Rattler Scaletech Snake Protection Gaiters

The product appears to be quality. The inserts are, in fact, in such a way that they overlay each other for full protection. There will be no gaps between the inserts. This is great. I was a bit concerned about it. I loosened the buckle length to all the way out so that while on, there is room for circulation. I don't care if they fit loose, they will still do the job. Also if loosened, they fall a bit over your foot for a bit more protection. The straps and buckles are typical plastic and nylon, not much to say here. I know a herpetologist that uses these and the pair he bought (another brand) had the buttons come apart, so he took his to be altered. He had zippers put on, it was cheap and an easy fix. So if for some reason this should happen, I will do the same. I look forward to testing these out on my hikes when I'm looking for rattlesnakes to study and photograph. Since I have already worn a similar pair, I can say that these definitely make you feel a bit more confident walking around snake habitat. I hike in the desert twice a week. Don't let these give you a false sense of security, however. You should always be aware of your surroundings regardless of using gaiters. Great purchase, great price. Let me also add that if you put them on snugly, they should fit just below the knee to the ankle. Since I want the circulation and will wear them loosely, they actually come down to rest over the top of my foot, lowering the whole thing below my knee a little. You'll have to play with them yourself.Oh, and they will obviously protect you from thorns and cacti. I live in Arizona where it's hot and thorny everywhere. My legs will thank me for having these...no more scratches and cuts!1/30/16 Update....still love these! Nothing has broken, warped or worn. I use these day and night during the summer and definitely say these are one of the best purchases I have ever made!3/5/2022 Update....I'm still wearing the pair I purchased in 2015. I still love these. I read a few of the other recent reviews and wanted to say that if your buckle is breaking, it's because you have it too tight and are putting too much stress on the plastic. I wear these in 117 degree weather in Arizona. Even after years of use, the plastic buckles have never gotten brittle and broken from the extreme heat, as what typically happens to plastic in Arizona. You don't want to wear them tight. You want them loose enough that they go down over the top of your shoe. These aren't meant to be, and certainly don't need to be, tight fitting in order to work.

For the price, these are just what I was looking for. They weigh almost nothing. They are NOT too hot for summer work. I wear them with shorts and ankle high leather boots for doing heavy brush clearing, without giving a thought to whether there is a viper under that brush.I noticed that one or two reviewers complained about them being too small for an average size man. I am above average size and found that they are just fine once I let the buckle strap out as far as it will go. Since I let them out, they are a bit loose, but that is good because it allows ventilation.Another reviewer complained that they do not cover the top of the shoe. It is clear that you have a choice. You can buy a more expensive and cumbersome model that covers the foot, and sweat all the more, or simply wear adequate foot and ankle protection. It does not seem fair to criticize the product when the only failure was a lack of planning and imagination when you made your purchase.Revision: Everything I wrote was accurate, except one statement. When wearing these without long pants (in the summer to keep cool), after a few weeks they began sloughing off some very fine fibers that caused a rash on my calves. Unfortunately I had to begin wearing long pants to protect from the rash. Still, other than that problem, they were quite useful, due to their light weight and ease of use.

Last year, before I bought these, I almost stepped on a copperhead while long distance hiking alone. I always hike alone, far out in the forest, so it freaked me out. I told my wife about it upon my return and she freaked out too - I don't think she's worried as much about me personally as she is about me dying from a snake bite on the trail and leaving our three kids fatherless :).I'm 5'-6" tall (slightly on the short side) so the tops of these snake guards tend to hit right in the bend of my legs on very steep climbs on the trail. However it hasn't cause irritation or soreness in the bends of my legs so it's okay. I have hiked 87 miles wearing these so far. They're holding up VERY well.I consider them to be "snake guards" but yes they are also gaiters, although they're pretty stiff to be used as gaiters only. When going through briers and low laying brush they certainly fend off snagging your pants at the bottom.I have read that rattle snakes tend to strike between your knee and ankle and not often above the knee. If that is correct thewn the lengths is fine. Lengths has been my only real concern.

The product was as described and arrived nicely packaged without damage. There weren't any instructions included but not as there needs to be, just take them out of the box and put them on. They the straps are adjustable for various sized calves and fit mine nicely under or over pants when wearing boots. These have hard plastic connectors not velcro, it is possible to break them if you aren't careful or from long term repetitive use. I would consider these good for occasional to moderate use, if you plan on wearing them daily then you may want to invest a little more in a heavy duty pair. I saw lots of questions about comfort, they are alright considering the purpose, comfort wasn't the priority. But it really feels no different from taking corrugated cardboard wrapping it around your leg and duct taping it. Obviously these are plastic and prevent snakes but it will give you the idea of how it feels to walk in them. I purchased the camo pair and they were as pictured, had wished the straps were a color similar to the pattern but they are black and kinda stand out.