I have nearly written here before about trekmates, too. I bought a pair of 'goretex' gaiters from them, but, as someone pointed out above, there is a small panel in them which does breathe, and a large amount which remains sodden with condensation whenever I wear them. I would advise anyone to avoid Trekmates gaiters. To be truthful.....I havent found a make/model (excepting the exmilitary canvas ones) that dont make my legs clammy and sweaty......or hang around my legs like two hot water bottles so I have started using little shorty gaiters in preference to full length ones if at all possible.
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Bear Grylls would have caught two rabbits, skinned 'em and wrapped 'em around his legs 
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So what would he have done with the skins then?
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Made a hat. 
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 It seems a though a few people on this forum have had problems with Trekmates gaiters. However, I should say in their defense that I once used a pair of their Cairngorm gaiters regularly for a couple of years, and didn't have any complaints at all.
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 Made a hat. Would that have been a very warm hat?
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Possibly and his gaiters would have tasted nice with carrots and onions.
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few juniper berries and some red wine add a bit too
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 It seems a though a few people on this forum have had problems with Trekmates gaiters. However, I should say in their defense that I once used a pair of their Cairngorm gaiters regularly for a couple of years, and didn't have any complaints at all.
You mean nobody complained about the God awful gaiters you were wearing?  People are so tolerant. 
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 For me, the puzzling bit is that established brands produce stuff that falls at the first hurdle - errm plastic buckles that fail in the cold, which snow usually is IMHO. What level of testing takes place - a walk around the park at lunch time ? Given that gaiters are verging on safety equipment , the responsible thing to do would be to pull them from the market - which would gain the respect of the marketplace. I have a pair of Trekmates paclite overmitts that are well designed, effective and durable by the way, but thanks for the tip about their gaiters. Judy
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 Simon Barry wrote:
".I havent found a make/model (excepting the exmilitary canvas ones) that dont make my legs clammy and sweaty....."
Hmm. I've been rooting around today, throwing things out, and came across the very first gaiters I ever owned. Given to me in about 1973 or 4 by a couple from St Gervais-les-Bains. The boy owned a chalet at Miage, just under the Mont Blanc. We climbed up there at Christmas, dug down through the snow, opened up, had a very satisfying lunch.
He lent me a pair of gaiters and I was hugely impressed. He and his girlfriend gave me a pair as a christmas present. I still have them. Green canvas, made by Berghaus. A bit heavy, and even then hard to fasten at the back of the ankle, but maybe I should try them out again.
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I have never worn gaiters in winter in the snow? Am i odd?
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I have never worn gaiters in winter in the snow? Am i odd? Yes. By definition because you have asked the question on a site like this
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 I have never worn gaiters in winter in the snow? Am i odd?
If you have 'post holed' through deep snow without gaiters, or an under boot strap on your troos, yes.
Unless you like snow inside your troos up to your knees. There is snow, and there is snow.
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 were there gaiters back in the grand old days of hillwalking..? This blokey aint got any on in 1954. Is that you Mike..?
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That looks like my dad. What camera did you use to take that picture, Nuts? Of course you don't need gaiters if you wear double socks, and wear one pair up to your knees, and the other rolled over your boot tops.
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 I have a few different pairs of gaiters including a pair of Trekmates (Rubber Underfoot Strap/Plastic Buckles/Small Piece of Light Goretex) I'd agree about the heavier non breathable bit being soaked with condensation but I've worn them in snow and the buckles survived (probably not cold enough). I dislike them as they are velcro only closure but thats a different matter entirely. I have an old pair of Goretex ones branded 'Snowdon' and 2 pairs of Yeti's, Attack and Extreme, don't recall feeling noticeably damp wearing them TBH . On the subject of a broken strap, I've had underfoot laces break and simply carried on without, relying on the hook to keep them in place, pretty sure I'd have cobbled something together rather than abandon a £250 trip. A bit of paracord or if you don't have any then the cord from a stuffsack would have done the job I imagine.
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I always relie on my shell trousers doing up tightly over my plastics. I do have snow gaiters built into my soft shell pants
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