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  1. #1

    Default Gaiters - worth it?

    Do you find when desert hiking, the extra sweat factor from gaiters is worth keeping the crap out of your shoes?

  2. #2
    Registered User Elaikases's Avatar
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    My wife loves them, I'm meh on them.

  3. #3

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    Reminds me of a time I was doing a hike with an ultra runner.
    Every time he got a stone in his shoe, he stopped to take off his shoe and remove the stone.
    At the end of the day's hike, I took off my shoe and about 5-8 stones came out.
    He saw this and said: "What"?
    I told him I just move them to the center of the sole of my foot and keep hiking.
    To each his own.
    Don't let your fears stand in the way of your dreams

  4. #4

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    I have flat feet. Doesn't work for me. Lol

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T337A using Tapatalk

  5. #5

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    Though the norm for the PCT seems to perhaps favor wearing DirtyGirl gaiters, we did not wear any. We do hike in long pants, which helps keep some of the debris out. It really was not a big deal. Most of our dirt in the shoe was not from a lack of gaiters but due to the mesh on our trail runners which allows quite a bit of fine dirt to enter the shoe - our Salomons let a lot more in than the New Balance, but then on the other hand, the Salomons probably had more air flow to keep the feet cooler.

    We found that the DirtyGirl gaiters, in addition to our long pants, was hotter due to less air flow. But as always, it is HYOH.

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    Don't leave home with my Dirty Girls! Would Definitely recommend for the PCT. Also, wash your feet at every possible opportunity. Even if you have NEVER had blisters the fine sand will act like 600 grit sandpaper. I had blisters by day 2 after ZERO blister on my training hikes up to 56 mile days. The sand is a killer as is the heat.
    enemy of unnecessary but innovative trail invention gadgetry

  7. #7

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    Not sure those would work with my boots. I have an old pair of ORs that I was thinking of using, the classic, loop-of-string-under-the-sole kind.

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    Make certain any gaiters you choose to use are NOT waterproof!
    I hate rocks and other debris getting into my shoes, so I almost always wear gaiters, often Dirty Girls.
    I even use my Dirty Girl gaiters frequently when snowshoeing. They don't work at all for post-holing, but, on snowshoes, they work pretty well and are awesomely light and breathable.
    I'm not lost. I'm exploring.

  9. #9
    AT 14/PCT16/CDT18? norts's Avatar
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    I was wearing out a pair about once a month. So I decided to see if I really needed them . Two of the most annoying weeks on the trail. Dont have to be dirty girl just light ones.

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  10. #10

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    For desert hiking in low shoes I have found the Activator gaiters to work well. They ride low on the leg and will protect the shoe from debris. They aren't water proof but do provide a little buffer against dew covered grass. I'm sure there are other gaiters like this but these work exceptionally well for me in hiking shoes or trail runners.
    Last edited by Traveler; 01-16-2017 at 06:46.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by nsherry61 View Post
    Make certain any gaiters you choose to use are NOT waterproof!
    I hate rocks and other debris getting into my shoes, so I almost always wear gaiters, often Dirty Girls.
    I even use my Dirty Girl gaiters frequently when snowshoeing. They don't work at all for post-holing, but, on snowshoes, they work pretty well and are awesomely light and breathable.
    why NOT waterproof?

  12. #12

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    I like my DG gaiters.
    Never hiked in the desert but I loathe debris in my shoes.
    Might be the way I shuffle but I always get stuff in my shoes.

  13. #13
    Registered User colorado_rob's Avatar
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    My wife loves her DG gaiters, as most do, and I'm considering them for myself on our PCT quest here soon.... but, there must be some significantly different foot/ankle bone shoe seal geometry differences. So far, I only use gaiters in deep snow, for obvious reasons, but in regular trail conditions, I never seem to get rocks in my hiking shoes. Maybe one little pebble a week or so of continuous hiking.

    But still, on the dusty PCT, seems like a good thing to wear, nice and light DG's, I agree, non-waterproof for maximum coolness.

  14. #14

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    Dirty girls
    Stop and wash feet and socks every 10 miles if wearing mesh trail runners.

    Never thought dirty girls were hot...wait..yes I have. But thats another story

    Big change from AT where I can leave socks on for a week straight

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    Garlic
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    Quote Originally Posted by MuddyWaters View Post
    ...Never thought dirty girls were hot...wait..yes I have. But thats another story...
    Hah!

    Their value may depend on if you wear long trousers, and if you're a sensitive little flower when you get something in your shoe.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

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    Quote Originally Posted by AllDownhillFromHere View Post
    Do you find when desert hiking, the extra sweat factor from gaiters is worth keeping the crap out of your shoes?
    The value of dirty girl gaiters depends not only how much crap you want to keep out of your shoes but how much crap you want to listen to..............

    I have a pair that I wear depending on the situation, but I also have fairly thick skin

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by yaduck9 View Post
    The value of dirty girl gaiters depends not only how much crap you want to keep out of your shoes but how much crap you want to listen to..............

    I have a pair that I wear depending on the situation, but I also have fairly thick skin
    Not the flashy type myself.
    DG's do come in a few mundane options.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by swisscross View Post
    Not the flashy type myself.
    DG's do come in a few mundane options.

    I found a pair in hunters camouflage, most of the others were the opposite of mundane.

  19. #19

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    Another +1 for DG gaiters. They don't cause you to sweat any more than you do with socks. But if you have boots you hike in they wouldn't work. They are great for those of us who hike in trail runners.

  20. #20
    GAME 06
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    I hike almost exclusively in the desert anymore and always wear the DG gaiters.

    It is not just keeping the dirt and rocks out, but they also help tremendously with the little stickers which come off of many kinds of grass out here which get stuck in your socks or go through the sides of your shoes - they are really annoying.

    If you wear them you will get lots more wear out of your socks as the fine sand just grinds socks up.

    rocketsocks Not waterproof because in the desert that would hold a lot more moisture/heat and help keep your feet wetter/hotter. Which of course promotes blisters. This heat extra moisture retention is one reason I advise folks to avoid Gortex shoes in hot country also.

    Because of my formerly broken back I do not take my shoes off during the day at all unless I absolutely have too - it hurts too much. The gaiters help with that too by keeping stuff out of the shoes and preventing the need.

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