Steve Bullman

Deciduous trees may be seasonal, but an arborist’s job is ‘evergreen’. Arborists are required to work all year round in a variety of often challenging weather conditions, including oppressive heatwaves, bitingly cold temperatures and the traditional British rain – from constant drizzle to thundering downpours. To cope with working in such a changeable environment, arborists’ footwear must be ‘evergreen’ too; versatile and strong enough to protect feet from even the toughest of weather conditions, as well as all the other natural hazards encountered when working in the forestry sector. Examples include operating in soaking wet undergrowth, performing tree surgery at height or clearing storm damage in the cold and rain. Specialist functional footwear manufacturer HAIX understands that arborists need to have absolute confidence that that their feet will stay comfortable, dry and protected from whatever environment they work in. That’s why the high performance forestry footwear range contains an array of features to make them suitable for year round use – including incorporating the waterproof, breathable GORE-TEX membrane. All GORE-TEX footwear is specifically designed to protect against the most challenging conditions that arborists face all year round. In cold and wet conditions, the GORE-TEX membrane enables feet to stay dry from the outside and inside by preventing water from penetrating into the boot while also allowing sweat to gently escape through the breathable layers. The high breathability of GORE-TEX is equally useful in warm and dry conditions; given that the soles of our feet can produce around half a litre of sweat per day (more than any other part of the human body), it’s vital that footwear is as breathable as possible. The GORE-TEX layer allows sweat to evaporate out of the boot, stopping feet from becoming uncomfortably hot or wet, and is six times more breathable than the values outlined in EN ISO standards 20345/20347. To ensure there is no weakness or vulnerability in products featuring the GORE-TEX membrane that may compromise performance, every product is stringently tested by GORE engineers in the company’s own laboratories, in a state-of-the-art chamber that can recreate up to 95% of the environments on the earth’s surface. These include Everest’s frigid conditions, Death Valley’s scorching sun and the stiflingly humid temperatures of the Amazonian rainforest. A rain tower can also simulate up to 3 inches of rainfall per hour in temperatures of 5 – 25C. All HAIX boots featuring a GORE-TEX membrane are carefully designed to withstand the extremes of forestry work. This means they have a longer lifecycle, reducing the need for replacement, balancing cost efficiency with a high degree of protection. In the HAIX range, forestry boots containing GORE-TEX include the Protector Forest 2.0, the Trekker Mountain 2.0 and the Protector Pro 2.0, with each boot designed to support wearers year round. Including GORE-TEX membranes and linings in the design of each boot gives wearers peace of mind that, no matter the weather and no matter the season, HAIX forestry boots will work to keep feet dry, comfortable and at an optimum temperature. With forestry workers and arborists spending long periods of time from ‘boots on’ to ‘boots off’, boots that allow feet to become too hot, cold or wet lead to discomfort and distraction – something that can prove risky when wearers need to concentrate on tasks involving cutting equipment or working at height. With GORE-TEX in the inner lining to provide waterproofing and breathability, the Protector Pro 2.0, Protector Forest 2.0 and Trekker Mountain 2.0 also feature the unique HAIX Climate System®, encouraging air circulation with every step through the vent holes at the top of the boot to keep feet cool. Both also feature sun reflect, which reduces the heating effect of the upper leather from direct sunlight, helping with temperature regulation to ensure wearer comfort. All three boots have also been awarded the coveted test mark KWF Level-Standard, meaning they have been tested to demonstrate that they have reached important safety standards and can be worn safely by professional forestry workers over a period of several months. It’s a practical test that takes all four seasons into account and is conducted on a broad range of terrains. The versatile roles of arborists, forestry and outdoor workers require footwear that can provide the protection and comfort they need year round, regardless of challenging weather conditions. By combining smart material choices like GORE-TEX membranes with innovative production processes and integrating wearer feedback, HAIX’s forestry boot range provides this flexibility year-round. To view HAIX’s full range of forestry footwear and discover more about all their protective features, please visit https://www.haix.co.uk/forest/

GA Plant and Tool Hire in Swindon have become the first company to take delivery of a brand-new EVO 165P SUB-750 woodchipper from GreenMech. Delivering the performance required by domestic and small commercial contractors, the EVO also meets the spec for Owner/Director Angus Lacy-Hulbert when it comes to ease of maintenance, ensuring the machine is serviced and ready for tight hire turnarounds. With a 3” chipper on their hire fleet previously, Angus spotted the gap for a larger, road-tow machine and sought advice from local arborists on the options available. “We naturally gravitated to GreenMech. Being British engineered and backing up good product with local service and support is an ethos we like to follow ourselves” explains Angus, who established GA Plant and Tool Hire five years ago. A demonstration of the new 6” SUB-750kg EVO 165P sealed the deal and it was delivered by their local dealer, GA Groundcare, in September 2020. “One of the major plus points was the ease of maintenance – the EVO has centralised greasing points which keeps the ongoing maintenance quick and simple. We also purchased the blade sharpening unit which means we can sharpen the blades as and when required, in-house, dramatically reducing downtime between hires. Being sub-750kg was critical for our largely domestic client base, delivering powerful performance in a package that can be towed on a standard car license.” Within a week of delivery, the EVO 165P SUB-750 was out on its first hire – a domestic customer with 12 conifers to process. “Incredibly, the client completed the whole job in under an hour! They returned the machine with the biggest grin, complimenting it not just on performance but how simple and user-friendly it was to operate.” The GreenMech EVO series sets a new standard for torque, bite and throughput to deliver exactly what is demanded by today’s industry professionals. Originally launched in road-tow format, the EVO 165D was joined by the fixed-track EVO 165DT in Autumn 2019 and then by a higher 45hp Limited-Edition option. The newest SUB-750 machine combines all of the proven EVO performance with a powerful yet economic 37hp B&S Vanguard petrol engine. Angus concludes, “Together with performance, back up support is also incredibly important for us – our machines ultimately make no money if they’re out of service. Ashley at GA Groundcare is just down the road and is always on the end of the phone, even at weekends, with helpful support and advice if we need it"

ECHO has introduced a new professional chainsaw, the CS-7310SX, which is the largest in the current range and features a low emission, premium-grade 73.5cc engine with an output of 4.1kW. A heavy-duty, rear handle chainsaw the CS-7310SX is part of the ECHO X Series which designates it as a best-in-class product and as such it’s packed with features designed to increase the productivity of the professional user. ECHO says they have built this for the many arborists and landscapers using these types of saws regularly to fell large trees. They add that the professional-grade ECHO 2-stroke engine is designed and manufactured in Japan to the highest possible standards, delivering powerful cutting with low emissions and noise levels. There is no question it generates massive torque and provides exceptional cutting performance for heavy-duty felling. And yet it is a lightweight and well-balanced saw, weighing in at only 6.8kg (dry weight) and featuring an ergonomic and robust construction to meet the challenges of professional felling and forestry work. ECHO X Series products are often industry-leading in terms of power and performance and the CS-7310SX lives up to this reputation with a tradition of testing in the most extreme conditions to ensure flawless operation. For the professional who relies on their tools day in and day out the saw is packed with beneficial features. A magnesium starter housing more efficiently disperses heat generated by the engine and the G-Force air pre-cleaner reduces its exposure to dirt and debris. Together with the centrifugal separation dust-free system that means less maintenance and longer life. Starting is easy with the decompression valve and the heavy-duty aluminium handle has a secure rubber grip offering reduced vibration in the hand. Drop prevention nuts to the side casing mean the nuts can’t be lost during maintenance. Dual bumper spikes give you better control when sawing through stumps and thicker branches, while a rotating plastic chain catcher protects the user from potential injury and prevents chain damage. Fuel level is easily monitored with the translucent fuel tank. Weighing up the CS-7310SX you can say it is a true professionals’ saw backed by the ECHO reputation for durability built-up over 70-years of manufacturing. The saw comes with a 2-year professional or 5-year domestic warranty. Find out more from your local authorised ECHO dealer. You can also visit www.echo-tools.co.uk or call 01844 278800 for more information