Which boots will protect me from snakes in Nicaragua?

[BOD]

I saw this while browsing on another site and wonder what members think of the advice given.

http://outside.away.com/outside/gear/gearguy/200612/20061222.html

Having no Nicarauguan experience I'm not sure I am in a position to criticise.

It seems to me that you would have very hot legs if you adopted the suggestion and the boots mentioned are likely to cause immersion foot.

What gear oriented solutions do members adopt for snake bite risk?

 

[addyb]

Simple. US Army issue jungle boots. If they worked in the Vietnam Conflict (yes I said conflict, not war) then they sure as heck are viable today. You're almost guaranteed not to get immersion foot while wearing them what with the instep drainage holes and cordura or cotton duck uppers. (Depending on the style of boot you have) And because of the problems punji sticks caused in the jungles, they have a thin sheet of steel underneath the sole. No snake is ever going to bite though that! The only issue I've ever had with jungle boots is that they take quite a while to break in. Mine are about as comfortable as slippers now!

Adam

 

[BOD]

Simple. US Army issue jungle boots.
Adam

Couldn't agree with you more.

 

[leon-1]

Having used the issue Jungle boot (both British and American, the American is better by a long way), the American Jungle boot would be adequate.


Immersion foot is not just to do with drainage, it is also to do with saturation and the amount of time that your feet spend wet, drying and powdering at night will help with this as well as having a dry set of footwear to wear at night (also dry socks on a daily basis).

Generally snakes will stay clear, they sense the vibration of human approach through the ground and we won't see them as they get out of the way. Some snakes are curious and come to see what you are about, but this is generally after dark and if they are close enough to bite then your lower leg is not neccesarily where you will get bitten.

There are exceptions to the rule that most snakes are not aggressive, the Fer De Lance is both territorial and aggressive, IIRC the venom is a cytotoxin (it destroys tissues) and it lives in the Central American region.

The normal advice given is a stout boot that comes upto the base of the calf muscle, this is where the majority of bites of this type appear to of occurred.

 

[fredric1]

As quoted by leon1 most snake bites are in the lower leg region,try wearing a pair of gaitors over your boots for a bit more protection.But unless you go lookingv for snakes you will hardly see one,you are more likely to hear them getting out of your way.

 

[Stuart]

Simple. US Army issue jungle boots. If they worked in the Vietnam Conflict (yes I said conflict, not war) then they sure as heck are viable today. You're almost guaranteed not to get immersion foot while wearing them what with the instep drainage holes and cordura or cotton duck uppers. (Depending on the style of boot you have) And because of the problems punji sticks caused in the jungles, they have a thin sheet of steel underneath the sole. No snake is ever going to bite though that! The only issue I've ever had with jungle boots is that they take quite a while to break in. Mine are about as comfortable as slippers now!

Adam

US Jungle boots offer zero protection from snake bites, the sheet steel in the sole is of no consequence, any rubber sole will prevent the penetration of snake fangs in the extremely unlikely event that a snake should try to bite the sole of your foot.

bite proof gaiters would protect the area most vulnerable to bites (the calf) but unless I was working everyday in a bush environment with waist high grass absolutely infested with poisonous snakes I wouldn’t bother with those either

In the jungle I just wear the aforementioned jungle boots, not because they offer any snake protection but because warm water immersion foot is a much bigger concern than snake bite, which can be avoided by simple caution

Perhaps this guy has no intention of entering into the jungle in Nicaragua and is just trekking through the tropical grasslands, even in this case however I think he is being overly cautious and in practice will abandon the gaiters to keep his legs cool

the advisor does point out in the beginning of his answer that the snakes will most likely get out of his way, he doesn’t point that the gaiters are more likely to be a hindrance in this environment than a help though

(Edit: sorry cross posted with Leon and fredric1)

 

[addyb]

Alright, I take back what I said earlier about snake bites. Stuart's probably right, I don't spend a whole lot of time in the jungle!

And as to immersion foot, yes, Leon is right as well. There's more to it than just drainage. That said, have a look at this link: http://www.wemjournal.org/wmsonline...&issn=1080-6032&volume=015&issue=03&page=0233

Thirdly, there's nothing better than taking your boots off at the end of a long, wet hike, powdering your feet and changing into clean, dry socks.

Adam

 

[swagman]

Hi guys

Whithout trying to start some sort of i know you know argument i have to disagree with what is being said about snakes getting out of the way when they feel vibration from my experiance of bush walking in oz if a snake is basking
it will wait until you are nearly ontop of it litrely befor it moves on but saying that
unles you stand on one it will still move but it dose get your hart pumping.

 

[Stuart]

Its true that snakes basking first thing in the morning are too often lethargic to react quickly until they have warmed up and so wont move out of your way.

that’s the reason why I mention the Bush environment with waist high grass (after seasonal rain) as one of the places I would consider wearing gaiters if I was working in it every day, because the long grass prevents me from seeing where I am stepping clearly.

The gaiters may also serve to help keep the spiniflex out of my boots.

but in the absence of such visual impediments I would forgo gaiters, just pay attention to wear you put your feet and avoid likely basking location for snakes (areas of large flat rocks for example)

 

[philaw]

If I was going to somewhere with that many poisonous snakes, I'd have boots with spinning blades on the sides, like Boudicca's chariot in the movies.

 

[BOD]

Well.

I am a slow walker so I just let the Speedy Gonzales go in front and I follow

My dog clears the way too

If I am point then I walk even more slowly.

Vipers hate to move away and will often stay there so go softly.

But jungle boots are still my favorites. A knee high wrap of puttees under the socks is good too

 

[Bushwacker]

Trainers, so you can run faster than your mate when animals attack. I was scuba diving in florida a few years ago and the dive instructor was forever talking about sharks. this didn`t fill me with confidence as it was my first sea dive after qualifying. I mentioned the fact that I only had a small knife and wasn`t prepared to fight off sharks when he told me " you only need a small sharp knife, cut your dive buddy and swim like hell" I`ve never forgotten that valuable lesson. (not used it yet even though I`ve swam with things that consider you as food) :swordfigh

 

[Chele]

First off a little back ground so you can see i know a little about the subject..i have traveled all over the world..i am a former us marine and was also in the us army...spent time in viet-nam,went thru jungle warfare and survial school in panama...travled alot in central america...

first off id buy heavy leather boots and get snake chaps...use a long stick with a small piece of cloth tied about 12 inches from the ground and sweep it in front of you as you walk in the jungle..carry a cell phone in case you get bit and know when you go into the jungle where one would go for treatment before hand just in case as time can be a big factor......huge 8' bushmasters are common as are furtalances both are very very deadly..in most cases you may never see a snake but you might...or as it tags you..there both have very camofloged patterns and those are just 2 of many in that area..also be ware of black palm trees ..there common and have 3-4" very sharp pointed needles radeating out from the trunk and i got nailed good bye one as i fell into as the ground was wet..carry plenty of bottled water or buy caned fruit juice which is cheap and all over as well as safe to drink..always go with someone just in case you need help....be carefull where you put your hands too..you never know whats on something when you put your hand out...

have a safe trip..jungles are nice but you need to be on your toes at all times

 

[addyb]

Thanks for the into, Chele. It is well appreciated.

Adam

PS: And as for the snake in the trees, are you referring to the "two-step"? Two-step as in you get bit, you've got enough time to sit down, light a smoke, and you're dead. At least that's what all the vietnam war biographies I read said.

 

[Stuart]

Just to clarify and ensure that I haven’t misunderstood:

buy heavy leather boots and get snake chaps...use a long stick with a small piece of cloth tied about 12 inches from the ground and sweep it in front of you as you walk in the jungle..

Is this is your advice for the JUNGLE?!

Do you have a picture of you, in the jungle, resplendent in your heavy leather boots and snake chaps sweeping your long stick and cloth back and forth in front of you 12” from the ground as you walk???

Perhaps I could discern from this picture the technique you employ for waving said stick back and forth in the jungle which by its very nature has so much vegetation that waving anything around without getting hung up is tricky let alone waving things and walking at the same time.

carry a cell phone in case you get bit and know when you go into the jungle where one would go for treatment before hand just in case as time can be a big factor.

Did the jungle in “viet-nam” or panama have much of a mobile phone reception?

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

There are some interesting products on http://www.snakeboots.com/ click here

Not sure if there is anything better than American jungle boots and caution though

Phil.

 

[Too Much Kit To Carry]

Have a look here for a gaiter like product that appears to protect the lower leg - http://www.snakeboots.com/snakeguard_snakebite_protection.htm

Phil.

 

[swagman]

Bod it would also be a good idea to check out some snakebite first aid.
I allways carry two 100mm wide crepe bandages when bushwalking.