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Protective clothing

Updated: October 2026Hub page

Protective clothing covers cut protection gloves, forestry helmet, garden gloves, safety shoes, waterproof work gloves and winter work gloves. Each comparison says what that product is for, and which checks still apply when the listings change.

Once you have the product type, the comparison is where the current listings live. Shelf prices and makers stay there.

Protective clothing

SAFETOE Class 1 chainsaw boots, top pick in the chainsaw boots comparison

Chainsaw boots

BS EN ISO 17249 and chain speed

Six amazon.co.uk chainsaw boots from about £66.99 to about £108.88. Four titles state Class 1. The top pick is the SAFETOE Class 1 boot at about £108.88. A plain steel-toe site boot is a different product from footwear marked to BS EN ISO 17249.

Comparison guides

Oregon Protect Pro chainsaw trousers, size M, top pick in the chainsaw trousers comparison

Chainsaw trousers

Class on the label, then design

Four Oregon chainsaw trousers from £74.99 to £201.81. The top pick is the Protect Pro, size M, at £201.81, the only listing that states Class 1 at 20 m/s. None of the four pages prints a design letter.

Comparison guides

NoCry size M cut protection gloves, top pick in the cut protection gloves comparison

Cut protection gloves

EN 388 for a knife or edge

Twelve cut protection gloves from about £3.90 to about £21.99. The top pick is the NoCry size M knit at about £13.99, with no EN 388 digit string. None of these ASINs is a chainsaw glove.

Comparison guides

Stihl Function Basic helmet, top pick in the forestry helmet comparison

Forestry helmet

Visor, muffs and the hard hat

Eleven forestry helmets from about £23.99 to about £99.99. The top pick is the Stihl Function Basic at about £42.99, with EN 397 and SNR 24. A forestry helmet does not stop a chainsaw chain.

Comparison guides

PROGANDA latex 3-pack, medium, best value in the garden gloves comparison

Garden gloves

Leather, coating or grip dots

Eleven garden gloves from £5.62 to £11.99. None prints an EN 388 level, and no top pick is named. The best value is the PROGANDA medium three-pack at about £5.62 for light grip work. It is not a thorn barrier.

Comparison guides

SAWANS SA-432 long glove, M, top pick in the roses gloves comparison

Roses gloves

Cuff length and leather

Twelve rose gloves from about £6.78 to about £21.90. The top pick is the SAWANS SA-432 at about £10.99. None prints an EN 388 code. Cuff length and where the leather sits decide the job.

Comparison guides

Titan Argon S3, top pick in the safety shoes comparison

Safety shoes

Toecap class, then UK size

Twelve safety shoes from about £10.96 to about £39.95. The top pick is the Titan Argon TS23 at about £10.96. Its title prints S3 SR FO and EN ISO 20345:2022. Most other pairs are steel-toe trainers with no class in the details.

Comparison guides

Baratec 12 pairs, size 9/L, top pick in the waterproof work gloves comparison

Waterproof work gloves

Wet handling, coating and liner

Eleven waterproof work gloves for wet handling. The top pick is the Baratec twelve-pack at about £28.65, the only printed EN 388:2016 2121X. The best value is the PROGANDA medium two-pack at about £5.99. These are not chainsaw gloves.

Comparison guides

OriStout waterproof, large, top pick in the winter work gloves comparison

Winter work gloves

Insulated gloves for cold work

Nine winter work gloves from £4.99 to £29.99. The top pick is the OriStout large at about £9.99 for wet outdoor work. None of the nine listings prints an EN 511 code.

Comparison guides

WrightFits Pro-11 work trousers, top pick in the work trousers comparison

Work trousers

Cloth, knee pockets and hi-vis

Ten work trousers from about £13.99 to about £44.63. The top pick is the WrightFits Pro-11 at about £21.49, with knee-pad pockets named in the title. None of the ten prints EN 14404 or EN ISO 20471.

Comparison guides

AGS cotton bee jacket, XL, top pick in the beekeeper jacket comparison

Beekeeper jacket

Veil gap, cuffs and cloth

Compare seven beekeeper jackets on amazon.co.uk, from about £25.99 to £49.99. Check the veil gap, the cuffs, the cloth and whether gloves are in the box.

Comparison guides

Oregon class 0 left-hand gloves, top pick in the chainsaw gloves comparison

Chainsaw gloves

Stated class and which hand is padded

Compare 10 chainsaw gloves on amazon.co.uk, from about £15.75 to £33.99. Check the stated class, which hand is padded, and the care line on the listing.

Comparison guides

Pfanner Protos Integral Arborist (black), top pick in the Protos forestry helmet comparison

Protos forestry helmet

Printed standard, visor and muffs

Compare seven Protos forestry helmet listings on amazon.co.uk. Check the printed standard, the visor and muffs, and whether the header matches a UK shop price.

Comparison guides

Intra-FIT needle gloves, size M, top pick in the puncture-resistant gloves comparison

Puncture-resistant gloves

EN 388, ASTM F2878 or thorns

Compare eight puncture-resistant gloves on amazon.co.uk, from about £5.52 to £34.99. See which listings print EN 388 or ASTM F2878, and which claim thorns.

Comparison guides

Protective clothing blog

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Three guides on chainsaw PPE: the kit HSE names before you start the saw, when chainsaw boots are a workplace duty in the UK, and what protection Classes 1, 2 and 3 mean.

Chainsaw boots sizing: avoid ordering the wrong fit
Diagnosis7 min read

Chainsaw boots sizing: avoid ordering the wrong fit

You order your usual number, pull on the new boots and find your heel moving inside a shell that feels a size too long. Then you read that someone els

17 October 2026Read
Chainsaw boots legal requirement UK: who must comply
Rules7 min read

Chainsaw boots legal requirement UK: who must comply

You are arranging a day's cutting and someone asks whether chainsaw boots are a legal requirement in the UK. For work, the answer can be yes, because

17 October 2026Read
Chainsaw gaiters vs boots: where gaiters stop
Comparison7 min read

Chainsaw gaiters vs boots: where gaiters stop

You have a small pile of firewood to cut, an old pair of steel-toe site boots in the shed, and a tempting alternative to buying chainsaw boots: chains

17 October 2026Read

Common questions about protective clothing

What should you wear before you start a chainsaw?
Chainsaw PPE is a set of standards, not one pair of boots. HSE names a helmet, eye protection, hearing protection, gloves, trousers and boots to BS EN ISO 17249. On this hub the forestry helmet, chainsaw trousers and chainsaw boots comparisons cover those three garments. Cut protection gloves in this set are thin knits for a knife or a metal edge. Safety shoes here are toecap footwear to EN ISO 20345. Prices and stars are amazon.co.uk listings. There was no lab test.
Are chainsaw boots a legal requirement in a UK garden?
You tell chainsaw boots by BS EN ISO 17249, with grip and guarding at the front vamp and instep. HSE expects that standard when a chainsaw is used at work. The 1992 PPE rules are an employer duty. They do not create a garden offence for a householder. At home the injury is the same. Class 1 is tested at 20 metres per second, Class 2 at 24, and Class 3 at 28. Six amazon.co.uk listings run from about £66.99 to about £108.88.
What do chainsaw protection classes 1, 2 and 3 mean?
Class 1 is tested at 20 metres per second, Class 2 at 24, and Class 3 at 28. You match the class to the saw's actual chain speed before you buy boots or trousers. In the boots comparison, four titles print Class 1. The Yukon titles do not. In the trousers comparison, only the Oregon Protect Pro states Class 1 at 20 m/s, at £201.81. None of the four trouser pages prints a design letter. Read the sewn-in label before you cut.
Is a steel toe the same standard as chainsaw boots?
A steel toe is impact protection on safety footwear. On this hub that standard is EN ISO 20345. S1P is the usual dry indoor pattern. S3 adds a water-resistant upper, a cleated sole and penetration resistance. Chainsaw boots are a separate product marked to BS EN ISO 17249. The safety-shoe top pick is the Titan Argon TS23 at about £10.96, the only title that prints S3 SR FO and EN ISO 20345:2022. The star rating does not measure the toecap.
Are cut protection gloves chainsaw gloves?
Cut protection gloves on amazon.co.uk in this set are thin knits or coated liners for a knife, a mandoline, glass or a metal edge. EN 388:2016 reads as abrasion, coupe cut or X, tear, puncture, then an ISO 13997 letter A to F. Twelve listings run from about £3.90 to about £21.99. The top pick is the NoCry size M knit at about £13.99. Reviews say a point still goes through. None of these ASINs is a chainsaw glove.
Does a forestry helmet stop a chainsaw?
A forestry helmet here is a hard hat sold with a mesh visor and helmet-mounted ear defenders for chainsaw, strimmer and brushcutter work. On the ground, look for BS EN 397 or BS EN 14052, a BS EN 1731 mesh visor and BS EN 352-3 muffs. Off the ground, HSE and AFAG want BS EN 12492. The top pick is the Stihl Function Basic at about £42.99. The helmet is not chainsaw cut-protection. HSE says no PPE gives complete protection against a chainsaw cut.
Why is there no top pick for garden gloves?
No top pick is named. The score on each row is the amazon.co.uk star rating scaled to 100, several gloves share 4.6, and none of the eleven listings prints an EN 388 level. A thorn-proof title is not a puncture test. The best value is the PROGANDA medium three-pack at about £5.62 for light weeding and tool grip. It is not waterproof and not a thorn barrier.
Do the winter and waterproof gloves print a cold-protection code?
None of the nine winter work gloves prints an EN 511 code. A site that needs a marked cold glove cannot treat those pages as proof. Prices run from £4.99 to £29.99. The top pick is the OriStout large at about £9.99 for wet outdoor work. On the waterproof comparison, a waterproof title is not an EN 511 result and not an EN 374 result. The top pick is the Baratec twelve-pack at about £28.65, the only printed EN 388:2016 2121X.
Are work trousers the same as chainsaw trousers?
Work trousers in this set are ordinary working clothes: cargo cuts, branded trade pairs, joggers, and the occasional fleece-lined or hi-vis pair. HSE treats ordinary working clothes as outside the PPE regulations until the garment controls a specific risk. Hi-vis clothing is in scope. Ten listings run from about £13.99 to about £44.63. None prints EN 14404 or EN ISO 20471. The top pick is the WrightFits Pro-11 at about £21.49. Chainsaw trousers are a different comparison, with a fibre pack in the legs and a class on the label.
How were these protective clothing comparisons made?
Products Compared read amazon.co.uk listings for fourteen protective-clothing comparisons. Prices are GBP shelf prices. Stars and review counts are the UK lines on those listings. Scores on the comparison pages are editorial readings of those listings, not a laboratory test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Where a listing omits a class, an EN code or a review line, that gap stays on the comparison page.