Winter gaiters are designed to keep snow out; summer gaiters to keep dirt out. If winter is more critical, then you will have to put up with a less than ideal summer gaiter. I use winter gaiters in the summer and they get a bit hot. I personally like knee high ones because I do a lot of bushwhacking and they have saved me a lot of cuts and scratches. If I only did trail walking I probably would not use them. With a price range from $20-$50 I would not use a budget limit. Get the best gaiter that gets the job done, and if it costs more, eat beans for a week. I like my OR goretex knee high gaiters. Got them on sale for about $40. They are heavy, but always on my feet so at least I do not carry the weight on my back. They are really tough and hold up to a lot of abuse.