Ya got to remember, you're wearing gaiters in the snow.
Have killed a lot of critters up close and personal with OR Gaiters on... I wouldn't overthink the "noise" issue...
I'm with you. I still hunt alot in PA, where the underbrush is noisy as heck. I've found that if its quiet in the eastern woods, its quieter in western evirons. I'm a bit of a stickler when it comes to quiet. I feel compromised if I have anything with a scratchy outer surface. Comes from my archery days and getting stickbow close. I've shot deer from the ground measured in feet. You can't do that without being quiet - and have the wind in your favor.
As long as I have a selection of good gaiters, I'll try to pick the quietest pair.
