Snake boots or chaps???

[Buckrider]

I have both, the Rattler brand chaps and the Rocky Lace/zip up snake boots from BPS. Lace them to fit then use the zipper from then on. Both are hot but the boots feel less noticablely hot and are more comfortable to me for a full day of walking. The main Con to me with the chaps is that they are very noisy. If you are trying to be sneaky go with the boots. As mentioned above the chaps are great for briar busting!

[Solocam00]

snake boots are a must in my line of work. well not always but better safe than sorry. I have had them all and my number one is the Danner 17" Sharptail Covey snake boot.

[TX_Kevin]

This will be my next pair.

Men's Justin Dune Traction Snake Boot 17" Snakebite Protection Dune Colored Leather J96 Toe and Unit Heel
Double Stitched Sewed Welt, Made in the USA
Upper Lined with Viper Cloth Snake-Proof Fabric
Made in USA Justin 2113 -- $183.00
I have a great pair of hunting boots that I never wear because snake boots make me feel a whole lot more comfortable. Everything's hot when it's hot outside.

[crittergitter]

people who wear snake boots i am sure the same people who shoot drop away rests .

that would make them? tink can you help me out on this one

[MexicoBandit]

Im skeered of snakes.... I where chaps

[Landrover]

I have both but the chaps will help you loose about 10 pounds if you cruise some timber in East TExas!!! Boots definitely!!!

[D12]

Boots with zipper. No laces.

[El Jeffe]

Used chaps one year and as soon as possible bought some boots. I will say this though I did appreciate the chaps in thick brush since they kept alot of the thorns out of you.

[cosmiccowboy]

They are all hot. I wear Justin work boots and add gaiters or chaps as needed. It depends on the situation, how tall the groundcover is, etc. I like the gaiters because they are easy to pull off and let your legs cool down, but I will wear chaps in what I consider especially "snakey" cover where I can't see the ground because they protect the full leg.

Maybe I have been lucky/unlucky but I have seen/killed literally dozens of BIG rattlesnakes (5-1/2'+) and gaiters and boots just aren't enough protection...a big snake can hit you WAY over the tops of boots and gaiters...and rattlesnakes just don't rattle the way they used to...I have killed several big snakes in the last ten years that didn't rattle till AFTER I killed them and the nervous system took over.

Get hit on the pants leg a couple of times and you won't care how hot they are.

[MexicoBandit]

Never get out of the high rack......

[STGS]

Has anyone ever seen or heard of anyone being bitten by a rattlesnake above the knee? I'm not talking about the guy that got bit on the thigh because he knelt down or on the ***** because he sat on one. I have never seen a snake strike above the knee. Just my experience. Anyone????

[cosmiccowboy]

Has anyone ever seen or heard of anyone being bitten by a rattlesnake above the knee? I'm not talking about the guy that got bit on the thigh because he knelt down or on the ***** because he sat on one. I have never seen a snake strike above the knee. Just my experience. Anyone????

From the Palm Beach (FL) Herpetological Society, in conjunction with the Florida Cooperative Extension Service (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida), Venomous Snake Bites says, in part:


7000 venomous snake bites are reported annually in the United States.
*

15 fatalities result, placing the chance of survival at roughly 499 out of 500.
*

Approximately 3000 are classed as "illegitimate," meaning these bites occurred while the victim was handling or molesting the snake.
*

85% of the natural bites are below the knee.


I'm just saying that the 15% above the knee are probably from big snakes and I seem to have a propensity for running across them. Probably just the nature of the country I hunt and the fact that I do a lot of walking.

[Bill]

I have Rocky uninsulated lace-up snake boots that go up to my calf, and I hunt CA summers with them and would not say they're overly hot, or uncomfortable. I like the lace-ups while they take a minute each to pull-on and lace (I only do that once a day), I can wear them under my camo pants, or stuff my jeans inside them and wear them outside when I'm going to be hunting and crossing streams, or hunting in the am and the grass/ hay is really wet from the morning dew. Outside also helps keep ticks from crawling up the boot into my pants.

[Bill]

*7000 venomous snake bites are reported annually in the United States.
*15 fatalities result, placing the chance of survival at roughly 499 out of 500.
*85% of the natural bites are below the knee.

Roughly 2 deaths per year occur from snake bites above the knee, including in those 2 those when people were handling or molesting the snakes, bit in the arms, etc..

[cosmiccowboy]

BTW...I shot a big 6'+ one with a shotgun quail hunting...I saw it out of the corner of my eye as it was just starting to strike at me (it didn't rattle)...jerked my right leg back and swung the gun barrel up/right and pulled the trigger as the gun barrel touched his head (almost full strike extension) and it was several inches above my knee...