Given the fact that you are here, i’m assuming your currently wonder whether or not you need to use gaiters while you snowshoe? Well, I can honestly say from my past experience of snowshoeing and doing other things out in the snow I have come to realize that in basically every snowy situation gaiters make life much more easier.
I’m sure you can relate to the following scenario. You’re out in the snow having some fun with friends and / or family whether it be snowshoeing the high appalachian mountains, or simply building a snowman with your kids. Either way at some point snow gets is very likely to make its way inside your boot, instantly freezing your leg for a moment or two, then beginning to rapidly melt, in turn absorbing into your sock, and the interior liner of your boot / shoes. Making your foot, and lower leg uncomfortable for the next 30 minutes to an hour.
The issue here is that dreaded moment when snow gets inside your boot or shoe… From that moment on you are likely to experience discomfort for a quite extensive period of time. Now, that is assuming that you only get snow inside your boot that single moment. But as we all know it’s snow gets inside your boot once it is most likely going to end up falling inside your boot again in the near future.
To combat this I have tried many different things such as tying a shoelace tightly around the lower calf of my pant leg with the upper portion of my boot tightly covered underneath. Which has worked for a short moment however, after a couple minutes of heavy activity the tightly tie shoelace begins to work its way up my boot along with the cuff of my pants, and shortly after it results in the cuff of my pants up near the center of my calf. Which results in an absurd amount of snow getting inside my boot once this occurs…
Now that’s just one of the things that I’ve tried in order to combat this terribly dreaded feeling. But the day that I learn about gaiters the problem was solved forever.
If you are on the fence as to whether or not you should get you a pair of gaiters for snowshoeing I hope to strongly convinced you in the coming lines as to why you should get you a pair of gaiters. I believe they will benefit you more than you might think!
Now, lets start off with the big question:
Do You Need Gaiters For Snowshoeing?
Do you need gaiters? In my opinion they are a must in most snow conditions, whether your snowshoeing or not. Gaiters are ideal to be used when you are hiking in soft, fluffy lightweight snow. But that’s not to say they aren’t worth having if you are snowshoeing in dense or packed snow. Now, that’s not to say you can’t go without gaiters, as I have gone snowshoeing without them, and I made it back. Was a little uncomfortable at times, but I made due. But now days I always prefer to use my gaiters over not.
Thought there are different situations, or scenarios to which I basically assume gaiters become a need rather then a want but also others where they more fall into the pile of wants. But I mean if you have yourself a pair of gaiters why not use them. Below we’ll go into some of the scenarios where I think gaiters are more of a Need. As well, later will go into the ones where having or using gaiters fall into more of a want. Meaning they aren’t quite as necessary, for those specific situations…
When Gaiters Are An Absolute Must
This depends heavily on the snow density to which you are hiking in, as well as the type of snowshoe activity you are attempting to do.
By the type of snowshoeing I mean whether you are hiking on flat terrain, hiking rolling hills, or hiking steep mountain terrain. Same goes for if you are intending on running in your snowshoes or simply just hiking. Because for those who don’t know some prefer the option of running. As there are actual snow shoes that are designed to be ran in.
Below is a list of scenarios to which you will most likely definitely want to be using gaiters as you snowshoe.
- Snowshoeing in Soft, Lightweight snow
- Climbing steep slops
- Snowshoeing where large snowdrifts are present
- Snowshoeing with snowshoes that don’t articulate with the motion of your foot as you walk
- Snowshoeing In Tight Pants or Leggings
Now, let me explain each a little bit better. So you understand completely what I mean:
Snowshoeing In Soft Snow: Probably the most important time to wear gators when you wear snowshoeing is when you are snowshoeing in soft, fluffy lightweight snow. Because, it is when you are hiking in soft snow when you typically will experience the occurrence of snow falling inside your boots or shoes. Due to the fact that your feet are sinking so deeply into the snow that the snow just can’t help but fall inside any trace of a hole.
for example, when you step into really soft, lightweight, powdery snow notice how the snow surrounding where you have just place your foot wants to fill in that hole you’ve created where you stepped. Well, if the snow is deep enough and you don’t have enough surrounding the opening of your boot it is very easy for snow to fall in through any of the open cracks that may be exposed around where the inner layer of your boot meets the lower to mid section of your calf.
This is where gaiters would provide a great barrier between the opening of your boot and the snow that wants to fill in the hole where you have just stepped.Even if you are wearing a pair of snow pants they can easily float up with the snow surrounding and make it easy for the snow to fall inside your boot. I’m sure you’ve probably experienced this as I have many times in the past. So, even though your snow pants likely cover a large portion of your upper boot. Unless your snow pants are strapped around the sole of your boot or strapped in a similar fashion odds are the cup of your snow pants will begin to float up and begin to let snow inside your boots whether it be sooner or later.
Climbing Steep Slops: When climbing steep slopes, whether you’re in a lightweight snow or heavily dense snow it can become fairly easy for snow to get inside your boots as you were typically lifting one foot or the other above the opening of your boots kind of like you would if you were marching in place. This movement makes it easy for snow debris on the snowshoe you are lifting to fall inside your boot.
Now this is only really a problem if you are wearing pants that do not cover the opening of your boots well. As snow pants that cover the opening of your boots well will likely provide a good enough barrier to where you won’t have to worry so much about it.
However, it can become a major problem if you are hiking a steep slope in lightweight powdery snow. Because of this sort of a situation the snow will feel even deeper than it is on the flats, which will make the issue above even worse.
Snowshoeing Where Large Snowdrifts Are Present: Snowshoeing in an area where snow drifts are present can become an issue because snow drifts are sometimes difficult to see, as well as they are typically made up of very lightweight, and deep snow. So the same issue as above “snowshoeing in soft snow” becomes the biggest problem need to consider.
But given the fact that snowdrift can vary in size from quite massive to small enough to where you don’t even notice them. Snowdrifts that are large will definitely be much more of an obstacle to get over and those that are much smaller. It is typically at the time when you are fighting a snow drift that it can be very easy for snow to fall inside your boots if you are not wearing gaiters.
Now, you could just simply walk around some snow drift. But if you are in heavy snowdrift country it can be quite difficult to hike around all the snow drifts you are likely to run into.
Snowshoes That Don’t Articulate: Now another major issue that you may run into even if you are hiking on very hard packed dense snow is the issue of your snowshoes actually throwing snow directly inside your boot. Let me explain this a little bit better, so with most modern-day snowshoes they’re made to wear the binding will articulate with your foot as you hike. This makes it seem more as if you were dragging the tail of the snowshoe along with you rather than picking it up.
But with snowshoes that do not have an articulating binding you are essentially picking up the entire snowshoe and articulating it with the motion of your feet as you walk. This causes snow that is likely to end up on the tale of each snowshoe to flip up and hit you in the back of the legs each time you take a step. This can cause for snow being sent directly into your snow boots from behind. It is essentially like you were throwing snow at yourself without the intention of doing so.
But again, if you have a good pair of snow pants that cover the upper portion of your snow boots you likely won’t have to worry about this. As your snow pants will provide enough of a protector against the snow being flung at the backs of your legs. But for most you likely don’t have to worry about this because like I said above, most modern-day snowshoes bindings / platforms are made to articulate with the snowshoer.
Snowshoeing In Tight Pants: Snowshoeing in tight pants or leggings can become a big issue when you are snowshoeing in snow that hasn’t got much density to it. Because in most cases for those who wear tight pants or leggings when they snowshoe you typically don’t have anything to cover the opening of your boot. Due to the fact that your pants are so tight they will not stretch over the opening of your boot, but rather your pants are likely to be tucked inside your boot.
You see, the problem with this is that at this point you do not have anything protecting the opening of your boots to keep snow out, so any sections of the trail that has soft, powdery snow will definitely become an issue. But it shouldn’t be much of an issue if you are hiking on quite dense, or hard packed snow. But just to be safe I think you definitely should have a pair of gaiters with you even if you aren’t wearing them, at least you have them with you for if you run into a section of the trail where the snow becomes quite powdery.
When Gaiters Aren’t So Necessary (But Doesn’t Hurt To Have Them)
- Snowshoeing in wet dense snow
- Snowshoeing on hard packed snow
- Snowshoeing on Ice
Snowshoeing In Wet Dense Snow: You know the snow that is easy to make a snowball with, or a snowman? Really the snow that you can build almost anything out of… It packs really well, an basically allows you to do anything you really want to with the snow??? You know what kind of snow in talking about?
Well, it is this dense heavy snow that allows snowshoeing to be somewhat on the easier side of the scale. Both in terms of energy used as you hike as well as less of a likelihood that you will get snow inside your boots I really anywhere on your clothes. You see, the more dense, or wet the snow is the heavier it becomes and the closer to the surface you will stay we were snowshoeing. Plus, this type of snow doesn’t typically like to they were in the hole that your foot creates when you take a step, but rather it just forms a deep hole with sharp walls.
It is this type of snow that the gators aren’t necessarily a requirement because, well, you don’t have to deal with the flood of snow that likes to surround your boots as you like. Rather, in most cases it prefers to hold its shape.
Snowshoeing On Hard Packed Snow: If you’re going to be snowshoeing on a trail that is quite regularly used by other snowshoers, cross-country skiers…Ect. Really anybody that frequent said trail whether it be on a recreational vehicle or just simply by foot…
Either way odds are the snow is packed, and the likelihood of you having to deal with powdery snow is extremely low. This sort of a situation doesn’t really at all require gaiters, given the fact that the snow you are going to be walking on it isn’t likely to surround the opening of your boot at any point.
But it is definitely a good idea to have a pair of gators with you and your pack or in your pockets. Because, like when participating in outdoor activities you can’t really expect the weather to be consistent / predictable.
Snowshoeing On Ice: If you are going to be snowshoeing on ice you shouldn’t have to worry too much about wearing gaiters as a long as you do not have a thick layer of lightweight snow on top. Like we discussed above under “snowshoeing on hard packed snow” the same principles apply.
However, if you intended snowshoe across the ice different dangers can come up. Such as falling through the ice and so forth. I do not recommend the activity of snowshoeing across ice. But if you are going to. Be sure you know that the ice is thick enough to do so.
Conclusion
Moral of the story, gaiters,in my opinion are a must-have especially if you are going to be snowshoeing in deep powdery snow from time to time. But even if you do not intend on snowshoeing through powdery snow? They are definitely worth while having at your pack any time you head out.
If you’re in the market for a pair of gaiters for yourself or another be sure to check out These Ones listed at Amazon.com. As I have heard many great things about them.
I hope this article provided you with some value, as well as convince you that gators are definitely worthwhile out there on the trail. If you have any questions regarding snowshoeing then be sure to check out the Outdoor Luxuriez Snowshoeing Lounge for more great content!
This Is Colt Signing Off!