Mr. Wilson, my wife and I think you are the greatest and we love your humor. I am 71, still cut six cords a year of oak and manzanita from our 20 acre ranch. Been here 25 years in El Dorado County, CA and I have done my fair share of felling, clearing brush and firewood. I thought I knew a lot till I start watching you. I have learned so much, things I never knew and some I had been doing wrong and why. It is a always a pleasure to watch you Thanks for all you, all the best to you. Chris
A great video! When you replace your worn-out chaps, perhaps you can do a demo of how chaps save your leg (or your life) by clogging the bar and stopping the chain. Your old chaps would be *perfect* for this.
Back in the early 1980s. Merrist Wood College in Surrey* did some pioneering investigative work looking into the effectiveness of chainsaw safety clothing of the time. They sidestepped all the manufaturers' tommy tollocks by slipping breeks, chaps, boots, what have you over a log, revving up a chainsaw and cutting downwards to see what happened. Husky and Stihl breeks of the time spewed kevlar strands and clogged the chain stopping it. 'Armoured trousers or woven kevlar cut right through. Chaps flipped around as they only protected the front of the leg, so the inner parts of the legs (where all the arteries are) were unprotected. Many brands fared badly..... They wrote it up. * Then called an 'Agricultural College' 'cos they did practically-based courses for land-based industries, including forestry. Had a very high reputation, which it doesn't now due to repeated waves of cuts in funding and inept people in management positions chasing funding from 'changing trends' to increase student through-put (and maximising revenue) rather than quality of output.
@@michaellee9883 Madsen's sells them, they're made by Labonville. They sell special pants that accept the inserts also, but I like to use my own pants.
Im not a logger and dont know much about it i do remodeling for a living but i ran across your videos and i must say i really enjoy watching them and the way you carry yourself its real nice to watch a video on someone whos just normal too many people just over exaggerated by the way they act you remind me of the essential craftsman
I didn’t want to spend the money … but I picked up some clogger pants and man oh man…. Running them with suspenders so much more comfortable and less chance of snag and such. Really enjoying and learning from your videos ! Thank you
I do alot of solo chainsaw work , like you do ,with my 34 years on this earth I figured wearing chaps is better than dying in the woods, although I rather die In the woods than on the road, or a hospital!!
I wear chaps similar to yours during the summer months. In the cooler weather which is about 10 months out of the year here in Montana, I wear wrap around chaps or chainsaw pants.
Another great video. For the weekend warriors it might have been nice to explain how the chaps actually work by binding the chain. Pants or chaps either they can save your life.
Since you are buying a replacement, get an ankle wrap one. I was given the Husky ones from our trail organization. They work well, I haven't tripped on anything, they protect the ankles from the chain if you messed up and from brush, and they're supposed to hold the pants in place a little better. They're about $100, instead of about $60 for the most basic normal ones. Up to half of my cutting is out on the FS trails, and their spec is for there to be at least a 2" overlap with your boots. But swing past your husky dealer and they probably have one you could try. And don't worry, you'll still look pretty using a Stihl while wearing Husky chaps.
I learned about them from a guy who started logging in the Alaskan bush (he got the job offer while cleaning up downed trees after an ice storm in 2007). He's not the most safety conscious guy, but they got his endorsement as being lifesavers in that line of work. That it's more than enough reason for me to wear them.
I only use chaps when I am on our Log Landing, or other open areas. In the brush they get hung up and annoying while running my saw. They do make reverse chaps that go inside the pants, not as durable as the exterior ones, but offers some protection.
Good good ! I just started looking into leg protectoin and you make a good point . Tipping over is a huge hazard with a chain saw . Safety to death ' is a oil field turm .
good to be stick aware. lot of people don't think about how deadly a simple fall can be in the wrong conditions. I love it when the branch slaps you across the face, I have faster than light squint reflexes LOL,.
Here in newengland with cold freezing weather at times I always wear my chaps when Flagging traffic. This helps with keeping my legs warm plus the bright 🔆 Orange helps make me much more Visible to traffic. 👍
I was wearing my chaps a few days ago and I’m glad. I was using my saw on its side and after the cut, I let it rotate in my left hand and my still-moving chain touched the pocket on my left leg! It could’ve been much worse! I’ve also started training myself to use my break far more often when I’m not actively cutting.
“High Water” is the way to go. Some tubers look like hockey goalies in the back yard cutting 6” limbs with a 12” battery saw. It’s best to be safe but geez man.
I also like wearing them because they keep my pants dry when it's wet out and I end up kneeling down to work on something or just walking through wet brush. I also do a lot of chainsaw milling and often find myself on the ground running the saw.
I always wear the chaps and Wellco Rosearch boots. My chaps overlap the tops of my boots about two inches, so lower than yours, but definitely not all the way down to the instep. I agree wearing them too long would make it pretty easy to catch on something.
I have both and wear the pants. The pants seem simpler and certainly have less catch and trip issues. Since I mostly cut during the winter anyway, warmer is better anyway. I lost a bunch of weight so mine are now appropriately loose so I generally wear them over the top of other pants. Mine have a fairly open weave on the back, so I haven’t found them too hot.
I know just one person in this town who wears safety gear when chainsawing. The rest of us wear the usual: jeans and workboots. Of course, we all use earplugs or hearing protectors, as loss of hearing is no joke. In the last half-century there has not been one accident requiring a trip to the hospital. I checked. Not one. Are people today less confident and more clumsy? Or is it more about the fear of injury? I don't know.....
I think it's a combination of things. Not enough men teaching their son's how to do stuff and as we all know, trying something new as an adult isn't as easy as when you're an overconfident, fearless kid. That, too much soy and probably highest on the list is Insurance company mandates.
Alot of is from lack of training or complacency. However,there are risks of slipping while operating the saw causing unsafe conditions, tension in branches or logs. I've never looked at statistics,but I'd be willing to bet that most kickback injuries are from limbing or cutting brush. I'm a bit of a hypocrite in that I wear no ppe at all,but I am wanting too. I've had a few close calls and often work alone,so after 25+ years I think I'm gonna quit tempting fate and buy some ppe
Forest Service thinning crew used chaps very similar to yours in a video I just posted last night. Seems like chaps are even more vital gear to wear when doing fuel reduction work using shorter bars. I’ve caught myself in the thigh a few times (no chaps) while cutting branches over chest height after my arms got tired. Some battery saws have trigger brakes that stop the chain once the trigger is released, some don’t and I don’t think any gas saws have this feature. Fortunately for me I only ruined my pants and drew just a little blood and got a bruised leg! Chaps are a must for me with my new 350i!
Ive fallen several times due to the lower 10" of my chaps. Im going to cut them shorter! Thanks for the safety tip. I totally agree with your judgment.
my biggest complaint about chaps is the manufacturers seem to think people who use them have soda straws for legs. if you have to have something bulky under them, you ain't getting them fastened.
Your assessment makes great sense to me. I'm not a professional logger, but I manage twenty acres of woodland in SW Michigan and I've had innumerable close calls with tripping, chaps or no chaps. When I'm using the saw, I'm always wearing my chaps.
Over here the uninitiated (Safety Elves) might say: 'Chainsaws are dangerous, chaps'. The safety elves make us wear 'PPE' (personal protective equipment) when using chainsaws at work. Certain varieties of safety elf insist that all your PPE is bright orange with silvery reflective stripey bits, so you look like a bifurcated animate road cone. PPE for the legs is usually breeks (trousers) and boots (with added kevlar £££). Breeks are nice and warm in the winter, like wearing a bifurcated duvet in the summer. Sweaty around the nadgers. As I double as an ecologist and a chainsaw operator, I've had some safety elves insist on my wearing full PPE and hat when doing early morning bird territory surveys because I am 'on site' and 'PPE must be worn on site'. Nobody else has turned in for work yet, (dawn), you're looking to locate males holding territories and use that to find active nests to 'protect' them. You're bright effing orange with reflective bits. Muppets. Go careful, chaps.
Iv'e gotten caught up on my chaps as well down there on the lower straps. where do I find the ones like yours? I think I'm going to take my existing ones and have them altered.
Never heard about chainsaw chaps before I saw them on UA-cam a few years back. Here in Europe, we all wear chainsaw pants. I guess, they all have their strong points and weaknesses.
Pants are nearly unheard of in Australia - at least in the hot areas. On a 45 degree C day, even chaps get a bit too warm. Pants are great in winter though.
Question : Has anyone got any thoughts on chainsaw chaps spinning on the leg when impacted by a saw chain and causing an injury ? It's something I have often thought about. If the chaps are loose then a spinning blade may pull the material around before it bogs down with a stuck chain and hence cut the exposed part of the leg. Thoughts ??
I knew a logger who didn't wear chaps. He was cutting a tree once and jerked the saw back to keep it from getting bound up when the tree started to move. When he tried to get away from the tree, he found that his leg wouldn't hold him. When he jerked the saw, it ran up behind his kneecap. The doctors said if it had gone in instead of up, it would have taken his leg off.
I agree 100% ,safety is good unless it goes too far . Sometimes gloves can be your worst enemy as far as safety goes and some times they are a good thing. Common sense is the best safety tool you can use.
How nuanced can one be? This man would be an ideal politician in these challenging times. What did he originally study that makes him so good at thinking and making nuanced risk assessments?
I use the pants. Less chance of getting caught up in something and if you are climbing you don't have buckles pressing into your hips. Ear protection is number 1. Noise does damage straight away.
I was taught to always clear escape roads from brushes before cutting down trees. So protective gear snagging should not be a problem. All professionals I know uses protective trousers, certified boots and helmet systems protecting eyes and hearing. Knowing that mishaps happens. For me only once in 40 years. Cut 2 of the 8 layers of kevlar fibre in the trousers.
I don't where the full length chaps either. I wear mine about 32 inseam where most of my pants are 34" I also were my chaps weedeating cause I hate stuff hitting my legs and causing open sores
Every pair I’ve had cover the outside of the leg like that, new or not. Not ideal but all the unexplained cuts I have are always on the center to outside of the left thigh so I don’t worry about it to much. Those look to have years left in them compared to most I’ve seen. Course if mine were orange I’d probably be looking for an excuse to get a proper green pair anyway 😁😉👍🏼
Have you ever considered trying chainsaw pants and boots with cutting protection? The lightweight summer pants are even more comfortable than jeans and chaps
I wore chaps for a while, but switched to Clogger chainsaw pants a few years ago and love them. People don’t realize that chaps or chainsaw pants won’t stop a battery or electric chainsaw. Only thing with chainsaw pants, is you have to be careful around open flame. They make them with denim on the outside, but I like the stretch of the regular clogger summer weight.
I use a battery saw and my chaps stopped my saw no problem and it was a pretty small cut. Cleaning all of the fibers out of the saw was a bit of a mess.
@@RangerRage69 Thanks for the retraction. I saw you switched to Clogger chainsaw pants, so I looked into that. My chaps are kinda cheapo and have a chunk taken out by my saw now too, so I need something new. The pants seem like a good option, thanks.
I found too that those back straps on the chaps are safety hazard, because they are too long and the ends of them are just hanging there asking to entangle in something. Maybe I should trim them to the right size for me.
Anything that can snag up can be dangerous working in the woods. It’s worth watching a video on how fast a chainsaw can cut through your leg. Same thing goes for eye protection. It is really up to the user what level of risk they are willing to accept.
I've never seen anyone wear chainsaw chaps in Britain. We all use trousers. Either Type A with front protection from pockets to hem. Or Type C for climbing, like Type A but with protection for the back of the legs right up to the arse. There's no flap for sticks to get up behind and no layers to get rucked up. I can imagine chaps would be handy if you're only cutting for an hour or so a day and don't want to be weighed down for the rest of it but I think I'll stick with full trousers. Granted the old ones were awful heavy and hot but most newer ones are well ventilated and comfy all day.
Chainsaw pants are much more comfortable unless it's very hot. Chaps are awkward for climbing, but can be removed easier in hot weather when done cutting. A few strands of nylon from chainsaw protective gear will stop a saw instantly by binding up the sprocket clutch and chain. Not so much as providing a barrier. I've seen this first hand.
thanx!! been there, done that, we heat w/ wood, no major falls , injuries , got 1 nick on the chaps , dint know i hit my leg , glad i wear em!! , carry cell ph. on you , just in case ,even in car, truk , m/c,... was cuttin w the drinkin neighbors , they lookt at me like i'm wearin 1000 bux worth of gear, i asked em , wots ur life worth, , they had 2 save that money 4 beer , i guess !!... most accidents CAN BE avoided!!, think, and ,.. who cares wot it looks like ??, it could save ur life !!, live longer , ... ( drink more????), like you said , u can suggest smart , but if they wanna hear/ do stoopid, hopefully they live ,.... and learn !!, enjoy life , there is plenty of time 2 be dead ,..
Fun fact: The correct pronunciation of chaps is, "shaps." It comes from the Spanish word, "chaparreras" which were designed to protect the legs of cowboys who rode through chaparral.
I was a professional timber cutter back in 1966 and we didn't have chaps back then. Sadly way too many of us cut a leg off. I even met a few guys that cut both legs off. They found jobs in the sawdust pit under the mill because they could stand up down there. Fortunately this younger and much smarter generation invented those purty orange cowboy chaps and saved your legs. So can you show us how many snags you have in them britches where they stopped that chain from ripping you apart? I actually cut my leg one time with a chainsaw but I still wouldn't wear them silly looking things. But I guess I'm just a dumbass though. Art from Ohio
I don't wear them. Weyerhauser used to put in their employment contract that loggers "shall wear trousers cut 10" from the floor left unhemmed". I wear my pants cut (hemmed by an Amish friends wife) 1" above my boot tops and loose so I can move. My dress pants for Church are 30x34. My work pants are 34x23.
I have always used my snake boots and snake chaps while cutting the boots actually save my toe one time little damage but none to me I'm not sure how the chaps would react to a chainsaw better than nothing for sure but I may have to rethink this
I wear chain saw protection pants (CLOGGER "ZERO GEN 2") all day every day in the warmer weather and PFANNER "Arborist" in the cooler weather {DATELINE: Central Nagano Prefecture, Japan, usually above 1,000 m a.s.l.}.
Somehow you found a fix for a problem that is self-made. In Europe pretty much no one uses chaps. People use pants that have the cut protection integrated, all the way from the bottom to the top of the thighs. That includes the shins and calfs, as those are also somewhat common areas for accidents to happen. They don't catch on anything that a normal pair of jeans wouldn't catch onto either. Some models are sitting tight enough for arborists to climb up a tree in them. They don't shift around and go all the way below the top of the boots, which also have a cut proof inlay on the shaft, so there's no weak spot exposed. Same btw with loggers helmets, which are required to have hearing protection and a face shield included. I know there'll be a million people trying to tell me, why chaps are better, and why pants are not working for them, or even why PSE is even completely unnecessary (because they didn't have an accident yet). I on the other hand completely fail to understand, why one does compromises on safety equipment when it is not needed to do a compromise. If you only once cut your legs, you're gonna have a bad time for pretty long. A pair of proper chainsaw pants costing 100 bucks is nothing compared to a hospital bill and a couple months of lost income.
A fun catch-22. "I say talk to your local safety guy. Don't listen to what I say." Aight, so which advice there am I not supposed to listen to? If I talk to a safety guy, then I went against your advice of not listening to what you say. But if I don't talk to a safety guy, I went against your advice of talking to a safety guy because you told me to not listen to what you say. I'ma cut it down the middle and talk to a safety guy about an investment portfolio and stocks.
Me too. Great advice this site. Stag pants. Exactly as should be. When I started 1972 no ppe. First saw pants late 1980’s. Still fit. Have & use saw chaps & pants. And short like yours. Smart.
I always wear chainsaw pants with built in kevlar. Imo it's best of both worlds. You get fully protected and it feels like you're wearing normal pants although they're rather thick. Only disadvantage i'd say is that you can't wash them without washing everything
@@willbass2869 they're warmer than normal pants, but they also breathe better. Probably depends on what model/ brand you get, but generally yes I'd say so
Here, I'll share you my term for your nice pants. They aren't the sunday best, so I call em' my Saturday pants. If I'm working saturday for someone else in a pinch, I'm wearing my saturday pants. "Sorry, cant do that, got my saturday pants on." "What are you doin' wearing your saturday pants, DB? You know why I'm wearing my saturday pants.
I actually wear my chainsaw chaps because I do weed abatements, and I like to wear shorts all year long. call me California crazy. But something I do is I twist the straps so they snap tighter to my leg and stay in place better.
I'm 66, and been cutting wood all my adult life. No way can I wear all that garbage, chaps, helmet , ear muffs, and all the other product advertising that makes you look rugged, professional, and manly. Reason being, its hard work and no matter what season it is I'm going to sweet profusely. Gloves, and a good pair of work boots is all I need.
I always tell people to take time and think about what they're doing with a chainsaw. Safety equipment is fine in some situations but overly relying on it and being careless thinking you can relax since you have safety equipment can be worse, especially when working around others
63% of chainsaw injuries are to the left lower leg. Often to the upper foot and often involving the extensor tendon there. Know your stats and don't state personal opinion as fact. You need to be wearing high-top good leather boots or Kevlar protected cutting boots and chaps that go to the top of the foot at the front. About once a year as a faller I had a saw to leg cut. Always on the lower left and I was always saved by wearing total-length chaps. Total-length chaps also protect your lower legs from the constant beating of brush and limbs. Yes, once in a while the chaps' lower strap will get hung up on something. A minor price to pay for avoiding a surgical repair to the lower leg or losing the use of the extensor tendon and henceforth not being able to walk very well. ATGATT -- all the gear all the time.
Mmmm silver madrone, can I have some? I find em a pita too but you never know when they can save your life and it doesn’t take much to get used to wearing em. I always wanted to try the insert style. On one of the last few loads of firewood I cut I grazed the bottom of my chaps, good reminder. Some people are just too dumb, I have a buddy that cuts for a living and doesn’t own safety glasses and never wears any ppe or hearing protection and even spent entire seasons in tennis shoes, one time damn near cut his hand in half, several times hurt an eye, must be nice to be that oblivious
I have seen Alot of Loggers, Timber fellers, hook tenders, cut jeans up almost to top of Boot, So minimize snag Risk, I wear 8 inch Boots Full wrap chaps, half chaps move around Too Much, chainsaw pants are Too 🥵 Hot and Restricted, Everyone Does Something Different. I will Say it Chaps are Necessary, Be Safe Everyone 😊
I've got to admit, i was wondering if those chaps were given to you by your daddy when you were 8 yo ;) My chaps have velcro below the knee, so they close up quite tightly around my boots.
I don’t know about you, but if you spend every day in the woods, your gonna trip and fall all the time , whether you’re wearing chaps or not. I’ll take the chance of falling vs. a chain in the thigh any day
I absolutely love the way you talk on camera. It's wise and hilarious
Mr. Wilson, my wife and I think you are the greatest and we love your humor. I am 71, still cut six cords a year of oak and manzanita from our 20 acre ranch. Been here 25 years in El Dorado County, CA and I have done my fair share of felling, clearing brush and firewood. I thought I knew a lot till I start watching you. I have learned so much, things I never knew and some I had been doing wrong and why. It is a always a pleasure to watch you Thanks for all you, all the best to you. Chris
Saw chaps have saved my bacon a few times. I really enjoy your content Mr. Wilson, and look forward to your future shows. 🤠Thanks for sharing!
A great video! When you replace your worn-out chaps, perhaps you can do a demo of how chaps save your leg (or your life) by clogging the bar and stopping the chain. Your old chaps would be *perfect* for this.
Back in the early 1980s. Merrist Wood College in Surrey* did some pioneering investigative work looking into the effectiveness of chainsaw safety clothing of the time. They sidestepped all the manufaturers' tommy tollocks by slipping breeks, chaps, boots, what have you over a log, revving up a chainsaw and cutting downwards to see what happened. Husky and Stihl breeks of the time spewed kevlar strands and clogged the chain stopping it. 'Armoured trousers or woven kevlar cut right through. Chaps flipped around as they only protected the front of the leg, so the inner parts of the legs (where all the arteries are) were unprotected. Many brands fared badly..... They wrote it up.
* Then called an 'Agricultural College' 'cos they did practically-based courses for land-based industries, including forestry. Had a very high reputation, which it doesn't now due to repeated waves of cuts in funding and inept people in management positions chasing funding from 'changing trends' to increase student through-put (and maximising revenue) rather than quality of output.
I like the inserts that get sewn into a regular pair of pants.
Where do you get yours?
@@michaellee9883 Madsen's sells them, they're made by Labonville. They sell special pants that accept the inserts also, but I like to use my own pants.
Im not a logger and dont know much about it i do remodeling for a living but i ran across your videos and i must say i really enjoy watching them and the way you carry yourself its real nice to watch a video on someone whos just normal too many people just over exaggerated by the way they act you remind me of the essential craftsman
I didn’t want to spend the money … but I picked up some clogger pants and man oh man…. Running them with suspenders so much more comfortable and less chance of snag and such.
Really enjoying and learning from your videos ! Thank you
I do alot of solo chainsaw work , like you do ,with my 34 years on this earth I figured wearing chaps is better than dying in the woods, although I rather die In the woods than on the road, or a hospital!!
I'd like to die peacefully in my sleep, like Grandad. Not die screaming in terror like his passengers.
I wear chaps similar to yours during the summer months. In the cooler weather which is about 10 months out of the year here in Montana, I wear wrap around chaps or chainsaw pants.
Another great video. For the weekend warriors it might have been nice to explain how the chaps actually work by binding the chain. Pants or chaps either they can save your life.
After my cousin nearly bled to death when his chainsaw kicked back on him and got him between his knee and thigh, I wore chaps when I used a chainsaw.
Since you are buying a replacement, get an ankle wrap one. I was given the Husky ones from our trail organization. They work well, I haven't tripped on anything, they protect the ankles from the chain if you messed up and from brush, and they're supposed to hold the pants in place a little better. They're about $100, instead of about $60 for the most basic normal ones. Up to half of my cutting is out on the FS trails, and their spec is for there to be at least a 2" overlap with your boots. But swing past your husky dealer and they probably have one you could try. And don't worry, you'll still look pretty using a Stihl while wearing Husky chaps.
I learned about them from a guy who started logging in the Alaskan bush (he got the job offer while cleaning up downed trees after an ice storm in 2007). He's not the most safety conscious guy, but they got his endorsement as being lifesavers in that line of work. That it's more than enough reason for me to wear them.
Only an occasional weekend warrior with the saw, but I switched from chaps to pants last year and do not see myself going back.
What brand did you buy? Do you like them?
I only use chaps when I am on our Log Landing, or other open areas. In the brush they get hung up and annoying while running my saw. They do make reverse chaps that go inside the pants, not as durable as the exterior ones, but offers some protection.
Great video. I used to wear shorts and full length Chaps. Slashed my knee once without them on. Wore them ever since.
Good good !
I just started looking into leg protectoin and you make a good point . Tipping over is a huge hazard with a chain saw . Safety to death ' is a oil field turm .
Risk assessment and mitigation decisions ... now that's using your noodle the proper way ..... bravo Sir!
Great video and that makes a lot of sense
good to be stick aware. lot of people don't think about how deadly a simple fall can be in the wrong conditions.
I love it when the branch slaps you across the face, I have faster than light squint reflexes LOL,.
Good point.
Here in Sweden almost everybody that's sawing uses chainsaw pants, chainsaw boots and helmet.
No one cares
@@joshlower1 Didn't you care enough to respond?
@@philomath777 nope
...and kids in kindergarten wear hi-viz jackets...
@@joshlower1No one cares what a fool thinks. Go away.
Have you tried "Gaiters " ( not Gators !) Wilson ? As in the ankle wrapping variety not the ones that would bite your leg off !
Here in newengland with cold freezing weather at times I always wear my chaps when Flagging traffic. This helps with keeping my legs warm plus the bright 🔆 Orange helps make me much more Visible to traffic. 👍
I use my worn out chaps for gardening when I'm on my hands and knees. It gives enough padding that the knees don't hurt.
I was wearing my chaps a few days ago and I’m glad. I was using my saw on its side and after the cut, I let it rotate in my left hand and my still-moving chain touched the pocket on my left leg! It could’ve been much worse! I’ve also started training myself to use my break far more often when I’m not actively cutting.
“High Water” is the way to go. Some tubers look like hockey goalies in the back yard cutting 6” limbs with a 12” battery saw. It’s best to be safe but geez man.
Yup! And word has it, these type of chaps/pants won't stop a battery saw that doesn't have a clutch.
That reminds me. I need to put mine on more often. Been staying away from chainsaws with the heat wave we’ve been having. Early morning or evenings.
Oooh, those whippy branches! Summer pants have mesh panels to back of the legs, ok in (UK) summers.
I also like wearing them because they keep my pants dry when it's wet out and I end up kneeling down to work on something or just walking through wet brush. I also do a lot of chainsaw milling and often find myself on the ground running the saw.
Good point on chaps. I do a lot of cutting by myself with the saw do chaps are important to have on.
I favor the wrap-around lower leg for similar reasons. I trip in open-backed chaps.
I always wear the chaps and Wellco Rosearch boots. My chaps overlap the tops of my boots about two inches, so lower than yours, but definitely not all the way down to the instep. I agree wearing them too long would make it pretty easy to catch on something.
I find chaps really uncomfortable. Give me a good pair of chainsaw trousers any day ! But I appreciate the explanation.
I like chaps because they're cooler - back of leg is open.
Would be too hot and heavy.
I go for chainsaw pants.
I have both and wear the pants. The pants seem simpler and certainly have less catch and trip issues. Since I mostly cut during the winter anyway, warmer is better anyway. I lost a bunch of weight so mine are now appropriately loose so I generally wear them over the top of other pants. Mine have a fairly open weave on the back, so I haven’t found them too hot.
@@AndrewMoizerI cut firewood in the yard so tripping in the forest is not an issue for me, so chaps not a problem in my situation.
I know just one person in this town who wears safety gear when chainsawing. The rest of us wear the usual: jeans and workboots. Of course, we all use earplugs or hearing protectors, as loss of hearing is no joke. In the last half-century there has not been one accident requiring a trip to the hospital. I checked. Not one. Are people today less confident and more clumsy? Or is it more about the fear of injury? I don't know.....
I think it's a combination of things. Not enough men teaching their son's how to do stuff and as we all know, trying something new as an adult isn't as easy as when you're an overconfident, fearless kid. That, too much soy and probably highest on the list is Insurance company mandates.
Alot of is from lack of training or complacency. However,there are risks of slipping while operating the saw causing unsafe conditions, tension in branches or logs. I've never looked at statistics,but I'd be willing to bet that most kickback injuries are from limbing or cutting brush. I'm a bit of a hypocrite in that I wear no ppe at all,but I am wanting too. I've had a few close calls and often work alone,so after 25+ years I think I'm gonna quit tempting fate and buy some ppe
Forest Service thinning crew used chaps very similar to yours in a video I just posted last night. Seems like chaps are even more vital gear to wear when doing fuel reduction work using shorter bars. I’ve caught myself in the thigh a few times (no chaps) while cutting branches over chest height after my arms got tired. Some battery saws have trigger brakes that stop the chain once the trigger is released, some don’t and I don’t think any gas saws have this feature. Fortunately for me I only ruined my pants and drew just a little blood and got a bruised leg! Chaps are a must for me with my new 350i!
I think chaps greatly increase the risk of heat exhaustion in the summer. I wear them in the winter but avoid them when it is hot.
Could try some chainsaw pants. There are a few pairs out there that are much cooler than chaps.
Ive fallen several times due to the lower 10" of my chaps. Im going to cut them shorter! Thanks for the safety tip. I totally agree with your judgment.
my biggest complaint about chaps is the manufacturers seem to think people who use them have soda straws for legs. if you have to have something bulky under them, you ain't getting them fastened.
I think mosquitoes are attracted to the heat output by the camera…I’ve noticed it around here as well.
Your assessment makes great sense to me. I'm not a professional logger, but I manage twenty acres of woodland in SW Michigan and I've had innumerable close calls with tripping, chaps or no chaps. When I'm using the saw, I'm always wearing my chaps.
Over here the uninitiated (Safety Elves) might say: 'Chainsaws are dangerous, chaps'.
The safety elves make us wear 'PPE' (personal protective equipment) when using chainsaws at work. Certain varieties of safety elf insist that all your PPE is bright orange with silvery reflective stripey bits, so you look like a bifurcated animate road cone. PPE for the legs is usually breeks (trousers) and boots (with added kevlar £££). Breeks are nice and warm in the winter, like wearing a bifurcated duvet in the summer. Sweaty around the nadgers. As I double as an ecologist and a chainsaw operator, I've had some safety elves insist on my wearing full PPE and hat when doing early morning bird territory surveys because I am 'on site' and 'PPE must be worn on site'. Nobody else has turned in for work yet, (dawn), you're looking to locate males holding territories and use that to find active nests to 'protect' them. You're bright effing orange with reflective bits. Muppets.
Go careful, chaps.
Iv'e gotten caught up on my chaps as well down there on the lower straps. where do I find the ones like yours? I think I'm going to take my existing ones and have them altered.
Never heard about chainsaw chaps before I saw them on UA-cam a few years back. Here in Europe, we all wear chainsaw pants. I guess, they all have their strong points and weaknesses.
Pants are nearly unheard of in Australia - at least in the hot areas. On a 45 degree C day, even chaps get a bit too warm.
Pants are great in winter though.
Don't you mean "trousers", if you're not an American? Or are you saying you have a pair of chainsaw-proof Y-fronts?
Question : Has anyone got any thoughts on chainsaw chaps spinning on the leg when impacted by a saw chain and causing an injury ? It's something I have often thought about.
If the chaps are loose then a spinning blade may pull the material around before it bogs down with a stuck chain and hence cut the exposed part of the leg.
Thoughts ??
I knew a logger who didn't wear chaps. He was cutting a tree once and jerked the saw back to keep it from getting bound up when the tree started to move. When he tried to get away from the tree, he found that his leg wouldn't hold him. When he jerked the saw, it ran up behind his kneecap. The doctors said if it had gone in instead of up, it would have taken his leg off.
I agree 100% ,safety is good unless it goes too far . Sometimes gloves can be your worst enemy as far as safety goes and some times they are a good thing. Common sense is the best safety tool you can use.
The only time I wear chaps is when I'm in heavy devils club or other low brush brambles for the added protection for my pants.
How nuanced can one be? This man would be an ideal politician in these challenging times. What did he originally study that makes him so good at thinking and making nuanced risk assessments?
What brand of chaps do u have and the size I can’t find any that’s short
The lower leg segment is supposed to be covered by an over encumbered pair of snake chaps 😂
I hate those unofficial safety people. They are far less about safety and much more about look at me and how smart I am and how virtuous I are.
I rather be the vivid one,too many virtuous ones walking this planet!
I use the pants. Less chance of getting caught up in something and if you are climbing you don't have buckles pressing into your hips.
Ear protection is number 1. Noise does damage straight away.
I was taught to always clear escape roads from brushes before cutting down trees. So protective gear snagging should not be a problem.
All professionals I know uses protective trousers, certified boots and helmet systems protecting eyes and hearing. Knowing that mishaps happens. For me only once in 40 years. Cut 2 of the 8 layers of kevlar fibre in the trousers.
I don't where the full length chaps either. I wear mine about 32 inseam where most of my pants are 34" I also were my chaps weedeating cause I hate stuff hitting my legs and causing open sores
Every pair I’ve had cover the outside of the leg like that, new or not. Not ideal but all the unexplained cuts I have are always on the center to outside of the left thigh so I don’t worry about it to much. Those look to have years left in them compared to most I’ve seen. Course if mine were orange I’d probably be looking for an excuse to get a proper green pair anyway 😁😉👍🏼
Have you ever considered trying chainsaw pants and boots with cutting protection? The lightweight summer pants are even more comfortable than jeans and chaps
I wore chaps for a while, but switched to Clogger chainsaw pants a few years ago and love them. People don’t realize that chaps or chainsaw pants won’t stop a battery or electric chainsaw. Only thing with chainsaw pants, is you have to be careful around open flame. They make them with denim on the outside, but I like the stretch of the regular clogger summer weight.
I use a battery saw and my chaps stopped my saw no problem and it was a pretty small cut. Cleaning all of the fibers out of the saw was a bit of a mess.
@@ElectricDanielBoone I stand corrected. After researching it, chaps do offer some protection with electric and battery saws.
@@RangerRage69 Thanks for the retraction. I saw you switched to Clogger chainsaw pants, so I looked into that. My chaps are kinda cheapo and have a chunk taken out by my saw now too, so I need something new. The pants seem like a good option, thanks.
@@ElectricDanielBoone surprisingly they are the most comfortable pants I own. A little hot in the summer, but very comfortable with suspenders
@@RangerRage69 which model do you have? I see they have a few. Suspenders are a big plus for me too!
I found too that those back straps on the chaps are safety hazard, because they are too long and the ends of them are just hanging there asking to entangle in something. Maybe I should trim them to the right size for me.
Anything that can snag up can be dangerous working in the woods.
It’s worth watching a video on how fast a chainsaw can cut through your leg.
Same thing goes for eye protection.
It is really up to the user what level of risk they are willing to accept.
Plus your boots cover that area so you do have some protection there.
I've never seen anyone wear chainsaw chaps in Britain. We all use trousers. Either Type A with front protection from pockets to hem. Or Type C for climbing, like Type A but with protection for the back of the legs right up to the arse. There's no flap for sticks to get up behind and no layers to get rucked up. I can imagine chaps would be handy if you're only cutting for an hour or so a day and don't want to be weighed down for the rest of it but I think I'll stick with full trousers. Granted the old ones were awful heavy and hot but most newer ones are well ventilated and comfy all day.
Chainsaw pants for the win...little warm and pricey but 👍
Chainsaw pants are much more comfortable unless it's very hot. Chaps are awkward for climbing, but can be removed easier in hot weather when done cutting. A few strands of nylon from chainsaw protective gear will stop a saw instantly by binding up the sprocket clutch and chain. Not so much as providing a barrier. I've seen this first hand.
thanx!! been there, done that, we heat w/ wood, no major falls , injuries , got 1 nick on the chaps , dint know i hit my leg , glad i wear em!! , carry cell ph. on you , just in case ,even in car, truk , m/c,... was cuttin w the drinkin neighbors , they lookt at me like i'm wearin 1000 bux worth of gear, i asked em , wots ur life worth, , they had 2 save that money 4 beer , i guess !!... most accidents CAN BE avoided!!, think, and ,.. who cares wot it looks like ??, it could save ur life !!, live longer , ... ( drink more????), like you said , u can suggest smart , but if they wanna hear/ do stoopid, hopefully they live ,.... and learn !!, enjoy life , there is plenty of time 2 be dead ,..
Fun fact: The correct pronunciation of chaps is, "shaps." It comes from the Spanish word, "chaparreras" which were designed to protect the legs of cowboys who rode through chaparral.
I wish i could say I always wear chaps, but i dont!!
I have never heard of chainsaw pants, i will have to look into them
I was a professional timber cutter back in 1966 and we didn't have chaps back then. Sadly way too many of us cut a leg off. I even met a few guys that cut both legs off. They found jobs in the sawdust pit under the mill because they could stand up down there.
Fortunately this younger and much smarter generation invented those purty orange cowboy chaps and saved your legs.
So can you show us how many snags you have in them britches where they stopped that chain from ripping you apart?
I actually cut my leg one time with a chainsaw but I still wouldn't wear them silly looking things. But I guess I'm just a dumbass though.
Art from Ohio
But that exposed area is right where rattlers aim.............. :) Great video tho. Subscribed.
I don't wear them.
Weyerhauser used to put in their employment contract that loggers "shall wear trousers cut 10" from the floor left unhemmed".
I wear my pants cut (hemmed by an Amish friends wife) 1" above my boot tops and loose so I can move.
My dress pants for Church are 30x34.
My work pants are 34x23.
1:12
Edited to get the timing right
Lots of benefits for short chaps not to mention cutting during HIGH WATER ….Coming next Daisy Duke chaps 😂
I have always used my snake boots and snake chaps while cutting the boots actually save my toe one time little damage but none to me I'm not sure how the chaps would react to a chainsaw better than nothing for sure but I may have to rethink this
My doctor convinced me to buy chainsaw chaps. He just showed me picture
of chainsaw injuries
You would be a real hit with the fellas at The Little Shrimp in Laguna Beach when you wear your Bavarian Trachten Lederhosen chaps.
I wear chain saw protection pants (CLOGGER "ZERO GEN 2") all day every day in the warmer weather and PFANNER "Arborist" in the cooler weather {DATELINE: Central Nagano Prefecture, Japan, usually above 1,000 m a.s.l.}.
Somehow you found a fix for a problem that is self-made.
In Europe pretty much no one uses chaps. People use pants that have the cut protection integrated, all the way from the bottom to the top of the thighs. That includes the shins and calfs, as those are also somewhat common areas for accidents to happen.
They don't catch on anything that a normal pair of jeans wouldn't catch onto either. Some models are sitting tight enough for arborists to climb up a tree in them. They don't shift around and go all the way below the top of the boots, which also have a cut proof inlay on the shaft, so there's no weak spot exposed.
Same btw with loggers helmets, which are required to have hearing protection and a face shield included.
I know there'll be a million people trying to tell me, why chaps are better, and why pants are not working for them, or even why PSE is even completely unnecessary (because they didn't have an accident yet). I on the other hand completely fail to understand, why one does compromises on safety equipment when it is not needed to do a compromise. If you only once cut your legs, you're gonna have a bad time for pretty long. A pair of proper chainsaw pants costing 100 bucks is nothing compared to a hospital bill and a couple months of lost income.
A fun catch-22.
"I say talk to your local safety guy. Don't listen to what I say."
Aight, so which advice there am I not supposed to listen to?
If I talk to a safety guy, then I went against your advice of not listening to what you say.
But if I don't talk to a safety guy, I went against your advice of talking to a safety guy because you told me to not listen to what you say.
I'ma cut it down the middle and talk to a safety guy about an investment portfolio and stocks.
They can be damgerous if you are wearing them without any pants at quincys pool hall and someone decides to play your 7th pocket.
I don chaps when felling/bucking. Not so much in brush/small trees.
Me too. Great advice this site. Stag pants. Exactly as should be. When I started 1972 no ppe. First saw pants late 1980’s. Still fit. Have & use saw chaps & pants. And short like yours. Smart.
I always wear chainsaw pants with built in kevlar. Imo it's best of both worlds. You get fully protected and it feels like you're wearing normal pants although they're rather thick. Only disadvantage i'd say is that you can't wash them without washing everything
Are they hot?
Lot of sweating?
@@willbass2869 they're warmer than normal pants, but they also breathe better. Probably depends on what model/ brand you get, but generally yes I'd say so
Agree.
Here, I'll share you my term for your nice pants.
They aren't the sunday best, so I call em' my Saturday pants. If I'm working saturday for someone else in a pinch, I'm wearing my saturday pants.
"Sorry, cant do that, got my saturday pants on."
"What are you doin' wearing your saturday pants, DB?
You know why I'm wearing my saturday pants.
Pip pip cheerio old chap. 😁
I actually wear my chainsaw chaps because I do weed abatements, and I like to wear shorts all year long. call me California crazy. But something I do is I twist the straps so they snap tighter to my leg and stay in place better.
I have a pair, they will never wear out.
I'm 66, and been cutting wood all my adult life. No way can I wear all that garbage, chaps, helmet , ear muffs, and all the other product advertising that makes you look rugged, professional, and manly. Reason being, its hard work and no matter what season it is I'm going to sweet profusely. Gloves, and a good pair of work boots is all I need.
Concur
I always tell people to take time and think about what they're doing with a chainsaw. Safety equipment is fine in some situations but overly relying on it and being careless thinking you can relax since you have safety equipment can be worse, especially when working around others
63% of chainsaw injuries are to the left lower leg. Often to the upper foot and often involving the extensor tendon there. Know your stats and don't state personal opinion as fact. You need to be wearing high-top good leather boots or Kevlar protected cutting boots and chaps that go to the top of the foot at the front. About once a year as a faller I had a saw to leg cut. Always on the lower left and I was always saved by wearing total-length chaps. Total-length chaps also protect your lower legs from the constant beating of brush and limbs. Yes, once in a while the chaps' lower strap will get hung up on something. A minor price to pay for avoiding a surgical repair to the lower leg or losing the use of the extensor tendon and henceforth not being able to walk very well. ATGATT -- all the gear all the time.
I don't wear chaps, never have, they just slow you down and snag on the brush
Mmmm silver madrone, can I have some? I find em a pita too but you never know when they can save your life and it doesn’t take much to get used to wearing em. I always wanted to try the insert style. On one of the last few loads of firewood I cut I grazed the bottom of my chaps, good reminder. Some people are just too dumb, I have a buddy that cuts for a living and doesn’t own safety glasses and never wears any ppe or hearing protection and even spent entire seasons in tennis shoes, one time damn near cut his hand in half, several times hurt an eye, must be nice to be that oblivious
I seriously think you just outgrew those chaps
I have seen Alot of Loggers, Timber fellers, hook tenders, cut jeans up almost to top of Boot, So minimize snag Risk, I wear 8 inch Boots Full wrap chaps, half chaps move around Too Much, chainsaw pants are Too 🥵 Hot and Restricted, Everyone Does Something Different. I will Say it Chaps are Necessary, Be Safe Everyone 😊
Whenever my pants were getting short my mom would ask me it I'm expecting to get my ankles wet. Are you expecting to get your ankles wet?
Here is a video idea. Cover your most important piece of safety equipment and it's not what you think.
Jock strap?
I've got to admit, i was wondering if those chaps were given to you by your daddy when you were 8 yo ;)
My chaps have velcro below the knee, so they close up quite tightly around my boots.
Chaps while trying to maneuver in a forest is just nuts-I stopped using them years ago. Too many things to snag on and send you end over end!
I don’t know about you, but if you spend every day in the woods, your gonna trip and fall all the time , whether you’re wearing chaps or not. I’ll take the chance of falling vs. a chain in the thigh any day
@@johns3106 that’s why his short chaps are a great idea!
I came to that same conclusion a few years back and cut about 6" off my chaps.