“Buy nice, or buy twice” is a saying that has led me to go to high dollar gear more often than not. Why buy nice? With the demands that come with Western big game hunting, there’s no room for gear fails or gear to limit performance. Case in point? Just last week, one strap on a pack that wasn’t fitting right caused pain that lasted days. On an archery elk hunt, this could impact everything from sleeping the night before to shooting my bow. Another reason to buy nice is that the best technical gear is expensive, and you need it to last.
Hard hunts in the mountains can take a toll on your body and even do a number on your gear. This is one reason gaiters are a go-to for me. From keeping pebbles (and more) out of my boots to keeping my (expensive) pants from getting shredded in thick brush, good gaiters are worth their weight in gold.
I’ve worn gaiters from a number of top companies, and you can tell right away that the Stone Glacier SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are superior in a number of ways. And in the field, these gaiters truly are exceptional.
First, the SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are tall (17″). Some companies make short gaiters, but if you’re going to wear gaiters, why not go all in? At this height (or length), I believe there is less potential for anything to get in your gaiters. Additionally, the top portion of these gaiters is waterproof, and that can be helpful in a variety of situations.
The SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are also very durable. Stone Glacier spent three years testing these gaiters to see what tends to be vulnerable with gaiters before they then designed features to help stand up to common fails. From the strap to ways they support the stitching, these gaiters are designed to take abuse. We haven’t spent three years with them yet, but so far so good.
Next, Stone Glacier has several ways to adjust the gaiters for optimum fit and to eliminate sliding. And a big win with these gaiters is that they are quiet. I have noisy gaiters from one big name company, and when I am bowhunting, I don’t want the material that supports the velcro to make noise. Quiet is key.
A big nod to Stone Glacier for the SQ2 Alpine Gaiters. They hit a home run with these!
The SQ2 Alpine Gaiters are available in sizes medium and large and cost $129. To learn more about the Stone Glacier SQ2 Alpine Gaiters, please click here.
— TH
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Disclosure: Stone Glacier is in a professional relationship with Rack Camp. Though potentially benefiting from this relationship, we do not post what we do not believe to be true. To read more, click here.
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