Choosing The Best Chainsaw Chaps 2018
If you’re a regular chainsaw user you’ll know this already, but…
Chainsaws are insanely dangerous (check out our chainsaw safety guide). They’re designed to take down trees, so just imagine what even a little tap to your leg could do.
And no matter how careful you are when using your chainsaw, mistakes can happen.
That’s why if you’re using one of these tools you should always be wearing a good pair of chaps – These are basically a protective layer that covers the front of your legs.
If an accident happens, they can stop the chainsaw from getting to your leg… A crucial piece of chainsaw safety gear!
It’s very simple to choose the best chainsaw chaps for you, because the product itself is so basic.
Here’s what you need to know before buying…
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How chainsaw chaps work
On first impression, you probably think these chaps are designed to be a sort of armor that protects your leg from the saw… But this is not the case.
Chaps are made out of several layers of materials such as nylon and kevlar. They’re designed to latch onto a saw blade that makes contact, and jam it up to stop its rotation.
This is a pretty clever way to approach this problem, as building something strong enough to act as armor against a chainsaw would be very difficult and just not practical.
Important features
Chaps are so simple that aside from what materials they’re made up of, there’s not a huge amount else to consider.
The most important thing is to make sure you get the right fit.
That can probably be said for any piece of clothing… but it’s extra important in this case because a good fit is what will keep you the most safe. The chaps should go all the way to your ankles and then from there, your protective boots should take over.
You’ll also want to be sure the waistband can accommodate you.
You might also want to consider “full wrap” chaps which cover not only the front of your legs, but also the sides of your upper legs and all around your lower legs. A safety bonus, as compared to normal chaps.
Most chaps will also have straps and clips at a few points on the legs, so you can fasten them in place. You’ll want to pay attention to these as well – Obviously, they should be sturdy and secure as you’ll be using them a lot while putting on and taking off the chaps.
The last thing you’ll want to think about are pockets…
Some people love pockets on their chaps, and some people hate them. They can be useful for storing things, or they can simply be more weight that you’ve got to lug around.
Either way, let’s move on to talk about our top chainsaw chaps recommendations.
Top chainsaw chaps picks
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WoodlandPro
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First up we’ve got the WoodlandPro safety chaps – Overall, these are our best choice.
They’ve got a good combination of quality and price.
They come in 4 different sizes, so almost everyone should be able to get a pair that fits well.
Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.
Labonville Full-Wrap
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These are technically a better pair of chaps than the WoodlandPro option above…
When I say better, I mean that that they offer more protection. That’s because they’re a full wrap version, which protects not just the fronts of your legs but also the sides and backs.
As well as offering more protection, they’re also more expensive.
If you’re just doing some fairly light work on your property, these might be overkill.
On the other hand if you’re trekking through brush and making varies types of cuts in tough conditions, you might consider these great chaps from Labonville.
Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.
Forester chaps
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And finally, we’ve got out budget option with the Foresters.
These come in three different sizes, and are considerably cheaper than the other options we’ve discussed so far.
You’ll see that most people love these chaps in their reviews. Although they’re cheaply priced, they meet all safety standards in the USA and Canada, and offer effective protection.
Where you’ll notice the difference between these and the other options on our list are with things like the straps – Some users say that the Forester straps tend to get loose after a while of wearing and bending.
There’s also only three sizes available, and there’s been some reports of the sizes being a bit odd – So keep that in mind when choosing.
Click here to read user reviews on Amazon.
Conclusion
Don’t take your safety lightly – Invest in a pair of chainsaw chaps and start using them every time you fire up the chainsaw.
It’s easy to choose the right pair, and any of the options above will help protect you in the unfortunate event of an accident.
You need to use chainsaw chaps when you are working with electric, cordless or any other type of chainsaw.
Good luck, and stay safe!