Question about kevlar chaps/pants

[BobL]

. . . . . . but they keep you pants a lot cleaner and you can snap them off and drive home a lot cleaner from the woods.

I guess it depends what else you run across in the woods?

I agree they certainly help. Sometimes I like to use my knee/leg/hip to apply pressure on my mill and that bit of padding provided by chaps also helps in that regard.

 

[stipes]

I like pants.

I had some Husqvarna chaps, absolutely horrible, hanging around my middle like a belly, all bunched up. Got some SIP trousers now, type A class1. Nice and mobile, I haven't used them yet though.

I really thought about chaps,,but with all the brush and briars around here,,I was worried about gettin hung up with chaps.I got the SwedePro demin,and they are good in cool weather,but would roast ya in hot days...

 

[Erick]

OK, so this reminds me that I am mortal and maybe it would be a good idea to get some kevlar chaps. Ya think ?

Realistically, what can I expect chaps to do ? Do they stop the chain compeletely or merely slow it down quickly so it doesn't cut as deep ? What would chaps have done in this situation ?

Any opinions on whether I should get full wrap arounds or merely chaps that cover the front of the leg ?

I log in steep, brushy, terrain, so mobility is a big deal, and that's what has discouraged me from wearing chaps up till now. You never see any of the local loggers wearing chaps. But that's no excuse.

Here's a good video to let you know what you can expect from your chaps.

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My advice... this is one place you don't want to cheap out and save money.



I personally like the pants over the chaps for the very same reasons you describe, I wear the SwedPro summer pants year round. Seemed like I was always hanging up in the brush with my chaps, the pants are.... well, Pants just like any other.


Bottom line is get something and wear it, you got a pretty gentle wake up call...... don't push the snooze button.

As for the rest of you "manly men", don't that leg look like fun.... weeee doggy, good times I tell ya.
See sig line

 

[Nailgunner]

:agree2:

makes the point very well, although a cooked ham ruins the effect a bit. After the fear faded i just wanted a sandwich.

 

[parrisw]

Ouch, that looks like its gona hurt.

Didn't look like you went to the hospital??

I think you should go.

 

[Nailgunner]

^^ probably a good idea. That looks deep enough to carry a really good infection.

 

[J_Ashley]

I use the Stihl pro-mark chaps, and personally I like them better than some of the others I'd tried. I like the fact that they are full-wrap around the calves, for better protection, and they also help stay-put better.

I've been talking to a guy I work with about him needing to get some chaps for cutting. I think I'll pass this along to him...

 

[dsm382]

Even though it was embarrassing for me to talk about my booboo, I figured it might inspire someone else to not make the same mistake. Glad you ordered some chaps, Kennygee.

I think I'll order some of those Labanville chaps. If they prevent one trip to the doctor, that justifies the cost of chaps right there.

the cost of a doctor visit dont' really bother me it's the cost of a leg or worse.......

I personally like the pants over the chaps for the very same reasons you describe, I wear the SwedPro summer pants year round. Seemed like I was always hanging up in the brush with my chaps, the pants are.... well, Pants just like any other.

yep noticed you were wareing a funny pair of pants...
another stupid question time. you wear those over your jeans right? :dunno:

i am thinking of getting a pair of those instead of chaps, to also wear when i weed eat. i normaly like to fire up weed eater soon as i get home from work on a hot day since i am already hot/sweaty, and get it done. But my uniform pants are not real thick and twigs/sticks/rocks hit areas that the chaps don't cover, and these pants of yours would protect the jewels a bit better.. ya think?

 

[Tzed250]

I use the Stihl pro-mark chaps, and personally I like them better than some of the others I'd tried. I like the fact that they are full-wrap around the calves, for better protection, and they also help stay-put better.

I've been talking to a guy I work with about him needing to get some chaps for cutting. I think I'll pass this along to him...

I have the same chaps...they are great.

 

[Taxmantoo]

Realistically, what can I expect chaps to do ?

The video here is a worst case, it looks like they put the chaps on something hard and round so all the contact was concentrated in a small spot.

http://www.labonville.com/videos/v2.htm

 

[Jonny Quest]

Ppe

A neighbor of mine asked for some help following Hurricane Ike. I went over to his house to find him with his little Husky 235-e working a pushed-over oak. He had on a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. I waved him down to stop and I gave him a friendly admonition about PPE. To appease me, he at least went in the house and put on long pants and shoes.

He is a chainsaw rookie and I could see myself driving him to the hospital with leg laid open...

JQ

 

[Erick]

yep noticed you were wareing a funny pair of pants...
another stupid question time. you wear those over your jeans right? :dunno:

Nope, those pants are kinda like a Scottish Kilt your not supposed to ask what’s under there.
No seriously you would sweat to death if you wore your jeans under them. I usually wear a pair of cotton shorts under them when I go to GTGs so I'm not standing in the road in my underwear taking them on and off. I've been thinking about getting another pair of chaps just for going to GTGs they would be easier to just through on and off in situations like that. Out working I just wear them like regular pants and through them in the washer ever so often to keep them clean.

i am thinking of getting a pair of those instead of chaps, to also wear when i weed eat. i normaly like to fire up weed eater soon as i get home from work on a hot day since i am already hot/sweaty, and get it done. But my uniform pants are not real thick and twigs/sticks/rocks hit areas that the chaps don't cover, and these pants of yours would protect the jewels a bit better.. ya think?

Nope, no more protection for the jewels than regular pants. The protection in these pants wrap all the way around the leg from the top of the knee down and about 2/3's of the way around the upper leg to the top of the thigh. There are zippers in the back from the knee down to help get them on and off, they have all the regular pockets and a small cargo style pocket on the left leg that's meant to carry one of the blood stopper pads/first aid kit. The backs of the summer pants are a kind of breathable material that helps keep you cool, there still pretty hot, but better than wearing two layers like jeans and chaps. They make them in the summer pants, a regular blue jean denim like Stipes was talking about, and also in a winter pant that is water repellant nylon and has insulation in the portions not covered by the saw jamming material. SwedPro is the maker for all of Stihls PPE in the US so you can get them at any Stihl dealer or you can search SwedPro online and you can find them a few pennies cheaper.

 

[Erick]

Now for the next question what do you guys wear on your feet?????

Steel toes I hope (at least)

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The biggest number of chainsaw related injuries is to the legs and feet.
(at least for people who use a saw two handed)

 

[dsm382]

Now for the next question what do you guys wear on your feet?????

Steel toes I hope (at least)

The biggest number of chainsaw related injuries is to the legs and feet.
(at least for people who use a saw two handed)

WOW, now were to i pick up a pair of those??

i do wear steel toe boots.

 

[Longwood]

I've been thinking about safety boots but really don't know what to buy. If you have any links to good boots please post them.
Thanks

 

[Erick]

Most of the major PPE manufacturers have Chainsaw protective boots. Labonville, SwedPro, Elvex, Viking, Hiax.... etc. Just do a google search you'll find them.

I really depends on what your looking for in a boot they all offer a little something different. They range in price from pretty reasonable to way to damn expensive but really they are worth their weight in gold when you consider the alternative. Be careful some of the makers are offering chainsaw boots with a composite toe covered by saw jamming material, it may work just fine in the tests under ideal conditions but for my money I want the extra safety of the steel toe. I'm not a big fan of rubber boots so that kinda ruled out a few prospects for me. I wanted a leather boot that had to have a steel toe, I also wanted waterproof with a Gore-Tex liner and a little insulation (I do most of cutting in the cool seasons) so for me the only boot that fit the bill was the Matterhorns. Just figure out what your looking for and then see who makes it.

 

[parrisw]

Here is what I use. Although I've been known to leave them in the truck.

For all you Canadians these are good options.

http://www.canswe.com/

And these are the ones that I got. http://www.canswe.com/chaps.php

With back pad.

 

[Slamm]

I really like wearing chaps, I have Husky chaps, don't really care about the brand, but they do keep you cleaner and they are the cats meow for walking through thorny brush when felling timber. When cutting cottonwoods and the cottonwoods pee all over you, I like them to keep that stinky staining water off of me. I have nicked my chaps once about 2 years ago, it would have made a similar minor flesh wound like pictured before, but all that happened was I GOT to spend about 5 minutes picking fibers out of my sprocket and clutch cover instead of walking out of the woods and stitching up my leg. Pretty good deal overall I think.

Its bad I know, but for some reason I find myself walking or placing the saw too close to my left thigh/leg too much and the chaps will keep the scars to a minimum, LOL.

Sam

 

[J_Ashley]

Here's a question(s) nobody's asking... How often should you wash your pants/chaps, and does this have any effect on the fiber's stopping power? How long will the last effectively? 2,5,10 years?

 

[Forester]

So is it not law that professional fallers and loggers must wear bucking pants/chaps while on the job in the USA? It is in Canada.

I've always worn the Canswe bucking pants. lots of mobility and breathe well (for the nylon ones) so you don't roast. They are also available in denim, but the denim ones get really heavy when they get wet, which tends to happen up here.