Tell me about your gaiter experiences.

[Toby]

I have never used them, but am giving it some consideration. Do they stay on or do you have to readjust frequently. Will they provide waterproof protection for some old, not so water proof boots?

What material is best for hunting early season elk, no snow?

Brand recommendations?

[ElkNut1]

I use them 100% of the time on my deer & elk hunts no matter the weather. Mine are a gortex material (black) but would like a different pair for this year in some sort of camo, not picky there. They rarely ever try to crawl down ones leg, actually I can't hardly remembering adjusting them once they are on, they stay up very well & are great for areas with stickers or dew in the mornings. They do work well in river crossings as well as long as waters don't exceed their height! I don't leave home without them! Not sure of the brand.

ElkNut1

[Lefty]

Some places they are a must , burs, brush, snow , rain, heavy dew.
Some places and hunts you dont need them at all
I tend not to wer them during the archery season and wear them in Oct and Nov rifle hunts if there is snow

[steviek]

I am in the market for a set of gaiters. I would also like to hear about makes and models that have worked or failed in the field.

[Elkduds]

I prefer gaiters that have a stout strap under the boot rather than a string. Sturdy hook to catch under the laces is a necessity, it sux when that keeps coming undone. Big, strong zippers w flaps over them will outlast puny nylon coil zippers, gaiters are going everywhere your boots go and will wear out fast if wimpily constructed. I have not used fleece, just cordura/goretex. Dry feet, legs and socks are a pleasure.

[kyle1112]

I have the kuiu Yukon gaiters, I love them. Other people I talked to when I was in the market loved the outdoor research crocs. I use mine in early and late season, many companies make short ones too if that's more of what you want.

[Toby]

I mainly need them for heavy dew in the morning, not many burrs or things.

I am giving some thought to using low cut hikers with gaiters. Nice light footwear and if the gaiters keep the shoe protected it might work great. My ankles are good, so I don't worry much about support from boots.

Do you think this will work?

[Elkduds]

It wil work w mid-height hikers, that is what I use. W below-ankle shoes I believe the elastic back of the gaiter will ride up on your achilles, above the top of the shoe. then you're leaking.

[ctdad]

My outdoor research gaiters work well with dew, frost, snow etc. They do run down onto the toe of the boot though so I would still suggest waterproof boots

[UtPreacher]

I wear mine every year like others have said. They are awesome leg protection for the high country thorns, rocks, wet foliage and so on. I have had a pair of Kenetrek gaiters for 4 years now and they have held up amazingly well.

[Indian Summer]

What ctdad said: Outdoor Research. Here's a link: http://www.outdoorresearch.com/en/mens/gaiters.html

Go to the bottom and read the "Infinite Guarantee", The strap that goes under the boots is a heavy plastic and it has buckles on both sides so it's replaceable.

I abuse a lot of my gear so I always look for stuff that is backed up with unconditional warranties. The Crocodiles have served me well. Haven't had to send them back yet after oh um... 5 or 6 years. Buy them big because they run a bit small.

Like Paul I wear mine almost all the time. They not only make stream crossing easy but keep the bottom of all of my pants dry. Better yet they protect the pants from the knees down from snagging on anything. In my opinion gaiters are a must have item especially if you have some pricey hunting clothes. When It's winter and there's snow on the ground it keeps my bots dry aas well as the cuffs of my wool so nor drying at night. I love that.

[Wagnon89]

I think I will have to get a pair before my Colorado trip this year. I like the idea of keeping my pants dry walking through dew covered grass.

[dotman]

I have tested a few different brands mainly Kuiu, REI and OR. Personally I always go back to the OR crocs, nothing else out there is as durable. I have heard stories of guys sending back their crocs that are 20+ years old and they are replaced with a brand new set.

The crocs come on black, coyote brown and multi-cam. The coyote brown and multi-cam are under OR's tactical line and are more expensive.

The OR crocs are probably the most expensive gaiter out there but you'll never have to replace or spend another dollar on gaiters again if you go with them. They are made in the USA as well. So just consider how durable and the warranty provided when you look at the cheaper brands, OR also makes lighter weight gaiters that cost less and have the same warranty but I prefer the 1000d of the crocs, they are bullet proof and just plain always work, imo.

[Toby]

For hunting, quiet ones that won't scratch and scrape making game alerting noises would be best. Which ones are quiet and durable?

[phall]

i wear kenetrex hunting gaiters worked great farily quiet

[Indian Summer]

Quiet is a give and take quality in gaiters. Kenetrek and Schnee's make fleece gaiters that are quitter. BUT.. they soak up water which makes them heaver and I'll pass on that. I find that brush isn't as bog of a factor as is if you are a person who rubs your legs together when you walk. In snow it's all irrelevant because it quiets all of your hiking down. In archery season most likely (or hopefully) we have located elk and slowed to stealth mode before making a move for a shot opportunity. Yes the OOR gaiters are nylon but I have no problems. I guess the non-fleece gaiters are a necessary evil in my mind. Also.. all of the fleece typr gaiters I've used and abused had cheap straps for under the boot and I didn't get much mileage out of the before the strap broke. Pus the rubber or plain nylon straps collected snow and bunched up under the midsole which SUCKED. the plastic coated ones on the OR brand don't have that problem. Gaiters are something I've trail & errored my share of times. I finally settled on the OR and will never switch.

One more thing while on the subject: The ones that close by use of zippers will tend to creep down more because the size is what it is. The ones that use a wide Velcro strip are the way to go because you can snug them up for the entire length. Whatever brand you choose make sure they use Velcro and not a zipper AND have a strap/buckle at the top to snug up just below the knee.

[8seconds]

I wear kenetrex hunting boots & gaiters for all the reasons mentioned; most important being dew in the a.m. and stream crossings. Have to keep the wheels dry and functioning.
They are black and have the strap under the heel which works nicely. Kenetrex is a good brand. Their boots are awesome; but i upgraded the ensole which has been worth the extra $$$. Happy feet make for a happy hunt.

[Indian Summer]

Kenetrex is a good brand. Their boots are awesome; but i upgraded the ensole which has been worth the extra $$$. Happy feet make for a happy hunt.

Yep. Love my Kene Mountain Extremes and no question: The upgraded insole is a MUST. Theirs is awesome. Kenetrek branched off of Schnee's so their gaiters are nearly identical. I'll pass on those.

[Toby]

Quiet is a give and take quality in gaiters. Kenetrek and Schnee's make fleece gaiters that are quitter. BUT.. they soak up water which makes them heaver and I'll pass on that. I find that brush isn't as bog of a factor as is if you are a person who rubs your legs together when you walk. In snow it's all irrelevant because it quiets all of your hiking down. In archery season most likely (or hopefully) we have located elk and slowed to stealth mode before making a move for a shot opportunity. Yes the OOR gaiters are nylon but I have no problems. I guess the non-fleece gaiters are a necessary evil in my mind. Also.. all of the fleece typr gaiters I've used and abused had cheap straps for under the boot and I didn't get much mileage out of the before the strap broke. Pus the rubber or plain nylon straps collected snow and bunched up under the midsole which SUCKED. the plastic coated ones on the OR brand don't have that problem. Gaiters are something I've trail & errored my share of times. I finally settled on the OR and will never switch.

One more thing while on the subject: The ones that close by use of zippers will tend to creep down more because the size is what it is. The ones that use a wide Velcro strip are the way to go because you can snug them up for the entire length. Whatever brand you choose make sure they use Velcro and not a zipper AND have a strap/buckle at the top to snug up just below the knee.

This makes perfect sense. Glad you mentioned the Velcro, I wouldn't have thought of that.

Indian Summer, you are a wealth of knowledge, thanks much.

Toby

[dotman]

For hunting, quiet ones that won't scratch and scrape making game alerting noises would be best. Which ones are quiet and durable?

Kuiu are pretty quiet but don't expect too long of a life, they are a softshell material. Now I used their gen1 and the buckles were weak, haven't tried their new Yukon version.

[husky390]

I have a pair of Redheads from Bass Pro. They're different from the stormcloth II's they are advertising but have worked very well for me. I'll wear them if I'm hunting an area with tall grass to keep my pants from getting soaked. I also used them last year during rifle season and they were awesome walking through knee deep snow. For the money I paid, I can't complain.

[navet]

REI goretex with velcro all the way up and across the top in black color. Kept me dry and comfy. Now i wear them when WT hunting at home to keep the dew off. They never slipped down and have a good strap that goes under the boot.