Telemark Talk / Telemark Tips Forum

I have a pair of Patagonia Mixed Guide's pants with built-in gaitors. I have yet to wear these pants.

I look at the gaitors, wondering if they are effective enough to justify their extra weight. I'd like to cut them out... but not if they actually work. They don't fit snugly around my boots. Not even close. There is a loop on each side of each gaitor though where one could run a cord through and under their boot.

If they work, in what conditions are they suited for? Doubtful I'll encounter snow that my skis will sink much more than 6" or so.

I say cut them out. If not convinced, leave enough material on the pants to attach them again...sew, zips, velcro.
Less weight is good. Easier to get at the buckles.
My pants were Ibex schoeller poly/wool blend, so a bit thick, heavy material. Cutting the gaiters made quite a difference.
Snow getting in doesn't seem to be a problem, or I don't notice. Knee high socks probably help .

I think they work- but I still wear a gaiter over my ski pants-boots if I am skiing below tree line. An over gaiter protects your pants and boots from wear. An inner gaiter helps keep cold and snow out of the top of your boots.

Thanks, Looseheel. Good idea about leaving enough material to reattach if wanted.

Lilcliffy - Thanks. I understand that they are supposed to help but in looking at them, I don't see how they would actually work. Both the gaitor and bottom of the pant are to be worn on the outside of the boot, correct? In that case, one simply has an extra pant leg... in my eye. I could see if the gaitor fit snugly around my boots, and they were attached to the boot so they didn't ride up, but that is not the case with my set-up. Otherwise, how are they going to keep snow and cold out any differently than not having them at all?

Not trying to be argumentative or a pain but rather trying to understand how they work so I can decide if they'll work for my particular needs or not.

Ok, I think I understand now... maybe. If the gaitor is attached to the boot, when your foot sinks in the snow, that part of the pant is not pushed up by the snow which would otherwise let snow inside the boot. If it isn't attached, the gaitor would make little difference. Sound about right? If so, I then have to wonder why not just have the pant leg attached to the boot in the same way? Seems redundant otherwise which would just be extra stuff to pay for and lug around. Of course, I still may be missing something here. I'm sure my wife would agree to that!

For most skiing you will never miss them but I have used them when I needed to ventilate. I could roll up the outer pant above my boot and the gaiter had ventilating mesh that let heat out and kept snow from getting in. I'd leave it like that for the up and down and never had a strap under my boot and rarely had a problem. One crash could change that and you could get snow up your leg and down your boot, but that only helps cool your feet more. If you really needed to stay dry, like on a multi day trip, you might want to think about leaving them on.

lowangle al wrote:For most skiing you will never miss them but I have used them when I needed to ventilate. I could roll up the outer pant above my boot and the gaiter had ventilating mesh that let heat out and kept snow from getting in. I'd leave it like that for the up and down and never had a strap under my boot and rarely had a problem. One crash could change that and you could get snow up your leg and down your boot, but that only helps cool your feet more. If you really needed to stay dry, like on a multi day trip, you might want to think about leaving them on.

Makes sense. Thanks!