Gaiters are not essential to D of E expeditions, some people like them and some don’t, it’s down to personal preference.

The primary use foe gaiters is to help avoid getting your legs wet while walking through damp grass, they can also help to protect your walking trousers or water proofs getting ripped in rougher terrain.

While a useful addition to your D of E kit they can take up valuable space in your rucksack which could be put to better use for other items, if you are on expedition through rougher, boggy countryside that you know has had quite a bit of rain lately then they will be a welcome comfort and a definite advantage. Before committing to carrying gaiters on your expedition it is worth checking the weather forecast for the weeks leading up to your expedition to see if they will be worth carrying.

Gaiters don’t need to be expensive, in fact some of the cheaper ones I have used have been more comfortable and worked just as well as more expensive ones, make sure you know how to fit them and look at the quality of any zips or other fastenings as these are usually the first things to fail. Make sure they actually stay put on your legs, I have seen gaiters that just slip down the leg and offer very little advantage many times.