# Chain saw Pants or Chaps??



## Job Corps Tree (Nov 16, 2007)

I am looking to up-grade our PPE here at the Ouachita Job Corps Center. What do you think is better? I have looked at the cost$$ is about the same. Any thoughts from some more Pro's? I know you pro's don't have to wear them in a Tree ,but our trainees do.


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## (WLL) (Nov 16, 2007)

*stihl strech air here*



Job Corps Tree said:


> I am looking to up-grade our PPE here at the Ouachita Job Corps Center. What do you think is better? I have looked at the cost$$ is about the same. Any thoughts from some more Pro's? I know you pro's don't have to wear them in a Tree ,but our trainees do.



look real pro-like and make ya feel good too but dont comp saftey. pants are ansi for chainsaw protection. unlike chaps the pants are on full time. i wish saw chain pants were made from other companys for more options. are they?


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## Jumper (Nov 16, 2007)

I'd go with pants hands down. Chaps would be downright cumbersome in a tree and would negate any safety advantage IMHO> There are a lot of pants out there that are designed with climbers in mind. They do not have to be heavy or restrictive like chaps.


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## Job Corps Tree (Nov 16, 2007)

*Chain saw Pants or Chaps*

Been looking most of the afternoon. Husky has some good ones, Swede Pro pants may look the best in the Summer Weight. For $79.99 all most the same as Chaps. Thanks. you all have a good weekend


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## teamtree (Nov 16, 2007)

pants....they are a bit warm in the summer but well worth it in the winter. I wear my pants (stihl summer pants) all winter long. They do not hold up as well as chaps but they are comfortable and no hassles...pick up a saw and go to work.


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## (WLL) (Nov 16, 2007)

*pic*



Job Corps Tree said:


> Been looking most of the afternoon. Husky has some good ones, Swede Pro pants may look the best in the Summer Weight. For $79.99 all most the same as Chaps. Thanks. you all have a good weekend



pic


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## Bermie (Nov 17, 2007)

Ditto WLL, I have the same ones. Where did you manage to buy thenm in the US?

They are called, Stihl Hi Flex and come in front protection only (class A) and all round (class C) protection. IN the UK you have to wear class C up a tree.
Stretch Air are made by Pfanner, I'm looking into those ones as they are supposed to be even lighter than the Hi Flex, I'm looking for something I can wear through the summer.
SIP also make trousers with more up to date fabrics.
Stihl, Husqvarna, Oregon ans SIP make several lower priced models that are fine if you don't mind something a bit heavier.

I vote for trousers, go for the more up to date ones that are stretchy, flexible and moisture wicking, the comfort value is high especially when training, one less thing to be tweaking, adjusting or complaining about!


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## RedlineIt (Nov 17, 2007)

A consideration for Job Corp:

Since you are working with trainees, you'll have washouts and noshows, so go chaps.

I'll stap on the filthiest pair of chaps of questionable history, no qualms, but sliding someone else's pants up my goods, ergh: You can tell me they've been boiled in bleach, I still want fresh.

I never ask anyone to do that which I would not.


As a ps: I used to look down on chaps. Something a part-timer would wear, certainly not for a pro. In my quest for the best pants, I have worn Stihl's version, Husky's version, StretchAirs, SIP 5's, and a really good coverage design from Labonville. In general construction, everything from full denim to polyprop with vented crotch.

Then I tried a pair of chaps. Adjustment here, adjustment there, I still expected them to be a nonsense PITA in the tree. Never Happened. Ascended a cramped, confused Pine that grabbed at my scabard hook, my side D's, my chainsaw clip, Hardhat Peltor mounts, with every step I took the tree put a stick into every gap. It never found my chaps, likely because like everyone I clear a gap out of deadwood as I go.

I now use chaps all the time. If it's hot I can dump them the moment I'm done with chainsaws , it's like a breath of fresh air. When it's wet and rainy, chaps are better than raingear, they repell all but the worst, and when the worst happens, I can take them off without hiding, and I don't have to wear soaked sawpants all day!

Chime in now with your dislike of chaps!

I have seen the light and won't go back.



RedlineIt


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## (WLL) (Nov 19, 2007)

RedlineIt said:


> A consideration for Job Corp:
> 
> Since you are working with trainees, you'll have washouts and noshows, so go chaps.
> 
> ...


Since you are working with trainees, you'll have washouts and noshows, so go chaps.

I'll stap on the filthiest pair of chaps of questionable history, no qualms, but sliding someone else's pants up my goods, ergh: You can tell me they've been boiled in bleach, I still want fresh.

I never ask anyone to do that which I would not.


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## Job Corps Tree (Nov 20, 2007)

*Chain Saw Pants or Chaps*

I went ahead and put in for 12 Pants, small to X large. They will be for the GOTO climbers the ones that will complete our Trade. The cost is about the same as for Chaps and I think it will help the interest level up for the completer's. The NFG's all start off with regular set of climbing gear and as they progress on up through our 3 levels we add better climbing equipment.


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## beowulf343 (Nov 25, 2007)

(WLL) said:


> unlike chaps the pants are on full time.



That is actually why i prefer chaps, especially in winter. After soaking your chaps by wading through snow all day, you can take them off and have a comfortable ride back home with fairly dry legs. It is a little cold taking off wet pants while standing on a snowbank.


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## arb ant (Jan 10, 2018)

on the subject of climbing pants what do you guys use? design c or a?? i climb in custom stihl design c trousers.


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## arathol (Jan 10, 2018)

Wow, 10 years later....


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## Mistertreeman (Jan 30, 2018)

Job Corps Tree said:


> I am looking to up-grade our PPE here at the Ouachita Job Corps Center. What do you think is better? I have looked at the cost$$ is about the same. Any thoughts from some more Pro's? I know you pro's don't have to wear them in a Tree ,but our trainees do.


Pants all the way...


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## Luckysaturn (Feb 4, 2018)

What brand and model do you guys consider to be the most breathable comfortable is chaps and summer time ?I'm getting ready to buy a pair for doing side work. Everybody at work seemed over wearing chaps but I love them in the winter time and like you guys said on the rain-soaked days but also we had a new hire only had two or three days under his belt then ate into a pair of chaps with the ground saw and they saved his leg . after that everybody started wearing them again.


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## thetoolnut (Feb 10, 2018)

Chaps are for cutting firewood and maybe milling and that's about it. 

Sent from my SM-G389F using Tapatalk


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## arb ant (Feb 12, 2018)

yep pants for climbing all the way


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## kaseman (Feb 12, 2018)

Love these.


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## arb ant (Feb 12, 2018)

are they the sherrill trees?


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## kaseman (Feb 12, 2018)

Yeah, got them when they were on sale.. super comfy. Wearing them right now 2 degrees out just boxers under.


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## arb ant (Feb 23, 2018)

wow sound good, has anyone got the clogger zero trousers?


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## JeffGu (Feb 23, 2018)

I have a pair of Husqvarna pants, and a pair of the Stihl (denim) ones... both are good protection, but very heavy. Great in the winter, but in the summer they're too heavy for up in the tree. I got a pair of the Clogger Zeros to climb in, and with long underwear they are still good for all but the really cold days. I prefer the pants on the ground, but I use chaps most of the time during the summer. As others have noted, they're a lot faster to take on/off so when the chainsaw work is done, I take them off until I need to start the saw back up. In the spring, fall and winter when it's cool/cold I use the heavy pants. They can still get a bit warm, but the protection (at least in my mind) is better.

Lightweight climbing pants like the Cloggers are expensive and they take a lot of wear and tear in the tree. Luckily, I'm old enough and slow enough that I'm never in much of a hurry, and take the extra time to be careful not to tear them up too bad. I'm not sure that younger, production climbers will do that, so it's a hefty expense. They'll probably not get more than one or two seasons out of a pair.

I was going to post a pic of all three pair of chainsaw pants, but they're in my trailer... I don't feel like shoveling all the snow and ice off of it, just to dig them out.


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## thetoolnut (Feb 24, 2018)

Even a nick with a saw would be rather expensive, medical bills, medicine, rehab and time off work. Pfanner arbs or Gladiators are like wearing tracksuit bottoms. The main reason most North American fellers/climbers don't wear ppe is that there too cool to be seen in them. It's a matcho **** measuring thing.

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## treesmith (Feb 24, 2018)

arb ant said:


> on the subject of climbing pants what do you guys use? design c or a?? i climb in custom stihl design c trousers.


Design a are good in summer, design c are good if your positioning sucks and you like cutting under the back of your leg...

Climbed in C for years, design A is so much nicer


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## JeffGu (Feb 25, 2018)

thetoolnut said:


> ...too cool to be seen in them...



That is a fair assessment, unfortunately. But, oh, the excuses and rationalizing hoops they'll jump through just to blame the government for wanting them to look uncool.


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## thetoolnut (Feb 25, 2018)

JeffGu said:


> That is a fair assessment, unfortunately. But, oh, the excuses and rationalizing hoops they'll jump through just to blame the government for wanting them to look uncool.


Agreed, "God dam safety Nazi's" "My Grand Daddy never wore no God Dam ppe!!!" 

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## Adamgaspo (Feb 27, 2018)

thetoolnut said:


> Agreed, "God dam safety Nazi's" "My Grand Daddy never wore no God Dam ppe!!!"
> 
> Sent from my SM-G389F using Tapatalk




And that’s why arborist/ feller climbers what have you; have the highest mortality/injury rates.

A lot of my friends works in Cali dealing with the pine bark beetle and protection was worn by most... although there were people out cutting trees onto the power lines also without PPE.

For me it’s a requirement to wear them at ALL TIMES in the tree especially.
It not so bad once you get that first real bad sweat in them or you faint because you haven’t drank enough water.

All in all though I love the protection ( I like my legs right where they are)

Adam


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