Gaiters and Over-boots ?

[randoskier]

LilCliffy asked me to raise this subject in this forum and get various opinions, I had posted about this subject in a boot care thread before. You can see that post for more detail if interested.

I ski with the Yeti Attak gaiter- an un-insulated (removable, though not easily) over-boot gaiter, GTX with a rubber rand, weighs about 8oz each. They are avaialble in olive-drab or olive-drab.

My wife skis with the insulated version- the Yeti Extrem Pro Insulated (top pic)which is GTX Pro with Thinsulate insulation and a rubber rand. They recently replaced her Wild Country insulated over-boot gaiters from her Montana/Colorado days in the 80s which finally gave up the ghost.

Mine are mounted on Alaska NNN BC boots and my wife's on 75mm Svartinesen boots, we will see later this week when her Alfa Skaget boots arrive if they can fit boots with the Rottafella Xplore sole (looks like they can from photos, but....).

They have articulated toes on the rubber rand (see pic) which keep the snow off of your boot toes so the cold does not radiate directly through the leather and freeze your lil piggies. For us they work perfectly where we tour which is largely in Scandinavia (or on the French plateaus) as we encounter frequent deep snow, water above the ice on lakes, and every other imaginable condition, plus it is normally damn cold at those latitudes. One such day in pIc, above the Tysfjord in the Narvik Mtns., those are our pulk tracks not snowmobile tracks, the utility there of over-boots is obvious. Our boots/feet are always dry; even during multi-week tours where they greatly increase safety.

Some people do not like over-boot gaiters for various reasons ranging from weight and heat to aesthetic reasons. Probably not for the cable crowd either. We find them comfortable and almost indispensable.

What's your opinion...What do you use (or not use) and why?

[fisheater]

I have the Outdoor Research Crocodile gaiters. I use them when the snow climbs up to my ankles, which sadly isn’t all the time. I don’t ski through overflow, nor do I ski beyond a day trip in deep mush. Rubber over boot gaiters aren’t something in need, although hopefully I can pull this thread up if I ever do.
The OR Crocodile is top notch for skiing in snow, and it seems pretty durable. It will be a while before I wear it out.

[Woodserson]

How much warmth does the UN-insulated version offer you?

[fgd135]

My very first pair of gaiters purchased in college in the 1970's were a pair of Berghaus canvas knee highs, iirc. Not Yetis, but good ones never the less. Didn't hold up for ice climbing, they were a little baggy and stiff, and caught front points at times(operator error).
As I mentioned in your other post on boot care, I also use Berghaus Yetis, right now on a pair of leather 75mm Alico boots. Mine are an older model with insulation only on the toe cap, that I've had for a few decades. They are replacements for a previous pair of Yetis I bought in 1980, maybe at Komito's? Have used Yetis on expeditions, multiday skiing hut trips, for ice climbing over plastic boots, over double Asolo leather tele boots, and etc. Even on Garmont Excursions. Wierd, icy, chunky snow causes the toe rands to slide up, so I also use rubber cement to hold the rand down.
Warmth with these gaiters is outstanding compared to regular gaiters since snow never really touchs the uppers.
I don't change them between boots because of this, and they won't fit on my Scarpa plastic tele boots so I wear other standard style gaiters. In deep snow and deep cold, though, those Yetis really do the trick.
It looks like there's plenty of surplus used Yetis for sale these days, I suppose it would be worthwhile to pick up another pair!

[Greenhighlander]

I really like the look of those Yeti .

Other then in warm weather I just use the ones built into my snow pants. In warmer weather I use a pair of gaiters with a strap that goes under my boot , a clip that goes on the laces and it velcros up the back with a drawstring around the top. I don't use the strap as it interferes with my binding and the groves in my boot.

[randoskier]

My very first pair of gaiters purchased in college in the 1970's were a pair of Berghaus canvas knee highs, iirc. Not Yetis, but good ones never the less. Didn't hold up for ice climbing, they were a little baggy and stiff, and caught front points at times(operator error).
As I mentioned in your other post on boot care, I also use Berghaus Yetis, right now on a pair of leather 75mm Alico boots. Mine are an older model with insulation only on the toe cap, that I've had for a few decades. They are replacements for a previous pair of Yetis I bought in 1980, maybe at Komito's? Have used Yetis on expeditions, multiday skiing hut trips, for ice climbing over plastic boots, over double Asolo leather tele boots, and etc. Even on Garmont Excursions. Wierd, icy, chunky snow causes the toe rands to slide up, so I also use rubber cement to hold the rand down.
Warmth with these gaiters is outstanding compared to regular gaiters since snow never really touchs the uppers.
I don't change them between boots because of this, and they won't fit on my Scarpa plastic tele boots so I wear other standard style gaiters. In deep snow and deep cold, though, those Yetis really do the trick.
It looks like there's plenty of surplus used Yetis for sale these days, I suppose it would be worthwhile to pick up another pair!

Yeah they have made the Yeti a long time, originally for the British Army/Marines who still use them. Ha, Komito, my wife used to work in his shop! She is still frequently in touch with him via email. We recently visited Silvo Caro the Slovenian climber at his home and we helped him track down Komito, Steve sponsored him in the 70s. Silvo and his son just visited Steve in his shop right before Covid. My wife has an old pair of Lowe Foot-fangs she used for water ice, they weigh a freakin' ton and were great for ruining gaiters! It is said that almost every climber worth his salt has slept in Komito's house or the floor of his shop! Steve who is not so tall had a lot of courage belaying for Layton kor on all those first ascents- Layton was like 6'6 and yelled a lot of shit down at Steve! Steve is a great climber/philospher/Boot re-soler. The missus knows the whole tele-bunch of yore from Estes- Harry Kent, Billy Brown, Detterline, and that lot. I think it was Billy Brown and someone else from Estes that skied the Haute Route Cham to Zermatt way back when on skinny tele skis and the black shoes, which was rarely done in that era on Nordic gear. Are you from Estes?

[randoskier]

How much warmth does the UN-insulated version offer you?

Enough for me, I wear a thick wool sock and thin merino wool liner, the Alaska's are very warm anyway. I don't know if the legs add warmth except for cutting wind, but the snow off the toes is very effective and I love dry boots. I have skied into mid-May in Lapland and never been too warm in them- I just ventilate em with the zipper like regular gaiters.

My wife gets colder than I and she loves the insulated version, it is really warm.

Berghaus should sell this product line to someone who will keep the stock up and straighten out their sizing chart that is way off. They have always been a hassle to source in any size larger than Medium (which fits size 38 boots perfectly!). Mine are XXL on 45 Alaska, perfect fit. I can't imagine what their XS fits!

[randoskier]

Berghaus (for a change) has the Attak gaiter in all sizes on their UK website, 95 pounds which I think is about $120 ish. Of course for the Extrem model they only have baby sizes. Maybe Berghaus US has em?

[Woodserson]

Interesting. Thanks for the details. My feet are getting colder recently due to some health changes, and I'm thinking of an external layer. I don't have enough room to wear two socks in the my Alaskas and 48's are impossible to find.

[lilcliffy]

Thank you for this thread Rando!

The coldest I have every ski-toured in is about -45C and so far have been comfortable in an insulated leather touring boot (e.g. Alpina Alaska, Alfa Guard) with wool insole and thick wool sock- and standard gaiter over the boot and lower leg (I also have been using OR Crocodile Gaiters for many years).

I run warm- and have yet to suffer from too cold feet-
I carry overboots in very cold weather (and on any multi-day tour) and slide them on over my touring boots when I am not skiing.

I can certainly see the pros of those extreme, full-coverage gaiters for ski touring in even colder temperatures.

I wear gaiters almost 365 days a year.

I wear them for all of my forestry field work- I even wear them when cutting timber.

Whether one wears them to keep warm and/or dry- gaiters will extend the lifespan of both your boots and your pantsas a layer of durable and replaceable protection. The conditions I work, play and tour in are VERY abrasive- my work/field/touring pants will barely last a season if I don't wear gaiters.