Snake Gaiters - Love Hate Relationship

[Muddyboots]

So looking at another archery mule deer hunt in ND or SD in 2022. Have some points. Last hunted 2017, had my chance but pulled a rookie mistake which is another story. But thats bow hunting.

I wore snake gaiters, heavy, hotter than dickens! Lower legs soaking wet from 95 F. Hated putting them on but DANG! First 3 days never saw or heard rattler and while walking out at dark I was thinking "what's the point?" as I got next to road. About 25 yards from road, I got the dreaded marbles in coffee can noise. I performed World Record sideways jump and it stopped. Picked up stone, tossed over to sage brush I was next to and yep got the leave me alone response!

So I absolutely hate wearing them but love knowing I have them on. The ones I have on are extremely heavy denier and looking for something lighter.

Forget snake boots, I can't even find regular boots to fit Sasquatch feet let alone snake boots. Size 15-16 depending on boot sizing.

Anything lighter and effective?

 

[Tommytrees]

So looking at another archery mule deer hunt in ND or SD in 2022. Have some points. Last hunted 2017, had my chance but pulled a rookie mistake which is another story. But thats bow hunting.

I wore snake gaiters, heavy, hotter than dickens! Lower legs soaking wet from 95 F. Hated putting them on but DANG! First 3 days never saw or heard rattler and while walking out at dark I was thinking "what's the point?" as I got next to road. About 25 yards from road, I got the dreaded marbles in coffee can noise. I performed World Record sideways jump and it stopped. Picked up stone, tossed over to sage brush I was next to and yep got the leave me alone response!

So I absolutely hate wearing them but love knowing I have them on. The ones I have on are extremely heavy denier and looking for something lighter.

Forget snake boots, I can't even find regular boots to fit Sasquatch feet let alone snake boots. Size 15-16 depending on boot sizing.

Anything lighter and effective?

No help here, mine are heavy also. Buuuut, Happy New Year to you and yours. Happy hunting !

 

[jraulsten]

Look at Turtleskin Gaiters. Probably the lightest and coolest on the market. I gave up boots for these in Texas......

 

[7stwnut]

Check out the Crackshot snake guards. The camo version has a softer cloth material which is not quite as noisy.

 

[WildRose]

So looking at another archery mule deer hunt in ND or SD in 2022. Have some points. Last hunted 2017, had my chance but pulled a rookie mistake which is another story. But thats bow hunting.

I wore snake gaiters, heavy, hotter than dickens! Lower legs soaking wet from 95 F. Hated putting them on but DANG! First 3 days never saw or heard rattler and while walking out at dark I was thinking "what's the point?" as I got next to road. About 25 yards from road, I got the dreaded marbles in coffee can noise. I performed World Record sideways jump and it stopped. Picked up stone, tossed over to sage brush I was next to and yep got the leave me alone response!

So I absolutely hate wearing them but love knowing I have them on. The ones I have on are extremely heavy denier and looking for something lighter.

Forget snake boots, I can't even find regular boots to fit Sasquatch feet let alone snake boots. Size 15-16 depending on boot sizing.

Anything lighter and effective?

About 95% of human/rattlesnake injuries are caused by people hurting themselves trying to avoid them.

Even when I was guiding quail hunts in serious rattlesnake country four months straight after a couple of months in N. and S.D, Montana, Idaho, and Eastern Washington the only times I was hit was when doing snake breaking clinics under controlled circumstances.

There are some light snake gaiters available but they are totally unbreathable and unbearable in warm temps if you're walking very long.

Seriously, we've become a seriously overly risk averse society and rattle snake bites in the field are extremely uncommon.

Weigh the risks and make your own decision but if I couldn't just wear my snake boots I wouldn't bother with it at all and I live in very serious rattlesnake country.

 

[JiminAZ]

Been using the TurtleSkin products for years.