Always trying to think of a better way!

[gunwharfman]

I have a pair of Rab gaiters and they are very good. In my case, because I wear a rain skirt and a long waterproof jacket I am always thinking of a better way to improve my lot when it's raining. If I could I'd like to do away with my gaiters AND my rain skirt and still keep my legs dry, but how?

Last week I watched the film 'Fame' (I think its a very good movie) and some of the young women dancers were wearing those long leg warmers so beloved at that time, they fitted from ankle to knees. Do you remember them? I wonder if some people still wear them today?

I'm going to talk to my wife's friend who is an excellent seamstress, she modified my walking jacket, made my rain skirt and fitted a 4' zip to my Hunker and for me, these items work really well. I now have this idea for her to design and make me two long tubes of waterproof material (I have enough Silnylon) which will be elasticated at both ends which I can just pull quickly over my boots and up my legs when it starts to rain. The bottom end needs to be designed to grip the top of my boots so my feet stay dry and the other end I want to secure 2-3" above my knees. Just like in 'Fame' but in my case, to be waterproof. I've found by experience that if I am going to get wet (not in light rain but when its really heavy rain and windy at the same time) it's my knee areas that are most likely to be affected.

I use this same basic idea to keep my hands dry, I have a pair of much shorter 'sleeves,' again made with Silnylon, one end of each is elasticated and secures around my wrist, my jacket sleeves go over them but the other end is not elasticated, they remain open and to work effectively the material has to be about 1" longer than my fingers. These work really well, with or without gloves, they roll-up very small, I always keep them in my jacket pocket and they are very lightweight

[ninthace]

Thoughts:
They are going to have to be long enough to reach up below your rain skirt some distance to prevent water running down inside them.
The grip on your trousers at the top will have to be on a narrow part of your leg to prevent slipping, just above or below the knee.
Gaiter material has inherent stiffness to prevent slippage, Silnylon does not, so the grip will have to be tighter and may be a bit uncomfortable, consider a lockable drawstring rather than elastic so you can adjust it.
Getting them over your boot heels, especially if they are wet, is going to be difficult.  The circumference required for clearance is going to result in some very baggy tubes - see comments on grip and slippage.  Overtrousers have leg zips for this reason - perhaps you will need a zippable gusset at the bottom.
How are you going to deal with the mud on the bottom of your boots to keep the tube insides clean - carry a plastic bag to put over your boot?
Are you good at balancing on one leg or will you need something to sit on?

[gunwharfman]

Good points, I'll absorb and learn from them. My Rab gaiters use an elasticated tightening system which can be adjusted back and forth when needed. The seamstress has also already made an adaptation to them, on the inside of the top of the gaiters, she has sewn some soft type towelling material because I usually wear my gaiters under my trouser legs and they were uncomfortable against my skin until she did this. I've already thought of a couple of points you have mentioned which is why I need her skill set to advise me as to what will work or not. I also appreciate your comment about Silnylon, I'm going to start with this material because I already have some in my garage.

[jimbob]

Metal curtain hooks of the correct size could be sewn into the front bottom gem to fit over your boot laces.

Possibly use velcro all the way up then never a problem getting them on and off, just the faffing with the velcro.

[Bhod]

To be quite honest in my opinion you might just as well go for a pair of standard overtrousers for all the faffing about you'll do, getting the 'tubes' on and off.  I can't see how what you've described  will improve your lot at all, if it's the leg that needs protecting lengthen your skirt, it would still give you ease and quickness of use over either overtrousers or your 'tubes'.

[Bhod]

Metal curtain hooks of the correct size could be sewn into the front bottom gem to fit over your boot laces.

Possibly use velcro all the way up then never a problem getting them on and off, just the faffing with the velcro.

Hmm, you've just described my Montane gaiters, hook on the front to attach to bootlace, velcro closing, only difference is my gaiters have an underfoot strap (which I never undo anyways so I can just step into them, attach the hook, seal the velcro and away I carry on).

[jimbob]

Velcro rain chaps. Then you can leave hge rain skirt behind

[gunwharfman]

No, I'll never go back to hiking waterproof trousers again, the chaps look interesting but they also look as just as clumpy. I'll have a proper look and read later. What I believe I'm ultimately trying for is a simple set up where I can just attach my new leggings around the top of my boots and just keep them bunched down there until needed. Not every day of course, just on wet mornings and on those off on, off on damp and wet weather days that we all experience at various times. So, there I am walking along, it starts to rain, I quickly put on my rain jacket, its instantly to hand on the top of my rucksack. I then bend down and pull up my leggings just like pulling up a long pair of socks and when the rain stops I just push my leggings down to around my ankles again. Or I'm going to look into the possibility of adapting my Rab Gaiters with a few inches of Silnylon sewn to the top of them, again just to pull up above my knees or to be lowered when I want to. I like my little projects, sometimes they work, like my rain skirt and long waterproof jacket, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, but for me, it's a bit of fun trying.

[Bigfoot_Mike]

Why not just wear shorts under your rain skirt and don’t worry about your lower legs getting wet. Gaiters will stop water getting into your boots.

[gunwharfman]

I never wear shorts anymore, we have lots of warnings about Lymes Disease down here in Hampshire so I try to be a bit careful. I know someone who caught Lymes Disease a few years ago, it ruined his life, couldn't work and so on. I also read that Avril Lavigne and Shania Twain suffered from it as well?