Thread: Leg protection below the knee ?

I wear chaps whenever I use a chainsaw (even chainsaw milling) because one never can predict what can happen.

The chaps I wear are these ; Labonville Premium Chainsaw Chaps and I got mine direct from Labonville in the USA.
They fully wrap around the lower leg and also do a great job of protecting the front of legs and the back of the calves especially when I wear shorts which I do for about 8 months of the year.

They use 5 Kevlar fibre layers, which acts as very effective padding, and they have saved me from non-chainsaw injuries many times.
These chaps are now more than 10 years old and have quite a few cuts and scratches on them so it may be time for a new pair.
They get very greasy after prolonged use from fuel, bar and chain oil and exhaust but they can be washed provided the supplied instruction are followed and I have washed many times.

I also have a pair of competition chaps Labonville Premium Chainsaw Chaps
These are the same wrap design but use 10 Kevlar layers so are twice as thick as the standard wrap chaps.
For general use I find them too hot and only wear them occasionally in winter.

I also have several pairs of Husqvarna chainsaw pants but even in winter I find that they are too hot and on the restrictive side in terms of movement.
Another reason I prefer chaps over pants is that chaps can be removed without taking your boots off. I know there are some chainsaw pants that have long zips at the sides that can do that as well but mine aren't like that.
With the chaps its unclip 5 clips and they are off.

Something else I bought many years ago that is also way too hot are padded kevlar inserts for boots.
They also require wearing a one size bigger boot which I found was too clumsy for my liking.

If you are looking for a bit more protection from just long pants try the Carhart Duck weave pants. I have the Carhart Bib overall and these are tough as (although I have manage dot put a hole in mine) and very comfortable although I usually only wear them in winter. They are great for general wood and metal work. You need to shop around and even the factory seconds are fine.
I got mine in the US for about half the price available here in Oz. Yakka also has a range of clothing in canvas duck weave with large padded knee areas. I have a couple of pair of their long daks - not quite as tough or comfy as the Carhart but still very serviceable.

I hate bloody chaps. Not so much in winter where they keep me warm on a frosty morning but in summer they drive me insane - I will literally sweat out three water bottles a day and go home thirsty and not only is it because the things are so hot to wear.... all of that three gallons of water soaks into them and they get heavy. Then they start falling down, and you're working in the bush wearing a 50 pound thermal blanket held up by a slippery canvas strap around your hips that keeps loosening off and you got to put down all the stuff you're carrying to hitch them up again every twenty steps. Miserable things they are.

But they will protect your legs, not just from bad chainsaw stuff but they add padding against bumps. And snakebite too probably - at least the parts of your leg they cover. And thorns etc as well.

For general bushwork as opposed to chainsaw bushwork I still pull on leggings (gaiters). I like the military surplus canvas style myself - they give a fair bit of protection, arent undly restrictive, and are cheap enough.

Originally Posted by John.G

I hate bloody chaps. Not so much in winter where they keep me warm on a frosty morning but in summer they drive me insane - I will literally sweat out three water bottles a day and go home thirsty and not only is it because the things are so hot to wear.... all of that three gallons of water soaks into them and they get heavy. Then they start falling down, and you're working in the bush wearing a 50 pound thermal blanket held up by a slippery canvas strap around your hips that keeps loosening off and you got to put down all the stuff you're carrying to hitch them up again every twenty steps. .

I know what you mean about the heat which is why in summer I wear them with Yakka Duck weave cargo shorts. This makes a big difference.
I also don't mill for a living so when it gets to hot or humid I go do something else.

The solution I found for chaps falling down is elasticised wide-band braces.
I picked some Stihl braces back it 2010 when a local Stihl store was having a sale for about $30.
The RRP is ridiculous ($50) but now that I have worn them for some yime I reckon they would even be worth even that much.
I have the ones with clips and they stay on the chaps unless the chaps are getting washed.
They also make it much easier to put the chaps on. I just put the braces over my shoulders and the braces stay suspended at the right height so you can clip the chaps on.

start.jpg

I too wear chaps similar to Bob and with braces. I have been meaning to buy some new jean type chaps though similar to the ones the tree loppers wear these days. They are chaps but in a form of jeans, and they are available in a relatively light weight type these days for summer, just they cost a mint (in my size ~$600 from my local Stihl store ordered in). Talk to the tree loppers and they say they are worth it as they are just like wearing jeans.

Thinking a little out the square, how about shin protectors that sports people wear, ie hockey players.
Protects their lower legs.

Originally Posted by bookleaf

Thinking a little out the square, how about shin protectors that sports people wear, ie hockey players.
Protects their lower legs.

Good for general bush work but hopeless against chainsaw.
The chainsaw pants are designed to have their outer Cordura nylon layer cut by the chain and under that are at least 5 layers of kevlar fibres (long woolly fibres).
The chain hooks the fibres and pulls them onto itself and jams the chain in a millisecond.
Check this out

I have the lightweight Stihl Chaps, that i got living in NZ, i think they had carbon fibre in the material from memory to make them a little stronger

I used them when ever i was chopping wood or trimming with the Stihl arborist saw i had..

CAT, Hard Yakka, make long trousers with reinforced patches, I've been wearing these over summer in QLD and they aren't that bad.

If using the chainsaw then chaps, no question. For other work I would go for gaiters. Chaps are expensive and i have seen the outer fabric rip on a sharp stick. Such rips can be repaired but as you stated, the main function of chaps is to stop a chain and very quickly. Gaiters are much cheaper and pretty good at stopping general scratches and knocks when walking in the bush.
Tony

Originally Posted by tony_A

If using the chainsaw then chaps, no question. For other work I would go for gaiters. Chaps are expensive and i have seen the outer fabric rip on a sharp stick. Such rips can be repaired but as you stated, the main function of chaps is to stop a chain and very quickly. Gaiters are much cheaper and pretty good at stopping general scratches and knocks when walking in the bush.

Some of the chaps (especially the pants) use a very lightweight fabric cover that seems way too flimsy to me which is one reason why I went for the Labonville chaps. They have a much tougher outer skin than most other chaps. I reckon Chaps are too clumsy and hot for bush walking anyway.

I wear the STIHL ADVANCE X-LIGHT trousers when running my chainsaw or a lucas saw mill. The other option would be to get some long shin guards and wear them under the chainsaw pants as additional protection.

All great replies again Guys . Ill get the Chaps and Braces and may get Gaiters as well for next summer .

You cant go past the safety aspect of those demos Bob . And ease getting them on and off is good . Ten years use is amazing but then its not like you would be in them every day .

The getting hot in them thing would be a put off , but you are up in FNQ John where the heat and humidity is legendary as well . I'm just a boat trip north from Tassie. Still get hot summer days though but then I can pick what I want to do on those days. Work in the shade if I have to.

Rob

Sort of OT but Cellulitis can come back later on, I had it in a completely healed wound twice, if you have anything that remains under the skin and your immune system happens to bomb it can come back.

Also got facial Cellulitis from a tick bite, pulled it out in the morning and was admitted to hospital that night and stayed there for four days. They were reluctant to admit it was cellulitis initially as I started swelling in two hours, I looked like the Elephant Man in the end, it was pretty cool.

Originally Posted by auscab

All great replies again Guys . Ill get the Chaps and Braces and may get Gaiters as well for next summer .
You cant go past the safety aspect of those demos Bob . And ease getting them on and off is good . Ten years use is amazing but then its not like you would be in them every day .

That's right.

In the 10 years there was just one time I was Not wearing them when I wished I had. Cutting down a few tiny (6") paperbarks at mums. I cut the thing down and then took my chaps off. Cup of tea and a chat when mum said can I cut the stumps a bit lower. I did't put the chaps back on and the chain came off on the last stump and got caught on the chain catcher whereby it whipped around and struck me in the goalies. I had some old jeans on - the chain did not cut through the jeans but WINCE - GROAN - TEARS and SWEAT - SWEARING. They swelled up and I got a big bruise that took two weeks to go away.

You absolutely have to be able to wash them or they will get very matted and not feed the Kevlar properly to jam the saw. Also if they are not washed carefully they can get matted as well. Being a safety item I have tried to do the right thing. You can tell if they are ok because they should feel even, soft and flexible, If they feel stiff and lumpy then try washing, if they recover they're OK other wise toss them.

I'll tell you one thing about all these chaps, chaps.

I dont trust them. You can show me a hundred videos of a saw stopped dead by them and I still wont trust them. I wear them because its mandated but I do not believe that 5 layers of anything are going to stop a 100cc saw running .404 chain quick enough to keep my leg attached. Just like I dont believe that the pretty yellow hat I wear is going to save me the day a foot thick branch drops 30m down onto my head.

Work a saw like you've got not PPE on and dont put your legs in the line of a kickback event ever. Always stand so the saw will run back beside your legs, not run back into them. When you pick up a saw and head out into the weeds you are now in one of the most high risk occupations there is. Dont ever forget it. Just sayin