Gear

Gaiters (short/long, winter, wet terrain)

Gaiters on a mountain boot.

Gaiters keep snow, water, grit and twigs out of the boot. Short and long versions, winter-specific and all-round. When you need them and when they are overkill.

Gaiters are the piece of fabric that closes the gap between trousers and boot. When that gap is left open you get snow down your sock, grit in your boot, water running up your trouser leg, and a constant chill from the ankle upwards that you do not need. A gaiter solves the problem with 100–300 g of extra weight.

When gaiters are needed

Three typical situations:

Winter with loose snow. Every time your foot sinks into snow deeper than ankle height, snow gets in over the top of the boot. It melts against the ankle, wets the sock, and chills the foot — or freezes into a lump of ice that chafes. Long gaiters are standard on a ski tour and a snowshoe trip in natural snow.

Wet terrain — bog, tall grass, dripping heather. You can walk all day in rain in good rain trousers, but if you step through bog or walk in hip-high wet grass, the water runs down the outside of the boot and into the sock via the boot opening. Short gaiters that cover the actual junction between trousers and boot stop that.

Grit, sand and small stones. On short island hops and in stony terrain it is easy to get stone and grit into the boot. Short gaiters or a simple ankle cuff sort that out.

You do not need gaiters on dry summer trips on a good path. It is not a compulsory garment — it is the solution to a specific problem.

Short vs long

Short (simple / ankle) gaiters. Cover the junction itself, roughly 10–15 cm up the lower leg. Light (50–150 g per pair), often in tight nylon with elastic over the boot and a hook under the sole. Used on summer and autumn trips in bog, grass and easy terrain. Salomon Trail Gaiters, Outdoor Research Sparkplug.

Long gaiters. Reach to below the knee, 30–40 cm high. They also protect the lower leg against twig flicks and snow thrown up by others, and stop long tongues of snow from gathering inside the trousers. Heavier (200–400 g per pair), with tougher fabric (cordura, ripstop nylon, or a membrane) and a full front closure with velcro or a zip. Used for a ski tour, a snowshoe trip, and longer mountain trips in varied terrain.

Expedition gaiters / overboots. Fully covering insulated models (often with a light fill), used on long polar trips where the boot on its own is not enough. For most people this is specialist kit.

Materials

Cordura / heavy nylon — hard-wearing for scrub and stone. Most common on long gaiters. Breathes poorly, but that is rarely a problem since the gaiters are on the outside.

Membrane (Gore-Tex or similar) — waterproof and breathable. Used on lightweight and quality models. More expensive and less hard-wearing than cordura.

Stretch softshell — breathable and flexible, but not waterproof. Suits cross-country skiing and mountain skiing where you sweat a lot and the snow is dry.

Zip or velcro

Velcro / hook-and-loop — the most common closure, especially on long gaiters. Copes with ice and cold where zips freeze shut. Wears out over the years, but is easy to replace.

Zip. Quicker on and off, but can freeze in winter and is more exposed to grit. Often combined with a velcro flap on the outside for extra durability.

Lace under the foot / hook. A lace stands up to wear better than a metal hook, but has to be replaced more often. A hook is quick and durable but can come loose and hang out. Both work; neither is clearly better.

Attachment points

On a typical long gaiter you will find:

  • Front closure (velcro or zip) along the whole length.
  • Elastic at the top that closes against the lower leg — it should be tight enough that snow does not get in, but not so tight that it stops the circulation.
  • Elastic or velcro at the bottom that closes against the top edge of the boot.
  • Lace or hook under the sole.
  • Hook or loop at the front by the lacing — attaches the gaiter to the lace tab so it does not slide up.

Check all of these when trying them on — gaiters that are a centimetre too short for your boot are irritating by day three.

The realistic basic set

For Norwegian friluftsliv all year round:

  • One pair of long gaiters for winter, a ski tour and hard winter weather (NOK 300–700).
  • Optionally a pair of short gaiters for summer bog trips (NOK 200–500).

Many people get by perfectly well without short gaiters — good rain trousers with an ankle closure do the same job, and a long winter gaiter is also used in summer if you are out in bog country. Long gaiters are the realistic single purchase.

Next steps

Learn more

Footwear → · Mountain boot → · Trekking trousers → · Socks on a trip →

Tekst: Snuitide (2026).