Chainsaw Helmet shopping

[Wagtail]

I'm curious as to why the desire for a 'neck flap'?

Is it a regional thing? Would a handkerchief work just as well?

 

[Timbersawz]

Wont start a saw without helmet and safety gear on, I have a few decades pro use with them and although I have never cut my chainsaw pants or chaps, I have beaten 10 types of crap out of at least a dozen helmets over the years. I doubt I would be still alive without them. Seen to many good guys ruined by head injuries, its just not worth the risk

I wear a petzl vertex vents with peltor work tunes muffs and face screen. Keep a celox trauma bandage tucked up in the helmet. Very comfortable and worth every penny.

 

[s219]

Noticed the other day that my aluminum helmet is corroding where the steel strap clips touch the helmet. I have always liked the aluminum dome helmets for the classic look (and for felling I do not want a face mask) but maybe I'll try plastic for the next one. I suspect it's sweat causing a reaction with dissimilar metals.

 

[Oldpath05]

When I saw you wanted a neck flap I immediately looked to see if you were in a cool climate and sure enough you're in Maine. Down here in SC I wear an water saturated neck cooler on hot days. Would you soak the neck flap?

NO, I develop an allergic reaction using a chainsaw when the temp gets over 70*, it gets so bad that I break out in an intense sweat and easily get upset when bugs are thicker then air.

I had a helmet years ago with a neck guard flap and noticed I didn't get any of that itchy twitchy sawdust feeling down my neck, AKA neck guard 101...........Also the neck guard keeps the UFOs away.

 

[John_Mc]

Wont start a saw without helmet and safety gear on, I have a few decades pro use with them and although I have never cut my chainsaw pants or chaps, I have beaten 10 types of crap out of at least a dozen helmets over the years. I doubt I would be still alive without them. Seen to many good guys ruined by head injuries, its just not worth the risk

Amen!

I could introduce folks to a couple of people who for many years assumed that since they'd never had a serious accident, that meant they never would. They don't think that way now. One of them survived a limb dropping on his head that was flung back at him as the tree was on its way down. He had been working in the woods professionally for decades. He avoided wearing his helmet whenever he could get away with it. Unfortunately, he can't tell you what he thinks about helmets now - though sometimes his wife and son are able to understand what he is trying to get across.

 

[Oldpath05]

Noticed the other day that my aluminum helmet is corroding where the steel strap clips touch the helmet. I have always liked the aluminum dome helmets for the classic look (and for felling I do not want a face mask) but maybe I'll try plastic for the next one. I suspect it's sweat causing a reaction with dissimilar metals.

View attachment 601089

I also like that classic look but in all my helmet searching I haven't noticed any of those old aluminum dome helmets, I think I'd like one. How old is that helmet? cant imagine aluminum corroding like that unless your to close to the salt water or eat to many chips, then the salt get in your sweat works up on the helmet, maybe it's time for some JB Weld. That's one reason I dont live down in Va, I sweat enough here.

 

[John_Mc]

I'm curious as to why the desire for a 'neck flap'?

Is it a regional thing? Would a handkerchief work just as well?

Around here, it's generally used to keep rain and snow from running down your back when cutting (or all the little "crumbs" that drop off when you brush under a cedar tree). The ones that come with the helmets tend to be a plastic sort of fabric for waterproofing. If it's not wet or snowy out I remove mine. When it's really hot, I'll hang a wet handkerchief out the back for cooling and to keep the sun off my neck.

 

[Deere Dude]

Just curious. Will a faceshield protect you from the bar, as in a kickback?

Probably not but it does keep the chips out of your eyes.

I would take anything over nothing between my face a a chain. Maybe just enough to deflect a blow would be enough. Plus a face guard keeps chips out of your face.

I never had a helmet or facemask until I started cutting shag bark hickory. The chunks of bark were shooting at me like little missiles. I got a HF set up which worked but would never buy a second one.

 

[John_Mc]

I also like that classic look but in all my helmet searching I haven't noticed any of those old aluminum dome helmets, I think I'd like one. How old is that helmet? cant imagine aluminum corroding like that unless your to close to the salt water or eat to many chips, then the salt get in your sweat works up on the helmet, maybe it's time for some JB Weld. That's one reason I dont live down in Va, I sweat enough here.

Bailey's sells them. Go on their web site and search for "aluminum helmet". They only have a 4-point suspension (the better plastic helmets have a six-point suspension, which I find more comfortable and is supposed to provide better protection).

 

[Oldpath05]

Found them, I would not of thought to type that in aluminum helmet, wonder why they wasn't in with the rest of the forestry helmets............. Search results for: 'Aluminum helmet' I guess they cant be made with earmuffs or face shield, I ware glasses but still like having a face shield and I prefer ear muffs over earplugs........

 

[Oldpath05]

Hmm, my Jonsered helmet has a lot good things about it, the Labonville $40 helmet is even better. That spot of whatever it is on the face shield would drive me crazy..

Well that spot didn't drive me crazy but sure didn't care for it so I made it go away, how you ask,, well those holes are small in that screen, so bet you cant guess what I used to open them back up, hint a welding fabricator usually has this tool..............I do wonder why the metal screen though, all the helmets I had were plastic.

 

[atsah]

Guess it's a good thing it is metal..

 

[two_bit_score]

Found them, I would not of thought to type that in aluminum helmet, wonder why they wasn't in with the rest of the forestry helmets............. Search results for: 'Aluminum helmet' I guess they cant be made with earmuffs or face shield, I ware glasses but still like having a face shield and I prefer ear muffs over earplugs........

This has always been my objection to those helmets: NOTE: DO NOT use near electrical hazards.

Not that I do that much around power lines but the possibility of something like that bothers me.

 

[Timbersawz]

I should add that a couple weeks ago one of my guys got a light concussion when a hanging limb dislodged and hit him in the head, was a pretty good hit, but not one that will change his life permanently as it would have without a helmet on, but hopefully encourage him to be a little more careful.

 

[GrumpyJoe]

I've been kickin around the idea of getting a helmet for a few years. So when I saw this, it got my attention. My wife just so happen to be reading this over my shoulder and asked why don't I have one. I said I don't know. Never really crossed my mind that I would really need one. Then, like always, she lays down some wife type wisdom that really hit home. She said you have been with the Sheriffs Office for 29 years and you have never needed your bullet proof vest but you always wear it at work. Why would this be any different? So today we went to Tractor Supply and spent $50 on a Husqvarna Pro Forest helmet. Haven't used it yet but she makes me put it on so she can send SnapChat pics to our kids.

 

[atsah]

I've been kickin around the idea of getting a helmet for a few years. So when I saw this, it got my attention. My wife just so happen to be reading this over my shoulder and asked why don't I have one. I said I don't know. Never really crossed my mind that I would really need one. Then, like always, she lays down some wife type wisdom that really hit home. She said you have been with the Sheriffs Office for 29 years and you have never needed your bullet proof vest but you always wear it at work. Why would this be any different? So today we went to Tractor Supply and spent $50 on a Husqvarna Pro Forest helmet. Haven't used it yet but she makes me put it on so she can send SnapChat pics to our kids.

View attachment 601161

That looks like my Jonsered helmet, as it should, same company, I like it, very comfortable and the spring loaded plastic ear muffs work great..

 

[ericm979]

Having the ear muffs integrated into the helmet works so much better than separate muffs and helmet. Being able to just flip them up to get them off your ears when you stop cutting is handy, and they're much more comfortable.

The Husqvarna "ratchet strap" model helmet's vinyl sweat band is a joke though. It makes you sweat even at moderate temps, then collects the sweat and channels it into your eyes. I bought terry cloth sweatbands for mine.

 

[Oldpath05]

This has always been my objection to those helmets: NOTE: DO NOT use near electrical hazards.

Not that I do that much around power lines but the possibility of something like that bothers me.

How about in a thunder storm.................

 

[Oldpath05]

I've been kickin around the idea of getting a helmet for a few years. So when I saw this, it got my attention. My wife just so happen to be reading this over my shoulder and asked why don't I have one. I said I don't know. Never really crossed my mind that I would really need one. Then, like always, she lays down some wife type wisdom that really hit home. She said you have been with the Sheriffs Office for 29 years and you have never needed your bullet proof vest but you always wear it at work. Why would this be any different? So today we went to Tractor Supply and spent $50 on a Husqvarna Pro Forest helmet. Haven't used it yet but she makes me put it on so she can send SnapChat pics to our kids.

View attachment 601161

You must of had more concern over a bullets then a limbs. That looks like a good helmet, do the earmuffs have an adjustable fit and or have snug fit over the ears? Mine wont stay in or snug on the last click, yet.

 

[Oldpath05]

Having the ear muffs integrated into the helmet works so much better than separate muffs and helmet. Being able to just flip them up to get them off your ears when you stop cutting is handy, and they're much more comfortable.

The Husqvarna "ratchet strap" model helmet's vinyl sweat band is a joke though. It makes you sweat even at moderate temps, then collects the sweat and channels it into your eyes. I bought terry cloth sweatbands for mine.

Isn't a sweat band only supposed to make sweat stop from going in the eyes, if it's not doing that and or causes more sweat then yeah it's a joke. I haven't cut wood all summer long in 40 years, I could do it now, lug a saw all day. Nowadays I'm mostly a fall, winter and spring lumberjack and then on weekends and then just 4 hr in the afternoon and then on a sunny day-ish.