Wearing Shorts

[memetic]

Does anyone else wear shorts while doing treework? I never saw anyone around CT wearing shorts while working, but I love to. Am I just wrong. None of my partners will wear them either. I feel like I'm crazy - some one back me up. Otherwise scare the pants on to me.

 

[TDunk]

To me, wearing shorts while doing tree work is like wedging a dead tree over and not wearing a helmet. NOT a smart idea. The chainsaw is only inches away from your leg, what the worst that could happen. Wearing pants isn't the only protection you should have one your legs though either, you NEAD to wear chaps too, saved me more than once. The only time i'm not wearing chaps is when i'm climbing. As soon as i'm on the ground the chaps are on. I definetly agree with your buddy's in the fact that i don't wear shorts, ever. One look at my ghost white legs and you'll understand.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

i wear shorts all the time. if you dont mind the scratches and skeeters, they are fine for treework. mine are always below my knees(basketball shorts) so they dont give everyone a free show while im climbing, and they protect your upper legs soooo much better. other than that i have to very loose, very breathy, khakis.

as far as a pair of pant protecting your legs more than shorts from a chainsaw goes.... you should always where chaps while doing heavy sawing. a pair of blue jeans is not going to stop a saw any better than a pair of shorts though.

 

[JeffL]

Pants, 100% of the time.

 

[clearance]

Define work

I have seen ISA arborists wearing shorts.............sorry, this post is asking if any one does WORK in shorts, so no, I have never seen anyone doing treework in shorts.

 

[JeffL]

I have seen ISA arborists wearing shorts.............sorry, this post is asking if any one does WORK in shorts, so no, I have never seen anyone doing treework in shorts.

 

[Adkpk]

I do tree work in shorts.

 

[John464]

I climb, run a bucket, and grind stumps in shorts. I got scratches all over. Not just on my legs, arms as well. Id rather let my nuts breathe then be worried about a few scrapes. Carhart and Diickies work shorts. They are longer than normal shorts. Real comfortable.

Im not the one bucking logs. If I was Id wear pants and chaps.

 

[ray benson]

Steelmill electrician - 31 years. Long pants and long sleeve shirts year around. Cut and split wood since 1978 - long pants and long shirts. Shorts are for my bicycle rides.

 

[memetic]

"Id rather let my nuts breathe then be worried about a few scrapes. Carhart and Diickies work shorts."

See, that's what I'm talking about. I'm the sweaty type, I'd rather get a nasty scratch AND a scrape then suffer all day in soaking pants. Damn, with pants on, by the time I get home I'd be pruned from the waist down. How's that visual?

I understand safety and all, I'm not going to go crazy with a saw in my shorts. Most of the time I'm making simple easy cuts and let my people do the crazy work - they're way more experienced than I am.

I like the chaps idea - for safety and all. Is it ok to wear them without pants underneath? I could deal with that. I'm pretty fit, so maybe we could pick up some extra work from all the ladies that pass by. Did anyone read about the naked carpenter that works in California somewhere? Apparently they don't have anti-nudity laws, so he works naked, even outside. That's a little too risky for me, I wouldn't want to cut my own log off. Maybe the chaps solo isn't such a good idea.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

Id rather let my nuts breathe then be worried about a few scrapes.

yep.

 

[bluebuddhist]

Not only do I wear pants, but ballistic pants when operating a saw-- Especially when I'm climbing, but also when on the ground. It's not that I like the heat (in fact just the opposite) but for me I would rather sweat my balls off than cut them off with a chainsaw.
Safety first is what my old man used to say...

 

[pbtree]

Climbing or running a saw for any longer than a few minutes, I wear pants.

Working ground, or around my yard, etc., I wear shorts on hot days...

 

[JeffL]

The best way to put it I think, comes from my experience riding motorcycles. I almost ALWAYS am in full gear, full face helmet, leather jacket and pants, both with appropriately placed hard armor, leather gloves, race boots. EAR PLUGS.

The saying goes........"dress for the crash, not the ride", and "sweat washes off, road rash doesnt". Or something like that. For those 150 times I'll be soaked in sweat, it pays off for that one time I actually do hit the pavement, take a slide, and can get up and walk away because I was wearing the proper protective attire.

And yes, I have crashed 3 times on a bike. With nothing worse than a few sore spots.

 

[Bermie]

Trousers, regardless.

Now that its swimsuit weather, got to keep the scratches down to a minimum for the days out in the boat...scratches exposed to the sun leave a white scar, can't have that now! Not to mention the sock tan, had enough years of that landscaping.

I had a fellow a couple weeks ago on one of my courses, he wore shorts under his chaps, he never wears trousers, even in winter (he's French...) I reckon its fine, the chaps are what matters.

 

[memetic]

"he wore shorts under his chaps"

Now that's an idea.

 

[bendtrees]

Oooooh, I really like the chaps and shorts idea! Maybe longer chaps.

Lets face it, nobody makes an affordable, ventilated pant. Why not vent the crotch or back of the thigh? While there at it, get rid of stupid bulky pockets without tabs over them.

I do not wear shorts, for me, scars and scratches lost their cool factor when I turned 30. I do frequently turn my carharts or 5 brothers into "manpris" by rolling up the calfs when its hot out. The 200 bar still nicks my shin or calf while hanging off my saddle, but its quite rare. You still get thigh protection but the extra draft helps cool the whole leg. Just remember to unroll them outside when you get home.

 

[hornett224]

i hate pants from april to october.

i wear them sometimes to climb but that is it.only time i was even nicked by a chain,i was wearing pants.it was years ago,but it still is what it is.i have worn chaps over my shorts.hot but still cooler than chaps over pants.

 

[Brush Hog]

My groundy did yesterday and he said "guess I should have worn pants" as he looked at his legs all scratched and bloody. I always wear pants doing tree work but will wear them when I'm landscaping. I like the idea of vented pants someone said. Run some breathable material up the back of the pant legs or something. Sure as hell could have used them yesterday.

 

[ClimbinArbor]

i grew up in the country running through river bottums and woods with shorts on all summer long, sometimes barefoot lol. my legs are well trained in having lil baby scratches and such...

one thing i dont like about shorts is when the meet a hot muffler in a tree.... ive yet to burn a pair, but man your leg will get hot. i just flip the saw over on my leg.