Which cut-protection level do you need?

A chainsaw boot is sold by class: 1, 2, 3 or 4. The number is not a quality grade. It is the chain speed at which the boot was tested to stop the chain, under EN ISO 17249. Choosing it takes two pieces of information: the chain speed of your saw and the work you do. This page gives you both, and then the three models we make.

What EN ISO 17249 is

EN ISO 17249 is the European standard for safety footwear with resistance to chainsaw cutting. A boot that carries it has passed the cut test of the standard on the protected area of the upper, and also meets EN ISO 20345, the general standard for safety footwear: toe cap, sole, slip resistance. Both standards are declared on the page and on the data sheet of each Longstone chainsaw boot.

Chainsaw boots are personal protective equipment of Category III under Regulation (EU) 2016/425: equipment against risks that can cause death or irreversible harm. For Category III the manufacturer cannot self-declare: a notified body examines the type, and production is checked periodically. That is why the boot comes with instructions, and why a cut boot is replaced, not repaired.

The four classes

Each class is a chain speed in the test. Higher class, higher speed.

• Class 1: 20 m/s
• Class 2: 24 m/s
• Class 3: 28 m/s
• Class 4: 32 m/s

A boot of a higher class covers the work of the lower ones. The speed is the one the chain reaches in the test, not the maximum speed of a given saw: it is a way of grading protection, and it is the figure to match with your saw and your risk assessment.

How to choose

Three things to check, in this order.

1. The chain speed of your saw. It is in the manual or on the manufacturer’s data sheet, in metres per second. Professional saws run above 20 m/s; many run above 24.
2. What the risk assessment says. If you work for a company or a public body, the employer’s risk assessment sets the minimum class. In some countries class 1 is accepted for occasional use; we do not make class 1, and a Level 2 boot covers it.
3. How many hours a day. Protection is layers of cut-resistant material in the upper. Going up a class generally means more material, and the boot pays for it in weight and stiffness. If you cut every day, the extra class is worth it; if you cut a few days a month, Level 2 is the class most forestry and tree-care work is done in.

Who uses Level 2

Forestry workers, arborists, farmers and landowners who run a saw for the land they look after, municipal crews. Level 2 (24 m/s) is the class that covers most forestry and tree-care work. Two Longstone models: CERVINO Level 2 and DOLOMITE TETON.

Who uses Level 3

Professional forestry, every day: felling, limbing and bucking with professional saws, often above 24 m/s. One Longstone model: CERVINO Level 3.

What changes between CERVINO Level 2 and CERVINO Level 3: the cut-protection class, 24 against 28 m/s. Upper height (23 cm), leather (2.6 mm Perwanger), outsole (Vibram Teton) and declared weight (1,295 g per half pair, size 43) are the same on the data sheets.

What the marking says

On the boot and on the data sheet you find a string of codes. This is what each one means, under EN ISO 20345:2022.

• SB: basic safety footwear. Toe cap tested to 200 J impact and 15 kN compression.
• PS: penetration resistance of the sole, non-metallic insert.
• HI: heat insulation of the sole.
• CI: cold insulation of the sole.
• WR: water resistance of the whole boot.
• AN: ankle protection.
• WPA: water penetration and absorption of the upper.
• HRO: outsole resistant to hot contact, tested at 300 °C.

The data sheets of our chainsaw boots print the marking as SB PS HI CI WR AN Ø WPA WR HRO.

The three Longstone models

All three: 2.6 mm Perwanger waterproof leather, Sympatex® or TE-POR® membrane, felt insole with 3.5 mm memory foam, 220 cm polyester laces, sizes EU 38 to 48. Made to order in Nicosia.

The boot is one piece of the kit

A chainsaw boot protects the foot and the lower leg. Chainsaw trousers and jackets have their own standard (EN ISO 11393) and their own classes, chosen the same way; add a helmet with visor and hearing protection, and gloves. The class of the boot and of the trousers should be chosen together, from the same chain speed.

When to replace

Replace the boot after any contact with the chain, even if the cut looks superficial: the protective layers may be damaged under the leather. Replace it when the upper is torn or the sole is worn through the tread. Read the instructions supplied with the boot, and keep them.

Sizes and fit: see the size guide. Every model: Chainsaw boots.