Labonville Wrap Chaps Mod

[Philbert]

Philbert Meets the Labonville Wrap Chaps

Chaps are a basic piece of personal protective equipment (PPE). But they have to fit. And they have to cover what you want to protect.

I bought a pair of Labonville Full Wrap Chaps, based partially on the comments posted on this site. I was very impressed with the quality of the materials, and with the quality of the workmanship. But I could not get them to fit right.

Several years ago, I posted a thread (no pun intended) on a sewing mod I did to my Husqvarna Professional Wrap Chaps:
http://www.arboristsite.com/community/threads/husky-wrap-chaps-mod.126733/
so, instead of just returning the Labonville chaps, I decided to 'mod' these as well.



***Disclaimer*** I believe that these chaps, as modified, provide at least as much protection as they did when received. But the manufacturer may not agree. They may also no longer meet UL listing approval. Cutting, modifying, or sewing through the protective pads / fibers may reduce the protection provided. Modify chaps at your own risk***.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

1. Wrap Artist

Start with the simple mods.

Wrap chaps are designed to protect the back of the wearer's legs in addition to the front and sides. With the Husqvarna chaps (post above) I found that the wrap portion could slip, leaving the back of my legs exposed. Sewing more of the lower leg straps to these pads holds the pads more securely in place.

With the Husqvarna chaps it was fairly simple to open a side seam, sew the straps TO THE OUTER FABRIC ONLY, then re-stitch the side seam.

The construction of the Labonville chaps makes this more difficult, so I carefully blind-stitched the straps with a needle; snagging only the outer layer of fabric and the straps without any of the protective fibers, even though Labonville sews right through these pads at the factory.



Put the chaps on, and tighten the straps as much as possible, then use a 'Sharpie' marker, or some masking tape, to mark the overlap. This will give you an idea of how far the straps can be attached without interfering how they fit you. Give yourself a half-inch clearance if desired. Add more clearance if you plan to share the chaps with someone who has giraffe legs.

I used heavy weight upholstery thread for the mods described. Note that most home sewing machines cannot stitch effectively through the heavier fabrics and straps used in chaps, and cannot sew with this heavier thread. If you prefer, you may be able to find a local shop that repairs outdoor gear (packs, duffle bags, etc.), or a tent and awning store, that will do this type of work if you don't want to hand sew it yourself.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

2. Tailor Made

'It's hard to get a good fit off the rack'.

Chaps have to be comfortable if they are going to be worn all day, and they should not be a distraction. Sometimes, a strap just hits you in a funny way. Labonville discontinued a line of chaps where the strap positions were adjustable and the straps easily replaceable. But the stock straps are pretty easy to move.

If you are not sure that shifting straps is worth the effort, experiment with a few feet of scrap webbing, and a couple of buckles (available at most camping, and many hardware stores). On the Labonville chaps the straps are just sewn to the outer seams. Pin the temporary straps to the same seams, or try clamping them in place with office binder clips, until you find locations that 'feel right', and that minimize bunching or interference as you walk, climb stairs, etc.





Sewing the straps in place is easy with a sewing awl (e.g. 'Speedy Stitcher'): a basic tool for repairing camping and hunting gear, leather goods, etc.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

3. Cover Me - Part I

The key problem that I had with the Labonville chaps was coverage. Despite the wrap feature, the main portion of each chap leg tended to cover the outer portions of my legs, leaving the inner portions exposed (see the un-modified chaps, worn over white pants, below, to highlight exposed areas). Since the risk of chainsaw injuries to these portions of the legs are high, this was unsatisfactory.


I tried lots of things to change this: I moved the straps (post above); I tried hiking up the waist / belt strap; I tried making various temporary folds in the fabric (using clamps to hold them in place); etc.

Comparing the Labonville product to other brands, I noticed that most of the other chaps were 'scoop cut' to allow coverage of the inner legs, whereas these were cut more in a straight pattern.


(Labonville wrap chaps, STIHL apron chaps, Husqvarna apron chaps, Husqvarna wrap chaps, really old USFS chaps)

I thought about cutting the Labonville chaps to match the others, but cutting through the cut-resistant pads, and being able to re-sew the chaps in an aesthetically acceptable manner would be a challenge. It might also degrade the protection offered.

Philbert

 

[Philbert]

Cover Me - Part II

Finally, in an act of inspiration (or maybe frustration, or just desperation) I just cut the chaps in two, through the center of the waist belt, and held each leg independently against my legs to see how to center them.

Using office binder clips for mock fit-ups, I found that overlapping the individual legs approximately 5 inches (!!!!!) did the trick for me; that measurement may vary for others. Sewed through 2 layers of webbing, and 4+ layers of fabric (no protective fibers) with the Speedy Stitcher.

This overlap, by the way, made the legs of these Labonville Wrap Chaps line up closely with the legs of some other pairs of chaps that fit me well, without making the scoop cuts mentioned above. The overlap allows me freedom of movement, plenty of room for 'the boys', and maintains all of the protective pads / fibers.



However, since I overlapped the waist portion 5 inches, I had to add material to the belt strap to make up for this: pretty simple with some 2-inch webbing. I like to wear my chaps with suspenders, so I also added a couple of loops, sewed out of webbing and slid over the belt. These provide a little more fabric for the suspenders to clamp on to, holding more securely, without tearing into the belt webbing.



Philbert

 

[Philbert]

4. Make 'Em Your Own

Now that you have custom fit your chaps to fit you personally, you may want to personalize them to stand out from all of those other orange pairs. Custom embroidered name tapes are available from places like '1800nametapes' and other suppliers for a few dollars each. Use your real name, your AS screen name, your company name, the name of your favorite pet, one pair for each saw, etc. A distinctive way to mark other gear as well.



Again, stitch only through the outer layers of fabric, or find a location with no protective material; like the space between the top of the protective pads and the belt - that area must have been designed just for this purpose!

Philbert

 

[svk]

As usual, excellent work!

 

[Cantdog]

Very good info and well presented!! Thanks!!!