winter safety ideas

[treeman48507]

I'm new to this forum but not to tree work-i've found so many great talents giving opinions. Winter can be brutal- How about some suggestions guys. Keep up the GREAT work- Climb Safe

P.S. have you guys heard about our emerald ash borer here in Michigan?

 

[MasterBlaster]

Vaseline will protect your face from windburn.

 

[Stumper]

Staying home and reading a book will prevent windburn and most work related accidents.-The pay stinks though.

 

[NeTree]

Long johns.... GOTTA have Long Johns....

Seriously, warm up a little before starting work. It helps prevent cold,cramped muscles from "pulling". 'Specially us old guys.

Drink fluids; more guys get dehydrated in winter than in summer.

Remember frozen wood behaves differently.

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Cotton kills!

Skip wearing any cotton clothes. Oonly wear synthetics or wool.

Tom

 

[NickfromWI]

Thin liner gloves over regular work gloves do wonders to keep your hands warm. Especially when compared to super-bulky/insulated winter gloves.

Yes, warm up and stretch out. (I stretch almost every morning and night. It's good for you!)

I always have an extra shirt in my backpack in case the weather is better than I expected it to be.

love
nick

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Layer your clothes so that you can stip down as you heat up, then add if you solw down and start to chill.

Make suer that the top layers are not too tight, the air pockets are what keep you warm.

Head cover that fits under your helmet, something to cover the ears if you don't wear muffs. I like those hunting pull-on hoods, I have 2 of different fabric weights.

 

[jg55056]

I wear gortex gloves under my leather ones. They're very thin so you don't loose much movement but they're also very warm.

 

[NickfromWI]

Oh, I reccomend a long zipper on your outer layer. It's a quick way to adjust breathability. Get hot, zip down. My preferred outer layer has a high neck (a mock-turtle neck, I think they call it). If it's chilly, I zip it all the way. I seals off the chest area so I can hold a lot of that heat in.

Keep your feet dry. If it's super cold, I might not tie my shoes tight until I am just about to climb the tree. This way the shoes/feet can breathe well during the morning while I get trucks ready, fill up my saw, etc.

love
nick

 

[SilverBlue]

I hate frozen toes so a pair of battery heated socks is on the list, so is a proper high energy meal to keep the body working. If there's a bright sunny day then sunscreen and a pair of sunglasses is mandatory cause that snow will magnify the rays something fierce.

 

[FBerkel]

I use insulated coveralls up until the moment I start climbing. Also, Sorrels that get exchanged for climbing boots in the tree on snowy days.

 

[treeman82]

If you are in an area with lots of snow, keep a change of boots and socks around for when your feet get cold and wet. I'm not sure where you can find these things, but I have worn head socks in the past. You can get them in different styles, they are thin and will definately fit under your helmet without any problems. In severe weather I will wear them, and they help me keep warm. I think the best tool you can have though is a thermometer so that you can say "we aren't working today" if its just way too cold out there.

 

[Dobber]

winter tips

try a little cayanne pepper in our boots and gloves to keep your hands warm. I do meen a little, but keep some water close by to wash your hands if you need to visit the little boys room.

 

[njarbor]

i just placed a clothing order ad from the davey gear book and i decided on getting a vest for climbing. all the warmth and half the bulk

 

[City climber]

winter workwear

If your looking for clothes with less bulk should look into ice climbing or mountaineering clothes has all the advantages very light very warm also very pricey but if it will do the job it is well worth it I love the stuff only regret i didnt start using it years ago

 

[tjk]

When there is snow I always wear a pair of gators.

 

[topnotchtree]

Guys doing line clearance should avoid synthetic clothing in case of electrical contact. If it gets bitter cold invest in a pair of "mickey mouse" boots from your local military surplus store. They do not offer a great amount of support for climbing but I have yet to get cold feet wearing them.

 

[SilverBlue]

Do those MM Boots come with the ears?

 

[topnotchtree]

Nope, no ears.