Joe Trailman Gaiters is a one-woman operation run by Michelle Yauger, who acquired the business in 2014. The "real" Joe has retired now, but he always enjoyed a challenge. Back in the mid-1990s, before running in the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run, he bought a pair of gaiters, hoping to keep the rocks and dirt out of his shoes on the trail. Those gaiters were made of heavy, non-breathable f
abric, attached by a strap that wrapped under the shoe. They also held the heat in and left Joe with a rash on both legs. He figured there had to be a better design, so he decided to make his own. Being a trail runner, Joe had some ideas about how to make the product work well under strenuous conditions. The fabric had to be lightweight, extremely stretchy, and allow for heat to escape. Also, since the strap under the foot eventually wore out from contact with the ground, Joe devised a unique attachment system, completely eliminating the need for a strap. Although he didn’t have any sewing skills when he first decided to build a better gaiter, Joe dug out his wife’s old sewing machine and taught himself how to use it. He made some sketches, sewed up a few prototypes, and asked friends to test them on the trails – until he came up with a design that performed to his standards. Soon, Joe’s gaiters began attracting attention at events and other runners began asking where they could get a pair. Not long after drawing up that first sketch, Joe started his gaiter-making business and, with help from his sister Ann, made each pair from start to finish for the next 16 years. Today, Michelle Yauger proudly continues the JoeTrailman tradition of manufacturing excellence using Joe’s original patterns, fabrics and design. http://www.joetrailmangaiters.com/
