Chainsaw pants and climbing

ClimbingTN

ClimbingTN

Branched out member
Location
Columbia
I have calf wrap chaps I use on the ground. I’m thinking about buying chainsaw pants for climbing when I do the infrequent tree job. I’m thinking of summer weight. Should I get a pair with the calf wrap? Seems like I should since I’ll wear them on the ground too. I rather not spend the $400 but, if I do it will probably be the only pair I’ll ever buy. What y’all think? Suggestions? Craig
 
Once I switched to saw pants, I never wore chaps again, they are just so much better in about every way. Put them on at the start of the day, don't take them off till work is done. They are great for ground work and climbing.

I've had a few brand's, currently wearing Clogger Ascends in thr fall/winter and Clogger Zeros in the spring/summer.
 
ClimbingTN said:
I have calf wrap chaps I use on the ground. I’m thinking about buying chainsaw pants for climbing when I do the infrequent tree job. I’m thinking of summer weight. Should I get a pair with the calf wrap? Seems like I should since I’ll wear them on the ground too. I rather not spend the $400 but, if I do it will probably be the only pair I’ll ever buy. What y’all think? Suggestions? Craig
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I have 3 pairs of chaps that I wore for ground work for years.
Several years ago I started wearing my Pfanner pants.
They are safer & Sooooo much more comfortable ! ! !
 
I like my Clogger Zero Gen2 pants enough that I've bought my 3rd pair. Checked out a few others and am tired of spending good money to get pants that disappoint, so I'll probably keep buying zeros until there's an equally good option for less money.
 
I'm curious how many people know if climbers cutting their pants, and for that matter, ground workers.

I feel far more that upper body and rope protection is more useful than leg pro.

I bought my employee Clogger Zeros.
 
I mean, I'm sure we all know the most common chainsaw injuries. Random numbers I found (cited as way back in 1994...but I'm sure the current trends are the same)

chain_body.gif

Obviously from (by the numbers) one handing, dropping the saw into your leg while standing, kickback to the head, etc.

This is probably everyone, not just pros, so I bet there aren't many climbing incidents there. Certainly because the body position is so different, common injuries will be as well. My guess would be left hand, then kickback into the face/neck.

Chainsaw pants just mean you are protecting one of the most hit areas, and it's the easiest part to add protection to. By simply wearing them, you just know you are always protected (obviously nothing is 100%) in that area at all times, no need to run back to the truck and grab some chaps to make one or two cuts, which keeps you from skipping that step.
 
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27RMT0N said:
I mean, I'm sure we all know the most common chainsaw injuries. Random numbers I found (cited as way back in 1994...but I'm sure the current trends are the same)

View attachment 92050

Obviously from (by the numbers) one handing, dropping the saw into your leg while standing, kickback to the head, etc.

This is probably everyone, not just pros, so I bet there aren't many climbing incidents there. Certainly because the body position is so different, common injuries will be as well. My guess would be left hand, then kickback into the face/neck.

Chainsaw pants just mean you are protecting one of the most hit areas, and it's the easiest part to add protection to. By simply wearing them, you just know you are always protected (obviously nothing is 100%) in that area at all times, no need to run back to the truck and grab some chaps to make one or two cuts, which keeps you from skipping that step.
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I read a few articles and a couple sections in my training manuals. I’m very aware of the dangers of saws in trees. I don’t want to be a statistic. I grew up using chainsaws, table saws and all sorts of power tools. I cringe watching the YouTube folks reaching across a saw or one-hand in what looks like an awkward position to me. Anyway this article in TCIA magazine 1 May 2021 was a good read. https://tcimag.tcia.org/tree-care/chain-saw-injuries-us-versus-them/
 
southsoundtree said:
I'm curious how many people know if climbers cutting their pants, and for that matter, ground workers.

I feel far more that upper body and rope protection is more useful than leg pro.

I bought my employee Clogger Zeros.
Click to expand...
Nothin more than a few nicks in the saw pants. Only once was it enough to deploy the fiber, but no where drastic enough to stop the chain. All on the ground.

One guy I had for a very short duration, his last day was when I looked down from the tree to see him drop stating my 440. The chaps were 3’ away from him on a bench. He bounced the chain off his thigh.
Saw was flooded and didn’t start!
One of two people I’ve ever screamed at while on the job.
 
ClimbingTN said:
Anyway this article in TCIA magazine 1 May 2021 was a good read. https://tcimag.tcia.org/tree-care/chain-saw-injuries-us-versus-them/
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Interesting article, basically confirms what I expected to see in terms of the homeowner verses pro divide in terms of types of injuries. Honestly I'm surprised the number of injuries requiring hospitalization isn't higher.

About 16,700 chain-saw-related incidents during the past decade were injuries severe enough for admission to the hospital. But only about half were due to lacerations. There were also fractures, which amounted to about a quarter of all the hospitalizations related to chain-saw operations. The saw did not cause the majority of these fractures. They were due to either the tree falling on the chain-saw operator or the chain-saw operator falling from the tree. There were also burns and amputations, among other injuries.
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I'm wondering if I should spend the extra money for calf wrap? Since a dropped saw on your right calf is where an injury is possible but, IMO unlikely. What ya think?
 
While I have been poked there, It's not the area that worries me. I have activated the cut pro strands, enough to lightly jam the sprocket, while in the tree. I didn't have my finger on the trigger anymore, but it was directly on my knee, and it would have fucked me up enough to regret not having cut pro. I think that the back of the leg catches dogs on the mid leg area more than the calf, and the outer layer still catches on the saw teeth and cuts and picks, but you don't need that kind of cut pro there. I wish these companies would find something tougher for that zone on the back where the saw teeth poke.
 
ClimbingTN said:
I'm wondering if I should spend the extra money for calf wrap? Since a dropped saw on your right calf is where an injury is possible but, IMO unlikely. What ya think?
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YES.

Several years ago, I saw a demo of a chainsaw on a pair of chaps.
The saw, at full power, was dropped on the chaps, which were wrapped around a log for the demo.
The saw ran down the chaps to were the ankle would have been ! ! !
It will happen FAST & you will NOT control it.

IMO - full protection pants; even on the ground.
 
Thinking about this..since my chaps have full wrap, I should. If I’m done climbing and on the ground, then why not spend the extra 60-70 bucks.
 
Matias said:
While I have been poked there, It's not the area that worries me. I have activated the cut pro strands, enough to lightly jam the sprocket, while in the tree. I didn't have my finger on the trigger anymore, but it was directly on my knee, and it would have fucked me up enough to regret not having cut pro. I think that the back of the leg catches dogs on the mid leg area more than the calf, and the outer layer still catches on the saw teeth and cuts and picks, but you don't need that kind of cut pro there. I wish these companies would find something tougher for that zone on the back where the saw teeth poke.
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The oldschool I was brought into was to let the saw dangle, and the lanyard must be long enough to keep the saw below your feet.
While I stow the saw the majority of the time I’ll still let it dangle from time to time.
Bigger saws I’m more inclined to let them dangle due to the dawgs
 
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