Chaps? Are these correctly fitted?

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MtnHermit

MtnHermit

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I got these chaps from Baileys a couple of months back. In spite of my reservations, once on, they are easy to wear and a non-issue. But I'm concerned they are not protecting my legs properly, see photo.

Chaps.jpg


Note they cover mostly the outer, not inner, leg. Is that correct?

Thanks for looking.
 
nmurph

nmurph

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That's not the way I want mine to fit. I want them to cover the inner and outer parts equally. If you really think about it, I would rather damage the muscle on the outer part of the leg than cut the femoral artery on the inner!! I wish I had bought full-wraps now, but I wasn't sure about how restrictive they would be.
 
promac850

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That's not the way I want mine to fit. I want them to cover the inner and outer parts equally. If you really think about it, I would rather damage the muscle on the outer part of the leg than cut the femoral artery on the inner!! I wish I had bought full-wraps now, but I wasn't sure about how restrictive they would be.

I've got full wraps, and they don't seem to be all that bad... The wrap part is only on the lower legs, not covering the entire leg.

Reason being is probably since the top part is less likely to move since the belt is holding it in place... however, the farther down one leg you go, the less is holding it in place and preventing the material from sliding around if the chain grabs it...

OP, beware of how a saw can spin the chaps around, uncovering you leg in the process. It's happened before and probably is the key reason for someone to come up with the full wrap design.
 
stihlrookie

stihlrookie

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Doesn't look right to me

As far as I am concerned, the most important part to protect is the inside of the legs(femoral artery). A cut to that area and you most likely will bleed out before you could even get your pants down. Contact the seller and ask them if they feel yours are adequate. I don't think they are. I have a set of the Labonville chaps, a bit short on me but they protect the inner thigh area sufficiently.
 
swift4me

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I bought the Husqvarna zip up pants, and they cover my legs well and don't restrict my movement noticably. They are hot in the summer, but I always feel safer when I wear them.

Pete
 
WadePatton

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there's a ditty somewhere with diagram showing where cuts have been recorded by medical personnel. i'll go lookie for it. but inner thigh is _not_ a common accident.

post number six: http://www.arboristsite.com/commercial-tree-care-climbing/178751.htm

It may be just me, but i tend to keep the business end of the saw _away_ from my scrotum and inside thigh. i wear labonville competition chaps when alone and/or when it's cool enough. i'm double conscious when i don't have 'em on.

I've had my femoral artery repaired in the past. (not saw).
 
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Teddy.Scout
T

Teddy.Scout

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When your chaps are to loose!!! SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IMG_0386.jpg



PAIN KILLERS ROCK!! I narrated.


CLICK ON PHOTO BELOW FOR VID!
 
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MtnHermit

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From that diagram, injuries to the left side are more common than right side. Even though the right side is closer to the bar-chain line. That's not intuitive.

The left hand and arm are much closer to the B&C, but most other left parts are generally further away.

Thanks for the post.
 
teatersroad

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From that diagram, injuries to the left side are more common than right side. Even though the right side is closer to the bar-chain line. That's not intuitive.

The left hand and arm are much closer to the B&C, but most other left parts are generally further away.

Thanks for the post.

bar pivots from the right side - so makes sense to me, and noobs have a tendency to reach anywhere to deflect a wayward saw, including the bar.
 
WadePatton

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And it's that chainsaws are all right handed, not sawyers.

Good thing about the chart is that it is a representation of actual collected data. Bad thing is that the marks aren't graduated. We can't tell if the 3-stitchers from the 300, nor the novice from the pro.

I've seen enough leg scars in person to validate chaps though-you won't catch me wearing gloves or sleeves unless it's 20 below.
 
AT sawyer

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I got these chaps from Baileys a couple of months back. In spite of my reservations, once on, they are easy to wear and a non-issue. But I'm concerned they are not protecting my legs properly, see photo.

Note they cover mostly the outer, not inner, leg. Is that correct?

Thanks for looking.

My Labonvilles tended to flare to the side like that when I first got them. I'm a 32" waist, so perhaps they were cut to an "average" size. Anyway, I got some kevlar thread and put a couple stitches in the rise to bring them in line with my legs. Problem solved.

Better to stitch your chaps than stitch your legs.
 
MtnHermit

MtnHermit

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Apparently Solved

As received from Baileys, the chaps were much too lose with the cinch strap at minimum length. I fixed that by taking 4-5" out of each vee strap on the inner leg. That allowed enough adjustment of the outer cinch strap to tighten the chaps around my leg.

Chaps2.jpg


The photo shows the amount strap I took out of the vee and the current correct position of the cinch strap. This appears to solve the imbalance between inner and outer leg coverage from my OP. Will test in the field next week.
 

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