So y’all know I work in the news biz and I’m supposed to have my finger on the pulse and everything … well, yeah, for money. At blog prices you get this: links to handy-and-informative Happy Feet blog a mere 29 months after its debut (actually it predates Two-Heel Drive by a few months). The blog’s author is John Vonhof, a longtime adventure athlete (and Central Californian) who also authored Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes, described as the “bible” for athletes and others who beat up their tootsies.

In recent post, Vonhof sings the praises of Dirty Girl Gaiters, many of which were spotted adorning the feet of trail runners in a race he saw awhile back.

Gaiters are an important for trail runners, and for that matter, hikers, adventure racers, and even walkers. They cover the top of the shoe and prevent debris from going inside the shoe. It is this debris, getting between the shoe and sock, which leads to hot spots and blisters. A simple pair of gaiters can help prevent problems.

For my money, I like the gaiters made by Chrissy Weiss, called Dirty Girl Gaiters. Chrissy has a lock on gaiters that make a statement. They are bold and colorful. They are in-your-face patterns that inspire. Most of the runners yesterday wore Chrissy