Recommend me a new pair of chaps.

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

JustinSL

ArboristSite Operative
Joined
Jun 19, 2018
Messages
183
Reaction score
275
Location
Wv
I’m looking for a new pair to replace the old ones I have that are worn out. I’m not even sure what brand they are as they were given to me when I cut right of way and the company bought them. They are about 11 years old and the buckles are missing in some spots and are just in rough shape. They are apron style but I think I’d like the wrap style better. I’m about 6ft tall any around 155 lbs. I’d like something lightweight but offer good protection at the same time. Thanks.
 
I’ve moved to Forester arborist pants.... about $70 on the Forester website.
They slip over my jeans completely to keep them clean.
PNW sawing usually means Doug fir which is full of pitch.... chaps don’t protect completely.

I have some Husky branded chaps too which I throw on for short sessions.
The pants are lighter weight and also have buttons for braces (suspenders) taking most of the weight of my waist/back.
Both are fully loaded with stop fabric in the front panels and the pants easily fit over boots.
 
I second the pants. I have the Husqvarna classic ones. Super comfy and no buckles and straps to get in the way. I still keep my Stihl chaps around throw on over my Carhartts if I'm just making a few cuts. If I was gonna buy new chaps tomorrow I'd probably go for the labonville ones. Not the cheapest chaps, but I'd rather have a good quality set of chaps than something questionable.
 
I second the pants. I have the Husqvarna classic ones. Super comfy and no buckles and straps to get in the way. I still keep my Stihl chaps around throw on over my Carhartts if I'm just making a few cuts. If I was gonna buy new chaps tomorrow I'd probably go for the labonville ones. Not the cheapest chaps, but I'd rather have a good quality set of chaps than something questionable.
I second the labonville chaps if you decide to go with chaps over pants. I have the full wrap style that protect your calves better. As far as lightweight though, I wouldn’t consider labonville lightweight chaps. They are pretty heavy duty and could get warm in the summer.
 
labonville, here. full wrap. these are the first and only chaps i've owned in the past several years, so i have nothing to experientially compare them to. so, if they're considered heavy, i'm quite used to them and cut in them comfortably enough for an afternoon. glad to be out of'em when i'm done, but then i'm also glad to be done cutting by then...lol. mostly, though, i forget about when i'm focused on working. anyway, they get alot of abrasion at work, but they're holding up very well. and, they fit over jeans or insulated coveralls. easy to tailor the fit with the adjustable straps
 
I’ve moved to Forester arborist pants.... about $70 on the Forester website.
They slip over my jeans completely to keep them clean.
PNW sawing usually means Doug fir which is full of pitch.... chaps don’t protect completely.

I have some Husky branded chaps too which I throw on for short sessions.
The pants are lighter weight and also have buttons for braces (suspenders) taking most of the weight of my waist/back.
Both are fully loaded with stop fabric in the front panels and the pants easily fit over boots.
Foerster has chaps, pants, and bibs! I think I might get the pants, they look so much easier to use. How true are the sizes?
 
I've had Labonville for years. One thing I noticed is that a lot of brands collect dust and chips on the back side fabric, which had a fuzzy texture to it. Labonville used the same heavy duty nylon front and back and you can easily dust off the debris. But what sold me was watching videos of how the chaps performed when the Husky hit them running wide open. It cut through a number of brands but not Labonville. You can probably find video on YouTube or perhaps even the Labonville site.

I think Labonville measures by outseam length, not inseam. Be sure you measure correctly from as high as you want them (beltline or above) down the outside of your leg to the top of your boot, or wherever you want them to stop.
 
I tried some Jonsered pants, but they were too hot, and I could not remove them on breaks.

I like the heavy duty design of the Labonville wrap chaps, but they just did not fit me: https://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/labonville-wrap-chaps-mod.312320/

I have worn several pairs of STIHL apron and wrap chaps; they fit me, and they hold up to the heavy use we give them with volunteers. A real bonus is that they can be *machine washed and dried* - not all chaps can- which is very convenient. I sometimes remove the pockets on them, however, as they fill up with saw chips.

Weight and protection are at the opposite ends of the scale. Chaps are made more protective by adding additional layers of protective fabric. The actual ratings are hard to find for many chaps, but within a brand, they may be listed as '6-layer', '9-layer', etc. A pair of suspenders helps to make them more comfortable.

Bottom line: get something that fits and that you will wear.

Philbert
 
I’ve got a pair of Stihl chaps in 2xl. I’m not that big, but I figure that if I am going to the trouble of putting on a pair of chaps I want maximum coverage. It seems weird to me that a “properly” fitting pair of chaps would only cover half your lower leg. I want coverage right down to my ankles
 
It seems weird to me that a “properly” fitting pair of chaps would only cover half your lower leg. I want coverage right down to my ankles
I agree. Some guys are worried about tripping on, or snagging, the bottoms. I have also heard 'overlap the top of you boots by 2 inches' for coverage: might depend on the boots you wear.

Philbert
 
Back
Top