DIY Gaiters

Quite a fashion statement

I've been dreaming of sewing myself custom gaiters for years, and finally made some last fall.  They have quickly become one of my favorite pieces of gear, and I wore them every day last week on my trip to the Michigan sand dunes.

Gaiters are only useful under specific conditions though.  They are ideal for hiking anywhere dirt and sand tend to fly into your shoes.  They've also been useful for bushwhacking through tall grass and brambles, and on overgrown trails.  My gaiters keep my legs warm and protected when I want to wear a skirt, and can easily be pushed down when it gets hot.

Dirty Girl Gaiters, which seem to be very popular out on the PCT, come in cool and hip bright patters, but only go up to your ankles.  To make my gaiters, I started with this pattern and stretchy floral fabric to fit around my shoes, but then added on an upper portion of lightweight synthetic salvaged from old hiking pants.  They attach to my shoelaces by a velcro tab, and to a velcro strip superglued to backs of my shoes.

A triangle of velcro on my shoe keeps the gaiter in place