There are certain pieces of hunting gear I seem to cycle through regularly: Boots and gloves come immediately to mind. Another item that I seem to go through is gaiters. Hunting in Montana’s highly variable conditions, gaiters are pretty much a must-have. More than once I have regretted a lazy morning at camp where I left the gaiters packed and ended up with soaking wet socks after post-holing through ridgetop snowdrifts.
T&K Hunting Gear Gaiters
Gaiters don’t just keep out the snow and water, though. They also provide abrasion protection and keep dirt and rocks from getting in the boot. This prevents problems that lead to more problems: skin irritation, abrasions, rashes, and unnecessary boot wear.
I have gone through a LOT of gaiters. The issue with most gaiters is they just aren’t that durable. After pounding through ninebark patches, alder thickets, blowdown jackpots, and scraping along rock faces, they generally give it up after about one-and-a-half seasons of use. They lose their structure and start scooting down your leg. The material tears. The hook-and-loop closures will quit sticking or delaminate. The bottom strap rips or buckles break after running into one too many rocks.
I have even had one type of gaiter failure before a single season was over. In all fairness, this early failure was usually user error … and it’s happened more than once. I hunt elk and deer in cold, snowy conditions. Many times, this necessitates a “warming fire” where the hunter can defrost his digits and reset his motivation. The problem with warming fires and gaiters is that most gaiters on the market are susceptible to melting if left too close to the fire’s heat for even a few seconds. Some of the gaiters I’ve worn in this situation ended up looking like a Van Gogh painting.
The good folks at T&K Hunting Gear promise a product that doesn’t succumb to these issues. Check them out here.
Build Quality
The T&K gaiters are overbuilt. The materials used include 1000D Cordura and 400D packcloth. The stitching is excellent and utilizes heavy duty #69 nylon thread. The Zippers are heavy duty YKK #10s. The Hook and Loop is genuine Velcro. All of the hardware from the toe G Hook to the snap hook, to the D Rings and stainless steel arch wire is all top quality. The DWR finish is highly effective. The materials are so robust, the gaiters have their own structure and stand on their own.
American Made / Veteran Owned
All of the above-listed goodies are sourced from the USA. The gaiters are then fully assembled in the USA. This is a USA-made product from start to finish. T&K Hunting Gear is a veteran-owned company. The company’s CFO, Keith, is an Army Veteran, while Tyler is a Marine veteran with tours to Afghanistan under his belt.
Fit
The gaiters are available in two heights: a 14” “Calf” height and a 17 “ “Knee” height. There are also two girth sizes: Medium/Large and Large/X-Large. T and K recommends measuring the circumference of the calf to find the right size. I measured my calves at 18”, which is right at the cutoff between the sizes. At Tyler’s recommendation, I ended up going with the Knee High Medium/Large (Marked L), which ended up being a comfortable trim fit.
Performance
Wearing the T&K gaiter is a different experience than most gaiters. They have their own structure, and feel a little like light armor at first. They are stiff, but there certainly break in with use. I can confidently say, however, that after several hundred miles, they have not lost there structure and do NOT sag at all. The zipper and Velcro closure is at the back of the leg. Every Gaiter should be built that way. It is easy to put the gaiters on with the closure up front and then simply spin them around, attach the arch wire, and tighten the top and bottom adjustments.
They are reasonably quiet but not silent after break-in.
The waterproofing is excellent. The gaiters don’t include a traditional waterproof/breathable membrane, but they simply don’t need one. I used the gaiters in sopping wet conditions, deep snow, and creek crossings. There was never even a slight indication that water was penetrating. Tyler told me they have tested them extensively and T&K is confident in the waterproofing. I am too.
Arch Wire Instead Of Strap
The arch wire is a vastly superior design to the usual strap on most gaiters. I didn’t get any debris or snowballs collecting that would affect my feet. Mud and snow balls on the bottom strap are a common foe of gaiter users, but aren’t a problem with the T&K gaiters. The wire just cuts through everything and clears easily. The wire is not adjustable, but works with a number of foot sizes. They fit fine for me. The wire is user-replaceable. Note that wire wear is expected and not covered under warranty.
The 1000D Cordura exterior was confidence-inspiring in the woods. These gaiters waded through streams, thickets, rock gardens, and snow banks. They show little signs of wear. Campfire issues? Nope. I didn’t even worry about it. The Cordura can still melt and burn, but unlike other gaiters, I didn’t have any issues. I saw fire embers fall to the gaiter surface and go out. There is certainly a higher resistance to heat than lighter duty nylon gaiters.
Weight and Cost
As you may expect, you can’t have the burly build quality of the T&K gaiters without some weight penalty.
Most of the other gaiters marketed to hunters are made of lighter weight synthetic fabrics and ultralight waterproof/breathable membranes. For comparison to the T&K, I had a relatively new set of King’s Camo XKG Gaiters waiting in the gear closet. This is my second pair of King’s and generally they have been pretty good. The first pair though, succumbed to an alder thicket some years ago.
Putting both sets of gaiters on the kitchen scale reveals the true weight difference. The King’s checked in at 11.5 ounces for the pair—pretty light. The T&K’s rang up at 1 lb, 7.6 ounces. The T&K gaiters are over twice as heavy as the King’s. Long-distance runners and hikers will tell you that weight on the legs and feet takes a toll.
The T&K gaiters are more expensive than the competition. Their regular price is $178.95, although they are currently discounted to $146.74. Compare this to the King’s XKG at $79.99 or a pair of OR Crocodiles at $89.
What I can say for certain is that I have paid a lot more than $180 on gaiters over the last few years.
Warranty
T&K Hunting Gear offers a Lifetime Warranty that includes wear and tear damage. Intentional damage is not included. As noted earlier, the arch wire is not included in this warranty.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, the T&K Hunting Gaiters are the most durable gaiters on the market. Field Performance is exemplary. The cost of entry is high but dissipates over time. These gaiters are for hunters who need extreme performance and durability. Hunters that hunt in thick, wet, variable terrain, guides, and expedition-type hunters will find the T&K gaiters to be the reliable gear they need. Also, hunters who want to make a one-time purchase for years (or even decades) of use will find long-term durability with the T&K Hunting gaiters. For me, these gaiters solve the repetitive durability issues I’ve had with gaiters over the years and let me worry about other needs in the woods. Available here.
Comment or ask Matt questions here.
*T&K Hunting Gear is a Rokslide sponsor.
