Are they all about the same quality or does one or two stand above the rest?
Thanks

I use Outdoor Research gaiters myself. Had them for 10 years.

Second on the Outdoor Research gaiters. Mine are more like 20 years old. IIRC purchased them from REI.

I am not a big gaiter fan for the most part…I think they’re overrated except for in deep snow. They’re generally too hot for me and are more trouble than they’re worth in anything other than deep snow as far as I am concerned.

They are absolutely NOT all the same, quality wise. Of the synthetics, I suspect the material is generally all OK as far as repelling water but the longevity, how well they hold up being ripped apart by brush, heat from 4 wheeler motors, crampon spikes, stitching quality, their securing system (velcro, zippers, buttons, etc.) have all varied widely. The Kahtoola have been especially poor quality.

What do you plan to use them for? Deep snow? Dry land with thorny brush? Walking through wet brush?

For what it is worth, I am pretty much done with synthetic gaiters. I only have a few brands left at all and they’re mainly wool, after trying many. Sleeping Indian (awesome), Waldkauz (jury is still out) and Swazi (non wool, but are doing OK).

Tried them and the benefit wasn't worth the time to put them on. Your milage may vary.

Huge differences in quality and design. I am a gaiter fan, wear them for most outdoor off trail activity year round: hunting in wet or snow, (I live in rain forest), picking berries, the works.

Gaiters come from ankle high to knee high. How tall do you want? Short ones can keep pebbles and scree debris out of the tops of low top boots.

Nylon gaiters are noisy for walking through brush. I prefer soft finish ones for hunting and am on my second or third pair of Kenetrek. I prefer to wear mine inside of pant legs in rain and wet and often in snow. Rain wets the cloth of pants and drains down inside the gaiter, soaking boots and socks if the pant leg is inside the gaiter. Plus wearing gaiters inside of soft finish hunting pants keeps them quieter in brush. They add some warmth in cold temps, especially when sitting on a critter calling stand.

Any design but velcro closure up the front are hard for me to get on. Gaiters with a zipper in the back are awful. Outdoor Research from REI are very good.

I’ve been known to pull off gaiters and sit on them on a wet log, lay them out and stand on them while changing clothes or boots in snow or wet, lay one over a cold spot in a sleeping bag on a cold night, etc.

Yeah mostly brush, wet or dry.
And thanks for all the replies so far.

I use ankle gaiters with approach shoes (trail sneakers) to keep out Ticks (in season) and general crap outside of tick season. Very happy with the Kuiu. But like everything of the brand it is not cheap.

Big gaiter fan here. In cold weather, I find they really help keep my legs warm and dry. I have a theory that warm air is generated by my feet and the act of walking pumps that air from my boots up my legs when sealed in by the gaiters. In warmer weather I treat them with permanone and catch ticks before they crawl up my legs. My favorites are made by Otte Gear. (Tip: they tend to run small. Get a larger size than you think you need.)

I have two pair of gaiters. Both Kenetreks one is quieter made of softer micro fleece material and the other is nylon. Both have their waterproof material built in. These have worked out for me when others proved too tight around the calf. They stay where they are supposed to and are comfortable for me. I’m not in rocky terrain I cant attest to how well they hold up in the rock.

I really like them for snow/wet and when spending a lot of time in scree. I’ve spent a bunch of time with OR Croc and the Kuiu Yukon, and prefer the Yukon.

I've been using Kenetrek for 15 years or more. They work great. Wouldn't hunt without them now..

I’m middle of the road on gaiters - I don’t like the hassle of putting them on but they are great in soaked brush or 4” of snow or more. Dry warm lower legs & no snow in my boots is fine by me. I had OR & now Kuiu Yukons I like a little more. I’ve hiked several miles in them & feel like they more than pay off in wet cold conditions keeping your pants dry & calves warm.

I guess I been using these for 6 years or so.

I use them almost always if the underbrush is wet, morning dew etc. One thing I’ve noticed with using gaitors is my expensive hunting pants last much longer. Couple hundred miles walking through sage and thickets will eat up some pants.

Are they more quiet? Just wondering what you like more about them. I am always down for a new piece of kit. I figured I'd try other gaiters once I wore out the OR's, but since they won't seem to wear out, maybe I'll just try another pair anyhow

Boots take less damage in the scree, too. Especially when side-hilling.

Yup, they are quieter, more durable in some ways, a bit more stretchy, and I prefer the snap closure on the toe compared to the little Velcro flap on the OR.

Great intel. Thank you.

Not a big fan of them in most cases either. Had a set of Kenetreks come apart pretty quick. Have been using Peax the past year or 2. Liking them so far in my limited use.

I have tried to like gaiters…I really have. They make my legs too hot, even the thinner pairs and don’t do much for keeping moisture out of my boots.

Kennetreks haven’t lasted me one season. I tried a few sets. They always tore at the seams and normal usage wore through the material quickly. Several other synthetic brands just wouldn’t last either. Those I know who have used the OR Crocs and Kuiu seem to think they’re quality, and I have no reason to doubt them. If I try another pair of synthetics I may go for one of them.

This was less than 2 miles into a sheep hunt with brand new Kahtoola LevaGaiter GTXs. They promptly sent another pair, which were as equally short lived.


This is what I currently have, which are NOT what I would recommend for what the OP is looking for, other than maybe the Swazi. The brown Sleeping Indian wool pair is over 30 years old, has had the zippers replaced twice and the boot strap and snaps once. They are stupid high quality. The grey wool/leather Waldkauz I just got, and have worn them trapping the last few weeks. They’re nice so far. Both are heavy wool and I wouldn’t even consider them if I wasn’t in 3 feet of snow.





For what the OP wants, I’d give OR Crocs or Kuiu Yukon a try and see what shakes.

I do NOT recommend trash bags and duct tape, but it has worked during a freak snowstorm at 11,000 feet in the Ruby’s 😀.

Good stuff. An acquaintance that wears gaiters pretty much any time he’s out suggested the Peax and said they have held up well for him so far.

I agree, most cases for me they are way to hot. A few times a a short cholla was hiding in the grass waiting to attack and I wish I had them though.

Forgot about Peax. I will look into them.

I've had the same luck with Kenetreks as SLM and T. Rivet pulled out after a couple leisurely strolls. I'm also not a gaiter guy so haven't rushed to replace them with anything.

OR Crocs for me.

Thanks again guys.

Huntsman is right (per usual).

Lots of good ones out there, but the OR Croc HDs are as bombproof as anything ever made.

Dave

Yep. I’ve worn out a few pairs of ORs Expedition Crocs, and have a pair of the KUIU Yukons near the end of their service life. They’re both great gaiters, each with positives and negatives. I like the fit and slightly quieter fabric of the Yukons, but other than the Velcro flap on the toe, the ORs are far more durable.

Big gaiter fan. I wear them all hunting season. They can get warm - but I take them if they do. In general, I rarely take them off. If you see me in hunting season without gaiters, its because i forgot them........Kennetrek for me.

Whatever you chose, DO NOT BUY ANY WITH ANY TYPE OF CLOTH on the band under the boot. I had a pair of Cabelas gaiter early on and the strap under the boot was some kind material that absorbed water - which caused snow to stick to it. It felt like walking around with a softball under you foot.

I have a pair of Kuiu that only cover about 4-5-6 inches. They work great for early season and general hiking. Keeps stick, leaves, dirt out of my hiking shoes/boots.

Third here. Mine are at least 20 years old - probably closer to 25. I was wearing them long before any of the fancy Sitka, Kuiu, gear existed. It was wool pants with gaters back then. The gortex is a little worn out and so is the velcro, but I'm having a hard time swallowing the $85+ price tag on the new ones.

They are one of the best pieces of hunting clothing a guy can have. Not sure about the new brands, but you want the top cinch strap to be above the top of your calf muscle - almost right under the knee. Don't get the short ones.

Outdoor research is what I use as well. So far so good.

I suppose it really depends on "why" you'd want to wear gaiters in the first place.

Here in southwest Oregon, I have to contend with these little burrs that infest the lower foothills.
They get in my socks, boot laces and pants cuffs. They can be an absolute pain in the a$$.

I'm running Kenetrek now. They work so-so on the burrs. They keep them off my boots and clothing, but pick up a lot of the burrs on their own. They're not easy to clean off, but better than going without.

There's a brand called "Rattlers" that have a harder outer shell that does a good job of keeping the burrs off without picking up much themselves. Those can pretty much just be brushed off by hand or whisk broom. As a bonus, they're snakebite proof, if that's something you might find useful.

I've been using Kennetrek gaiters for at least 15 years. Just got a second pair this year when the lace hook on my original pair finally gave out (I've sewn up a couple of tears over the years). The new set is better than the first set. Lace hook is much better than the original set and the velcro is excellent. I generally wear gaiters any time I'm hunting with a firearm. They keep the bottom of my pants dry and free of mud and snow, protect my pants and boots to some degree, I can quickly cross a narrow, shallow, bit of water without getting real wet, keep burrs off my lower legs, help to keep my legs warm, and probably some things I'm forgetting. They only take 2 minutes to put on and I've never wished I didn't have them.

Been rocking outdoor research gators so long the red looks pink.

Cant imagine any serious hunt without them.. helps keep water out of boots on stream crossing dashes.

Keeps stones out of boots on scree slides

Snow stays out.


I’d rather hunt in good shoes and gators, then good boots no gators for all hunts but tahr hunts

[quote=Aagaardsporter]Second on the Outdoor Research gaiters. Mine are more like 20 years old. IIRC purchased them from REI.[/quote
I used them for sheep hunting,,not all hunts but when you need them they are damn handy to have.

I have been wearing OR gaiters for YEARS, they are bullet proof, ( except when the dog chews the straps). I am in Arizona now and when I am in the brush they keep the sharp sticky things out of my legs. I would not be without them. A little noisy going through the timber but if your careful not to bad,

In lower country I prefer to run knee high Schnees boots. The leather is pretty much bomb proof and no need for extra gaiters.

That said they do not offer great support so if going up and down I switch to mountain boots and gaiters. OR has done just fine for me so far. I would prefer the Schnees if they gave the support needed though.

Been using the OR Crocs for years and have no reason to try any others.

I started wearing these https://www.kuiu.com/products/kutana-storm-gaiter-ash?variant=40340367245470 a couple years ago and won't hunt without them unless it's REALLY warm. They keep your pants and upper boots dry from morning dew and keep wind from blowing up your pant legs while sitting. Also keeps burrs, bugs and trash from getting inside your boots. Wear them when hiking too when it's cold. Can't imagine going without them anymore.

I wear gaiters whenever there is snow or heavy moisture on the ground to keep water out of my boots. I run bear and lion hounds so I'm hills pretty much every weekend year round. I've owned several pair of OR gaiters over the years but I rarely get more than a years use out of them before I have to replace them because of tears and snags from wading through the underbrush. The best most durable gaiters I've used have been Kuiu Yukons. I'm not saying they are bullet proof, but I have generally gotten a good three years use out of them before they needed to be replaced.

I like how they keep cold wind from blowing up your pant legs and with ankle-height boots keep your shoe strings from snagging on brush and keep brush and snow from getting on your socks and getting down in the tops of your boots.

Expat

I agree, the Yukon’s are quieter than the Crocs.

The Crocs are tough, but they sound like an all kazoo band when sneaking though the timber….

When the going gets wet I put on my gaiters. As Buckstopper mentions when it’s cold they help to keep my feet warmer.

Yes, gaiters can be a bit of a pain to put on ( especially in a backpack tent with limited light. But worth it. The trend is gaiters with a Velcro front closure which are definitely easier to put on. I’m concerned about entirely relying on Velcro because we all know how it collects weeds, seeds, dog hair, and after a while no longer hold together.

My all time fav gaiters were the Cabela’s Guide gaiters with their Stealth Cloth. Very quiet, plenty waterproof/water resistant. Wish they still were available. Friggin’ BassPro anyway…….

Currently using Kennetreks. They have a little more life in them. When they are done I will probably buy a pair from T&K Hunting. A bit more expensive, but appear to be better quality than most others and 100% made in USA!!

https://tandkhunting.com/products/leg-gaiters

I would almost certainly hook my feet together with those t&k gaiters at the worst possible time!

I have had good luck with the OR crocs, which I still use in the winter. Also the sea to summit quagmire has been working well enough for me. The kennetreks were comfortable, but not very durable. Black diamonds were trash. Most everything from cabelas that I have used was also junk, but it's been a long time since I have bought any of their stuff - maybe it's better now.

Very good point. It only takes a fraction of a second for things go wrong with a heavy pack and rough terrain. Even in good conditions some times it doesn't take much either.

Interesting though, all of the demo pics show the hardware to the inside. The one pic showing in use has hardware to the outside, which hopefully is the correct and designed way to wear them.

Am I reading this right on the T&K gaiters? Do they expect you zip up/close the gaiters from the front and then spin ‘em around so the closure is at the rear?

Casey, the instructions said to do that 'if applicable', whatever that means. They are for sure oddly worded instructions. Maybe some feel it is easier to close the zippers and velcro from the front? I dunno....

In any event, those cable boot straps; even when rubber coated I found they fray on rocks and then you've got sharp cable wire ends stabbing you when handling the boot strap. BTDT with other brands, including the Swazi I currently have. I have yet to find any boot strap that is durable or doesn't have the wire end issue. My Seeping Indian pair has a nylon boot strap, which I tighten around my ankle instead of wrapping beneath my foot arch. It doesn't work as well, but at least it doesn't ball up with wet snow or quickly wear through as it does when used as designed.

Yeah, I have two sets Ice Trekkers foot traction with cables, I’ve sent one pair back for repair when a cable frayed, and the other pair now has a cable that is just starting to fray. Used to be a lifetime warranty, but they got bought out by Yaktrax, now it’s a 90 day warranty…..

I like the synthetic strap on my Yukons and REI gaiters. They don’t collect snow. But I know they will probably be the first thing to wear out.

OR Crocs are the standard for a reason

A piece of tubular nylon over the instep strap will prolong its' life.



mike r

I wonder how much snow it would collect?

But that’s an idea worth considering…..