ok, lets talk hats, gloves, coats, pants, boots, suspenders, and even socks and underwear if you like! just no "naked cowboy" pics please.
I have made the switch to the expensive undies. When we went to Philmont, the backwoods places sold the 30 bucks a pair fast dry, ear them for four days in a row undies. We now use the Duluth stuff. it is about 20 bucks a pair. the theory was take 2 pair, wash and the pair you just took off in the stream, they dry in 15 minutes and you are good to go. they do not strech out like tighty whities, that require hot water and a hot dryer to pull back in shape. remember when they had the commercials "boxers or briefs". the joke was that they asked Bob Dole that question, and after some thought, he replied, "Depends".
Armachillos baby!!! Keep 'em on ice!! Worth every penny, and the colors are fabulous. :D No more fire down below. Also have gone to Deluth carpenter ball room pants, $50 bucks but a pair will last two or more years, maybe start to get some frays after a year, but that's sawmill and farm work daily. The cheap TSC $16 pants always blew out in a couple of weeks. When it comes to work clothes, you get what you pay for.
I wear sketchers to my day job. they look nice, are leather uppers, function and feel like a tennis shoe. If I ruin a pair at work (spare you the details) I always have a new pair in the box at home. At home in the shop, I wear redwings 8 inch with a composite sole. they have a softer sole than would work in harsh conditions, and the uppers are soft enough out of the box, that no break in is required. Off work, I wear these all day long. bough a pair of logger once, but made my heels ache. I put the "bed coating" toe protector on them after I get them. it protects the leather from abrasion, not you toes. My buddy got a pair, but did not do the black stuff, and now has a hole in the leather over the toe. Redwing will often fix stuff for free, and if you drop them off, they will water proof, and re do the toe stuff for free. If you put the toe stuff on. they are just over 200 buck. they have replace all the eyelets in a pair that were cutting laces, and made a patch inside boot that I had worn through the thinsolate. I have gone through about 4 pair in 18 years.
not saw proof, but everyday in the shop, I wear the Carhart double knee logger pants. I have one pair with the suspender buttons, I always wear a belt, and the brass makes me sore due to my Dunlops disease. they have a slot at the bottom, so you can put a thin knee pad inside. about 44 bucks on amazon
Wrist surgery years ago and the resulting arthritis has made keeping my left hand warm and functioning in the cold a problem. To keep the wrist covered I got a pair of Kevlar arm gauntlets and not only do they keep the wrist warm but my entire upper body. I can wear lighter shirts and coats and it's been pretty cold around here.
I use a Husqvarna Technical Forest Helmet.
Gloves are tough for me. My hands are big. XXL is minimum and when I find XXL work gloves I buy all of them in stock. No particular brands, just whatever I can find that fits. I like having leather at least on the palms when handling cable.
For a coat, I have an old lightweight Husqvarna jacket that I'll wear when it's really cold. Most of the time in winter I'll just have a sweatshirt and maybe a Carhart vest on.
I wear Husqvarna Technical Forestry pants or I use Labonville full wrap chaps depending what I'm doing; if sawing and skidding I wear the pants, if using a clearing saw or cutting from a pile (like after work for an hour or so), or if I need to cut up one thing quickly like a storm damaged tree I'll wear the chaps.
Boots: If it's really snowy I wear the rubber Husqvarna chainsaw boots, all other times I wear Oregon Fiordland Class 2 boots.
The suspenders on my Husqvarna pants are also Husqvarna brand.
I wear cotton socks in the warmer months and a light wool sock when it's colder. My feet rarely get cold.
Cotton underwear in the summer, and I have 3 different weaight thermal underwear for winter work depending on activity and temperature.
Quote from: doc henderson on February 12, 2021, 08:46:34 AM
not saw proof, but everyday in the shop, I wear the Carhart double knee logger pants. I have one pair with the suspender buttons, I always wear a belt, and the brass makes me sore due to my Dunlops disease. they have a slot at the bottom, so you can put a thin knee pad inside. about 44 bucks on amazon
Need a set of suspenders?
Doc you're paying 44 for Carhartt double knee loggers? Last sets I bought before they discontinued them was 32 each Keys have been around 30 and Prison Blues are 27.
around the house (shop and sawmill) is a short sleeved t-shirt, and a sweatshirt that comes on and off as needed. I have a lined Carhart jacket, but rarely wear it when I work as it restricts movement a bit. nice canvas.
Carhartt or Key double fronts loggers some with extra bachelor buttons inside. Suspenders when falling timber with a nasty old bar pad. For a hat there's only one option a full brim aluminum Skull Bucket not quite as nice as the old Mac T's but a lot better then plastic. Boots just depend Nicks or Wesco on which job I'm doing and if it's super sloppy it's Muck boot territory. For upper wear it's all high viz anymore no more hickories.
Quote from: Skeans1 on February 12, 2021, 09:01:02 AM
Need a set of suspenders?
I have a pair. they are Stihl brand. they have leather ends. I think I just have not worn them enough to get in the habit. the leather is new and tough to get over the brass buttons. I should try again. sorry to use the words brass and pair in the same response. "I should have known better" :D :D :D 8) 8) 8)
my buttons are on the outside. might be more comfy if I loose 10 pounds. they dig in wear my belly has "done lopped" over my belt. some of the others come with the buttons to install if wanted.
I get the mechanix brand gloves, as I can still do stuff with my hands. they are thin with leather over the wear surfaces, and rubber ribs on the back for impact protection. it still hurts to hit a finger with a hammer stapler... no need to ask me how I know. :( used to buy them at lowes at 30 bucks. online camo for 22 bucks. same gloves.
Wild Ass jeans double and singles ,wear like iron . Just got a pair of Prison Blues verdict still out ;) . So far so good .Hickory long sleeve zipper front .
Quote from: doc henderson on February 12, 2021, 09:10:20 AM
Quote from: Skeans1 on February 12, 2021, 09:01:02 AM
Need a set of suspenders?
I have a pair. they are Stihl brand. they have leather ends. I think I just have not worn them enough to get in the habit. the leather is new and tough to get over the brass buttons. I should try again. sorry to use the words brass and pair in the same response. "I should have known better" :D :D :D 8) 8) 8)
Quote from: doc henderson on February 12, 2021, 09:16:49 AM
my buttons are on the outside. might be more comfy if I loose 10 pounds. they dig in wear my belly has "done lopped" over my belt. some of the others come with the buttons to install if wanted.
If you didn't have a set I was going to look around I might have a set of good used suspenders I could ship out. The outer buttons for suspenders are bachelor buttons some pants on the west coast have those buttons on the inside for internal chaps.
For shoes I wear the offshore made Red Wings, probably the same as Doc H. They are daily wear, I have two pair and alternate daily. Upper wear is a t shirt and sweatshirt as needed. Ordinary blue jeans below, with Stihl chaps as needed. Stihl plastic helmet or ball cap. Like DeerMeadowFarm, gloves are a problem size wise. I always end up with a hole in a finger before the rest of the glove is worn out. XXL gloves, size 13 feet. Our regional name for Doc H's Dunlop's disease is Dunlap's. I've Dunlapped over also.
I stay in when the weather is cold and nasty, I realize most of you don't have that luxury. I'd like to try some logging boots, and Skeans1's aluminum helmet sounds interesting. My main interest in my woods is TSI, so what I acquire would have to aid in that. I would also like to go to suspenders, to ease the symptoms of Dunlap's.
Old saw fixer. I have had the problem of a finger of a good leather glove wearing an hole while the rest is still good, I have been extending their life by cutting the leather finger off a donor glove and using a coating of GOOP on\in both fingers and sliding the donor finger over the worn finger while it is on the hand, once I have it positioned then take the glove off and let dry. Works ok. and extends the life of the glove. Did I mention I'm thrifty
Goatskin gloves from the walmart garden section when they go from 15$ to 3 or 5 in fall clearance. comfortable and wear good handling wood in warm weather. Always wear out the left one as i use a pulp hook in my right. Havn't found the right ones for winter. Where to get wide shoes? Redwing king toe 4e are a bit narrow. Wide brimmed hat in summer so I dont have to get more chopped or froze off my ears by doc. Long underwear from sportsman guide. The ones that look like bib overalls . Cant wear seperate top and bottom as I have no hips and docs dunlap disease.
Showa Atlas 451 gloves in the cold weather they work pretty good.
Quote from: Skeans1 on February 12, 2021, 09:26:00 AM
If you didn't have a set I was going to look around I might have a set of good used suspenders I could ship out. The outer buttons for suspenders are bachelor buttons some pants on the west coast have those buttons on the inside for internal chaps.
that is sure a nice gesture. thanks. If you had a pair with your company name on them great, but I hate to have you go to the trouble, since I am not sure if I will acquire the desire to use them. thanks again!
One problem I have with suspenders is that whenever I wear them the ladies really seem to take notice and my wife gets jealous😂 My favorite pair of work pants right now are some Dimex brand made for Ponsse cargo pants. They are so much more comfortable then jeans and breathe more when it's hot out too. For light gloves I go to Home Depot and get a 3 pack of synthetic leather ones they have for $10. Insulated work gloves, I wore Kinco pigskin for years but they are pushing $20 a pair now, so I switched to the Wells Lamont version that is $11-$12. They aren't waterproof at all so I keep a few pair with.
For work gloves I really like the Stihl timber sports series but my problem with ANY gloves are that I have a need to get them to fit snugly. Those fit the bill, except I have unusually long fingers and I continue to blow out the middle fingers on both hands :embarassed: They aren't water resistant but do offer some heat retention without being obnoxiously hot. And they don't claim chainsaw resistant but they do offer some protection from normal cuts and, gulp, blisters. I know, cry me a river. It's a good thing that I don't normally get blisters. These have extremely good manual dexterity, they feel like goatskin. I like to be able to feel what I'm doing.
As far as the boots, military surplus, inexpensive and tough as nails. The pair before now, 5yrs of daily wear.
Chaps, Stihl because my Husky guy could only find 1 length but not so with the others.
Quote from: Tacotodd on February 12, 2021, 02:49:17 PM
For work gloves I really like the Stihl timber sports series but my problem with ANY gloves are that I have a need to get them to fit snugly. Those fit the bill, except I have unusually long fingers and I continue to blow out the middle fingers on both hands :embarassed:
maybe try to not use the "middle finger" so much! :o :) :D
8) Doc, that's funny, if it's only true!
Seriously though, I pull the gloves tight tight to get the bottom between my fingers and after about 2 weeks of daily wear for 6hrs at a time, that fingers had it. I'm going to try a XL next time and "fingers" crossed they're going to "work out" better. spidey-smiley teeter_totterWe'll see
Nothing fancy or name brand here. Well Viking rubber boots, if I am outside here, you will find them on my feet. Even planting the garden. Clothes are nothing fancy either. Winter wear is a cooler shirt, t shirt, long john top and two big sweatshirts, as least 2X,for top side gear. When I bend over I don't want no exposed skin sticking out at 15°.Than long johns bottoms and lined parts. 2 pair of socks, don't matter if there is snow on the ground or 90°, 2 pair all the time.
Summer time you will see me in a cooler shirt, again at least a 2X, than jeans. I only wear a extra large, just need room to move around. A hat all the time.
I've been wearing Carhartt double knees with attached bachelor buttons for about a year now. The suspenders really help keep my pants from falling down (obviously), especially when chaps are on over the pants. I find it less cumbersome to be wearing the suspenders NOT on the chaps.
Been slowly phasing out Carhartt, and swapping over to Arborwear double knee climbers pants. I can't speak to their longevity yet, but they appear to be holding up to washing better so far, and I find them more comfortable.
Used to wear Key double knees, but they ripped and tore on me a lot.
Whites Smokejumpers 10-12" get my vote all day for woods work. Going on rebuild #3, and they have saved me from numerous angle injuries.
Great second footwear choice- Labonville Kevlar Toe Boots.
I like wild ash and carhartt double knee but didnt care for prison blues and disliked keys i think it was alot. Cant stand suspender buttons boring a hole into me. If pants have em i cut them out and gorilla glue. If really cold i have insulated double knee carhartts from sierra trading post. Theyre getting pretty tattered but id say theres 8 winters on some of them, as well as my insulated zip up hoodies. Maybe 11 years on my dickies insulated coat, its getting threadbare in the cuffs. mechanics clothes have a pretty bad life so im impressed.
Quote from: DeerMeadowFarm on February 12, 2021, 08:54:53 AMI use a Husqvarna Technical Forest Helmet.
I got one of those when they first came out and loved it. It's probably the most comfortable helmet I've ever owned. The only problem was that after about 3 months (probably averaging only a coupe days/week at that time), the left ear protection popped off the helmet. I popped it back on, but it won't stay: as soon as I lift the hearing protection off my ear, it pops off again. I complained and Husqvarna sent me replacement hearing protection. The helmet was unused for a few months. When I started wearing it again, the same thing happened after a few more months of light use. I pulled the other ear protection off and now use it with ear plugs when it's hot out in the summer.
Since I got one of the first helmets sold in my area, I thought perhaps it was an early design flaw that had been corrected. I emailed Husqvarna to ask about it. I was willing to give it another try, if they had corrected the problem. To their credit, they sent me a whole new helmet, even though mine was now out of warranty. I got 6 months light use out of that one before the same thing happened.
I'm not hard on helmets, I'm not yanking on the hearing protection. I just don't get this, and can't figure out why when the protection on 2 helmets pops back on, it doesn't stay there: once they've disconnected from the helmet once, they are toast.
If I knew they had corrected the problem, I'd buy another - they are that much better than the older style Husqvarna helmet I'm still using (but really should retire).
Has anyone else had this issue with the Husqvarna Technical Forest Helmet?
Quote from: Old saw fixer on February 12, 2021, 10:22:17 AM
For shoes I wear the offshore made Red Wings, probably the same as Doc H. They are daily wear, I have two pair and alternate daily. Upper wear is a t shirt and sweatshirt as needed. Ordinary blue jeans below, with Stihl chaps as needed. Stihl plastic helmet or ball cap. Like DeerMeadowFarm, gloves are a problem size wise. I always end up with a hole in a finger before the rest of the glove is worn out. XXL gloves, size 13 feet. Our regional name for Doc H's Dunlop's disease is Dunlap's. I've Dunlapped over also.
I stay in when the weather is cold and nasty, I realize most of you don't have that luxury. I'd like to try some logging boots, and Skeans1's aluminum helmet sounds interesting. My main interest in my woods is TSI, so what I acquire would have to aid in that. I would also like to go to suspenders, to ease the symptoms of Dunlap's.
The full brim aluminum hard hat's are Skull Buckets with adjustable suspension like the plastic hats. That said weight between the two isn't a whole lot different plus the only time it needs replaced is when it's hit unlike plastic.
FWIW I'll jump in too. Boots vary by weather and I have none that are good enough to brag on or buy again. My problem with clothing is my wallet keeps putting a choker on my needs and I go too cheap most of the time. I am trying to get better at that and over time I am improving the stuff I have. In deep snow I wear my sorel boots, but for cutting work in the woods I wear my loggers (Doc, they are rough on the feet if you are anywhere but in the woods, not for pavement or hardpack.) Also, if you are using climbing spikes at all, you need that steel shank. I avoid this whenever I can (it's and extension of the FF rules about ladders for me, but when you gotta, you gotta). I was never pretty on spikes, (I try to make sure nobody is watching) but I can get it done with a little extra time and caution. Light work gloves I buy 3 packs like barbender. Used to get by with a 3 pack a year, but now seems like every 6 months. General winter work gloves I get whatever is in HD for 12 bucks or so and rotate a couple of pairs. I also like to have at least one pair of heavy leather gauntlet gloves for certain work. I put all my extra and different gloves in a small tool bag I keep in the Mule, keeps them handy and clean-ish. I have a bunch of clip on work suspenders with heavier than normal clips and one pair of the hook on type. One of those pairs is not elastic, no stretch, and I like those, they stay where you put them and do not yield. I believe they were sold for holding up tool belts and work well. The button braces I have are dedicated to my chainsaw pants (Elvex) which I use the Madson suspenders on (nice and stiff), and my heavy woolrich hunting pants have a set of woolrich suspenders (don't wear these much lately unless I am sitting in the woods on a really cold day).
My felling belt is a Grizzly with a Grizzly axe scabbard (I have 2 different sizes for different axes), a no-name leather wedge pouch that holds about 4 wedges, scrench, and file. Also a loggers tape and I have a marking ribbon roll that will hook on the belt when I need it.
Hardhats are important and I switched to full brim a while back, but couldn't pry my wallet open far enough for a skull bucket even though I thought that was best. ;D If there is a 'next time' I will likely go that route. I added a fold down face screen to the hardhat, it's a little bigger than the common Husky types and a little harder to find replacements for, but worth it. I have taken a few face hits with branches and such, once or twice I had no idea what hit me, but the screen was bent up, so it must have been something really fast. ;D. I never could see the snap down ear pads holding up well and it seems when I am in the woods with other cutters at least one of them is having problems with them. Seems like if they drop them on the ground the muffs break half the time. Also it's extra weight up there (this from a firefighter who used to carry a face shield, flashlight, sprinkler wedges, and trauma shears on his fire helmet, maybe that's why I like a light helmet now :D). If they made a full brim with ear muffs I might try it, but never saw them. That brim has saved me some grief, I'll stick with it. Pretty uncommon in the woods around these parts though, I don't know why. I am always the odd ball. I wear behind the head ear muffs, and rarely ear plugs in VERY hot weather. I keep a Velcro glove loop on my belt that holds my chainsaw gloves (whatever I can get) and the muffs. I don't wear the chainsaw gloves for cut protection, but I have had problems with vibration damage/pain and they help. But this problem has gone away in the last 2 years, so I dunno?
Now socks are my new focus item this year. I have a lot of trouble with my right foot. When it hits 45° my right foot feels like it is freezing. I have a neuropathy issue. Anyway I am moving to wool socks all the time and it has helped a lot. They're expensive and I am adding to my pile slowly so I don't run out between laundry days. In summer I get by with padded cotton socks, most anything cheap works, but not really cheap.
I think I covered it. No sorry, not talking about my underwear. I know it's important, but my taste won't help anyone here. I prefer the Superman undies, but when those are in the wash I will settle for Batman or Spiderman. :D :D ;D :)
Vapor barrier socks solved my cold feet issues.
what are vapor barrier socks? pic or link? sound great. I had wrestling buddies in high school, and I wish they wore "vapor barrier" socks.
Vapor Barrier Socks | Rab | BackcountryGear.com (https://www.backcountrygear.com/vb-socks-rab5v12445.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAsaOBBhA4EiwAo0_AnEApDsRRZWGWGsG4nC3g9YgRvGE4g0fa-Qq-x5bYpUBOADWRAlwKhRoCDF0QAvD_BwE)
I got them on Amazon but they are out. Pricey but they work and the last pair lasted for a bunch of winters.
Quote from: doc henderson on February 14, 2021, 09:24:49 PM
what are vapor barrier socks? pic or link? sound great. I had wrestling buddies in high school, and I wish they wore "vapor barrier" socks.
Basically, they are plastic bags for your feet. By keeping the sweat or water vapor coming off your feet from soaking your socks, your socks maintain their insulating ability much better than if they were wet.
I tried them for a time when I used to do a lot of mountaineering and winter camping in -20˚F temperatures. They did keep my feet warmer, but I just couldn't wear them. <y feet felt as though they were swimming in them, and holding that water close to my foot ended up causing skin problems on longer trips or repated days of wearing them while working in the woods. However, some of my winter camping buddies absolutely loved them. (So much so that when one friend melted one of his while drying it by the fire one evening, he switched over to a gallon ziplock worn over a very lightweight sock liner for the rest of our trip.)
I have never heard of something like these, sounds like it can be effective but have unpleasant side effects. ;D I have used liner socks to good effect. These are very thin socks that go over the foot and the quality wool sock goes on top. I used these on extended backpacking trips or long hikes. Never thought of trying them for work, I wonder why? I still have some of those liner socks. I should do a little experiment.
Mom putting breadbags on my feet years ago is the same idea. I've been using Walmart shopping bags for the last few years till NYS outlawed them.
I wear these over my socks and they do get wet. I think that keeping the boots dry is where they help.
i remember putting newspaper bags between layers of socks to go ride the quad in slushy swampy winter with regular leaky workboots as a teenager. Cant remember if it really helped. Probably just collected the water that soaked down my legs.
Quote from: mike_belben on February 15, 2021, 06:19:25 AM
i remember putting newspaper bags between layers of socks to go ride the quad in slushy swampy winter with regular leaky workboots as a teenager. Cant remember if it really helped. Probably just collected the water that soaked down my legs.
Those plastic bread wrappers from a loaf were like a second pair of socks when I was growing up. What can I say? Mostly worked us poor people have poor people ways. You can tell how long they been poor from how effective those ways are.
Quote from: brianJ on February 15, 2021, 07:06:51 AM
Quote from: mike_belben on February 15, 2021, 06:19:25 AM
i remember putting newspaper bags between layers of socks to go ride the quad in slushy swampy winter with regular leaky workboots as a teenager. Cant remember if it really helped. Probably just collected the water that soaked down my legs.
Those plastic bread wrappers from a loaf were like a second pair of socks when I was growing up. What can I say? Mostly worked us poor people have poor people ways. You can tell how long they been poor from how effective those ways are.
Just like I said in another post!
ok so I received a gift that I have tried for 4 days. during the cold snap, I was working on the floor in our basement. I had the knee pads in the Carhart double knee pants, and held up with suspenders on the buttons.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/51041/4A75FF6C-C641-44A6-A213-E6C29ADD14FF.jpeg?easyrotate_cache=1616675898)
it was helpful to get on the floor and then get up a hundred times and not have to pull up my pants. the buttons on the jeans would dig in my hips if I had a belt on. very comfortable and useful. Looks like I was concentrating on the pic and forgot to smile, but this has changed my mind on suspenders. My wife thinks they make me look old. or since I am old, maybe a belt just makes me look young. I wont ask if they make me look fat. :D . I found my other suspenders and one pair are Stihl, but clip ones. the other are Carhart and the problem was the leather was stiff and hard to put on the brass buttons. thanks @Skeans1 (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=37446) !
@doc henderson (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=41041)
Glad they've worked well sorry they were a little on the dirty side. Most of the suspenders I've been around are like the ones I've sent you where you can work them around in your hands to soften them up in a few minutes if need be.
they worked well and are comfortable. I put the suspenders on the jeans with buttons, and left them on for three days of the project. easy to put on and pull up the straps. glad I gave them another chance. Thanks again.
Started wearing Duluth Firehose pants a few years ago. I can get about a year of heavy use before the knees wear out. My wife calls em "garage wear", and that's where they stay! Also for gloves, try "Giver" gloves, they are awesome. Fit great and pretty durable, not too expensive either.