SnakeProtex Protective Gaiters

SnakeProtex  SnakeProtex™ durable and lightweight gaiters are scientifically proven to protect the wearer from the world’s most venomous snakes. They outperform similar products currently available on the market globally. Sporting a range of features such as adjustable boot straps allowing for a better fit amongst a larger range of different boots and shoes, adjustable top leg straps allowing for a firmer, closer, and safer fit, SnakeProtex™ Extreme gaiters are now more versatile than ever. With its water repellent tendencies and tougher 900 weight denier external black fabric, the new gaiters now offer you even better protection from snake strikes while looking like every day work-wear and lasting the distance.
Weight: approx. 450g each gaiter (just under 16 ounces each or 2lb for the pair). 1 Year Manufacturers Warranty against defects.
The Product: The result of over 12 months’ investigation, design and testing is Snakeprotex™. This is a pair of gaiters designed to protect the lower leg (knee to ankle). To ensure rigourous testing for the gaiter a professional herpetologist was engaged to carry out the necessary trials. The product proved itself well, leading to our claim that Snakeprotex™ will assist in protecting a person from snakebite if worn correctly. Snakeprotex is supplied with a diagram showing how to simply and correctly wear the gaiters.
The Chew Test: Five of the most common venomous Australian snakes were put in the vicinity of Snakeprotex™ and encouraged to bite the fabric which was fitted to a realistically sized dummy leg. The snakes used were: Eastern Brown Snake, Mulga Snake, Tiger Snake, Red-bellied Black Snake, and Southern Death Adder. None of the bites resulted in venom penetration through the garment. To quote from the test report provided by the herpetologist; “In all cases when a snake bit the gaiter on the model leg or bit the gaiter separately, no venom was detected on the inside of the gaiter, even when examined under magnification.” More recent tests on the newer model used a much more difficult test to pass: a Taipan while being held by a person bit the garment. This is a much tougher test firstly because the Taipan has the longest fangs of any Australian snake. The snake was allowed to remain latched onto the garment for 30 seconds while its venom glands pumped continuously. This prolonged bite is referred to as a ‘chew’. It must be stressed that a bite of this nature is extremely unlikely in a real life attack: most snake bites are simply a short, sharp, open-mouthed ‘tap’. Large amounts of venom were visible on the surface after the bite but again, there was no venom penetration through to the inside of the garment. This product was designed for protection from Australian snakes and rigorously tested for performance. Alongside this critical need, the garment had to be tough enough to withstand the harsh Australian environment. The Snakeprotex gaiters must be worn over suitable trousers and boots and definitely should not be worn with low cut shoes. The new Extreme model sports a range of fully adjustable features such as adjustable boot straps allowing for a better fit amongst a larger range of different boots and shoes, and adjustable top leg straps allowing for a firmer, closer, and safer fit, SnakeProtex Extreme are now more versatile than ever. A new press tab installed to clip over the zipper provides better security stopping the zip from moving whilst walking, working or out having fun; with its water repellent tendencies and now made from a higher denier external black fabric, SnakeProtex Extreme gaiters now offer you even better protection from snake strikes while looking like every day workwear and lasting the distance. We cannot claim that the product is “snake-proof”. There are too many variables involved for us to claim this. Nor can we guarantee that a snake may not strike the body above the top of the garment, although it would be unlikely from most Australian snakes. It should be noted that even when wearing this product, common sense should still apply and the wearer should still avoid contact with any venomous species. Snakeprotex is designed to prevent a snake’s fangs penetrating through to the skin. Extensive testing has shown that large specimens held in captivity were not able to penetrate this protection. On this basis, and with the support of a very experienced herpetologist, we are proud to release this unique outdoor safety product on the Australian market. Photos and images used in this document may show slight variations in the product. This is a result of the rigorous testing and alterations which followed. We like to ensure that we supply the best protection available and the in-field success of this product will be constantly monitored. We will never release a product which has not passed the ‘chew test’ tested as mentioned earlier. Testings were conducted by Adelaide Hills Snake Catchers, Geoff Coombe (Herpetologist) & Venom Supplies Australia.

Size    Circumference at knee    Length   To fit leg circumference                                                                                          (at top  of calf)

Small             430mm               385mm              410mm

Medium         490mm                400mm              470mm

Large             550mm               400mm               530mm

XLarge          600mm                400mm               580mm