This article was written by Connor, one of our founding editors. Connor is a full-time travel and lifestyle photographer with extensive experience in the outdoors industry.
As a lover of the outdoors, you’re always on the hunt for the next adventure. This can lead you to some interesting places. You’ll also be out in all sorts of weather, too. Of course, that’s exactly why you’re looking for the best walking gaiters, to help you when you’re out and about.
The best gaiters for walking and hiking help to protect you against wet grass. They should also help protect your clothing from thorns and scrapes on rocks and bush. After all, you’re likely to be out in them in the sun, wind, rain, or snow.
The best walking gaiters also help to keep debris, like rocks and pebbles, out of your hiking boots. There’s nothing more annoying than having to stop to take the dirt out of your socks and shoes on your walk.
As well as being effective, gaiters for hiking should last over multiple uses. In fact, if you buy the perfect pair, they could even last you for yours. Low end, cheap gaiters will begin to fray and fall apart fairly quickly. This means you’ll need to fork out the cash again for a new pair soon enough.
That said, let’s get into the best hiking gaiters reviews. Once you’ve read through the reviews, you can click through the image to purchase the product on Amazon.
Best Value for Money
Best for Durability and Waterproofing
Best Pick for Lightweight and Cheap
When you’re choosing the best gaiters for you, it’s best that you understand when you’ll be wearing them. If you know that it’s likely to be poor weather, then you’ll want a waterproof pair.
If you want a pair of walking gaiters to stand the test of time, then the Outdoor Research Crocodile gaiters are the ones for you. These should last for years if looked after. They are great for wet weather and trudging through long wet grass.
They also hold up well against debris and scrapes. The downside? They can get pretty warm and they’re fairly heavy in comparison to others on the market. However, this is ideal if you’re in cold-weather locations.
For the cheapest choice, you’re best to go for either the RAB Scree gaiters or OR Wrapid gaiters. The difference between the two is mainly that the OR ones are more waterproof.
The RAB Scree gaiters are excellent for the warmer summer days. They’ll also do you nicely if you want to protect yourself from pebbles and debris. Don’t expect them to withstand a downpour, though.
The OR Wrapid gaiters are perfect for somebody looking to buy good quality, yet on a bit of a budget. Maybe you’ll only use them a few times a year or are never in snowy conditions or long grass.
You should buy the RAB Latok Alpine gaiters if you want an all-around good pair of gaiters for a reasonable price. They might not be as robust as OR Crocodile, however, that’s not to say they aren’t good quality.
They are waterproof and aren’t as heavy as those of OR. They will also be more comfortable on a warm day, due to the fact they’re more breathable.
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Gaiters for walking and hiking come in two main sizes: ankle or full length.
Ankle gaiters will usually be cheaper and as suggest, simply cover the area around your ankle. Many people choose these to go over small boots or trainers. Often, runners will want to buy ankle gaiters to stops dust and grit going in their shoes.
Full-length gaiters are excellent to go over boots and will help to protect your shins from bush, thorns, and the wet. They’re usually chosen by people who walk more often. Furthermore, people who walk through long grass, snow, or even have to wade a river will want full-length gaiters.
Normally, gaiters will be made from synthetic material, with a waterproof finish. Higher-end gaiters will also have a waterproof membrane, to make them fully functional.
The fastenings of gaiters will be zippers, velcro, or adjustable cords. Velcro is ideal for ease of use, however, it can wear away fairly quickly. Zippers are also nice and easy to use, but can sometimes become jammed into the material or begin to fall apart after a lot of use.
Adjustable drawstrings are a consistently good choice and will rarely fail you. This also helps to make sure that the ankle is fully sealed off.
Many gaiters now are beginning to use a buckle system, which is more robust.