2014 JMT gear failure list

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rlown
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Re: 2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by rlown »

oldranger wrote:Russ,

With boots 6" or less I always get dirt down in my boots with out gaiters. The gaiters also help keep socks clean. So that is why I wear gaiters, short Outdoor Research Gaiters.

Mike
Pick up your feet when you walk and carry an extra pair of socks!

I'm not seeing the value of something else to put on.

As freestone points out, feet get dirty regardless, and there are always points/stops where you can take off your boots and let the feet breathe. That Noontime dip in a stream is really good for the feet and lets the boots/socks air out.

Russ
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oldranger
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Re: 2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by oldranger »

Russ

He said DG gaiters allow dirt in, my OR gaiters don't. In fact I once had to step into a lake over the top of my boot and because of the gaiters just a bit of water seeped about an inch down from the top of the boot, my foot stayed dry! If someone made a light weight boot that was over 6" and it fit my foot I would consider the boot and leave the gaiters at home. My Lowa zephyrs and short gaiters work for me--light with dry, clean feet and no blisters. I should change?

Mike
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Re: 2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I am totally a "gaiter person". I actually feel naked without them! In fact I wear OR Gore-tex knee high gaiters every trip, winter, fall, spring or summer. On very long trips (say 30 days) gaiters really do make a difference in keeping socks and feet clean. It may not be a big deal for a 3 day trip, but do a 30-day 200 mile trip and every little bit more if dirt counts. They also keep my pant legs clean. Hey- I really like to stay clean. No reason you cannot be clean just because you are out backpacking. I also do mostly off-trail. The tall gaiter keep me from bashing my legs when bushwhacking. And when I sit in camp, mosquitoes cannot fly up my legs - nor can ticks get inside my pant leg. As far as another thing to put on, -- come on, how hard is that? Nobody is ever going to convince me not to wear gaiters. I have ankle issues and boots kill my ankles - but with gaiters, I really feel I am getting a lot of the same protection. But to each their own. Go ahead and dump the dirt out of your shoes every rest stop.
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AlmostThere
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Re: 2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by AlmostThere »

The DG gaiters (and other spandex blend spats type gaiters) keep stuff out of my shoes and keep my feet clean. It seems that most of the dirt that gets in my shoes comes through the laces area of the shoe. Wearing my OR gaiters - which look a whole lot like Dirty Girls and cost about the same - I end the day with clean feet no matter how dirty the trail was.

DGs and other similar size gaiters are for shoes, not mid height or taller. Using them with a pair of mids prematurely wore out the first pair of DGs I had. The fabric developed a thin white band around the area that rubbed on the ankle area, and the gaiter didn't provide enough coverage for the laces/tongue, leaving an open area for the dirt to come in. With the Trekstas shoes they were ideal. They also work with the shoe version of the Keen Voyager.

I also have full length packcloth gaiters, a Goretex full gaiter for wet conditions or winter, and some shortie gaiters. And I use them when I need them.
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rlown
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Re: 2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by rlown »

With boots (mine are Vasque w/gortex lining) there are no lace holes that go through to allow dirt or water to enter. They are 6" tall so unless I'm dragging feet, dirt doesn't generally fly up and in. If you twist an ankle, you might like having that boot on. My feet are clean and refreshed at the end of the day every trip, even on the 10 day trips. I use Tevas when in camp because, who wants to be stuck it their boots for 10 days! Tevas also make great fishing/wading footwear.

I can totally see the value of gaiters for non-boot users.

Anyway, back to gear failure.. :)
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2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by Jimr »

When I was in tehipite, I had so many grass seed sheaths pinned into my boot strings that I couldn't get them untied until I spent 20 minutes or so trying to pick then out. It was as if someone went crazy with a stapler. Socks were trash too. I picked up some DG's for my trail shoes and will probably pick up some larger variety for my boots.
If you don't know where you're going, then any path will get you there.
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Re: 2014 JMT gear failure list

Post by JWreno »

I have done with or without gators. I like my feet to breath or they sweat too much and blister. I hiked the JMT with Brooks Cascadias last year without gators. Never had a blister and the shape of the top of the shoe did a pretty good job at keeping stuff out. If it is not summer I like the gators to keep the snow out. I can only wear boats with a water barrier membrane in cold weather. Socks get dirty be we hike with 3 pairs and always start the day with a washed a day or two previously. Socks take the longer to dry than the rest of our summer hiking gear so I like a clean dry pair for starting the morning.

We now use USB chargeable Steripens and they worked great. I would use a 5 watt solar panel on the lid of my pack to recharge a unit about every 5-7 days. My wife drinks less water than my son and I who weigh twice as much so our units got recharged more. I also kept my iPhone charged up for entertainment with the same solar panel. I gave up on filters. I got tired of pumping and the filters getting slower on multi week trips. Our 3 Steripens weigh about as much as the filter we used to carry. With a Steripen for each of use there is no waiting for water at the stream and the hiking partners Steripen provides a backup in case of failure.

Haven't hiked with a stove in the summer in ten years and its been several years since I have lit a fire so my lighter hasn't got much use. We just carry a couple of Bics between us just in case. Haven't had a pack or tent zipper blow out in a long time so we have been happy with our gear performance.
Jeff
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