It’s not often you’re given new gear with the simple request ‘destroy them’. But that was what the brains (and brawn) behind Tasgear Gaiters said when he wanted his prototypes tested.
Well, we’ve been trying.
Based in Tasmania (if you hadn’t already guessed), Tasgear was started by Tassie bushwalkers who were tired of the overseas manufactured gaiters on the market, which don’t stand up to the harsh conditions that Tasmania’s wilderness presents.
Their gaiters aren’t perfect, but they’re pretty close.
Functionality & Ease of Use (Rating: 80%)
They’re an easy enough gaiter to put on, just hook onto the lace, position the underfoot strap (if fitted), do up the press stud, close the Velcro and forget about them.
The heavy-duty press studs can be awkward to deal with and must be clear of any dirt or other obstructions if they’re going to close properly but, once closed, it takes something like your standard tactical nuke to undo them, so they won’t open on you in the scrub or snow.
The top has webbing, inside a channel, with a heavy duty elastic section and plastic buckle. Very easy to adjust and the loose end of the webbing can be slipped inside so it doesn’t flap around. Neat.
The underfoot strap is a length of Dyneema cord – they last a surprisingly long time even when doing a lot of rock-hopping, and replacements are both available and easy to fit. Adjust it to the correct length when you first get them and no further fiddling is needed.
Properly fitted, once they’re on you can wade into those bogs and barge through all that scrub without worry.
Your feet will be drier and cleaner, your legs unscratched, your lower pant legs untorn. They’ll keep the snow out and even water ingress on those creek and river crossings will be slowed.
Design & Durability (Rating: 85%)
No-one makes gaiters exactly how I like them, but these are the best available, particularly for those of us who do a lot of scrub-bashing and mud-squelching.
Plenty of thought and work has gone into the design,
and the construction is superb, including blind stitching in certain areas to minimise the wear issues certain other brands have.
Have I wrecked mine yet? Not quite, though I’m getting there. After a full year and hundreds of kilometres of mud, snow, rock, and scrub, some of the front edges have worn through. The fabric has frayed at the edge from the constant friction on vegetation and rock – but they still close and still don’t leak. A mate, who travels a lot faster than I, has managed to finish his off, though.
What I Like
- Solid construction.
- Heavy duty materials.
- Buckle closure at top.
- Adjustable, elastic & webbing at top.
- Custom fittings.
What I Don’t Like
- They sit a bit high on the boot (a bit of a personal thing, and these aren’t as bad as most others).
- A bit tight on the calves (but wider fittings are available).
- Studs can be hard to close/open (especially with cold hands)
Get One
Tasgear’s Off Track Gaiters are available online from Tasgear.
Have you used Tasgear’s gaiters? Got any questions or comments? Let us know by commenting below.
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