Dirty Girl Gaiters

[Drapac]

With my start date fast approaching, I am picking up the last of my gear and am now looking at gaiters.
I am going to be using trail runners and found the dirty girl gaiters mentioned quite a bit on the forums as a good option.

I noticed on their website though, that you need to attache some Velcro to the back of the shoe to connect the back of the gaiter.

Has anyone had any problem with the velcro wearing off or losing its "stick" while hiking long distances?

[rhjanes]

I have not tried Dirty Girls.
I went with these, no velcro
http://www.simblissity.net/levagaiter.htm

[DuneElliot]

Only one time and it was after a lot of dirt and a lot of water.

[DuneElliot]

I would prefer to carry a little extra piece of heel velcro in my repair kit just in case than have a floating velcro closure around my ankle like the levagaiters have

[Odd Man Out]

I got some Altra Lone Peak 3.0 Trail Runners for Christmas. I didn't realize until just recently that they have built a built in Velcro tab on the heel (labeled the Gaiter Trap).

A3463_Gray.jpg

[Dogwood]

Directions for adhering the heel velcro come with the gaiters when buying new. Follow them for better results. I've had the velcro they come with loosen up. Unless there's been a change the velcro is super adhesive but not all trail runner heels are the same, some folks have high insteps(moi), and some opt for too small a size gaiter(moi) all stressing the heel velcro tab. A solution I've found is using that trusty McNetts Seam Grip to adhere the velcro to a CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN NEW trail runner. Smear some cleanly onto the velcro and carefully attach. I usually place some temporary tape over the velcro o hold down the edged until the Seam Grip dries.

Even though there's talk about Dirty Girls I, and I believe most, use them not often on the AT but drier hikes out west. They are made from stretchy Lycra that wets out. They will keep debris out even if wetted out. Might apply a DWR or WPer but then you decrease the breathability of the Lycra.

See Dirt Diva is who first pops up on the Dirty Girl site.

Not sure whether or not Brett at Simblissity is currently making the levagaiters. These are a better option for the AT IMO. Depends on who you expect your gaiter to do.

[bamboo bob]

I found gaiters to be unnecessary. Once in a while in desert I thought they would be good but truly I don't think they are worth the small bother. Dirty girls look cool though so I think fashion plays a part. Every year has it's hip new piece of gear that all the cool kids use. I wonder what it will be for 2017?

[Dogwood]

Embrace the futility,
Celebrate Reality and
Anti-resolutions

Xy 's wittiness. She is...ah eccentrically light hearted playful. Love those Calli-forn-eee-yuns.

[MuddyWaters]

Dont put it low on midsole, rocks will tear it off
Put it on back of shoe upper behind heel
Higher is better for less tension
A tall vertical strip, or two above each other, helps it stay attached

[Dogwood]

Dont put it low on midsole, rocks will tear it off
Put it on back of shoe upper behind heel
Higher is better for less tension
A tall vertical strip, or two above each other, helps it stay attached

Too high you might not get a seal around the top of your trail runner. Then what the heck are you hauling gaiters for? Not that I'd ever do that.

[DuneElliot]

I stick the velcro to the rubber/plastic on the heel of the upper shoe...it's the only place to do so on my Salomon Speedcross

[Engine]

I've had the same pair of DG gaiters for years and they are still going strong. They don't offer protection against water, but not much does and your feet ARE going to get wet eventually anyway. But, for protection against sand, grit, leaves, twigs, etc...they are a super light and very effective solution.

[Drapac]

Not too worried about water, vented trail runners are going to get wet, but keeping debris out is going to be key. Especially in what I can only imagine will be a muddy couple of early spring months on the trail.

I have had my feet get absolutely destroyed on a Tough mudder run, but small bits of gravel in the shoe. So small you don't really realize it until you take the show off and wonder what happened to your feet. Of course hiking is a far cry from trial running, but it would be nice not to have to stop and take the shoes off each time I feel something get in. Also, I imagine they are great from keeping snow out. (not the water, but actual snow sliding in.

Thanks for the replies.

[RockDoc]

Gaiters are absolutely necessary if you wear trail running shoes, IMO. We've used them for 15 years for trail running and hiking. Started out with dirty girls, but lately we use run funky. Better quality, cool colors. A big issue is fastening the velcro tab to your shoes. Use epoxy.

[Cheyou]

I use shoegoo to hold the Velcro on the heal of the shoe.

[egilbe]

I use shoegoo to hold the Velcro on the heal of the shoe.

Ditto. Dirty girls are da bomb

[Dogwood]

I have not tried Dirty Girls.
I went with these, no velcro
http://www.simblissity.net/levagaiter.htm

Hmm, I've tried Dirty Girls.

[soilman]

I have had the velcro come off a couple of times. I have used several traditional types of gaiters over the years and I find DG's the easiest and cheapest solution to keeping debris out of my shoes.

[soilman]

Dirty girls look cool though so I think fashion plays a part. Every year has it's hip new piece of gear that all the cool kids use. I wonder what it will be for 2017?

Yeah. I never got any comments on my OR gaiters but have received several mentions of my Dirty Girls.

[egilbe]

I use my OR Crocodile gaiters for Winter hiking. Nobody comments on mine, either.