antedating gaiter, neck gaiter

[victor steinbok]

Gaiter, of course, is in OED (from 1775), but only for leg covering (leg,
foot, ankle). "Neck gaiter", on the other hand, is not. For example, you
can see one here, on the LAST page of the flyer (near the top of the page,
next to face mask): http://goo.gl/8rnMv (dynamic content, should be good
for a week).

Gaiters were included in Continental military uniforms long before 1775:

http://goo.gl/M0AQE
New Regulations for the Prussian Infantry: Containing an Exact Detail of
the Present Field-Service.  London: 1757
p. 26

> A Comb, Brush, Looking-glass, Wax for the Shoes and Whiskers, a Piece of
> Buff-Leather, a wooden Polisher, a Screw-Driver, a Set of Gaiter Buttons, a
> Hook for buttoning the Gaiters, and a Worm, are little Articles which no
> Soldier is to be without.
>

Prussian uniforms might be most recognizable for the buttons on their
gaiters, but other contemporaneous armies had them too.

The neck gaiter is invisible until 1982.

http://goo.gl/OXQCL
Kiplinger's Magazine. Changing Times. Dec 1982
Ski Europe in ... Canada. p. 46/1

> On especially cold days you'll want a *neck gaiter*, or ski tube, which
> resembles the neck of a turtleneck sweater and can be pulled over your
> mouth, nose and cheeks. It is not unusual to see skiers barreling down
> from the top of the mountain with ice clinging to their tubes.
>

VS-)

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