Rain pants and Gaiters - In or out?

[GPSGuided]

Never encountered personally but I am wondering how would you wear your gaiter and rain pants when both are needed? Gaiter over pants or rain pants over gaiter?

[wayno]

depends on the likelihood of damage to the rainpants, if you're scrub bashing, gaiters out.. harder to keep rain out of your boots if you wear it in

[GPSGuided]

Yes, exactly! I can think of the pros and cons for both arrangements exactly as you stated. Posting here was just to see whether anyone has any other reasoning for one way or the other. To me, it's all a question of whether one is ready to sacrifice the lower portion of rain pants.

[Bluegum Mic]

As Wayno said. Usually rain pants over gaiters (as I've usually got them on so when it starts raining I just chuck my pants on over the top). However if scrubby then I put them outside.

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[Strider]

Pants over the top when it starts raining.

[GPSGuided]

Ok, so it's over the gaiters then. Someone needs to produce a 3/4 length rain pants...

[Bluegum Mic]

Ive sewn a pair recently from WPB fabric. Ive just not had a chance to use them in the field yet. They're just long enough to cover the tops of the gaiters so they come down below the knee.

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[GPSGuided]

Nice BM!

[Strider]

Ok, so it's over the gaiters then. Someone needs to produce a 3/4 length rain pants...

I think this is the theory behind the Z-Packs Cloudkilt.

[Moondog55]

Ok, so it's over the gaiters then. Someone needs to produce a 3/4 length rain pants...

Berghaus and other English companies used too, but they didn't sell on the International market, shame as they worked really well ( this was in Pre-Goretex days BTW- I'm ancient) I had a pair for a while until I ripped them apart scrambling. Easy enough to make, my pair were very big and loose to pull on over boots fitted with crampons, and a drawcord and short gusset at the bottom

[creeping_moses]

I've always worn rain pants under gaiters. In the last year I would think I have done more days wearing my overpants and gaiters in this way than any other clothing combination, but thats Tassie for you. I guess if your gaiters dont have a snow cuff/inbuilt mini-gaiter that sits low on your ankle, well below the top of your boots, than overpants over gaiters would make some sense. I think gaiters should protect your pants from abuse just as much as they protect your legs! When wearing my pants (Mont Tempest) and gaiters (S2S Quagmire eVent) along with boots (Asolo TPS 520 GV) in this gaiter over pants fashion I can walk in water up to knee depth for a short period of time and still have dry feet. I need to try it with the pants over the gaiters!

[GPSGuided]

I've always worn rain pants under gaiters...

Do you ever get water seeping under your gaiters in the rain? Enough to worry about? Thinking through, if one lines the rain pants over boot entries and then cover it with gaiters, water shouldn't be a worry, right? Seems to be a case of the devil in the details.

[creeping_moses]

I've always worn rain pants under gaiters...

Do you ever get water seeping under your gaiters in the rain? Enough to worry about? Thinking through, if one lines the rain pants over boot entries and then cover it with gaiters, water shouldn't be a worry, right? Seems to be a case of the devil in the details.

Nope, water running down the overpants and under the gaiters has never been an issue. A small amount of water would do this I'm sure, but it never gets into my boots and has never been a noticeable issue. Water doesn't really bead or sit on the pants unless you are stationary. I think the key is having overpants with the minigaiter built in or snow cuff as some brands call it. This ensures that any water that runs under the gaiter just continues to well below the top of your boot and runs out the other end, as you say.

In reality, the only way water will ever get in is when crossing inundated section of track or creeks. I think when walking through water in situations like this having gaiters on the outside makes sense. It keeps everything tight on my legs, holds my overpant cuffs tight on my boots (what I think is the key to being dry), and also protects the overpants from wear and tear (overpants are much more expensive than gaiters!). If I had my overpants over gaiters they would be much baggier and I would worry about water coming up under the cuff (which is much less effective on its own than with a gaiter holding it tight) and being between the gaiters and the pants on the outside.

It just seems wrong to me to wear gaiters on the inside of pants.
Overall, my reasoning is this:
I wear gaiters to protect my legs, other clothing and boots from scrub (and snakes).
I wear overpants to keep my legs dry.
How can I ensure both these functions work when used together... by wearing gaiters on the outside of overpants! This allows the overpants to keep me dry and the gaiters to protect me and the overpants and as I have alluded to, I think wearing them in this way complements both their functions.

Anyway, you can tell it's exam time for me...spending way too long and getting far too involved in discussing such trivial matters.

[GPSGuided]

LOL! I buy your logic and thanks for going through the thinking. Good luck in your exams!!!

[Gusto]

I would say that the Gaiters should be on the outside unless you find it uncomfortable. If you find that uncomfortable then take your Gaiters off as they serve almost no function being underneath the Rainpants.

They don't even stop snake as the snake will be in hiding due to the rain.

[icefest]

Creeping Moses, where do you get reason pants that go over the top of your shoes? All pairs I've ever found are not long enough so I have to wear my gaiters underneath to keep my feet dry if it's pouring.
The joys of being tall...

[wayno]

gaiters will still serve a function in deep mud....

[creeping_moses]

Creeping Moses, where do you get reason pants that go over the top of your shoes? All pairs I've ever found are not long enough so I have to wear my gaiters underneath to keep my feet dry if it's pouring.
The joys of being tall...

Hi Icefest, I wear Mont Tempest overpants. I have talked about them on the forum elsewhere before as I love them! I have only ever had the Macpac Prophet pants to compare them too, and I rate the Mont's well above.

I am almost 6'2" and the mediums fit ok, but large may be what you require. The gaiter cuffs of these pants fit nicely on my boot.

[GPSGuided]

Creeping Moses, where do you get reason pants that go over the top of your shoes? All pairs I've ever found are not long enough so I have to wear my gaiters underneath to keep my feet dry if it's pouring.
The joys of being tall...

You must be tall alright.

Here in Oz, importers only bring in one leg length for rain pants i.e. Long. Way too long for my leg length by no less than 2". It just doesn't work when there are zippers involved at the cuff. Ended up buying women's line and that covered the top of my boots perfectly.

[icefest]

creeping_moses: I have a short torso and long arms and legs. This would be less of a problem were I more bulky, as then an XL wouldn't hang off me like skin post-liposuction.
I'm currently using Mont Tempest pants as they were the longest I could find, but I still get wet feet when they ride up due to bending the knees.
Great pants though, even though I've had to patch them on the inside of the knees, where they flex rub against each other.

GPSGuided: We are completely the opposite, I thought importers never imported the long models.
What I'd give for those 2" extra leg length..

[GPSGuided]

Go mail order from the US Icefest. I almost went that route but then found women's sizing fits. Fortunately it's just rain pants, no differentiation.