Has anyone found an ankle gaiter that is :
#1 QUIET
#2 Breathable
#3 No Velcro (see #1)
# Resists picking up burrs ??????????????????
Thanks.
Amen: and please...
#4. Won't break the bank.
Tracking this.
I have found all gaiters and chaps to all be waay to noisy for bowhunting. Snake proof boots will keep burrs away too and are quiet.
You might check Kuiu. They are on my list to buy, just haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have Kentreks now, They work great, keep the snow out of your boots, feet dry, but aren't super quiet.
My buddy picked up a pair of short ankle gaiters for me on a hunt in Africa. I havent tried them yet.
There was a gaiter that "buckwing" put out a couple of years ago that was the cat's meow. It was essentially made of material that looked/felt like an ankle brace or ace bandage and it stretched over your pant legs and down over your boots. It worked great for keeping your laces out of the briars and burrs and keeping ticks from getting on you in hot weather. It also added a surprising amount of warmth in the fall/winter. I still have a couple sets of them. They are VERY quiet. The only downfall would be that they would get wet in snow.
Gregg,
I think those were the gaiters the Wensels used to use. I did a search and it seems the Buckwing web site is up for sale/out of business. Just for kicks I found a pair on **** new for $5.95 with free shipping. Should be the ticket for Southern ticks & chiggers. Thanks for the reminder!
I use gaiters all winter long. I can say without a doubt that OR Crocodiles are as good as they get. I have gone through a lot of pairs from other companies and none compare.
Kuiu is close close second though.
Thanks folk.
I have been using the Buckwings for several years, but both pairs are about workout: the elastic is giving up the ghost and they tend to slide down. I also found the website non compos corpus, so I was looking at the alternatives. I will check the OR and Kuiu.
I use these, meets all the criteria but the velcro on the bottom.
http://www.bakershoe.com/sites/default/files/boot_gaiter.jpg
Rod Jenkins has been making some low gaiters and is set to start selling them soon. I've been testing them and will definitely take them to Africa. I hope he comes out with a knee high mountain gaiter too.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/Dsturgisjr/I%20ST%20gaiters_zpsxhk3qvuv.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/Dsturgisjr/I%20gaiter%20test_zps8uwmethj.jpg)
I really like my Kuiu and OR brand
I really like that second pic, Mr. Sturgis!
Will you let me(us) know how they work out for you, and when Mr. Jenkins might be offering for sale?
Going to give Rod a call soon about these.
Mike
I don't think they are that quiet but I'll second Randy's opinion about the OR Crocodiles. I do a lot of upland hunting for pheasants in heavy cover and they are the best gaiters available for durability and functionality.
Any new on the Rod Jenkins gaiters?
Many years ago my mother was kind enough to make me a pair from a kit. I think the kit company was called Frostline. The gaiters are now over 30 years old and they are still going strong! They are Gore-Tex lined and meet most of your criteria except for the Velcro. I have never had a noise issue with them though, but the Velcro does like to collect debris. If the Velcro were replaced with snaps or zipper it would be perfect for what you are asking for. I have looked at the OR gaiters and thought that they would be too noisy while stalking but I have personally tried them as my other gaiters are still working great.
On a recent trip to the city, I looked at the Kennetrek and OR gaiters. The fabric in the former is quiet (in the camp version, not the solid colors), but it does have that wide Velcro strip right down the front. I brought them home and tried them, and the stuff creaks with every ankle flex. I plan to rip out the velcro and see if a local seamstress can install a zipper with a snap closure flap.
The modified Kennetrec gaiters work: busy to don & doff with buckle manipulation before the zipper will connect.
I found that the Spec-Op website sells two models of a pull-over gaiter that they tout as utilizing a quiet nylon fabric, but they are not available at this time.
Take any old jacket with elastic type cuffs and cut sleeves at whatever length you want gaiters. Elastic cuff goes at top and other end covers top of boots. Africans have been using this trick for years for running shoe or short hiking boots just to keep twigs etc out.
Anyone tried First Lite gaiters?
Duct tape. When finished for the day slide your blade carefully and slice them off. Protects laces, repels some water relatively quiet and can be wrapped up as high as necessary. I forgot my gaiters on a snowshoe ptarmigan hunt in AK, and made do with tape. A little practice and it can be done quickly and take in your foot flexing as well
I purchased a pair of "tube style " Safari gaiters from Spec-Ops. The material is quieter that Cordura, but not as soft as brushed polyester. No arch strap, just a short snap strap to attach to a boot lace, and a draw string around the top. They look pretty good. Haven't yet had an opportunity to try them out in real conditions; post-op physical therapy still in progress.
Kuiu gaitors work great for me but they're full height not ankle height. Looks to me like the new Rod Jenkins ankle gaitor that Denny is wearing will be a real winner.
After doing some research, I also settled on Kuiu (XL Yukon model).
I got them in the mail today - there is velcro... but everything else seems to fit your criteria. Not cheap though... but I figured what the heck, life is short and besides, I'll be getting checks from the government soon, LOL!
I'll mostly be using them for snowshoeing. Hope they fit my size fourteen winter boots.
I'll be out with them soon because it hasn't stopped snowing here pretty well since the end of October.
I made my own which are damn quiet but the use Velcro.
Three swazi ones look great but would be extremely easy to make.
https://www.swazi.co.nz/shop/mens/hush-puttys/
Well, I was able to try out the Spec-Ops Safari gaiters. The material does't look waterproof, but they kept my socks dry in wet grass, and kept the beggar"s lice and other hitchhikers out. The bottom edges are not elasticized, so ticks could have access to the boot tops. The snap strap that connects to a shoelace to hold them down is difficult to slide under a tight boot lace: would be real tough with cold hands.So I will probably replace it with a lace hook, like I did for the old Sitka Flash gaiters.
The Swazi Hush Puttys just arrived. Will try them out and let you know.
I use something similar to this except I made them myself.
http://www.crazycrow.com/mountain-man-moccasins-and-accessories/half-legging-kit-botas
I use the Kuiu Yukons and really like them. very quiet and do the job. They also just came out with a "ankle" style that may be worth checking out.