When you are outdoors hiking a mountain trail on a wet or rainy day, your shoes and the legs of your pants can get soaking wet and covered in leaves and dirt. That is where a good pair of rain gaiters can save the day. They can keep you dry and keep all of the debris off of your legs and shoes.
There are a lot of cheap gaiters out there. They are better to have than not. At least they will keep the wet debris off your legs and shoes. But waterproof ones are best because they also keep you dry. High-quality gaiters are often also easier to keep clean.
My purpose in writing this article is to list the top 5 highest quality women’s rain gaiters I know on the market today. If you love high-quality clothes and you are looking for rain gear, this is the article for you!
I want to mention that as I looked over the highest-quality gaiters on the market, almost all are unisex. If I limited this article to just those that offered men’s and women’s versions, I would have had to sacrifice quality in my view. So, most on this list are unisex. See also my related articles: “Top 5 Highest Quality Women’s Rain Boots 2024!” and “Top 5 Highest Quality Women’s Rain Hats 2024!“
1. Black Diamond Frontpoint Gore-Tex® Hiking Gaiters (Unisex)
The Black Diamond Frontpoint Gore-Tex® Hiking Gaiters (Unisex) are tough, durable gaiters. The material the upper layer is made out of is Gore-Tex®, which is both waterproof and tough. The lower layer is made of ballistic nylon, which DuPont developed originally for flak jackets to be worn by airmen in World War II. The purpose of a flak jacket is a type of body armor that stops bullets.
The Black Diamond Frontpoint Gaiters fit snugly over your boots and stay in place. They have a drawstring up top with a cord-lock closure. In front, they have a hook-and-loop front closure with a snap. At its base, it has a high-density neoprene-coated nylon instep strap. The designers of these gaiters weren’t messing around!
Of course, these are rain gaiters; they are 100% waterproof. And they are lightweight. They only weigh 8.9 ounces (251g) combined.
Pros:
- Tough: Seam-taped, two-layer Gore-Tex® upper and Ballistic nylon lower
- Stays In Place: It has a drawstring with cord-lock upper closure. It also has a hook-and-loop front closure with a snap. Finally, it has a high-density, neoprene-coated nylon instep strap.
- Waterproof: These gaters are 100% waterproof.
- Lightweight: They weigh just 8.9 ounces (251g).
Cons:
- Price: These rain gaiters come at a higher price than lesser-quality gaiters.
2. Rab Muztag GORE-TEX® Pro Gaiters (Unisex)
The Rab Muztag GORE-TEX® Pro Gaiters (Unisex) are also tough and durable high-quality rain gaiters. They are actually designed for rock climbers, so these are some seriously rugged gaiters. The lower portion of the gaiters are reinforced with tough 300D nylon all around to guard against sharp crampons.
They are seam-taped to make sure the seams are waterproof. And the nylon and GORE-TEX® used in these gaiters are 100% waterproof. These gaiters are incredibly lightweight, even lighter than the Black Diamond gaiters above, weighing in at just 7.3 ounces (208g).
They also use a hook-and-loop front closure with a snap to make it easy to put them on and take them off. Their instep straps are made of a rubberized, abrasion-resistant material with an internal adjustment system to help tailor the fit while eliminating the chance of buckle breakage.
Pros:
- Tough: Seam-taped, made out of Gore-Tex® with a reinforced nylon lower.
- Easy On & Off: It also has a hook-and-loop front closure with a snap to make it easy to put on and take off. It also has a rubberized, abrasion-resistant instep strap.
- Waterproof: These gaters are 100% waterproof.
- Lightweight: They weigh just 7.3 ounces (208g).
Cons:
- Price: These rain gaiters come at a higher price than lesser-quality gaiters.
3. Outdoor Research Women’s Crocodile GORE-TEX® Gaiters
The Outdoor Research Women’s Crocodile GORE-TEX® Gaiters are also made from GORE-TEX®, so they are tough and durable. They are also 100% waterproof yet breathable.
The lower portion is reinforced with triple bar-tacked BioThane® webbing, and abrasion-resistant Cordura®, two synthetic materials many say are more durable than leather.
These gaiters have a double-stitched front closure, reinforced boot lace hooks, hook and loop front closure, and a buckle top hem closure. In other words, these gaiters stay put and are easy to get in and out of. They have reinforced boot lace hooks and instep straps.
The Outdoor Research Women’s Crocodile GORE-TEX® Gaiters are also lightweight, weighing in at just 8.9 ounces (252g).
Pros:
- Tough: Seam-taped, made out of Gore-Tex® with a triple bar-tacked BioThane® & Cordura®reinforced lower portion.
- Easy On & Off: It also has a hook-and-loop front closure with a snap to make it easy to put on and take off. It also has reinforced boot lace hooks and instep straps.
- Waterproof: These gaters are 100% waterproof.
- Lightweight: They weigh just 8.9 ounces (252g).
Cons:
- Price: These rain gaiters come at a higher price than lesser-quality gaiters.
4. Kahtoola LEVAgaiter Tall Gore-Tex® Packable Gaiters (Unisex)
The Kahtoola LEVAgaiter Tall Gore-Tex® Packable Gaiters are, again, also made from Gore-Tex®. So you know these rain gaiters are 100% waterproof (except the water-repellant zipper), windproof, and breathable. Oh, and by the way, these packable rain gaiters are our lightest pair yet, weighing only 4.59 ounces (130g).
Instead of using a hook and loop fastener, they include zippers. They do claim that their AquaGuard® coil zipper is water-repellent, though. The purpose of its “asymmetrical zipper entry” is to increase comfort as your ankle flexes.
An adjustable instep strap composed of sturdy thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) is included with these gaiters. Toggle locks on an elasticized drawcord keep objects from getting inside the gaiter’s top. Furthermore, they claim to have “soft undergarment stitching,” meant to feel more comfortable on your skin.
Pros:
- Tough & Breathable: Made from three-layer Gore-Tex®.
- Waterproof: These gaters are 100% waterproof. Zippers are water-repellant.
- Lightweight: They weigh just 4.59 ounces (130g).
Cons:
- Price: These rain gaiters come at a higher price than lesser-quality gaiters.
5. SITKA Gear Stormfront Gore-Tex® Hunting Gaiters (Unisex)
The most expensive rain gaiter on this list is the SITKA Gear Stormfront Gore-Tex® Hunting Gaiters. The fact that these gaiters are made for hunting is evident from their camouflage fabric.
These rain gaiters are constructed of Gore-Tex®, like every other rain gaiter on this list this time. So again, we know they are completely windproof, waterproof, and breathable.
These tall rain gaiters cover the entire calf. The purpose of their “gripper elastic bottoms” is to keep water out. An internal ladder lock strap system keeps the profile low while navigating challenging terrain, reducing noise and abrasion. On this list, these rain gaiters are the heaviest. They weigh 11.2 ounces (317.75 grams) in weight.
Pros:
- Tough: Seam-taped, Gore-Tex® upper.
- Stays In Place: It has a draw strap with a buckle up top. It has an instep strap. I’m not sure what it is made of or how durable.
- Waterproof: These gaters are 100% waterproof, windproof & breathable.
- Lightweight: They weigh just 11.2 ounces (317.5g).
Cons:
- Price: These rain gaiters are the most expensive ones on this list.
Final Thoughts
I hope this article was helpful to you. Once more, this post offers you a selection of high-quality waterproof gaiters to consider if you’re in the market for rain gear. Visit this website’s main menu to see articles about other high-quality clothing options, such as rain gear, if you’re in the market for them.
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