Dirty Girls

Essential gear

We’re talking gaiters here, not naughty women.

I caught on to using these a few years ago after yet another hiking trip in which I was plagued with debris in my shoes. I already knew that Dirty Girls had a cult following, but for some reason I viewed gaiters in general as weird. But, on the AT especially, I kept seeing other hikers using them. I finally figured that there must be a reason that so many hikers do so, so I ordered my first pair. I still have them, and still wear them on every hike.

From the Dirty Girls website:

“Anyone can wear black gaiters! But a dirtXy girl’s gotta do what a dirtXy girl’s gotta do! Accessorize! Dirty Girl Gaiters keep the debris out of your shoes with ultralight style and sass. And you’ll have something fun to look at while you hang your sorry head and shuffle your tired feet. This soft, comfortable four-way stretch spandeXy uniseXy gaiter weighs less than two ounces. It hooks under the front shoe lace and secures to the back of the shoe with a self-adhesive velcro strip. They are dirt cheap for $23 per pair. “

Browse that website and check out all of those cool patterns. I chose the breast cancer ribbon one because that’s what I do for a living (read mammograms). Plus, they exude coolness AND even give a hint to female hikers that I’m a decent guy. I’ve received quite a few compliments about them.

But looking cool wouldn’t mean jack if they didn’t function well, and they emphatically do just that. No longer do I get leaf litter and pebbles in my shoes. I can even plow through sand dunes and not get sand in my shoes.

Even better, it seems like they’re tailor-made to use with Altra shoes, which of course are my trail runner of choice.

Altras come with two thoughtful little extras that make using gaiters a breeze.

First is the GaiterTrap, which is a strip of velcro that remains covered when not in use. When you want to use it to attach your Dirty Girls, just pull the tab down to expose the velcro.

Altras also have a little hook to clip the front end of your gaiters to, which allows you to avoid using your shoelace instead.

This system is virtually idiot-proof, which is an important consideration for me when using something because….anyway. Although I think my Dirty Girls are entering their 4th year of service and have over 1,000 miles on them while still looking great, remember that they are UL gear. They are NOT rugged bushwhacking gear. Per their website notice regarding their warranty:

“Unlike conventional hiking gaiters that are made of heavier textiles, Dirty Girl Gaiters are made of four-way stretch spandex fabric similar to the fabrics used in bathing suits and lightweight running tights.”

“The goddesses proudly warranty Dirty Girl Gaiters to be free from manufacturing defects. This warranty does not cover fabric failure due to durability issues, damage caused by accident, improper care, negligence, normal wear and tear, or the natural breakdown of the materials over extended time and use.”

And furthermore….. “If you expect to be trekking through overgrown vegetation, bushwacking, or coming into contact with sharp objects, please do not purchase them or return them upon receipt in accordance with our return policy. This lightweight fabric is very durable, but it will tear if snagged on a sharp object or scraped against a briar or rock.  Damages caused by rips or tears in the fabric are considered normal wear and tear. If you knock your ankles together with your stride, you will wear holes in them. These holes are considered normal wear and tear. Repeated friction and rubbing against parts of your shoe will wear holes in the fabric. These holes are considered normal wear and tear and will occur even if you do not come into contact with sharp objects. Damages to the fabric or hooks by washing machines or dryers are considered improper care and are not covered by our warranty policy.  Damages caused by wild animals chewing on your Dirty Girls are considered improper care and not covered by our warranty policy.”

Sounds fair. Rest assured though, this isn’t flimsy gear.

And for the gram weenies, my squatch-sized pair weighs a mere 1.6 oz.

You can sometimes find them at outfitters, but I recommend hitting their website so that you have access to the full range of wild patterns that the goddesses offer.