Chainsaw Boots.. Why waste the money?

[treeman]

only 2 things in life worth spending money on, your bed and your boots, cause if your not in 1 your in the other!

 

Better safe than sorry

[andrew t]

Im ready for my next pair of boots I have a pair of no risk boots which have been great but i fancy a change so I am going to get haix pro light boots which I feel will be lighter than the ones I have at the moment . I don't think the price matters a great deal but just the specific things that the boot offers I will say that in times of rushing the work to be completed anything could happen imo so Im sticking with chainsaw boots and will use standard boots for silky reductions.

[KingoftheRing]

When riding my motorbike, I always wore motorcycle leathers, helmet, motorcycle gloves, and motorcycle boots. I could have worn basic leather gloves and walking boots - saw loads of people do that. I spent serious money on the clothes. It was only when I came of the bike and slid 50 yards along the tarmac that I realised the value of the gear. The helmet saved my face, the leathers saved my body/legs/knees, the carbon fibre on the gloves saved my knuckles, the inserts in the boots saved my shins/ankles/toes.

 

I take the same attitude when using a chainsaw. Helmet, gloves (different gloves for ground and climbing due to dexterity), chainsaw trousers, and chainsaw boots. The only time I would wear non-chainsaw boots or trousers would be when using handsaws. The protection might only be minimal on the boots, but it is surely better than a single piece of leather/fabric on a work boot.

 

Boots at £100- £200 are a lot of money, but I consider my feet to be worth more. I look at the PPE as being like a small insurance policy: a pain to buy, but worth it when you need it.

[Taupotreeman]

Most kiwis don't wear chainsaw boots because either they, or their employer is too tight to buy them the good stuff. Some outfits do for their better climbers or if the employee wants to contribute. Forestry guys wear chainsaw wellies rather than normal boots but they're way too big and cumbersome for climbing. Just like most of em wear chainsaw chaps rather than trousers. For those that argue that the kiwis aren't safe; rules and regs along with the way we think is changing. H&S is getting up there these days but there's still a lot of accidents, more so from farmers and the have a go hero at the weekend.

 

My offsider was going through a pair of boots every 3 to 6 months. That's $120 to $160 a pair for boots that are waterproof for about the first five minutes out of the box and provide ankle support for all of the first climb or two. My offsider is now in a pair of Meindles and is considering using them as slippers

 

For my part; I've been buying decent boots for about the last five years. They've easily paid back what I spent on them and having warm, dry, toasty feet even in the middle of winter reminds me why I spent the money on them. Having worked in North Wales in mid winter and spent day after day with freezing cold, wet feet I'm not arguing about the cost when a few weeks easing up on the booze, takeaways and maybe a few trinkets soon covers the cost.

 

You'll have to pry my Meindles from cold dead hands.........feet!

[silky fox]

Meindles are truely Tree slippers...

[Ewan Murray]

I stopped using chainsaw boots for work as i struggled to find boots that my feet wouldn't wobble round in due to the fact that i have superwide feet, I use hiking or scrambling boots now i believe it has changed my climbing style i no longer try and jam or stomp my large boot into a fork as it has no flexibility, i find i tend to place my feet on limbs and find i no longer get painful shines when i am climbing due to my feet being able to move and bend rather than being rigid. The extra traction and grip offered by the boots i use is paramount for myself in order to get out on long smooth Eucalyptus limbs and be able to work safely as the grip allows me to work in a better position. Using non protective boots has made me safer as i no longer take silly risks and i am more aware of where the saw will go and the opportunity that may arise if something goes wrong while cutting. I beleieve chainsaw protective boots should be worn for ground work due to the risk of falling and rolling objects and often the use of saws on smaller limbs (especially when snedding for a small chipper) as small limbs are often stood on to stabilize

[adbat234]

Is it a legal requirment to wear chainsaw protection boots when using a saw as an employee or self employed??

Apologies if its a daft question

[felixthelogchopper]

Is it a legal requirment to wear chainsaw protection boots when using a saw as an employee or self employed??

Apologies if its a daft question

 

Depends on your definition of 'legal requirement'.

[adbat234]

In regards to HASAWA and provision and use of PPE. What i mean is where do you stand if you were swooped on by the HSE executive and you weren't wearing chainsaw boots. Seeing as they are terrible for running away in what would be the course of action

[ecotreecare]

Most kiwis don't wear chainsaw boots because either they, or their employer is too tight to buy them the good stuff. Some outfits do for their better climbers or if the employee wants to contribute. Forestry guys wear chainsaw wellies rather than normal boots but they're way too big and cumbersome for climbing. Just like most of em wear chainsaw chaps rather than trousers. For those that argue that the kiwis aren't safe; rules and regs along with the way we think is changing. H&S is getting up there these days but there's still a lot of accidents, more so from farmers and the have a go hero at the weekend.

 

My offsider was going through a pair of boots every 3 to 6 months. That's $120 to $160 a pair for boots that are waterproof for about the first five minutes out of the box and provide ankle support for all of the first climb or two. My offsider is now in a pair of Meindles and is considering using them as slippers

 

For my part; I've been buying decent boots for about the last five years. They've easily paid back what I spent on them and having warm, dry, toasty feet even in the middle of winter reminds me why I spent the money on them. Having worked in North Wales in mid winter and spent day after day with freezing cold, wet feet I'm not arguing about the cost when a few weeks easing up on the booze, takeaways and maybe a few trinkets soon covers the cost.

 

You'll have to pry my Meindles from cold dead hands.........feet!

 

 

Couldn't agree more, I'm going to buy my next pair from the uk and get them shipped over. Sick of replacing cheap ones every 6 months. I wear them 6 days a week, can't be arsed wearing rubbish!

 

IMO I have worked with some good kiwi climbers and good British ones. As well as some really..... Really crap ones. I think Brits are better all round tree workers tho..... Cos they have to be!