TIME FOR A NEW SET OF CHAPS

[Bill]

Shipper50 I think yours looks worse, ouch! I cut wood for many years and this high tech equipment was not available then, but I felt my luck was running out. It takes one simple mistake and bang you could bleed out before the ambulance arrives. I hate putting all this equipment on in hot weather but I force myself.

I even bought Kevlar gloves, but they are lined and the chips of wood stick in the cuffs and drive me nuts, gotta get a better designed pair next time.

I always felt that if your scared of the saw, you will always respect it. Never get complacent.

 

[Shipper50]

Shipper50 I think yours looks worse, ouch! I cut wood for many years and this high tech equipment was not available then, but I felt my luck was running out. It takes one simple mistake and bang you could bleed out before the ambulance arrives. I hate putting all this equipment on in hot weather but I force myself.

I even bought Kevlar gloves, but they are lined and the chips of wood stick in the cuffs and drive me nuts, gotta get a better designed pair next time.

I always felt that if your scared of the saw, you will always respect it. Never get complacent.

I put that picture of my knee replacement in for shock value in case someone thinks that not wearing chaps is ok. I can only imagine what a chain saw could do to ones leg if running full speed and hits ones leg. :ahhh:

Shipper

 

[Gooserider]

I wear and advocate for the chaps and hat setup... For boots, I spent the big bucks and got the Matterhorn chainsaw boots - according to some of the pros that I've talked to, steel toes are better than bedroom slippers (though they will dull up your chains :bug: ) but not a huge amount - many of the chainsaw related foot injuries involve hitting the top or side of the foot where the steel toe isn't, and leather doesn't do much to stop a saw.

The chainsaw boots have the same sort of Kevlar pads that the chaps do, and that makes a BIG difference. Labonville makes some nice looking boots at a reasonable price, but the Matterhorns are clearly better from a protection standpoint - taller, and more layers of material - plus they are gore-tex lined, and have the same sort of stake resistant soles as they use in the 'Nam jungle boots, and so on.... As far as I can tell the other brands of boots met the minimum standards, but only the Matterhorns actually have a UL listing on them. Aside from making my feet feel huge, they are the most comfortable pair of boots I've ever owned...

Gloves, I'm a bit more undecided about. The injury rates for hands are pretty low to begin with, and I'm not convinced the chainsaw gloves will help all that much - I can barely feel that there is any added padding in my Husky chainsaw gloves, and IMHO they aren't as comfortable as the "technical" gloves I wear for other stuff. I've never seen anyplace that lists a "technical style" chainsaw glove, all I've ever seen are the mittens or variations on the old traditional "one size doesn't fit any" leather gauntlet style. Besides a lack of feel and the general poor fit, I don't like the style because it catches chips, which then work their way into the fingers, and are a bear to get out, or if you don't remove them, do the old Chinese "splinter under the fingernail torture" trick when you put the gloves on and grab something.... I don't have the same problem with my technical gloves which fit tightly, so there is no room for chips and crud to get into them.

I wear my Husky gloves when I'm using the saw for now, but I suspect that when they wear out, I won't replace them unless I can find a "technical style" chainsaw glove. Otherwise I'll just wear the same technical gloves that I wear when handling splits and so forth.

Gooserider

 

[jeff6443]

Newbi in this house boy I v learned alot. I was afraid of my chain saw echo 440 . nothing fancy . started with gloves . Now I wear my Stile chaps not the best the only ones I found that fit . I.m tall . They have done wonders for my head . I ue to cut for 15 min . last weekend I cut for 5 hours . I was the saw guy at a friends . They laughed at me Jeans , Boots Chaps , Long sleeve shirt, Gloves , Glasses . Think I need the helmet next. I will not start my saw with out them . Average chainsaw injury 120 stitches . Its a fact , wear em . I think I look cool .

 

[Gator eye]

For a great price on full wraps, look at labonville.com. Their full wrap chaps are a great price (66.95), and right now you can save 10% on top right out the door. Make sure you measure right for them, as what you would think will be the right size for you will prob. be too short. No frills, but great chaps.
Hope this "cheap" cost will get at least one person to pick up a set...
Chad

Good place to order from, I ordered the wrong size and they changed them out no questions asked.......he's not lieing about double checking the measurement, they really seem to run small, or my tape measure lied again......

 

[Shipper50]

For a great price on full wraps, look at labonville.com. Their full wrap chaps are a great price (66.95), and right now you can save 10% on top right out the door. Make sure you measure right for them, as what you would think will be the right size for you will prob. be too short. No frills, but great chaps.
Hope this "cheap" cost will get at least one person to pick up a set...
Chad

Good place to order from, I ordered the wrong size and they changed them out no questions asked.......he's not lieing about double checking the measurement, they really seem to run small, or my tape measure lied again......

I had the same experience with my new chaps. I got the size to small and it cost me to send them back and they sent me the right size and they fit great and feel great.

Shipper

 

[Sealcove]

I wear and advocate for the chaps and hat setup... For boots, I spent the big bucks and got the Matterhorn chainsaw boots - according to some of the pros that I've talked to, steel toes are better than bedroom slippers (though they will dull up your chains :bug: ) but not a huge amount - many of the chainsaw related foot injuries involve hitting the top or side of the foot where the steel toe isn't, and leather doesn't do much to stop a saw.

I agree 100%. I purchased my Matterhorn boots for work, but prior to those I had my my own set of Redwings with the sawjammer covers. The Matterhorn saw boot is a great boot; worth every penny.