gaiter chafe

I use dirty girls, they are a loose fit around the ankle. I have not had anyroblems.

Have the gaiters been washed? Maybe something on them. I gave myself poison oak from an unclean jacket.

I sewed my own gaiters (11.5" tall, 13g each) made of the lightest ripstop nylon I could find. A simple tube with no hardware top or bottom. Just to keep the mud off my upper boots and lower pants (I sleep in the same pants I hike in). They are tapered: narrower at the top, wider at the bottom. I lined the inside with Tyvek cut from a 9" x 12" envelope. The Tyvek stiffens them just a bit and adds to the waterproofing. They are narrow and stiff enough to stay up, but soft and light enough that I leave them on all the time and don't notice them. No chafing. An easy project and my sewing skills are not good.

What, you don't shave your legs on the trail?!

No, seriously. That sounds weird, has never happened to me. Could it have been a seam doing the abrading?

What socks are you using?

I'm having trouble picturing this. What was the difference between rash/chafing on the backs of your ankles and the similar rash at the top of your sock? I would think socks would protect from any chafing where they covered your ankles. Mine only make contact at the top.

If you can't solve the mystery I'd replace them with a pair of Dirty Girls before I'd muck around with ointments. Though I'd also consider other culprits. My guess would be some pumice grit got in despite the efforts and that's what did it.

Glad at least it wasn't an issue until after the trip was over.

The summer I was going to do that loop (last hurrah trip before having kids) there was a fire too close and smoke conditions. Want to try again sometime over the next couple years.

I use Injinji wool toe socks. The rash I got from the top of the sock was similar, but lighter, not as deep a red, and it was only on my left ankle. Not my right, but there was a gaiter rash on the right.

I'll have to inspect the seams. I didn't feel like there was any roughness or chafing that I could feel, and they have been washed multiple times, as they have been worn on day hikes. This was my first long-distance back-packing for a while. Previously, I was using Montbell gaiters and never had an issue with them at all. I switched for 1) weight and 2) didn't like the cord under the foot with the Lone Peaks. With my Innov-8 boots the cord was never a problem.

I don't think I got into any poison oak/ivy. The Three Sisters Loop didn't have a lot of underbrush in most places. In fact, privacy for hygiene was difficult to find! I never got any irritation on my hands, and I touched the gaiters with my hands before they were washed.

It is a gorgeous hike, and when you have the time, do it! I was contemplating writing up a trip report.

I will be hiking with the exact same set-up next week-end, hopefully in Mt. Rainier National Park. The trails there are pounded to soft dust, or maybe mud depending. I've never had a rash there with other hiking set-ups, so if it happens again, I'll know it wasn't the grit, it was the equipment.