Hi all
I've bought some new Merrel boots with Goretex lining but having been out twice in the rain my feet have been soaking wet.
It's been suggested I use gaters - will these do the trick? I'd rather not bother with them as I'd hope the boots would be waterproof in the rain anyway.
Any help appreciated.
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 They'll stop water pouring in the big holes in your boots where your ankles go, and give some protection to the parts of the boots that they cover. But they won't help if the gtx liner is defective. Wait til they're completely dry inside and then stand them up in a bucket of water.
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^ what she said  you could wear your trousers outside your boots, though gaiters will stop a bit of wear and add a bit of warmth.
you can get "stop-tous" or ankle gaiters if you prefer.
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Thanks guys - I'll give that a try. I'm actually on my second pair already as I took the first back adamant there was something wrong. I was assured they SHOULD be waterproof and they happilly swapped them for a new pair but don't know what to do now! I understand they won't do well wading through streams but walking along a path in the rain I would expect my feet to stay dry.
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 I understand they won't do well wading through streams but walking along a path in the rain I would expect my feet to stay dry. Note what Kate said about the big holes in the top. if rain runs down your trousers/legs and socks (which it generally will) then there's not really much to stop it getting in the top of your boots. And if it gets in the top (and why wouldn't it?) then that waterproof lining will make sure it doesn't get out. Unfortunately you're dealing with gravity both to fill your boots with water and to stop them draining, and you can't really get away from it by lining the boot. Pete.
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So you'd recommend the gaters Pete?
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if you want dry feet they're a good idea, yes. Note that water can wick down trousers to get inside the gaiters, and thence into your boots, but gaiters reduce the amount soaked up by trousers and pretty much deal with most of the wet vegetation you might brush against (long grass particularly good at getting stuff wet). Choice of trousers has quite an effect. Something like a pair of Tracksters don't catch or hold much water, so present less of a problem than most "walking trousers". I never wear gaiters with Tracksters, I may well with something baggier. This time of year I personally use sandals. No, my feet don't stay dry, but it doesn't matter that they get wet and they dry out very fast. If I'm in shoes or boots for whatever reason I much prefer unlined ones because they dry out much quicker. Pete.
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 Nah, never trust gaters on your feet. They have a bad habit of biting when you least expect it. Personally, I'll stick to using gaiters. Sorry, been sitting here for 2 hours waiting for Dell technical support to ring and tell me why they won't fix my video card and I've come over all pedantic.
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I use gaiters most of the time except perhaps summer. They help keep my boots clean, keep water out and provide an additional layer of windproof insulation. They can last for years. Admittedly once mine wear out I won't bother replacing them but that's years away.
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Gaiters also keep out seeds, brambles and stones from getting in to the tops of your boots so they are a pretty good idea. I also like to minimise the muck that gets onto my trousers.
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 I've got a pair of OR Salamanders which are just big enough to the crud and water out. Might be worth a look.
I got mine from Tamarack
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 Black Diamond also do a neat pair of ankle gaiters, the name of which escapes me, if you don't want to go the whole hog of knee-length ones, though - as above - water eventually will tend to find its way down your leg into the boot. Overtrousers with a short gaiter are probably the most effective answer, but obviously you will roast in anything other than quite cold conditions.
Short of a boot with an integrated dry suit type seal against your ankle, there's not much else you can do...
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I've had a pair of OR gaiters for over 10 years now and the strap is showing signs of wear and tear such that it may not last more than another year or two. Still they've served me well.
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Gaiters will also help keep ticks away. I wear them most of the time unless the grass is short and/or dry - or if on a path and it's dry. Being tall means that overtrousers sometimes fail to cover the boot top sufficiently, especially if ascending steeply, where the trousers ride up above the boot. And how many times have you seen people walking along, unaware that the backs of the O/Ts are above the boot cuff?
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Wish I'd worn my gaiters today! Lots of bog-hopping and rather soggy trouser bottoms by the end of the walk!
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 Wearing gaiters over trousers is a waste of time if you are ploughing through miles of wet grass that is taller than your gaiters. Water will wet your trousers above the gaiters and, given time, will wick down to the tops and then insides of your boots. In such circumstances you'd be better off wearing overtrousers over your gaiters, in fact, when wearing both, you should always wear overtrews over gaiters...in my opinion. You have to give goretex linings a chance by making sure there is no ingress of water through the big foot/ankle holes.  I think someone may have said that already.
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| Edited: 27/06/11 20:05 |
