Cool weather kilt hose on the cheap.

[kevinkinney]

Howdy folks,

Being kilted at high latitude has it's challenges,as many of our Canadian members will attest. I've done plenty of comparisons as I pick hose for the 8 months of winter in Duluth, MN. I'm pleased to say that Cabelas Wool Wader socks are excellent for field use below 30 degrees F. They're not suited for dress, nor quite as tough as some of the knitted styles from the motherland, but they can't be beat for the $15 price tag. I've got 8 pair of hose in my drawer, and the 3 from Cabelas are getting plenty of use off pavement.

RIT dye does wonders to the bland grey/green hue the manufacturer chose.

Cheers,

Kevin.

[JimB]

How are these things for length??

[McMurdo]

Are these the socks you mean

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0020403812018a.shtml

[Shane]

I think he means these:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...equestid=18276

Shane

[kevinkinney]

Shane has it right.

The length is very generous. I'm 5'10" and leggy, yet there's plenty of rollover from the portion that's meant to cover your knees inside the waders. I've tried them cuffed back over the top, and tucked inside the top. Either way works- though only one allows garter use.

Like any other hose, they do snag in dense brush, but I don't find myself cursing less and less when it happens. When fall rolls around, I'll probably don my Kevlar kilt for chasing grouse through our thick and spikey uplands. Pehaps I'll knit some heavy nylon hose, and topstitch tooling leather on like BMX shin guards.

Cheers,

Kevin.

[SoldierSpike]

Like any other hose, they do snag in dense brush, but I don't find myself cursing less and less when it happens. When fall rolls around, I'll probably don my Kevlar kilt for chasing grouse through our thick and spikey uplands. Pehaps I'll knit some heavy nylon hose, and topstitch tooling leather on like BMX shin guards.

You might try a pair of gaiters, they're what I use when wandering around the wilderness. One day when out hunting the other 4 guys I was with all got cactus somewhere in their leg. I, with the gaiters and tan survival UK did not.

My $.02

Marc

P.S. I got mine through the sports man's warehouse, but these are identical.

[kevinkinney]

Hi Marc,

I'm lucky enough to have a pair of 18" high LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoes. They're about 22 years old at this point. When I had them refurbished in 1995, the rep on the phone told me that they were going to stop offering the high leather. I bought an extra set of uppers at that point. Though I never really had a reason for owning high boots in my youth, they're very appropriate for my mid life pleated situtation.

I'll suggest the gaiters to my dad. He lives in the snake latitudes.

Kevin.