Genuine Brand New Rugged Snake Bite & Bush Resistant Full Size Gaiters
Fantastic value compare with $89.95 + on other brands.
Snake resistant, comfortable, strong and breathable, these Gaiters are BUILT TO WORK! Built in one size to fit most people and in our mind the best quality value for money snake and bush resistant gaiters in Australia.
Size:360mm Long and Max Calf Size (circumference) 47 cm
One Size Fits All Fully Adjustable.
Weight:240g each
DESCRIPTION
Snake & Bush resistant super thick 600d Ripstop, waterproof RX bag material with bonded PVC backing
50mm Velcro closure for size adjustment
Elastic drawstring at top for snug fit
Steel lace clip and Hyperon heel strap to stop from riding up
Shaped at bottom for perfect fit on boots or shoes
Soft breathable lining for added comfort
Breathable webbing strip at top and back for ventilation
* We regularly receive questions about the prevention and treatment of snake bites in Australia. This sheet can help you understand snake behavior and avoid dangerous situations. The following information has been offered by Bob Cooper, an Australian expert in reptiles and outback survival. These Gaiters are for prevention only there is no guarantee intended or offered by Kit Bag or Rugged extremes or that a product even exists that will 100% prevent you from being bitten by a snake.
NB: These guidelines are relevant for Australian snakes species and are intended as guidelines only.
Prevention better than cure:
Do not approach a snake: it doesn’t know what your intention is, and that you are just observing or trying to help.
You can make a snake very scared by pointing and waving your arms in the air above the snake, so instead, keep your movements calm and slow. Also, dont raise your feet up in front of the snake – that will provoke a strike.
Wear closed-in footwear at all times when bushwalking and preferably wear long trousers and/or gaiters.
Use a dead stick or trekking pole to probe long grass as you walk through, as this will encourage the snake to move out of your path.
Do not cast a shadow onto a snake as that will make it nervous.
Gaiter advice:
There are 30 species of snakes in Australia that are considered to have life-threatening venom. Fortunately these belong to one group of snakes known as elapids, meaning they have fixed front fangs. The average length would be 4-6mm on a metre long snake and up to 12mm on a very large snake. These relatively small fangs means that by wearing gaiters you can greatly decrease the chance of a snake successfully piercing you skin.
Kit Bag offer a large range of gaiters in different formats which will help prevent a bite, but can never offer 100% protection against snake bites. The RX Gaiter currently made by Rugged extremes Australia provides at least 36cm coverage up your leg delivering some peace of mind no matter where you are bushwalking.
Treatment method:source ‘Outback Survival’ by Bob Cooper (2012)
“I believe the pressure and immobilisation technique (PIT) is the most effective first-aid treatment for all venomous land and sea snake bites in Australia and other elapid snakes worldwide. To my knowledge there have been no reported deaths once this bandaging has been applied. The short fangs of the elapid snake deliver the venom into our lymphatic system and not directly into our blood stream. The bandaging slows the venom movement and absorption rate down to as much as one twentieth, buying the victim much more time to get to hospital.”
Written by Bob Cooper
Three rolls of bandages are required to effectively bandage an adult leg. To learn how to perform the PIT method, read ‘Outback Survival’ by Bob Cooper (2012).
Facts about snakes:source Bob Cooper - Australian Survival expert.
We have about 30 species of snakes in Australia that are dangerous to humans, they all belong to a family called Elapid – which means they all have fixed front fangs, the two canines are the only teeth producing venom.
Most don’t have true hypodermic fangs but they are so close to being hollow that their delivery system is nearly as good.
The fact that they can all bite a flat surface means when they strike, they open their mouth up very wide to ensure a strike on their target – but they snap their mouth shut on first contact with the target. This means for us, they will often bite our trousers, clothing, boots or gaiters rather than our legs. This is the reason long furred cats and dogs attacking snakes often do not get envenomed.
There is no such thing as an aggressive snake – they are all acting in defense.
90% of the approx 3000 bites a year in Australia are on people trying to catch the snake.
90% of those bites are on hands or feet. 7% are treading on snakes and the other 3% is made up of putting hands in the wrong place and or sitting on them.
90% do not require anti venom because the snake is striking in defense and not a predator strike which is when they will “hang on” to their prey.
The pressure and immobilisation bandaging treatment is extremely effective, I believe no one has died in Australia once this had been applied in the first instance. Treat all bites as serious.
