Chicken Leg Boot Gaiters

[BoatsAndBows]

I’m a smaller guy and have definitely been skipping leg day, so the brands that “run small” are made for me. Anyone have experience with boot gaiters that “run small”. I know you can adjust them, but some are still on the large side. I’ve heard that black creek makes a good set, but wanting to check all options. Thanks.

 

[camelcluch]

I am genetically gifted with chicken legs. Kuiu fits me fine.

 

[doverpack12]

I wear kuiu XL and have large calves. First Lite are the most ridiculously small circumference gaiters I have looked at.
Kuiu Yukon are awful tough to beat, might be worth a look at their size chart. They are on sale for another couple days too.

 

[Jimss]

Never see a need for gators! Save your $!

 

[Blackdog317]

Kuiu Yukons are good on my chicken legs. 2 seasons with snow, crossing creeks, busting brush, deadfall...etc. they have been great. No regrets.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I like the OR expedition croc gaiters. The strap is velcro.
I never had much luck with any that have a buckle

 

[JoshOR]

OR. Makes some that are sized for women. Identical to mens except for size. I got a pair for the color, they were out in mens. They work but are tight on me, I’m average probably leg size wise. They were the heliums…

 

[couesbitten]

Never see a need for gators! Save your $!

I've been wearing gaiters for close to 15 years. The first elk season that my son and I wore them was an eye opener, one of those "how have I not known about these sooner" type of moments. I have worn gaiters from Kenetrek, Kuiu, and Outdoor Vision. Between my wife, son and I, we probably have 5 pair of the Kuiu gaiters, they take a beating and just keep working. My wife has pretty thin calves and wears the large size without issue.

 

[ILIKEGEAR]

The Kuiu Kutana Gaiters fit small. Its always struggle slipping into those at 5am. Once they are on, they're great though! Highly recommend.

 

[Perrin713]

Maybe give T&K a try?

Made in USA 1000D Cordura Leg Gaiters

If you are looking for leg gaiters that can take the extremes of any environment in the world..you have come to the right place. Overbuilt is an understatement.

www.tandkhunting.com

 

[Jimss]

Here in Colo and Wyo things dry out so quickly that it really isn't worth carrying and using gators if there happens to be dew early in the morning. Rain pants is another story. I often bring rain pants in case there is a sudden shower. If you think about it it's a waste carrying both rain pants plus gators? I wear rain pants when vegetation is wet from rain or snow. I don't like to sit down to glass on wet ground without rain pants. In tall brush and grass I would also get soaked from the knees up with just gators.......gators just don't cut it!

It rains so much where I sheep and goat hunt in Alaska that I almost always am wearing rain pants.
The new kuiu and sitka rain pants breath so well and are so light that I have no problem wearing them all day every day in wet conditions. It would be a lot better than getting soaked from the knees up with just gators? My sitka and marmot rain pants likely weigh close to the same as gators in my pack. Another plus for full length rain pants is they cut wind. The wind often howls where I spend days scouting and hunting in Colo, Wyo, Nebraska, and Alaska. Believe me, rain pants are a great wind stopper!

The conditions and how you hunt may be different but rain pants without gators works amazing for me!

 

[Ucsdryder]

Never see a need for gators! Save your $!

Couldn’t disagree more. Give me a good pair of gaiters for almost any time of year and environment.

Keep out the sticks in the summer, keep feet dry crossing creeks, in snow they are no brainers, early mornings with dew they keep the wet grass from making your pants wet, hunting in wet areas they keep your feet dry when you step into a bog, I could keep going on and on. There really isn’t a reason not to wear them except maybe in very hot climates, and even early season archery hunting for antelope I wear them to keep the sticks out of my boots and help with the stickers and cactus thorns.


I wear OR crocodiles.

 

[Jimss]

Ucsdryder, obviously gaiters work for you and others on this post but not for me and where I work every day and hunt.

What do gaiter lovers wear when it’s raining and snowing? How about sitting down when it’s super wet or snowy? How about hiking through wet brush that is taller than your gaiters. Obviously these don’t exist everywhere but they are super common in colo wyo Nebraska and Alaska where I spend gobs of time.

I also live and work in cheatgrass country. I learned years ago to wear pants that cover the top of my boots. I never have problems with stickers or cheatgrass in my socks and I’m out hiking and working in nasty sticker country every day without gaiters.

 

[Honyock]

+1 on using gaiters. I use Kenetrek gaiters and from mid-season on I've got them regardless of weather.

 

[Ridgehunter604]

Another vote for kuiu. I’ve got chicken legs as well and the katana gaiters fit great for me.

 

[Bump79]

Never see a need for gators! Save your $!

Never? I disagree and there absolutely are instances that gaiters are an excellent addition. I can't imagine busting through 12 inches of snow without them. I find myself putting them on even with 3" of snow or even after a heavy dew (or rain) in the morning where the grass soaks through your leg but I can't justify rain pants.

 

[Jimss]

I have a great explanation why I NEVER use gators for my style of hunting in the Northern US. I hunt relatively open country and spend about 75% of my time on the ground glassing and 25% hiking. There is no way I can stand and glass through binos and a spotter for hours and hours. I sit down, relax, and are way more stable.....especially when the wind is howling.

If it's wet enough to need gators my rear end and legs above gators would be soaked when I sit to glass with just gators on. My legs are 100% covered when I sit or hike if it happens to be raining or snowing. There is no way I'm going to wear gators plus rain pants or carry both around in my pack.

As I also mentioned, if it's going to be wet I grab my light weight, breathable rain pants. It's great insurance against getting totally soaked by a quick storm that may come through. I mostly scout and hunt at 6,000 to 14,000' elevation. At high elevation there would be a great possibility of getting soaked just about every day in the summer by late afternoon storms in elk, deer, sheep, moose, and mtn goat country. If I just have gators I can guarantee I would be totally miserable for hours upon hours glassing when sudden storms come through. I've been on marathon hikes while antelope scouting in the prairie.....same thing gators would have done nothing when I was hiking miles from my truck and the sudden rainstorms blew through. I hate being wet and so I go prepared for rain!

I haven't heard anyone that wears gators explain what they do when it's raining, snowing, or glassing on the wet ground to prevent getting wet above their gators? It sounds like most of you must stand and hike all day rather than sit down? Maybe you hike into areas when there is dew on the ground and don't sit down until all the dew is gone? You must also be in areas that don't have afternoon storms? I can possibly understand if you live in a super dry area, with 0 wet brush, no afternoon rainstorms, no snow, etc not needing rain pants?

 

[Wrench]

First lite will not be too big.

I wear gaiters often. I TRASH pants from sticks and rocks near the cuff without gaiters. Waterproofing is about 5th on my list of why I wear them. I do suffer from colder feet than most and gaiters help.

 

[Bump79]

I have a great explanation why I NEVER use gators for my style of hunting in the Northern US. I hunt relatively open country and spend about 75% of my time on the ground glassing and 25% hiking. There is no way I can stand and glass through binos and a spotter for hours and hours. I sit down, relax, and are way more stable.....especially when the wind is howling.

If it's wet enough to need gators my rear end and legs above gators would be soaked when I sit to glass with just gators on. My legs are 100% covered when I sit or hike if it happens to be raining or snowing. There is no way I'm going to wear gators plus rain pants or carry both around in my pack.

As I also mentioned, if it's going to be wet I grab my light weight, breathable rain pants. It's great insurance against getting totally soaked by a quick storm that may come through. I mostly scout and hunt at 6,000 to 14,000' elevation. At high elevation there would be a great possibility of getting soaked just about every day in the summer by late afternoon storms in elk, deer, sheep, moose, and mtn goat country. If I just have gators I can guarantee I would be totally miserable for hours upon hours glassing when sudden storms come through. I've been on marathon hikes while antelope scouting in the prairie.....same thing gators would have done nothing when I was hiking miles from my truck and the sudden rainstorms blew through. I hate being wet and so I go prepared for rain!

I haven't heard anyone that wears gators explain what they do when it's raining, snowing, or glassing on the wet ground to prevent getting wet above their gators? It sounds like most of you must stand and hike all day rather than sit down? Maybe you hike into areas when there is dew on the ground and don't sit down until all the dew is gone? You must also be in areas that don't have afternoon storms? I can possibly understand if you live in a super dry area, with 0 wet brush, no afternoon rainstorms, no snow, etc not needing rain pants?

I don't mean to say that you should wear gaiters in all situations, it's just another tool in the arsenal. We all hunt differently, varying geography, climate and just as importantly we have different preferences. We don't all have to conform to one standard. Just because you like something doesn't mean I do and vise versa. There are a ton of people who like and wear gaiters regularly, it's a pretty damn large market.

I never said not to wear or pack rain gear. Especially if it's summer scouting or early season with high possibility of rain.. That would be ignorant. If I've got gaiters on there's a 90% likelihood that it's late season in Montana, 4"+ of dry snow and I have to hike a good distance. They prevent snow from pushing up your pant and wetting your lower leg/sock/boot. I will say I am typically an active hunter and I'd say I'm more 70% active/30% glassing depending on where I am. Most of areas that I hunt are either heavily timbered with little glassing opportunity or is very tight lightly timbered draws making moves needed more often.

My pants are DWR treated, quick drying with a waterproof seat and knees. I also bring a light foam or inflatable glassing pad. Before Sitka, First Lite and Kuiu came out with these I just wore DWR treated pants. So I really don't have these issues you're bringing up repeatedly about my butt getting wet from snow or dew. Pad makes glassing more comfortable all the way around and I highly recommend it. I also hate hiking in rain pants regardless of breathability unless it's actively raining. I will sweat out and end up colder than if I didn't wear them at all.

 

[Jethro]

I don’t know about sizing and chicken legs but for a quality gaiter, Kuiu Yukon gets my vote.