[pct-l] Gaiters?

[Steel-Eye]

Good evening, Eric,



Based upon your gaiterless success on the AT I'd say you could probably do the same on the PCT.  Low gaiters may help a little in keeping the snow and ice out, but the main reason is the abrasive sand.  Although many hikers go without gaiters I, for one, could not.  My shoes are roomy and loosely tied, and I wear relatively thin socks.  The result is, all manner of "trail-mix" gets in if I don't wear gaiters.  Even with gaiters I had trouble with fine trash getting past un-gusseted tongues.  I've been known to reflect unkindly on the ancestry of anyone who would design a trail shoe without fully gusseted tongues, and express doubts that their parents were well acquainted.

 

Your feet will probably be somewhat cooler without gaiters, but if sand does get in it will eat through your socks in short order.  

 

I believe the photo at the attached link is of the only day this year that I didn't wear gaiters, and it was only because they were frozen stiff in the morning so I avoided putting them on until later in the day.  http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=188368

 

Enjoy ..

 

Steel-Eye


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Eric Payne 
  To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:11 PM
  Subject: [pct-l] Gaiters?


  I've never really worn gaiters before, but am wondering if they are a huge help in the desert and/or snowy portions of the trail?  I did my AT thru this year without using them once, but I'm assuming the type of dirt is different out there, especially in the desert.  I'm picturing smaller grains of sand that may sneak inbetween the shoe and sock.  My theory on the AT was that as long as you lace your shoes up tightly, and have thick socks that act as a barrier allowing no gap for dirt, your shoes stay scree-free.  But...perhaps the desert and snow pack in the Sierras change all of that?  I'll definitely pick up the Simblissity Leva Gaiters if I opt for any, but I'd like to save my money if they aren't really a big deal. 



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