Francital Chainsaw Trousers Info

[Tucker943]

Lets bury this. This isn't good for anyone. Its not my intention to belittle you. We often have very different perspectives, but that's ok. You're approach really rankled me, and drew a negative response out of Willard as well. It should have taken a better path. I will take partial responsibility for that. Put me on ignore if that will make you feel better. I tend to dismiss you often because I feel you shoot from the hip sometimes about "how it is" when in all fairness, your niche is different then that of many others here. Moving forward, Im going to make an effort to not give you those vibes. Do with this what you want....

 

[Tucker943]

Ignorance is not a sin. We are all ignorant about most things in life. We can't know everything. The sin is refusal to adjust your ignorant notions in the face of new facts.

I was faced with a new position and sought to confirm the new idea I was presented with.

Arrogance was the word I meant. You know my stance now, I know yours, and hopefully we can move in a positive direction.

 

[Merle Nelson]

I have enjoyed using after market ‘suspenders’ for about fifteen years on my harnesses. It always amazes me a bit to see a tree guy carrying all the weight of the gear on his hips and yet almost all the carpenters I see use suspenders. All they carry is a hammer and a few hand fulls of nails.

 

[Bermy]

Flip..I'ma girl and my harness migrates south, I can't imagine how tight you guys have your waist belt to keep yours up!
I had some trouser suspenders sewed onto my old harness, worked a treat, just have to mod the current one.

 

[NickfromWI]

Put me on ignore if that will make you feel better. I tend to dismiss you often because I feel you shoot from the hip sometimes about "how it is" when in all fairness, your niche is different then that of many others here. Moving forward, Im going to make an effort to not give you those vibes. Do with this what you want....

No need to ignore. And feel free to call me out (even via PM) when you see me doing as you describe. I recognize I have a super unique niche and I try to keep it in check.

A professional gentlemen's handshake in your direction.

 

[NickfromWI]

Flip..I'ma girl and my harness migrates south, I can't imagine how tight you guys have your waist belt to keep yours up!
I had some trouser suspenders sewed onto my old harness, worked a treat, just have to mod the current one.

It's easy. Just don't carry a chainsaw in the tree!

 

[Tucker943]

Guarantee Butch posts his group hug picture any minute now.....

 

[Tucker943]

No need to ignore. And feel free to call me out (even via PM) when you see me doing as you describe. I recognize I have a super unique niche and I try to keep it in check.

A professional gentlemen's handshake in your direction.

The same shake headed your way. And likewise if you feel I could use a reminder on my approach.

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[HolmenTree]

I've never understood why chainsaw pants have that high back...what's the reason?
Do most men suffer from chronic plumber butt?

Fi, it's hard to tell how high in inchs these pant's kidney flap is from the upward angle of that photo, but from experience all the pants I owned with the high back were between 3" to 4".
I remember you saying a while back you were having some lower back problems, well you might want to give these or similar pants a try. I found the high back actually helped prevent or even lessoned sore lower back pain while working no matter if its in cold or hot weather.
Keeping that area of the back covered offers some thermal therapy. Being in Tasmania you probably work in a lot of hot weather, but having said that its easy to work up a good sweat then get a chill when you sit down for lunch. So keep your lower back covered just above your waist and you will probably see a lot less back pain.

 

[Steve Mack]

Well I don't work in temperatures lees than 50F but I do sweat a lot and we get a cold breeze/wind here, it comes from down Bermys way. When it's blowing it'll drop from 100F to 60 in no time.

So I watch my back and kidneys like Willard just said. I also have a belt like this one, don't wear it all that much but it works pretty good for support as well.

Sorry, I don't know anything about the trousers.

 

[HolmenTree]

I had to come back to this thread now that my mind is clearer and had some time to think about it.
Referring back to the blow out previously in this thread , I have to say the internet and google are wonderful learning aid but "a lot" of information on it is as new as the internet is it self.
A lot of historical info from older people's memory is not available on the internet for the younger generation to access to. Forestry hand fallers are as rare as hens teeth today and the old school stuff is like the "old information" still in print on paper in some magazine or book in someones basement. So a warning to everyone Google is not as perfect as we like to think is, lots of missing information.
The internet could have the same fate as the world famous 2000 yr old Alexandria, Egypt library had ............ Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

 

[Bermy]

...sit down for lunch!!
I usually get it sent up in a bag and sprawl on a branch, or wait till the job's done if it's going to finishe around 1or 2 haha!

Remember Tasmania is like England...only sunnier! Steve's right, we send the cool weather to them with those southerlies direct from the Antarctic. I'm having to adjust to keeping warm when climbing, not keeping cool.

Nick, I love the days when only climbing with the Silky and the Felco's, so FREE!

So happy to see the handshake, REAL men!

 

[Tucker943]

I like climbing in 50 degrees. That's my sweet spot. Jeans a flannel and I seem to stay in the perfect comfort zone. Working on the ground, 60 degrees is my sweet spot.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I concur, my good man.

 

[bonner1040]

I got hands on some of the Phanner chainsaw pants, they are heavy. People kept asking me if they were hot, I didnt need to have worn them to say yeah! THey did seem like excellent quality and the Euro standard one were much much lighter than the US. They yse a 6 ply material vs a 7 ply (US) and they eliminated the material where research indicates a much lower chance of impact.

A medium pair of the lightweights in US standard was 3.5 lbs while the EN standard (same pants) were 2.8 pounds, a 12 ounce difference.

I have heard the francital ones are nice, but havent held them. THe Phanners have a ton of cool features though.

I have never worn any chainsaw pants through a workday, but I got some so I am going to try it and compare it with chaps and arborwear.

 

[NickfromWI]

Cool features such as?


love
nick

 

[treesandsurf]

I used the SIP 5.1's for several years working at the Arboretum in high humidity, tropical weather (Hawaii). They are hot and can be too much but I always liked the added protection. I recently picked up a pair of Stein Krieger chainsaw pants. They are lighter and more breathable than the SIP's pants and not too bad even in the tropical weather. I don't wear them everyday, usually during a big removal. For some reason, it's nice to have the chainsaw pants on when I'm using a big saw a lot during the day. It's probably more mental than anything....


jp

 

[brendonv]

I just grabbed a new used pair from tb, of pfanners. Should be here this week and will report back!

 

[mccauleytree]

I just grabbed a new used pair from tb, of pfanners. Should be here this week and will report back!

Just bought a pair as well, I have never worn chainsaw pants before. Excited to try them out. I should be getting them this week.

 

[bonner1040]

The Pfanners have a bunch of small details. From the zippered pockets (all go down, to avoid the waist area and harness pressure), vents, a built in-removable gaiter to keep crap out, to the fabrics and the stretch gusseted areas.

Pfanner is definitely a luxury brand at this point. Their line is actually a lot bigger than what we see here in the states. There are a lot of other products that do the same thing, but from the items I have been able to compare, Pfanner seems to strive to do it in a way that spares no detail or expense.

I picked up both the Euro and the US versions of the Arborist (vented) CPP Pants. The Euro is 12 ounces lighter and has vents on the back of the leg. They use a thinner material (6ply vs 7ply) and a targeted application, compared to the blanket coverage than the US standards require. The Euro seem like they will be more comfortable, but I will report back on both.

 

[HolmenTree]

I like climbing in 50 degrees. That's my sweet spot. Jeans a flannel and I seem to stay in the perfect comfort zone. Working on the ground, 60 degrees is my sweet spot.

I wish I had that today Chris, this afternoon it was -4F with a damp wind making me turn down a big poplar climb removal job and longing for spring weather. Just gonna stay on the ground until it warms up a bit.
Speaking of safety pants that's all I've worn all my working days, only keep a pair of chaps for those rare times when I have to go and take a premium customer out for lunch so we can go over the deal in clean duds.
I'm happy with the industrial grade Husqvarna and Stihl pants.....oh and the "high back" ........................

 

[brendonv]

I got the pfanners today.

First impressions are they are stiff. Hope they loosen up. I also dont think there is any possibly way of wearing them in the summer. They fronts are very thick, i think youd get heat exaustion.

 

[HolmenTree]

From seeing a pair my head instructor has the Phanners are good for 4100 threshold chain speed so protection is good. The key to having a "breathable" safety pant is the fabric on the rear of the leg. Both Stihl and Husqvarna pants have that kind of fabric where daylight can be seen through them.
For my preference I think the roomier in the butt Francitals over the Phanners would be a better choice for doing climbing work. I'm gonna order a pair from TreeStuff and give them a try.

 

[bonner1040]

I have to agree Brendon. I am doing some contract work for a guy tomorrow and decided to break the saw pants in wearing them around the house. I literally saw your post right after putting them on. I grabbed the US ones and was like man, these are heavy. I thought about it and put on the Euro ones.

They are significantly lighter and softer. They feel like a classic flannel lined work pant thickness in the front, with the normal Pfanner back which is soft and stretchy. When I walked the dog I could feel the cold through the vents, it might be too cold in the winter.

The US ones feel like snow pants, I wear underarmor leggings in the summer but I dont know if I could wear the US model in the heat. The Euro ones seem like they will be feasible, but only time will tell. One option would be to get a bigger waist size and roll with suspenders.

Pfanner told me that they studied chainsaw accidents and based on proper right handed use almost all accidents were to the inside of the left leg or the outside of the right leg. Based on that they targeted the material and laid it farther in those areas and reduced it in unneeded areas. US standards require blanket protection for 5 cm farther than the Euro standards as well, so combined those factors result in a much lighter pant.

Ill be back with more than just assumptions and product data!