Waterproof and Adjustable Snow Boot Gaiters for Hiking, Walking, Hunting, Mountain Climbing and Snowshoeing

Gaiters

Gaiters are garments worn over the shoe and bottom of the pant or trouser leg, and used primarily as personal protective equipment; similar garments used primarily for display are spats. Originally, gaiters were made of leather or canvas. Today, gaiters for walking are commonly made of plasticized synthetic cloth such as polyester. Gaiters for use on horseback continue to be made of leather. They are able to cover the gap between the pants and boots and the top is just below the knee. There are usually drawcords to help adjust the tightness. Wearing gaiters, while largely preventing most snake bites, does not provide 100% protection.

Common materials for leg gaiters on the market are canvas, nylon, Cordura, Kevlar and leather. Nylon is better at preventing snake bites than polyester, canvas and Cordura. The best material is Kevlar, a bulletproof material commonly used to make bulletproof vests, protective gear, and protective clothing. But the downside of Kevlar is that it is expensive.

Military origins and terminology

After 1700 infantry in most European armies adopted long linen gaiters, or spatterdashes, as a protective leg covering to be worn over the woollen stockings that were a common feature in both military and civilian dress. By the 1770s military gaiters were often shortened to mid-calf length for convenience in the field.^[1]

In army parlance, a gaiter covers leg and bootlacing; a legging covers only the leg. In RAF parlance, gaiter includes legging. The American Army during World War and World War II had leggings, which were gaiters. Above the knee spatterdashes were cotton or canvas, as were many gaiters of varying lengths thereafter. Leather gaiters were rare in military usage, though sometimes a calf-length cotton gaiter had leather kneecaps added. Leggings, however, were very often made of leather, but also canvas.

What are Gaiters Used for?

When hiking, you regularly kick up loose debris like stones and mud and there’s a good chance these end up lodging themselves in your footwear, causing discomfort. If it’s been raining, you’ll also face puddles, sticky mud and more, not to mention crossing streams and marshy land if you’re traversing diverse terrain. With a pair of gaiters, you’ll have an extra layer of defence to stop anything getting into your boots or trouser legs.

Features

Waterproof, breathable stretch fabric deflects rain, snow, dirt and debris

How to put on gaiters?

Gaiters can be tricky to put on, especially for the inexperienced. Gaiters should always be worn outside the trouser leg. It’s best to set the gaiters up for the first time before you embark on your walk, so you can adjust them freely and avoid problems while you’re already deep into your activity. Take note of these steps to wear your gaiters correctly:

Put your men or women walking trousers and boots or shoes on and open up the gaiters completely, ensuring that the stirrup strap is fastened to both sides at the bottom. The adjusting mechanism should always be on the outside of your footwear.

Lift your heel and position the stirrup strap under your foot towards the front of the heel section of the outsole. The lace catch should be at the front of the boots or shoes, but don’t fasten quite yet as otherwise, the tension will be too high for you to zip up the gaiters.

Zip the gaiters up two or three inches and start to engage the adjustable strap to prevent the zip from getting undone, and stretch the lace catch forward as far as possible, or use the lace hook to fasten it securely

Proceed with the zipping up of the gaiters and fastening the adjustable strap.

Adjust the stirrup strap on the outside of the foot, aiming for a tight, secure fit. Secure the trim or cut off the excess so that the loose end of the strap doesn’t get in the way.

Adjust the top cord for a snug, comfortable fit that isn’t too tight.