How to choose the best chainsaw pants for your logging and forestry team

It’s not hard to imagine that those who work in the logging industry must contend with a variety of hazards in their worksite. Of these hazards, lumberjacks and other workers who need to cut down trees mainly deal with the risk of getting cut by a very common and critical piece of kit – the modern chainsaw.  

Apart from protective goggles, protective gloves, steel-toed boots and a hardhat, one of the most important PPEs is a pair of chainsaw pants. Also called chainsaw trousers or chaps, these are meant to protect the wearer from getting their legs injured by their own chainsaw.  

Without going into the grisly details, you can imagine the sort of injury a worker would sustain if they used a chainsaw without wearing them. What if the chainsaw cut clean through a tree or ricocheted off a tree trunk or branch? Hence, the critical importance of a good pair of durable and reliable chainsaw pants. 

Here, Canadian Occupational Safety discusses the finer points of chainsaw pants. For instance, what are the best chainsaw pants in Canada? Where can I buy chainsaw pants? How do chainsaw pants work? How do you wash chainsaw pants? These and more questions will be answered by this article.  

Understanding chainsaw pants: their purpose and importance 

The first question that needs answering is what are chainsaw pants? As the name suggests, these are pants that workers wear when using chainsaws. They are part of the prescribed personal protective equipment (PPE) and are crucial for chainsaw safety.  

Chainsaw pants vs chainsaw chaps: what’s the difference? 

In your search for chainsaw protective pants, you may come across a similar variant, chainsaw chaps. In terms of material, there is often no difference between these two types of leg protection. However, there are important differences in terms of:  

Protection level 

Both chainsaw trousers or pants and chainsaw chaps offer a similar level of protection. They are both made from the same material that’s designed to clog a chainsaw and prevent it from cutting into the wearer’s legs (more on how they work later).  

In terms of the level of protection they provide, chainsaw pants offer greater overall protection as they envelop the wearer’s legs and groin area. Chaps, meanwhile, only cover the front and sides of the wearer’s legs. Your workers may prefer the whole lower-body protection of chainsaw pants, particularly when they work in environments where there can be other hazards like falling debris.  

Comfort and mobility 

Chainsaw pants are considered better in terms of use. Pants are preferred over chaps when they must be worn for long, sustained periods. Chainsaw pants also have the advantage of being close to the body of the wearer and don’t have the hassle of getting snagged the way chaps might during climbing or doing chipping work.  

Most models of chainsaw pants have mesh layers to allow breathability and minimize overheating. Chaps, on the other hand, are more advantageous in this respect, since they can be removed in hot weather – although this of course undermines their usefulness.  

Cost implications 

Pants are more expensive than chaps, since they use more material. However, the cost can be justified by the fact that this is a personal item and a critical PPE at that. Plus, issuing workers each with their own pair of chainsaw pants reduces the need for constant replacement. It’s more likely that workers will keep a personal piece of protective kit in tip-top shape. Meanwhile, chaps may be more cost-effective and can be shared by several workers and reduce the cost – if they are well maintained.  

Do chainsaw pants work? 

Yes, they do and are very effective in preventing serious injuries caused by chainsaws accidentally cutting or being mishandled by their operators. Here’s a short video of a man recounting how the chainsaw pants he bought saved him from a potentially lethal cut.  

The fellow made the mistake of using only one hand to cut an errant tree stump, and the chainsaw slipped, nearly cutting into his femoral artery. Luckily, he was wearing his chainsaw pants:  

How do chainsaw pants or chaps work? 

A pair of chainsaw pants reduces the chances of its wearer getting cut by their own chainsaw. As prescribed by the European Standard EN 11393, a pair of chainsaw trousers or chaps should effectively protect their users by successfully executing these three principles: 

1. Chain slipping 

When a chainsaw’s chain comes into contact with the pants’ material, the chain does not cut the material but instead slips right off it.   

2. Clogging 

Clogging works when the protective fibres of the pants or chaps get tangled into the chainsaw via the drive sprocket. Then then stops the chain’s movement, leaving the wearer mostly unharmed. 

3. Chain braking 

This is a property of your chainsaw protective garment’s fibres. Chain braking ability pertains to a high resistance to cutting and capacity for absorbing rotational energy, which is how they reduce and eventually stop the chain speed. 

Typically, an excellent pair of chainsaw pants would combine all three of these properties, but it’s not uncommon for these pants or chaps to have one or two properties.  

Can you still get cut if you use chainsaw pants? 

Yes, getting cut by a chainsaw even if the worker is wearing chainsaw protection like pants or chaps is a real possibility. The important difference is that their injuries would be several times more serious if they weren’t using these PPEs and the chainsaw unexpectedly cut them.  

As with cut-resistant safety gloves, these PPEs do not and cannot confer 100% invulnerability or 100% protection from getting cut. These PPEs are generally meant to reduce the risk of injuries or minimize the damage. Remember: there is a world of difference between protective gear that is cut-resistant and cut-proof.  

“Cut-proof” is a myth as you can only minimize damage or risks of getting cut and not eliminate them completely. Chainsaw protection kit like these pants is more of a last line of defense than a licence to be careless – keep in mind that no such chainsaw protective clothing or gear exists. 

The bottom-line when it comes to these PPEs, they spell a huge difference when providing protection to their users. A pair of these pants can make chainsaw incidents require some band-aids or stitches, instead of a trip to the hospital or worse! 

Apart from chainsaw pants, what other PPEs do lumberjacks need?  

Be they lumberjacks, construction workers, or other workers that do forestry work, they’ll need other PPEs for their overall protection and safety. Remember that not all forestry-related incidents can be due to chainsaws, there are other hazards. If your staff typically perform tasks that involve chainsaws, here’s what they’ll need too:  

• Safety googles – these are invaluable for eye protection, as cutting with a chainsaw can produce a lot of debris flying about at very high speeds and unpredictable directions. Check out our picks for the best protective eyewear to recommend to your staff in this guide. 

• Face shields – apart from the safety goggles, a face shield can also be good to protect workers’ faces from flying debris.  

• Hard hats – these are very useful for protecting workers’ heads from falling trees, branches, rocks, and other debris that can be kicked up or fall on their heads at the worksite. These are the best hard hats for your construction team. 

• Steel-toed work boots – aka safety shoes, these PPEs are crucial also in worksites where your staff would be felling trees or clearing trees and similar debris. These are meant to protect their toes and feet from injuries caused by falling heavy debris or heavy equipment. Here are our choices for the most comfortable work boots for your staff. 

• Safety gloves – thick, cut-proof safety gloves of the appropriate safety rating. For working with chainsaws, your staff will need gloves of the highest safety level, that of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) level from 6 to 9.  

ANSI standards cutting levels:  

When looking for the right protective gear for your staff, don’t forget to find all the necessary PPEs that conform to your industry’s needs and safety standards. If your company is in the construction or logging industry, then you can also use this guide to know and find the appropriate safety equipment for your workforce. 

What is the difference between Type A and Type C chainsaw trousers? 

There are significant differences between these two types of chainsaw trousers. 

• Type A – protects only the front of the wearer’s leg 
• Type C – protects the wearer’s entire leg 

It can be said that Type A pants are more like cowboy’s chaps, while Type C pants are more like, well, ordinary pants. Type A trousers would often be used by workers who do their tasks at ground level and are not at risk of chainsaw kickback from the rear. Whereas Type C trousers are more appropriate for arborists and other workers who risk getting injured by chainsaw kickbacks from all sides.  

How long should chainsaw trousers last? 

Their durability depends on how well their users maintain them and the quality of their construction build material. The lifespan of a pair of chainsaw pants can be extended, if you take note do the following:  

1. Choose a pair with stronger cut-resistant fibers and more durable protective material. These will typically last longer.  

2. It is recommended that you replace chainsaw trousers between 35 and 50 washes. For washing the pants it’s fine to use a washing machine, but it's recommended to do air drying (no tumble drying and no fabric softener) for them.  

Note that it’s not the washing that causes the maintenance problems. It’s the contamination of the pants material from substances, like fuel, chain oil, sawdust, and sweat, that reduces the protection level. These can damage the fibers or make them stick together. In short, the less times you wash them, the less protection they will provide.  

3. It’s recommended to apply an oil and water repellent finish on the pants; this can also increase their safety level.  

4. Buy chainsaw pants that are “developed for repair.” This means that the pants should be made so the user may repair the fabric outer layer. Keep in mind that if you choose to repair a used pair, never stitch through the protective inlay. The pants’ blocking material must never be altered or tampered with, only the outer pants fabric can be fixed.  

How do you choose the best chainsaw pants in Canada? 

In your search for the best chainsaw pants for your staff’s needs, you will likely encounter a lot of choices. To help you choose correctly, there are standards you can use and follow as a guide.  

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) provide the referential standards for choosing the trousers that are appropriate for your needs.  

The standard that specifically governs chainsaw pants is CAN/CSA Z62.1. This outlines specific cut-resistance levels that protective clothing (like chainsaw trousers or chaps) must adhere to and achieve to provide sufficient protection.  

Performance criteria 

1. Cut-resistance testing – this feature is tested using a specialized machine that applies a specific load to a blade that is moved across the material. The results of this test determine the compliance of the material as compared to the standard.  

2. Rating system – this standard uses a rating system ranging from 1 to 5 (least to most cut resistant). 

• Level 1: Minimal cut resistance, suitable for low-risk environments 

• Level 2: Moderate level of cut resistance, fit for environments where chainsaws are seldom used 

• Level 3: High cut resistance, used by regular chainsaw operators 

• Level 4: Very high cut resistance, used by professional arborists or those in high-risk worksites 

• Level 5: Maximum cut resistance, suitable for specialized industries and extreme conditions 

Where to buy chainsaw pants 

Chainsaw pants or chaps may be purchased at hardware stores or Home Depot stores. Amazon Canada also carries these products. If you need bulk orders, there are several brick-and-mortar stores you can find online or visit.  

Chainsaw pants examples 

Here are some viable choices of pants and chaps that may be suitable for your company’s needs:  

STIHL Standard 2600 Camouflage Chaps 

Features:  

• 1000 Denier nylon cutters chaps 
• Main protective layer is certified 2600 threshold chain speed - Blended Kevlar 
• Nylon-polyester pads of four layers 

Clogger TreeCrew Chainsaw Pant 

Features:  

• Patented and exclusive ArrestX HP chainsaw fabric for maximum mobility  
• Six layers of chainsaw protection 
• Outer fabric is a durable lycra/polyester blend 
• 360-degree protection for calves, with waist-to-ankle coverage 

Arborwear Ironwood Chainsaw pants  

Features:  

• Provides coverage from belt line to ankles 
• Sawdust blocking pockets 
• Durable Cordura outer fabric 
• Temperature Regulating GeoCool lining wicks moisture/regulates body temperature 
• FC-Free DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish 

Choosing chainsaw chaps or chainsaw trousers depends on your company’s unique circumstances and needs. To choose the best of either, consider the environment your staff works in, the policies of your employer, and industry regulations. Good chainsaw pants can be bought at different price points, so you can have suitable safety equipment with nearly any budget. 

Did you find this article on chainsaw pants helpful? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.