Peax Storm Castle Gaiter: A Comprehensive Hunting Gear Review
A good set of hunting gaiters can be a game-changer if the conditions are right. Gaiters do a great job at protecting your lower legs and feet, keeping them dry when you’re busting brush and things are wet, and they can also be beneficial for creek crossings if the water isn’t high enough to go over your boots. When I first got a hold of the Peax Storm Castle Gaiters, it could not have been at a more opportune time since my tried-and-true Outdoor Research Crocodile gaiters were finally starting to give up the ghost after several years and many, many miles.
I don’t always wear gaiters. If I’m packing up for a backpack trip, they are usually one of the items that I’ll cut to save weight, but I will also check the weather forecast and base my decision on how much rain/snow I can reasonably expect. If it’s supposed to be fairly dry, I’ll probably leave them home. If it has recently rained, everything is wet, and I have the option to take them, I probably will. I also usually take them if there has been snow or if it’s in the forecast. It’s kind of a preference thing too.
When I put the Storm Castle gaiters on for the first time, I liked how thick the material felt (especially from about the ankle down – where you will encounter the most brush and water), simply because thick gaiters offer better protection. I also noticed how thick the strap was that goes under your feet, another good design decision as these straps take a beating. I’ve owned and used a pair of brand new Kuiu gaiters in the past, and while they are lighter, I also think they offer less protection and aren’t near as durable. They just don’t hold up as long to any real abuse, from my personal experience. I am not trying to bash on Kuiu at all because they make exceptional gear, I just think their gaiters are not the best.
The Storm Castles are made with quality materials in the right places, which is crucial. From the ankle down, the material is Cordura 1000D on the exterior, the boot strap is made of 2mm Kevlar, and they are stitched together with Dyneema. For reference, Dyneema is an extremely tear-resistant UHMWPE (Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene) fabric that is several times stronger than steel. In layman’s terms: they are constructed with high quality materials you can rely on.
The Storm Castle gaiters come in a range of sizes that are based on the circumference of you calf (make sure you measure over your pants) and the gaiter height. For reference, I’m 5’10”, wear a 10.5 size boot and don’t have huge calves, and I got the Storm Castle’s in a size Medium. I have really liked how they fit me so far; they are snug, but there is no bunching of excess material anywhere, and I’ve had no issues with them slipping down my leg at all. You don’t want to get your gaiters too big or else they won’t stay on properly and won’t provide the best protection. If in doubt, get two different sizes and try them on over your pants and boots, and keep the size that fits best. On their website, Peax has some simple gaiter sizing steps and diagrams that are helpful in determining the correct size to get.
So far, my only complaint with these gaiters has been the buckle at the top (they call it the gatekeeper camlock) that secures the gaiter in place after cinching down the strap around your calf, so they don’t slip down. My gripe with this buckle is that the buckle itself does not hang over the recession in the plastic that it locks down into when you push the buckle closed, so it makes undoing the buckle kind of a pain. I’ve tried slipping the corner of my fingernail under the buckle, but it never did work.
Notice how the buckle on the Peax gaiters (left) is recessed in and doesn’t hang over the edge so you can’t grab it easily with your finger when you want to undo the buckle. On the right is the buckle of my OR Crocodile gaiters which extends out enough you can easily grab it and flip it loose with your finger.
What I’ve found works best is to use a key or the flat head screwdriver on my Leatherman and poke it through a hole on the back side of the buckle and push the clasp loose. What I think would be a better design is if they made the buckle just a little longer so that it hung over the end of the slot it sits in when you cinch them down, that way you could easily undo it with your fingers. Hopefully Peax can address this in a future revision of their gaiters. But this is a minor annoyance and does not compromise their functionality as gaiters one bit.
So far, I’ve really enjoyed the Peax Storm Castle gaiters. I’ve been able to go on several hikes with them, as well as some snowshoeing, and haven’t had any issues. They’ve kept me dry and protected from all the wet snow I’ve hiked miles through. So far, I can’t see any immediate signs of wear; if they were already breaking down or showing wear I’d definitely be concerned about their longevity, but that hasn’t been the case. I don’t see any reason why these gaiters won’t last me for several hundred more miles, and l look forward to using them.