I Need Some Chaps

[3browns]

Fit and comfort are important. If they are uncomfortable, you will find all kinds of reasons not to wear them.

Philbert

Absolutely

 

[Farmchuck]

Absolutely

Ditto

 

[Cloggerpro]

Lots of guys in Hawaii cut in swim shorts...

Unfortunately that's all they cut in; shorts, T shirt, and frequently "slippahs" (flip flops)

Standing on ladders trimming and limbing, etc

Textbook YouTube fodder

I just go the other way real fast because I don't want to see it when it all goes wrong

The Asplundh crew contracted by the county is always in full kit but they are the rare exception

Yikes

That sounds horrible!!! To be honest heat isn't really a justification for not wearing the correct PPE. We have customers wearing Zero trousers in parts of Australia that frequently get so hot the rest of the world would curl up and die at the thought of it. Safe, comfortable and suitable for the climate are rarely in the same sentence as budget! As in you get what you pay for...

 

[RedGas]

To me sounds like all the manufacturers need to put a clutch on the electric saws similar to a gas one. If you cut your chaps and the fibers start to bind the chain and overcome the friction drive of the clutch.

Seems to me that since electric chainsaws turn so slow, all their cutting ability is based on torque...but if you put a clutch on an electric chainsaw that will stop with the braking action of fibers jamming in the chain, then it'll also stop if WOOD fibers jam in the chain...

In other words, the clutch on a gas chainsaw is going to slip with a lot less torque (since the power is all in the RPMs) than an electric chainsaw with super-low RPMs and a high-torque gearmotor...

 

[Lightning Performance]

Who makes the best chaps?
They will be the only ones of interest to me.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

That’s like asking who makes the best oil, several different ones are probably pretty equal. The Stihl promark are nice. Think they are 9 layers then the woodcutter series is 7 and they’re fine too I’d bet for at least the smaller to mid range saws. Fact of the matter is nothing’s a guarantee to stop all but all will reduce the seriousness of the injury. Just my opinion I have one woodcutter set and 2 pro mark sets woodcutter ones are 70-80$ and the pro marks 100-110$ roughly

 

[Lightning Performance]

That’s like asking who makes the best oil, several different ones are probably pretty equal. The Stihl promark are nice. Think they are 9 layers then the woodcutter series is 7 and they’re fine too I’d bet for at least the smaller to mid range saws. Fact of the matter is nothing’s a guarantee to stop all but all will reduce the seriousness of the injury. Just my opinion I have one woodcutter set and 2 pro mark sets woodcutter ones are 70-80$ and the pro marks 100-110$ roughly

Thanks... that helps.

No point in catching fast chains with crappy chaps. I never wear chaps while bucking, bow with double guards, but will definitely need a set this year. These long bar chains ain't no joke but short bars and nine pins or more is what worries me now.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I understand not trying to be a smart ass, just it’s all very subjective like an oil thread. Lots of them have the same rating but might be more or less comfortable or 2 that rate the same in testing will be 50$ difference in cost. Very hard to pick the “best” one is all I’m saying. I think my Stihl woodcutter or the pro Mark are both adequate. But I might be wrong, I also do a lot of milling and agree the long chains can whip but I’m wondering on how long a chain that the whip effect go the other way. Never broke one on my 72” mill but with as long and heavy as it is and the lower feet per min it’s traveling through a 36”+ diameter tree. I’m kinda wondering how much energy would be left after the broken end cleared the log ect, obviously this would depend on where it broke ect but I hope it never happens. The .404 seems pretty tough and I think it would be hard to break it.

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I understand not trying to be a smart ass, just it’s all very subjective like an oil thread. Lots of them have the same rating but might be more or less comfortable or 2 that rate the same in testing will be 50$ difference in cost. Very hard to pick the “best” one is all I’m saying. I think my Stihl woodcutter or the pro Mark are both adequate. But I might be wrong, I also do a lot of milling and agree the long chains can whip but I’m wondering on how long a chain that the whip effect go the other way. Never broke one on my 72” mill but with as long and heavy as it is and the lower feet per min it’s traveling through a 36”+ diameter tree. I’m kinda wondering how much energy would be left after the broken end cleared the log ect, obviously this would depend on where it broke ect but I hope it never happens. The .404 seems pretty tough and I think it would be hard to break it.

 

[Lightning Performance]

I broke 3/8" hitting steel on and off the mill. It will cut your jeans but the chain is coming off much slower than these racy things we tend to disregard as dangerous. When DD tore out that fuel tank in NY it changed my thinking about high speed chains coming off the bar nose. Kicking a chain in brush or from being loose is no where near as violent as 10+ pins throwing a race chain. Light chain geared up moves really fast!

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I believe that I’m sure the fast chains would make a mess. But I’m thinking all chaps will help and you still getting the bruise. Not sure it there is any saw chaps rated higher then the pro mark chaps and they’re easy to get with Stihl dealers everywhere. Also think the new version is a wrap around style unlike mine.

 

[Cloggerpro]

That’s like asking who makes the best oil, several different ones are probably pretty equal. The Stihl promark are nice. Think they are 9 layers then the woodcutter series is 7 and they’re fine too I’d bet for at least the smaller to mid range saws. Fact of the matter is nothing’s a guarantee to stop all but all will reduce the seriousness of the injury. Just my opinion I have one woodcutter set and 2 pro mark sets woodcutter ones are 70-80$ and the pro marks 100-110$ roughly

It depends on what material the layers are constructed of. A budget chap will have the layers made up of a very basic, non cut protective material that relies on the mass of the material to clog the saw and stop the chain.
Higher quality chaps 'should' be constructed using cut resistant fibers embedded into the layers (normally using a fibre that is similar to Dyneema) and which stops the chain much more effectively.
Net result of the better chainsaw protective layers is you need fewer layers to achieve the same result, which also means a lighter and more comfortable pant/chap to wear!

 

[Philbert]

'Best' means different things to different people. Highest level of protection? Most comfortable? Most durable? Etc. Some might say that the 'best' pair of chaps is a pair of chainsaw protective pants!

As I understand it, the US standard sets a minimum level of protection, so chaps either pass or fail. No distinction for being 'more protective' or protecting against a more powerful chainsaw. In Europe, the pants (they don't like chaps) are rated 'A', 'B', 'C', and '1', '2', '3', with 'C' providing the most coverage of protective material, and '3' protecting against the higher chain speeds.

But I also want chaps that fit, are comfortable to wear, hold up to use, are easy to maintain, and are affordable!

Phibert

 

[lehman live edge slab]

The 9 layer Stihl chaps are cut resistant layers inside of heavy nylon outer layer and the woodcutter is 7 I’m good with either pair and feel they both provide adequate protection

 

[Lightning Performance]

The 9 layer Stihl chaps are cut resistant layers inside of heavy nylon outer layer and the woodcutter is 7 I’m good with either pair and feel they both provide adequate protection

I don't much care for nylon covers but they might be best for long term wear.

That material Dyneema sounds interesting. Is there links to read up on it?

Have heard of pants that have replaceable leg pads or something like that.

 

[Cloggerpro]

The 9 layer Stihl chaps are cut resistant layers inside of heavy nylon outer layer and the woodcutter is 7 I’m good with either pair and feel they both provide adequate protection

They will be fine, I was just looking them up! I couldn't find on the Stihl website what chainspeed they are rated to though. Does anyone know? Its nothing at all like the Stihl chaps here in NZ/Australia!

 

[lehman live edge slab]

I’ve read that a person needs to watch what cutting pants you buy because the cut resistant pads don’t go as high up as some chaps ect. Micro dyneeema is kinda like a kevilar fiber they use it to make lots of things including the super strong fishing lines.

 

[Cloggerpro]

I don't much care for nylon covers but they might be best for long term wear.

That material Dyneema sounds interesting. Is there links to read up on it?

Have heard of pants that have replaceable leg pads or something like that.

Dyneema itself is the most commonly recognized brand of Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMwPE), which is the worlds strongest fibre. Check out their website https://www.dsm.com/products/dyneema/en_GB/home.html. Its used in a lot of off-road tow ropes and arborist ropes as well as chainsaw protection. Extreme strength/weight ratio makes it a awesome product to work with!

Cheers
Pete
Clogger

 

[Cloggerpro]

I’ve read that a person needs to watch what cutting pants you buy because the cut resistant pads don’t go as high up as some chaps ect. Micro dyneeema is kinda like a kevilar fiber they use it to make lots of things including the super strong fishing lines.

Yeah correct, you seem to have a number of odd budget chainsaw protection designs available for sale in the USA including some that as you mention have the protection stop quite a way below the waist and others that seem to stop halfway up the shin!
One of the most critical components of chaps design is the placement of the leg straps. Any part of the chap that is below the bottom strap only functions as a sawdust cover and not as protection. Also having too larger gap between leg straps will cause excessive rotation of the chap in the event of an accident if that makes sense.

 

[Philbert]

They will be fine, I was just looking them up! I couldn't find on the Stihl website what chainspeed they are rated to though. Does anyone know?

I have asked a few times. STIHL USA does not even like to acknowledge products they sell outside of the US, much less the European rating system. Some of their sales reps will suggest that their 6-layer chaps are intended for 'homeowner' and 'mid-range' saws, and their 9-layer chaps are for 'Pro' saws. But I have never received numbers.

Philbert