Chainsaws need to be respected. If you have ever seen any of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies you know this and you may also have developed an irritational fear of the Lone Star State.

If the State Of Texas is the reason you can’t sleep at night, we don’t have much we can tell you to relieve you of your fears, but when it comes to chainsaws and chainsaw lanyards, we have plenty of advice to give you.

We know that for arborists and other tree workers, that there is a very delicate balance between taking safety precautions to keep you safe in trees and making sure that you can actually get your work done efficiently.

We’re gonna talk mostly about chainsaw lanyards and maybe a bit about some other arborist gear.

1. You Want The Option Of A Lanyard That Drops Below Your Feet

Obviously, the safest thing you can do with a chainsaw is to not drop it in the first place. However, as much as we all hate to admit it, accidents happen.

If your chainsaw falls, you want it to fall below your body. This will greatly reduce the risk of serious injury to your body.

2. The Price Of Safety

The best option for safety regarding using a chainsaw lanyard is picking up something with a breakaway point in the line. However, you can end up spending a lot of money. Some of the high-end chainsaw lanyards with these types of features will cost you 2-3 times as much as your basic lanyard easily.

A pretty solid argument could be made that spending an extra 20-50 bucks on your lanyard is worth it if it saves you from paying hospital bills, but this is really a matter of your budget and your priorities.

3. Visibility Matters

When it comes to tree work, some of the most common injuries come with chainsaws and other gear catches a snag.

Have you noticed that chainsaw lanyards tend to be almost obnoxiously brilliant colors? There’s a good reason for this. The visibility of neon-colored lines helps prevent that type of snagging.

4. Balancing Your Needs While Working In Trees

A low stretch lanyard may give you some extra stability and safety during work positioning, which is not a bad thing. At the same time, as you gain more experience you will likely want a little more freedom in movement.

Many seasoned arborists end up choosing the convenience of chainsaw lanyards with extra stretch so they can easily reach limbs above their heads.

However, if you are still getting used to using potentially deadly tools while you are up in trees from incredibly dangerous heights, you may want to go for more safety.

5. Shoot From The Hip

While you are working on a bunch of cuts, it can be very efficient to keep your chainsaw holstered at hip level. Using a carabiner, or a hitch with a ring you can connect through the handle of your saw at your hip. This will save you from the hassle of constantly pulling on your lanyard.

Aside from efficiency, this will also help in the war against getting tools caught in snags while working in trees. It can also save you from the annoyance of your saw banging against your leg. That is no small advantage.

And… Cut

We are now reaching the part of the story where we sadly have to say goodbye. We hope that you stay safe with whatever choices you make in terms of chainsaws. Remember, saws are not toys and you don’t want to take too many risks with them.

Now that you have gotten a few tips about chainsaws, feel free to stick around and see some of our other articles in our blog geared toward arborists, tree work, and arborist gear.