Re: Best noise gate?
If you get a rackmout hush you´ll want to try and get an older one with the red logo if cou can, they´re slightly more transparent than the newer ones, both open and closed. The new ones are fine, the old ones are just a bit better.
I just missed one in near mint condition on eBay this evening, but it was out of my range anyway at 80 bucks IIRC...
What I used to use was an Alesis 3630 at the last point in the chain just before my Microverb. I really liked the independent gates for the left and right channels becasue I like to have a slightly different tone left and right. And having a limiter proved to be practical on occasion as well, canßt say I really used the compressor much. The Microverb was there to set some light reverb to compensate for room size as well as mask the closing of the gate. But that´s not because it was in any way "obvious" when it closed, but merely the way I prefer to roll when I have to use a gate.
I have to agree that working without one is preferable if at all possible. Back then with my rack it wasn´t.
Can´t comment on the ISP, MXR or Boss products because I have a big problem trusting something that can be kicked around or randomly stomped on by a stage diver doing such an important job. But I have an aversion to pedals in general save my V-Twin, so YMMV.