Chaps

[wahoowad]

Anybody bought a pair of decent chaps lately? Looking for a good value, but effective pair. I always wore safety equipment on my motorcycle and was able to walk away from my last accident because of the gear. I feel like I need a pair of pants although I know nothing about them. Heck, I'll take a good used pair if anybody has any 35/36 waist pants. After Thanksgiving that will be 36/37

 

[Roospike]

I have both the front Husqvarna bib chaps and the Husqvarna full wrap forestry chaps. Both are great chaps but i like the full wrap forestry chaps better.

 

[ourhouse]

I use the Pro Forest wrap chaps from Husky. I think they fit and COVER MORE than than regular chaps. I wear them every day at work and at home cutting firewood. Roo has the bib chaps some of the guys at work wear them and like them. Find a pair that fits good so you dont mind wearing them and don't go bargin hunting. Price does matter. Don't go cheap
John

 

[suematteva]

A couple months ago, I bought a pair of Labonville full wrap chaps..am very happy with them..Up until then never wore chaps..They are comfortable and have a 1000 denier cordura nylon covering...many brands just have the 400 denier which is not as durable...the 400 is probably fine for most applications though.

 

[velvetfoot]

I have some Stihl chaps I got when I bought the saw, but have found that they rotate on my legs when I wear them exposing the inside part of leg. I now put additional ties on them to make them tighter. I think they were just cut or designed wrong.

 

[ourhouse]

I have some Stihl chaps I got when I bought the saw, but have found that they rotate on my legs when I wear them exposing the inside part of leg. I now put additional ties on them to make them tighter. I think they were just cut or designed wrong.

Thats why I wear the wrap chaps. They have more buckles and cover a lot more.

 

[colsmith]

I know pretty much squat about chainsaw chaps. Was just looking on ebay for some for hubby (a useful Christmas present?) We mostly cut up trees that already down, we have a small electric chainsaw. Any advice on what to look for? I am not used to being so ignorant on a topic.

 

[suematteva]

I know pretty much squat about chainsaw chaps. Was just looking on ebay for some for hubby (a useful Christmas present?) We mostly cut up trees that already down, we have a small electric chainsaw. Any advice on what to look for? I am not used to being so ignorant on a topic.

There are many good brands. The ones that offer the most protection are the wrap variety (goes around the calf and depending on the model may offer more protection on the thigh.)..When shopping for the size most of the company's sell by overall length, not inseam. Husqvarna, stihl, woodys, elvex am sure there are other brands.

I did quite a bit of research on this about 3-4 months ago and I got mine from Labonville, they have two styles of chaps and pants etc... Am very happy with them..they were one of the first companies to develop them and they are made in New Hampshire.. www.labonville.com not sure but shipping may be included in pricing..They also have good pricing on woodburner stocking stuffers gloves etc....

 

[velvetfoot]

There was a warning label on my Stihl chaps that said they weren't that effective on electric chainsaws. Something about the torque.

 

[suematteva]

There was a warning label on my Stihl chaps that said they were that effective on electric chainsaws. Something about the torque.

Velvet did you make a typo???

Was looking for a file and saw the original safety warnings from mine and they did not differentiate between gas or electric?

 

[velvetfoot]

Oops. Yes-typo (corrected post). There was a warning that said they were not that effective with an electric.

From the Stihl website, http://www.stihlusa.com/apparel/protect_chaps.html :

Important Information:

These garments contain pads of cut-retardant material designed to reduce the risk of severity of injury to the body parts covered by the pads in the event of contact with the rotating chain. The fibers in the pads provide extra layers of material and are designed to rip apart when they come into contact with the moving chain and to clog the sprocket and stop the chain. In some contacts, the pads may stop the chain. In other contacts, the pads will resist the cutting process only for a fraction of a second. The actual degree of protection afforded will vary with the speed of the chain and the time of contact, the power and torque of the saw, the design of the chain saw sprocket and similar factors. Follow the washing instructions. Improper care may destroy cut-retardant properties of the material.

Warning for Electric Chain Saw Users:

The fibers will not stop the sprocket on most electric chain saws because of their constant high torque.

 

[detmurds]

To be honest, I never wear chaps, nor do I have any. Am I alone here?

 

[wahoowad]

You are not alone, but I hope to correct that this Christmas. I have hinted strongly at a pair from Labonville. I process wood by myself and accidents happen.

 

[Eric Johnson]

See how fast that saw cuts though a tough piece of wood, and you can guess what it would do to your unprotected leg in a fraction of the time.

You also need some head, face & hearing protection and (at minimum) steel-toed boots. Logger boots protect your vulnerable ankles and tendons with the same kevlar found in the chaps.

 

[glenng]

To be honest, I never wear chaps, nor do I have any. Am I alone here?

You are not alone. While I commend those that use chaps I feel the brain is the best piece of saftey equipment. Think about what you are doing. Be aware of your suroundings. Is your chain brake on when walking, off when cutting? Eye protection is a must so is hearing protection. Chaps may give a person an artificial sense of security. Chaps may snag on brush and cause you to trip if your walking in the woods or thru bush on a removal. Is your chain brake on when walking? That will save you more than chaps. Get in the habit of clicking on the chain brake before you take a step. Hard hats are good but I bet I can cut any non metal hard hat in half in a half second. Do you know what causes kick back? Do you know where to position your body when cutting? You should....chaps won`t save your face from kick-back. I encourage everyone to do a Google search "chainsaw saftey" or "safe chainsaw practices".

There is a lot of good info out there and it must be learned . Chainsaw saftey starts with learning to do it right in the beginning. Trial and error and chainsaws don`t mix.

BTW Bailey`s has good prices on chaps www.baileysonline.com

Glenn

 

[Eric Johnson]

That's all true, glenng, but it's also like saying "drive defensively and you don't need airbags or seatbelts."

Me, I'll take all the help I can get. Professional loggers don't wear all that stuff because it's fashionable or because it makes their job easier.

Think about it.

 

[DiscoInferno]

So what sort of chainsaw accidents typically lead to leg injuries? That seems like the area least likely to get hit due to kickback, so is it mostly due to some combination of improper body placement and unexpected forward saw movement? Or are leg inuries mostly due to careless handling of the saw when not cutting, as glenng seems to suggest? I can definitely see how to get my foot or ankle, but I'm not sure how I'd manage to cut myself above the knee without doing something incredibly stupid. Or are chaps indicated just on the principle that limbs and major arteries should be protected? What, if anything, do the pros use to protect their neck/throat? That seems like a vulnerable area.

 

[Eric Johnson]

A lot of people cut their thigh when they don't let the saw coast to a stop before moving the saw from their right to their left, which involves moving it above and across their left thigh. Another common accident is to trip and fall onto the saw, again, before the chain has coasted to a stop. Happens all the time, and if you take a look at some well-used chaps, it's not uncommon to see the nylon cut right above the knee.

The diagram below of where the most common saw injuries occur, is on the Stihl website. The design of the chaps and other safety gear tries to address those vulnerabilities. Note all the dots on the left thigh.

There is no device that protects your neck and shoulders that I'm aware of, other than the hardhat. The best defense against kickback these days is the intertial chain brake, which theoretically should stop the chain before it reaches your jugular. I think some sort of kevlar neck protector would be too cumbersome. You have to balance the risks against the comfort & functionality of the protective equipment, and it is a balancing act.

 

[zzr7ky]

Hi -

I've worn Forestry Service full wrap since a friend insisted on giving me his pair 'since I wasn't as smart'... Well niether of us have been injured. I haven't cut them either. I have had several incidents where debris snapped, poked, speared into my leg/groin and I was very glad i had the chaps on. I also think it's a better example for the youngfolks. My sons accomplish similar amount of work with dramaticly less blood loss/stitching (zero) than I did at thier age.


I were them and like 'em.
Mike P