Gaiters - What are the most bomb proof?

[Strider]

This should interest some people...

http://www.macpac.com.au/shop/en_au/gea ... iters.html

How odd...

These were originally advertised on the website for $80.95/pair, but this seems to have been dropped to $67.45/pair. I wonder why?

Because they should have had Xmas sale pricing uploaded but it was missed.. to the doubters, take a look...see the details and the sewing..this puppies will last.

Fantastic

As you've probably noticed from the comments above, I think they only negative response you'll find with these is the lack of an included underboot strap. Lets be honest, they're not exactly at the cheaper end of the scale, and pretty much all other brands of gaiters come with them included. If it wasn't for the Christmas sale, and the fact I have a $25 voucher to spend, admittedly I would probably go for the considerably cheaper S2S Quagmires.

[Stibb]

This should interest some people...

http://www.macpac.com.au/shop/en_au/gea ... iters.html

How odd...

These were originally advertised on the website for $80.95/pair, but this seems to have been dropped to $67.45/pair. I wonder why?

Because they should have had Xmas sale pricing uploaded but it was missed.. to the doubters, take a look...see the details and the sewing..this puppies will last.

Too bad they wont be in Hobart before Xmas

[Strider]

Too bad they wont be in Hobart before Xmas

Does this mean we'll miss out on the Xmas sale savings?

[Stibb]

Too bad they wont be in Hobart before Xmas

Does this mean we'll miss out on the Xmas sale savings?

According to the guys in the store - yes.. and the generous 15% offer from Cam will no longer apply either

[blacksheep]

yes, yes it will....tell them the boss man says so
print this out if you'd like, but I'll let them know at hobart and launie that due to shipping times running late we can stretch..if you have a card and the store closest to you has not received them point them to this webpage, or they can always call me if there is any confusion.

re: under wire . We spoke about this quite a bit here...we trialled thick hypalon, wire cables, perlon cord. There is nothing that wear well enough to be a permanent solution (especially when walking scree slopes). Most of the crew here use elecrtic flex as it lasts longer, some prefer cheaper 5mm cpord and replace, other go with the Aspiring swagged cables...ultimately this part seems to be personal choice, so we made it that way from the start..

one note though- a couple of my buddies that push big gears on bikes have commented that these are a bit snug on theior calves- so if you have larger calf muscles you may find these aren't quite right. We are bringing out mutiple widths mid year.

Do you guys really want a rear closure??? so hard to get the comfort/ fit working with these- but we can have another go...

Last edited by blacksheep on Mon 19 Dec, 2011 2:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Strider]

yes, yes it will....tell them the boss man says so

So that's a yes to the discount cards, but a no to Xmas sale prices if delivery is late?

[Azza]

re: under wire . We spoke about this quite a bit here...we trialled thick hypalon, wire cables, perlon cord. There is nothing that wear well enough to be a permanent solution (especially when walking scree slopes). Most of the crew here use elecrtic flex as it lasts longer, some prefer cheaper 5mm cpord and replace, other go with the Aspiring swagged cables...ultimately this part seems to be personal choice, so we made it that way from the start..

The split ring / aspiring wires don't work so well in Tassie.. The rings get bent on rocks and then pull apart leaving the sharp end of the wire sticking out. Then you end up tearing a hole in your gaiters which is what happened to my pair of Torre's.

Do you guys really want a rear closure??? so hard to get the comfort/ fit working with these- but we can have another go...

Nah.. doesn't bother me..
After just trying out my old pair of MacPac gaiters yesterday to see whether I bother buying another macpac pair - One annoying thing I found is that the lace too is a little too short.
It could do with just being a bit longer so it doesnt pop out all the time.

Sometimes I wonder if gear manufactures ever really do any serious off track testing of their gear?

[blacksheep]

yes, yes it will....tell them the boss man says so

So that's a yes to the discount cards, but a no to Xmas sale prices if delivery is late?

It's a "you can buy them at the VIP discount off the Xmas sale price if you have a VIP card ."

[blacksheep]

Azza..what lace?? Ours do not have a lace.
And using gear..I worked for one large Aussie company for a spell and I was the only person at the whole office that carried a pack or did any hiking the 5 years I was there! I'm now an owner of a company that is very very different. Super active users of our gear. A great environment for ideas.

[Azza]

Azza..what lace?? Ours do not have a lace.
And using gear..I worked for one large Aussie company for a spell and I was the only person at the whole office that carried a pack or did any hiking the 5 years I was there! I'm now an owner of a company that is very very different. Super active users of our gear. A great environment for ideas.

Sorry just got back from an off track overnight walk a few hours ago.. a bit tired.

I meant the lace hooks... they slips out a little too easily - just not quite long enough.
Tassie scrub seems to be a bit of a gear killer and a great test for finding any weaknesses.
I've got about 6 pairs of assorted gaiters here all trashed, all with different issues.
Most suffered some sort of failure within a couple of walks - so you can understand my frustration and for asking - do manufacturers actually test their gear?
I guess they don't try them out on 10 day off track walks in Tasmania?

Anyway I'll be interested to see how the new macpac one's fair.

[Marwood]

Do you guys really want a rear closure??? so hard to get the comfort/ fit working with these- but we can have another go...

I used to have some of the rear closing Macpac gaiters back in the 80s and liked them since they fit me well, but they were a PIA to put on compared to the front closing ones. My wife had the same gaiters back then but hated them because they kept cutting into the the skin on the back of her calves. I never had that problem with them since I have stupidly skinny calves. That actually is one of my gripes with the newer Macpac gaiters: they're too big for me around the top even done up as tight as they go. My other gripe with them is that the metal hook keeps cutting through my laces. Otherwise they do the job just fine.

[Strider]

yes, yes it will....tell them the boss man says so

So that's a yes to the discount cards, but a no to Xmas sale prices if delivery is late?

It's a "you can buy them at the VIP discount off the Xmas sale price if you have a VIP card ."

Damn. No VIP card

[Stibb]

yes, yes it will....tell them the boss man says so

So that's a yes to the discount cards, but a no to Xmas sale prices if delivery is late?

It's a "you can buy them at the VIP discount off the Xmas sale price if you have a VIP card ."

The guys in Hobart said the card was a one off only and kept the card last week after buying some stuff so don't have it anymore

[north-north-west]

Do you guys really want a rear closure??? so hard to get the comfort/ fit working with these- but we can have another go...

Maybe it's just me, but I much prefer them. And I really thought it would be easier to make, as you can shape the front without worrying about the closure, and you don't need the tab.
I grew up with them and have always found they fit better.

[Rob A]

Campbell, have you tried swaged whipper snipper cord rather than replacing stainless?

The Cascade pattern seems very short on leg length, even before they get sodden and ruckle down your calf.
The Torries show the same dimensions on the web site. Same pattern?

[Penguin]

Do you guys really want a rear closure??? so hard to get the comfort/ fit working with these- but we can have another go...

Maybe it's just me, but I much prefer them. And I really thought it would be easier to make, as you can shape the front without worrying about the closure, and you don't need the tab.
I grew up with them and have always found they fit better.

Me too.

The ancient Macpac's had a rear closure - easy to put on, less muck accumulated in the join and sat well on the boot. No need for press studs now as little pressure on the velcro to come apart. Why did we move to front closures? May not be a big thing but I would buy rear closures if I had a preference.

P

[blacksheep]

The main reason we do front closures in that with an extra wide velcro closure we can make the gaiter fit a wide range of boots- from plastics, to leathers and low cuts.

[ollster]

The Cascade pattern seems very short on leg length, even before they get sodden and ruckle down your calf.

+1, they are too short, and the canvas isn't stiff enough (or the closure isn't - this is something the S2S quagmires get right), so they slide down my leg. I stopped wearing mine, they were just annoying as hell.

[Marwood]

+1, they are too short, and the canvas isn't stiff enough (or the closure isn't - this is something the S2S quagmires get right), so they slide down my leg. I stopped wearing mine, they were just annoying as hell.

Have to disagree with that. The Cascade standards are just the right length for me, even if too big around the top.

As an aside, the "one size fits none" philosophy of bushwalking clothing etc is really annoying. Particularly pants that come in only one leg length - that is, to long or too short - and are constructed in such a way that the leg length can't be adjusted, e.g. by having zippers at the ends of the legs. So sales volumes are too small to justify manufacturing multiple lengths? Well, sales volumes are even smaller if folks don't buy things cause they can't get a size that fits.

[Ent]

Hi

I agree that what is needed in a perfect world is varying length stuff. Now before the marketers get excited and claim massive cost honestly if you look at say business suits which cost heaps like bushwalking gear you can get lengths from short, regular, and long in standard sizing. I love what One Planet have done with the pack harness system with a mix and match approach to belt, chest straps and back lengths. I am generally forced to buy ex USA as some brands have long fittings in clothes. A good length gaiter on me is likely to annoy most people as rubbing against the back of the knee.

Ollister, have you tried the One Planet gaiter? Mine stay up as do the S2S and WE ones.

I agree that press studs add not much to gaiter performance and wonder in this modern day if it is a hang over from older materials?

Cheers

[ollster]

Have to disagree with that. The Cascade standards are just the right length for me, even if too big around the top.

Hmmn... have you tried on the S2S quagmires? Are they then way too long for you?

[ollster]

Ollister, have you tried the One Planet gaiter? Mine stay up as do the S2S and WE ones.

I agree that press studs add not much to gaiter performance and wonder in this modern day if it is a hang over from older materials?

No, I've pretty much resigned myself to the S2S being the least worst. Might try the OPs next time I go on a gear splurge. I've got 5 pairs of gaiters in various stages of degradation at the moment.

And the press studs - may as well cut them off. What do they do that velcro doesn't?!

[Penguin]

Have to disagree with that. The Cascade standards are just the right length for me, even if too big around the top.

Hmmn... have you tried on the S2S quagmires? Are they then way too long for you?

I have not had trouble with length - Cascades and Quagmires have been fine. I found the Cascades more comfortable - then just wore out on the canvas on the inside of the ankles after 8 to 10 months. The Qaugmires lasted less time because of the bulges over the retaining mechanism for the straps. The Cascades were good because they stayed up without being too tight at the top and so would "breath". Just about to move onto a Cactus pair (NZ manufacture). No press studs and simple design; heavier canvas.

With the Cascades, they held on reasonably well without an under shoe straps on Scarpas.

P

[Nuts]

Maybe two for the price of one, one pair would survive the first blast ie... say these..

http://intranet.tatonka.com/infosys/php ... ter_420_HD

bought at say $30 a pair?

[Azza]

I had a pair of cactus... had great potential.

Unfortunately the stitching was a let down - only single stitched. While the canvas and everything else was good, they just fell to pieces... just let every other gaiter out there..

Its all about STITCHING!!!!!! I can deal with repairing tears etc. but when you have to resew the damn things after every trip just to keep them serviceable.

[north-north-west]

The main reason we do front closures in that with an extra wide velcro closure we can make the gaiter fit a wide range of boots- from plastics, to leathers and low cuts.

Yeah, that's what I figured.
I still think the best option is to shell out a few extra bucks and get someone to make them to measure and to your personal design preference. And with everything triple stitched AND glued.

[Strider]

I'm beginning to wonder if Macpac's new Torre gaiter is a myth. No sign of them in the Hobart store, and all out of stock online. They look the goods but if only I could get my hands on a pair!

[Rob A]

With any of the flat pattern gaiters without some articulation (spare fabric and maybe a bungee) round the ankle, as soon as you drop your toe, stepping, searching round rocks, stumps or whatever, the effective length of the things is from the lace hook to the back of your calf. Thats pretty much why they wind up short and ripping down off your calf or pulling up your boot lace. Really its a pattern problem thing.

[Strider]

Ok, so I've given up waiting for Macpac to release their Torre gaiter into Australia and have decided to buy some new gaiters tomorrow. The options being:

STS Quagmire Canvas ($69)
WE Bush Canvas ($79)
One Planet RFG ($99)

With all the bad reports on the quagies, I'm still hesistant to go with them even after the supposed "upgrades" This leaving the WE's or the RFG's. I know the WE's get a good rap with those who use them, but has anyone got much experience with the RFG's? Usage will be on-track, keeping mud out (or trying to!) more than anything else.

[ninjapuppet]

Snake proof gaiters!

I just got a pair of these Moroka.30 gaiters for off track walking and hunting. Abit expensive but they really do look bomb proof from first impressions. Since they're hand made in Australia, you can get custom sizes made up if you're like a peewee-man or big foot.

http://www.moroka30.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_reviews_info&products_id=86&reviews_id=22

I just hope i dont have to test the product's claims of being snake proof too often. My exped crocs survived a snake bite but it still gives you a bit of a fright momentarily.