# Keep feet dry with gaiters?



## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

yeah, it is almost "summer," but it's still raining around here, and it's gotten me thinking about making the upcoming winter more enjoyable on my commute.

I have full fenders (duh!) with a nice wide mudflap, and I have some Northwave gore-tex winter riding shoes, which are GREAT -- except when they fill up with water.

The shoes are waterproof from the outside, but in hard rain, which is pretty often in PNW winters, the water just runs down my shins and into my shoes. Yuck. then my feet get soggy and constricted and painful, and lose circulation...

Anyone have any success keeping water out of their feet with any kind of gaiter? Any brand suggestions, maybe from other sports or DIY?


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## Becky (Jun 15, 2004)

Only a partial answer...

I have some low gaiters  from REI that I use to keep the wind from sneaking past my skinny girl ankles and into my winter cycling boots. They're well-made and work equally well for XC skiing and trail running. I don't know how they'd fare in a full-on downpour...


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

My best results for keeping my feet dry have been with plastic grocery bags outside my socks. It has to be a midwestern thunderstorm-downpour (figure over an inch of rain an hour) to get through that.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*same*



Becky said:


> Only a partial answer...
> 
> I have some low gaiters from REI that I use to keep the wind from sneaking past my skinny girl ankles and into my winter cycling boots. They're well-made and work equally well for XC skiing and trail running. I don't know how they'd fare in a full-on downpour...


I have used REI gaiters, along with rain pants and Lake winter cycling boots. This kept my feet dry in a downpour. Stirrups on the rain pants help, too. The three layers, overlapped like shingles on a house, makes it work. I put the gaiters over the boots but under the rain pants.


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

*Thanks.*

That may help for really rainy days. Indeed, pants or gaiters that go OVER my boots, instead of the cycling tights that go inside them, may be the answer.

It's tough, because my ride is 25-miles, so having cycling tights is a lot more comfortable than flappy, baggy pants.



Fixed said:


> I have used REI gaiters, along with rain pants and Lake winter cycling boots. This kept my feet dry in a downpour. Stirrups on the rain pants help, too. The three layers, overlapped like shingles on a house, makes it work. I put the gaiters over the boots but under the rain pants.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*help*



Argentius said:


> That may help for really rainy days. Indeed, pants or gaiters that go OVER my boots, instead of the cycling tights that go inside them, may be the answer.
> 
> It's tough, because my ride is 25-miles, so having cycling tights is a lot more comfortable than flappy, baggy pants.


Gaiters without rain pants will help, if you get them pretty tight at the top, but you'll still get water running down or wicking down after a while. Better than nothing, though.


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## qwertzy (May 25, 2005)

Long washing up gloves that have the hand cut off are one solution that I've heard of. They're apparently tight enough to stop water seepage through the top and you just layer over the tops of your shoes. You might have to try a few pairs to get the right size for your calf.
Top points for style too


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## BikeRider (Aug 5, 2003)

I've used Seal Skinz socks along with rain pants and this keeps my feet dry.


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## Jesse D Smith (Jun 11, 2005)

Argentius said:


> yeah, it is almost "summer," but it's still raining around here, and it's gotten me thinking about making the upcoming winter more enjoyable on my commute.
> 
> I have full fenders (duh!) with a nice wide mudflap, and I have some Northwave gore-tex winter riding shoes, which are GREAT -- except when they fill up with water.
> 
> ...


While cycling in Maine, I tried gators once. They were of a pain to put on and take off, especially with the bottom stirrups. In order to prevent any water from getting in from the top, I'd have to cinch them down so tight it rubbed my leg raw. In the end, I wound up just dealing with a pair of rain pants. I found a pair whose bottom extended below the cuff of the boot, had an articulated knee, velcro bottom closure, and a zip below the knee. 
If you can spring for Gore's Alp X pants, you'll probably get your money's worth in your environment. And you can use them for off-the-bike activities in the rain.


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