Gaiters are garments worn over the shoe and bottom of the pant or trouser leg, and used primarily as personal protective equipment; similar garments used primarily for display are spats. Originally, gaiters were made of leather or canvas. Today, gaiters for walking are commonly made of plasticized synthetic cloth such as polyester. Gaiters for use on horseback continue to be made of leather. They are able to cover the gap between the pants and boots and the top is just below the knee. There are usually drawcords to help adjust the tightness. Wearing gaiters, while largely preventing most snake bites, does not provide 100% protection. Common materials for leg gaiters on the market are canvas, nylon, Cordura, Kevlar and leather. Nylon is better at preventing snake bites than polyester, canvas and Cordura. The best material is Kevlar, a bulletproof material commonly used to make bulletproof vests, protective gear, and protective clothing. But the downside of Kevlar is that it is expensive. Military origins and terminology After 1700 infantry in most European armies adopted long linen gaiters, or spatterdashes, as a protective leg covering to be worn over the woollen stockings that were a common feature in both military and civilian dress. By the 1770s military gaiters were often shortened to mid-calf length for convenience in the field. In army parlance, a gaiter covers leg and bootlacing; a legging covers only the leg. In RAF parlance, gaiter includes legging. The American Army during World War I and World War II had leggings, which were gaiters. Above the knee spatterdashes were cotton or canvas, as were many gaiters of varying lengths thereafter. Leather gaiters were rare in military usage, though sometimes a calf-length cotton gaiter had leather kneecaps added. Leggings, however, were very often made of leather, but also canvas. On foot Gaiters are a type of protective clothing for a person's ankles and legs below the knee. Gaiters are worn when walking, hiking, running (especially orienteering and rogaining) outdoors amongst dense underbrush or in snow, with or without snowshoes. Heavy gaiters are often worn when using crampons, to protect the leg and ankle from the spikes of the opposite foot. Gaiters strap over the hiking boot and around the person's leg to provide protection from branches and thorns and to prevent mud, snow, etc. from entering the top of the boot. Gaiters may also be worn as protection against snake bites.