Yeti gaiters took the mountaineering world by storm in 1978, offering the prospect of dry feet for evermore. For a few years it seemed that everyone was wearing them even when they were difficult to fit and didn’t stay on your boots very well after you had fitted them. Sales of Evo-Stick glue rocketed and climbers got their fingers stuck together trying to stretch the gaiter over their boots with glue on them. If you could only get them to stay on your boots they did keep the water out and some folk loved them whilst others suggested it was like walking with condoms on your feet!

Interestingly, as Berghaus slowly improved their gaiter, their popularity dwindled and within a few years far less folk were wearing them. This could have been down to the arrival of plastic boots and more waterproof leather ones – we’re not sure. The gaiters still remain fairly popular however and the ones we have here date from the late 1980s/early 90s. Though actually advertising the boot, the advert above shows quite nicely how these gaiters fit.

This pair were kindly donated by Mountain Guide, Dave (Smiler) Cuthbertson.