothing was drying). So - my solution going forward is to keep my normal sock system for most days. But - I will bring one pair of waterproof socks if it is going to be a very wet day. I will wear them over my injinji toe socks. Works great so far.

As for my legs - I just wear shorts unless it is very cold outside (winter cold), and I don't bother bringing rain pants unless it is winter or I am backcountry wilderness hiking.

 

[trecile]

There is a type of gaiter called the "dirty girl" gaiter that attaches to the shoe with velcro. There are other similar brands as well.

But I don't believe that they are waterproof. They are just for keeping small stones and dirt out if your shoes.

 

[J Willhaus]

But I don't believe that they are waterproof. They are just for keeping small stones and dirt out if your shoes.

I have worn the other kind, too, but only when snowshoeing.

 

[Texas Walker]

There is a type of gaiter called the "dirty girl" gaiter that attaches to the shoe with velcro. There are other similar brands as well.

Dirty Girl gaiters are not for water, they're for sand and little rocks that your shoes throw into each other.
I love mine.

 

[Ivan_Prada]

Maybe you can find in a sports shop a spray that would re-apply the water proof capabilities of a tent.

You can make these gaiters from an old sweat shirt sleeve. Do the experiment, you (@cascayal) are about to get on raining season and good time for testing.

Hope this helps.

Iván