Abstract: A protective gaiter which extends from a wearer's instep to just below his knee. A portion of the gaiter forms a completely closed pocket which contains an energy-absorbing pad. The pocket and the pad are both elongated, covering substantially the length of the gaiter, and include a concavely shaped bottom edge which lets the gaiter be conveniently positioned around the wearer's instep so that it fits over and protects the wearer's shinbones, as well as covering many of the major bones and muscles of the wearer's leg.In the manufacture of the protective gaiter, identical front and liner panels and a somewhat smaller, interposed back panel are aligned and sewn together along one longitudinal edge. An elastic strip, which forms the stirrup of the protective gaiter, is next secured between opposing ends of the bottom edges of the front and liner panels, which bottom edges are then sewn together. The other longitudinal edges of the front, liner and back panels are then aligned and sewn together.