Chaps

[RNeumann]

They make 3/4 and full length chaps. I purchased the 3/4 and wish I had full length. Seems I get the closest to body parts near my shins and ankles.
100% I'd use them! Not only do they prevent injury they also hold a few tools and take a lot of bar oil that would otherwise stain and wear out my pants.
I have no brand preferences. However I wouldn't get some off brand from eBay or something similar. You are relying solely on trust as their is now way to test the Kevlar....

 

[Wagtail]

Never leave home without Stihl chaps and hard hat/face shield/ear muffs.

X2!!!!

I bought the full length (expensive) chaps with the full wrap-around calf. Spend the money and then forget about how much you spent. Then wear them, even for a little job.

I'm a safety pedant... especially as I mostly work alone around the property.

 

[DuckSlayer1017]

Another good use for chaps is for weed whipping in the summer. When it's hot I hate to put on jeans just to weed whip. Just throw the chaps on over your shorts and no need to go inside and change before using the trimmer.

 

[KennyG]

Like my Husqvarnas. Also remember the steel / composite toe shoes.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

I use them, don't think brand matters a whole lot other than ensure it's quality.

I pretty much agree, but the Labonville.... They may have the best.

I've heard good things about the labonville chaps. Also the Husqvarna pro models.

Brand may not matter, but they do come in different ratings. I'd suggest figuring out the rating system and choosing accordingly.

Exactly. :thumbsup:

Another good use for chaps is for weed whipping in the summer. When it's hot I hate to put on jeans just to weed whip. Just throw the chaps on over your shorts and no need to go inside and change before using the trimmer.

Yep, same here, and all my boys, too. It really works well.

Glad to hear some of you have seen enough gory pictures to change your mind. I just frankly think not wearing chaps is just not smart. I know they can be a pain, and are sometimes uncomfortable, but the price you may pay for leaving them off is just too high for that to be a good trade-off.

I have a nick in the knee of one of my chaps that reminds me of how easy it is to slip up. With no chaps, that would have been 4 or 5 stitches, and that was an idling saw that was moving the chain just a bit. (Yeah, I know, it needed adjustment and why didn't I have the brake engaged?)

 

[jeff9366]

It is pretty warm in Florida, even in winter. Today, January 22, is unusually warm for January. The forecast is for 77 degrees F.

On warm days like today I wear Big Bill's 14.75 ounce Jeans with double knee material and heavy suspender buttons, model 1993.

When it is 55 degrees or below I wear full length Labonville chaps, model LW850, and steel toed boots.

I always wear Uvex safety glasses, a plastic hard hat and leather gloves. Uvex makes model OTG 3001, for wear over prescription eyewear, in several variations.

At age 69-1/2 I limit myself to three hours of chainsaw time and take care to stay hydrated.

And I keep a First Aid Kit + large supplemental surgical dressings and long pre-cut gauze for tying on surgical dressings with pressure, in my utility vehicle with my chain saw. If you have a major cut incident in the woods, Band-Aids will not be of much help.

I have never needed these trauma items but they are there, bungee corded together.

 

[ArlyA]

After getting NFS sawyer certification class B, I read the chainsaw accident statistics. It was something like 30,000 ER visits per year. In it I noted that 50% of saw wounds were above the waist..... I now have full length Kevlar chaps, shirt and only work with a sawyer first-aid kit and a 2nd person along.

It appears that many people fall back, and get there calves and shins struck by the chain. So my chaps wrap around the shins and ride low down on the boots. (yes steel toed)

Life so to short to have one stupid sawyer accident mess it all up.

And I keep a First Aid Kit + large supplemental surgical dressings and pre-cut gauze for tying on surgical dressings with pressure, in my utility vehicle with my chain saw. If you have a major cut incident in the woods, Band-Aids will not be of much help.

I have never needed these trauma items but they are there, bungee corded together.

 

[motownbrowne]

Good call on the first aid kit!

I have a quick-clot trauma pack on the dashboard of the Jeep, which is always nearby when I'm cutting. One thing they taught us in the chainsaw safety course i took was to be sure to show your cutting buddy where the first aid kit is. Time spent looking for the kit might be the difference between life and death.

 

[nybirdman]

I am not a big chain saw user,just home-owner stuff.I had a real close call cut through the first layer of my double layer work pants.That was enough for me;went to the Stihl store and purchased the safety gear.
On another note;hired a :tree trimmer with a bucket truck to take down a couple large trees in my yard.
The fellow in the bucket(30 year old body builder) wore no safety gear and had on shorts and a short-sleave shirt.The next week my son showed me a picture on FaceBook of the same fellow in the hospital with a chainsaw injury to his head/face.Almost lost an eye.

 

[JackyJ]

I bought a pair of the recommended Labonville full wrap chaps, but found they were a bit of a pain to buckle, and not that comfortable with the wide waist strap/buckle. They weren't that bad, but enough of an inconvenience that I would often skip wearing them if I was just grabbing a saw for a few quick cuts.

I've since purchased a pair of Husqvarna chainsaw pants, and I greatly prefer them. Especially since I cut almost exclusively on my own property, it's actually much easier to slide off a pair of jeans and slide on specialty pants. They are WAY more comfortable for me, and with vent zippers behind the knee, about the same heat retention as jeans + chaps. Since they reside in the garage, they also help me not track wood chips and dust into the house, which helps keep me from getting yelled at.

Cost more, but worth it for me.