# Gaiters Over Boots



## chuck55 (Sep 17, 2013)

I work for a County Highway department and we've been advised by our state safety regulatory agency that we're required to conform to the OSHA Logging Standard, a portion of which dictates the use of cut-resistant logging boots. We only cut trees immediately adjacent to the road right-of-way, and "logging" operations comprise only about 5% of the total work duties for a typical highway worker. As an alternative to classic logging boots, we proposed to the state the use of leather, water repellent, steel toe boots...which could then be worn as adequate protection for all the other jobs the worker does during the balance of his work day. They rejected that option (not totally cut resistant), so now we're considering other avenues. One of those is the use of Kevlar gaiters that strap onto the outside of a work boot, thereby protecting the instep and other area of the foot not protected by the steel toe. These "one-size-fits-all" gaiters would essentially be put on just as chaps are before commencing chainsaw work. This would eliminate the need for workers to lug around two sets of footwear (logger's boots and normal work boots)...depending upon what job activity they would be doing at any given moment. The thing is, the only place I've found such gaiters manufactured and for sale is in Great Britain or Europe...they don't seem to be made and/or available in the US. My question is whether anyone has had any experience with these gaiters (good/bad), and whether anything like them is available in the US?


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## madhatte (Sep 17, 2013)

I've never seen Kevlar gaiters before. Why not wear either chaps or pants with inserts? Gaiters have the nasty habit of sagging.


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## tramp bushler (Sep 17, 2013)

The theory may seem sound. But in practice I don't think you would enjoy the results. . If the county supplies the vehicle I don't see the problem with 2 pair of boots. . Usually I have at least 2 pair of boots in my company truck. . Think of it this way. You won't destroy your personal work boots. 
And from an overall safety stand point having a bunch of fabric down to sole of the boot level and walking around trees and in the brush is just beggingto get tripped up. 
Most of the injuries in the woods happen from a person falling down.


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## madhatte (Sep 17, 2013)

tramp bushler said:


> Most of the injuries in the woods happen from a person falling down.



This is 100% true.


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## tramp bushler (Sep 17, 2013)

Oh ya ; welcome to Arborist Site. 

Ditches tend to have water in them. Saw protection soaks up water to the point it weighs 3 times as much as dry. 
Cut resistant boots do not. I've wore the Viking and the LW rubber cut resistant corks. Both were much much more comfortable than I would have thot they could be.


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## 1270d (Sep 17, 2013)

You can also get kevlar booties. Put them on like socks.


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## hammerlogging (Sep 17, 2013)

1270d said:


> You can also get kevlar booties. Put them on like socks.



From who? I've heard of these but never seen them for sale.


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## 1270d (Sep 17, 2013)

hammerlogging said:


> From who? I've heard of these but never seen them for sale.



Labonville


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## 2dogs (Sep 18, 2013)

How about Labonville wrap chaps? They only wrap the bottom of the leg and top of the foot.


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## imagineero (Sep 18, 2013)

tramp bushler said:


> Most of the injuries in the woods happen from a person falling down.



Plus one on that! The only injuries I ever had in the forest were trip/twist ankle type scenarios, and the worst one while working blowdown slipped and fell off some logs, broke my ribs. That was probably the most painful injury I've ever had in my life, and I've had quite a few. Of course, I caught a cold not long after and couldn't stop sneezing :-(

Had the displeasure of witnessing a guy accidentally cut off his nipple with some lopping shears one morning while on a pruning job. Thankfully (?) he was a meth head so he just put some gaffa tape over it and went to work as usual. Flicked the nipple at one of the other boys too. 

I still wince every time I think about it.

Shaun


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## chuck55 (Sep 18, 2013)

Thanks very much for the input...we'll probably go ahead and purchase boots based upon the various points of view shared here.


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## OlympicYJ (Sep 18, 2013)

LW's are comforatable. I think Hoffmans in now making boots on the old LW design. The Vikings are heavy clunkers compared to the LW's. I think you can get em in a non cork sole so they could theoretically double as your rubber boots.


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