I'm under the belief that exposing skin to the sun is more dangerous than staying covered. the idea of working in shorts and tank tops I can't understand.
Covering the skin from sun can help with heat, and skin cancer and skin damage.
I will climb in shorts, no problem. If I'm hurting myself climbing, I'm not doing a very good job of being nimble. Chaps over shorts covers a lot of surface area to protect from brush, while being airy. Some non-saw protective chaps with shorts would be better than pants, I think.
What's wrong with shorts, besides the saw chips in the socks? Residential isn't usually fighting through brush, and if it is, and I get some scratches, I'm a grown up.
It does get into the 90's F, and sunny here. It's not always, "high in the 40's, low in the 40's, chance of rain"...the whole month of summer is hot.
I prefer long sleeves and long pants for tree work...too many scratches and sun exposure.
I just bought some long sleeve work shirts for my trip back to the hot country...ELEVEN brand, lightweight ripstop cotton, 16 ventilation points. Mesh under arms and down sides, mesh vents flaps front and back, and double height flip up collar...
Sorry, I didn't mean to introduce confusion. When I think of chainsaw chaps or protective pants, I am specifically thinking of groundwork (buckin' wood, especially). I equate climbing with jeans, as that's what our crew wears year round (+ thermals in the winter). We aren't really beholden to OSHA regulations, but I think they're also specifically focused on ground work. But to each his own, let common sense prevail!
I have a bad healing skin on my shins. The least little scratch, even without blood, ends by a deep scab (surrounded by a large affected red area) leaving a permanent brownish and weak mark.
So I take gladly the protection of the chainsaw pants and I even add under it a shin protector for karate. It isn't perfect and I still get some wounds, but I certainly can't consider climbing or grounding in jeans. Climbing in shorts would soon become a nightmare.
None which I'm aware of. It's strange, because the other body parts heal very well : fingers, elbow and gums as examples of wounds and surgery last year. Surgeon, dentist , nurses, physical therapist, all said that. Even both painful shoulders self-corrected themselves a few years ago.
Pfanners are really nice, expensive and heavy but nice. and a little tight around the back for me.
Husqvarna Tech Pants - My favorite all-around chainsaw pants. I have spent all summer in these, climbing, felling and ground work in Texas. Are they hot, of course. but bearable and the rear vents are a must. they fit a little bit more loosely than the Pfanners and that seems to help air move around the bits.
Lately, I have been working in the new Elvex saw pants. They are using a new protective material, Prolar I think, that is super light but also meets all the U.S. and Canadian standards. Fit and finish arent as nice as Husqvarna Tech pants, but they are lighter and less expensive.
I haven't tried the Cloggers, but i hear they have a new version coming out that is supposed to be pretty nice.
Stihl - too bulky and stiff. not enough ventilation. probably fine for milder climates and ground work.
Hello there,
I have a bit of experience with the chainsaw trouser market as we have to wear them at all times here in the UK.
I have used SIP, Stihl both the hiflex and the normal, Oregon, Pfanner, Stein and Arbortec
All as class C trousers all round protection for climbers.
The only ones I wouldn't recommend to anyone is the sthil trousers of any version. I went through 4 pairs in one year through normal wear and tear. My boss was not to pleased there I can say.
I am currently using the arbortec breatheflex and have been for the last 18 months now only using 2 pairs in that time. In temperatures from the 20's up to the high 80's yes they get hot but they have never been unbearable as you get used to wearing them in those temps. But if you want a lightweight trouser the lightest was the Oregon trousers and they work as I did try out the protection on the leg when a limb snapped my top handle saw met a leg. But that is another story.
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