By: Blonde Two
Amongst the lovely presents that Mr Blonde Two gave me for Christmas was something that I have craved for a long time; not jewels or sports cars or handbags (God forbid!) It was a pair of red gaiters. I was very excited to receive them (they matched my jacket) but equally sad when I realised that they wouldn’t quite do up around my calves.
They were a very lovely Sprayway pair, Goretex, lightweight and so, so clean. As they were medium/large we had room for manoeuvre and returned them requesting a pair in large/extra-large. Even then I found myself contemplating my calves. I don’t think they look particularly bulging, they are fairly solid from walking but surely not bigger than the average bloke’s calves.
Anyway, the larger pair arrived and I tried them on … apparently my calves have grown because this new pair didn’t fit any better than the last. It would seem that I am destined to always wear black gaiters and not know quite where my legs are because they have blended so much into the Dartmoor mud.
And yes, I was wearing my pyjamas for the try on … both times. No hope for fitting over the winter weight trousers then!
PS If you are sitting there thinking how silly gaiters are, and asking yourself why anyone would even consider wearing them, you have obviously never been out on Dartmoor after a week of rain.
Try wearing shorts B2! I never wear trousers, overtrousers, gaiters etc! Legs wash easily (often in a stream on the way back to base). I was running/leading a Secret Hills Walking Holiday in the Cotswolds over New Year. It hardly stopped raining and the mud was over the ankles (little ankle gaiters are useful for this to just cover socks). Everyone else was wearing the usual garb and they were absolutely filthy, never able to get clean or dry over the holiday. I’ve worn shorts all year round for many years now, come rain, snow, wind etc. I know the Cotswolds is a very soft touch compared with your lovely but sometimes harsh Dartmoor but I walk the hills and mountains in Wales, Lake District, Peak District & Scotland and never needed anything on my legs. Try it – it’s very liberating. Let me throw out a ‘Everyone in Shorts Challenge’ and don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! Flash those calves – they deserve to be seen!
Gaiters – ah yes – I remember. I had some as a child – they had ‘hundreds’ of black shiny buttons down the side, and needed a button hook to fasten them up. One day my Mother left me and a friend sitting on the doorstep of a shop while she popped in. My friend decided to undo the buttons so she could try on the gaiters. Mum didn’t think to bring the button hook out with her…….!
Gaiters with hooks sound a bit complicated, but kids in gaiters sounds like a great idea. We had all-in-one waterproofs for ours. Didn’t keep everything off but they looked lovely in them.
Oh those leggings! I was allowed to wear them to school as an infant but only if Mum came with me to undo ’em and put ’em back on again – didn’t last long! But gaiters sound like the biggest size cargo trousers I bought last year – two sizes bigger than my norm – and only barely big enough. They are coming from a country where people are shorter and more petite, I guess. However, hope springs eternal – this year’s pair are one size bigger – so try again next year B2!!! But shorts in winter? Brrrrrr! For reasons best known to myself, I am presently shivering in short-sleeved summer polo shirts – – – well not quite – I acquired a rather warm quilted body-warmer last week.
I shall keep trying, no hope of shrinking the calves so bigger gaiters must be found!
I will only say that I bought the same Fat Face pj’s for a Christmas present… Great taste ?
Fab pyjamas. I bought six pairs for the family, cost a fortune but we were lovely and snuggly on Christmas Eve (and most evenings since!)
“… never been out on Dartmoor after a week of rain.”
Or have walked through downtown Pittsburgh in February.
Pittsburgh in February sounds very cold! But the important questions are did you wear gaiters? And were they red?