Turnout gear preference

[firefighter35 0]

What is everyones gear preference? Currently wearing Globe Gxtreme, which I like. But have heard alot about other manufactures, and would like to hear what everyone has to say.

[pjreilly 6]

Morning Pride. Comfortable right out of the package.

[Danger 160]

Favor the Morning Pride over the Gxtreme. Just feels a lot more comfortable on me, it weighs a little more but fits me better than the GX7 which fit more like MC Hammer pants. I'd pretty much wear anything over the FireDex or Lion or whatever it is we have at work. Basically a Carhartt coat lined with tin foil.

[traumajunky 5]

Still wearing Morning Pride manufactured in '96... holding up better than the Globe turnouts our department purchased in '03... I look more like a rookie because my gear has held up alot better... and yes they have seen more fire than the new sets of gear! Did I mention I can move all my joints easily... wouldn't even take Globe as a back-up set. Just my opinion...

Another question to go along with this... What color turnouts do you prefer/does it differ from the color your department uses?

I've worn tan with pink/silver triple trim... went to black with yellow/silver triple trim... can't say I liked tan with pink, feeling was mutual in the department.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

Morning Pride. It fits like a new suit.

Then G Extreme. I find this a little bulkier and also stays a little stiffer longer when first worn.

[Rimrockny24 0]

I feel it is a personal preference. I have had both gxtreme and morning pride, and I feel that gxtreme is much more comfertable then morning pride. In my opinion morning pride feels heavier too. The only thing I truely like better about the morning pride is that you can get the internal harness for it whereas I beleive you can only get the external harness with the globe.

[RDUNC67 1]

I feel it is a personal preference. I have had both gxtreme and morning pride, and I feel that gxtreme is much more comfertable then morning pride. In my opinion morning pride feels heavier too. The only thing I truely like better about the morning pride is that you can get the internal harness for it whereas I beleive you can only get the external harness with the globe.

Globe does have the "IH" trousers for the G-Xtreme available now. (Internal Harness)

[Rimrockny24 0]

They must have just come out with it, because they did not offer it about a year ago.

[Bunkers 0]

When I was an Explorer, I bought myself a set of Chieftain. I used that set for my time in explorers, classes and then some. It was a decent first set of gear, but it was obviously not the best quality. My Department recently just got Morning Pride and it is awesome. Everything is custom fit and it fits perfectly. I find myself being able to move around in ways that most turnouts wouldnt allow for. My favorite part of Morning Pride, aside from it looking cool, is the fact that you can move your arms freely without the rest of the coat moving around. I dont know if that makes the most sense but Im sure that anyone with morning pride can attest to that. Morning Pride fits like bunker gear should fit.

I have tried on GXtreme and I didnt like it. I found it to be entirely too bulky. There is way more material than needed, especially in the pants.

It seems that the most popular turnouts (around here at least) are Gxtreme, morning pride and reaXion. Those are what my Dept looked into and I am very glad they decided to go with Morning Pride. I think it was an excellent all around choice.

[Engfire 0]

Moring Pride all the way.

P.S. it also helps that the factory for Morning pride is right in our backyard.

[IzzyEng4 427]

My vollie deptarment issued us new Cairnes gear, similar in style to a Morning Pride specification. I like it, its confortable, you can still "feel" heat so you know if your too far in, its not bulky and its lightweight. I have tried Morning Pride, Janesville / Lion and also Bristol which I think are very good as well.

(Plus it has to be black!!! )

[E-38VMFD 0]

I have been using Globe GX-7 and i can't complain, it worked fine but my new gear coming in is gXtreme and i know already that the gear is great. you move freely so you can work and is lightweight. i have never used Morning pride so i don't know, but from what i hear its good stuff

[Guest]

What is everyones gear preference? Currently wearing Globe Gxtreme, which I like. But have heard alot about other manufactures, and would like to hear what everyone has to say.

Morning Pride with out a doubt have had both Globe and Carins

[Guest]

I love my globe g-xtreme gear its very comfortable along with the globe boots that i just recently got.

[Bnechis 3,961]

I feel it is a personal preference. I have had both gxtreme and morning pride, and I feel that gxtreme is much more comfertable then morning pride. In my opinion morning pride feels heavier too.

Gear options include fabric weight, for all components, shell, liner, etc. So one maybe lighter if its spec'ed that way. Some depts like that because its lighter, i.e not as hot (important in FL or Tx) but that also means less protection. It also may be cheaper.

[FFD941 20]

(Plus it has to be black!!! )

Why??...

[xfirefighter484x 234]

(Plus it has to be black!!! )

Why??...

Ninja firefighters!!

Dark so we are less visible at night!!

Edited January 2, 2008 by xfirefighter484x

[COMMANDCHIEF 4]

The FREE kind..

[firefighter36 52]

I have worn the following sets of gear:

1. Cairns PBI (Tan with green striping) with a heavy liner- not bad, not great. It was my first set issued for my vol. training class.

2. Globe PBI (Tan w/ Green NYC Striping) from my old Vol. Dept. in CT- Good stuff, light liner, and fit nice, the cut could have been better.

3. Globe GX-7, (Black w/ NYC Striping) when I got hired at my current job. This stuff was best described like above- Carhartt with Tin Foil Liner. Heavy, bad cut, and no waist support, so your back always hurt from suspenders. The coat didn't fit well with an air pack on, which meant the shoulders took a beating.

4. Globe G-Extreme (Black w/ NYC Striping)- Advance with a very light liner- awesome stuff. Also does not require suspenders, which I find to be a great advantage. I am satisfied with it. Had an issue with the liner, but it was repaired promptly.

Helmets

1. Bullard Metro (bed-pan)- uncomfortable, rode high, and that stupid fold down face shield that made it look more like a welding mask than helmet. Junk.

2. Cairns Metro w/ goggles- hands down the most comfortable helmet ever, a low ride, low profile, and extremely light. Looks like you have a salad bowl on your head, but that is the price you pay for safety and superior protection.

3. Morning Pride/ Ben 2- Heavy and bulky, but it was a good helmet. Wore it to the fire academy and the first 2 yrs. on the job. Currently my spare.

4. Bullard New Yorker- I know, its not leather, which means its way lighter! And it fits me better than a Cairns 1010. Been using this almost 3 yrs, and can't complain one bit about it. Practical, economical, and reliable.

As for gear color- I can care less, whatever provides highest visibility and best protection works fine for me. People cry tradition (FFD941 is a self-proclaimed tradition hater though!) I suggest that each dept. gets what suits their call type the best, but if we did that, I'd be in Morning Pride EMS gear or ARFF gear at helicopter landings (that stuff must be awesome for night time visibility!)

Bottom line- use what fits best, and what works best for the application. Be practical, the more bells and whistles, the more problems you tend to have. My only real complaints are that my outside harness seems to wear at the shell, but I have seen internal ones do more damage to liners. More importantly get the gear that is going to provide maximum visibility and give you the best chance at safety when you're on the street. Tan and Orange striping sticks out like a sore thumb. The traditional black/green, though sharp looking, is like urban camo, and as such you may not be as visible. Everything has the plus and minus. Add it up and get what best suits your department's response and scope of work.

Edited January 2, 2008 by mbendel36

[JustSomeGuy 0]

The FREE kind..

I think this is a large problem, too many chiefs choose whatever costs the least w/o listening to their men, seeing what is more comfortable, and what they can perform the job better in.

In regards to this thread I will say this, I have worn two kinds of gear "Globe Xtreme" and Morning Pride, in my mind there is no comparison. Morning Pride blows the competition out of the water. Much more room in the shoulders for any over the head work, the Xtreme limits movement and tight feeling in the shoulders. Xtreme pants literally fit like a diaper, and I am not the first person to describe it this way. Morning pride fit the legs very well as well as providing adequate knee protection, the extreme has small piece of suede or "dragon scales/skin" which doesn't do much, just has a fancy name. And one last thing, Morning Pride comes to you, and tailors the gear to YOU, as for Xtreme, you drive down to nearest distributor where they give you what they have in stock, and sizing only takes into account your waist, thats all, thinking everyone has some junk in their trunk and that everyone wants to swim in their pants. LOL again JMO, but I feel strongly on this subject and am extremely anti GXtreme.

Edited January 2, 2008 by JustSomeGuy

[Bnechis 3,961]

The FREE kind..

"you get what you pay for"

Since the department is required by law to provide the gear, why would you not want the best?

And the "Best" does not always mean the most expensive.

In Feb 2007 we got a Fire Act grant for turnout gear. Because of our population our match should be 20%. we found that the cheepest gear on the market that met NFPA's 2002 Standard, but not the 2006 (no drag harness) was what the grant would cover. The grant requires we meet NFPA. We asked about the cost difference and were told we could make up the difference.

Note: when we wrote the grant in Feb 06' we asked for the difference, stating the NFPA change would go into effect before the awards.

We spec morning pride because we feel they are superior. We made up the difference, our share was 34%.

We are still gratefull for the grant, but this shows the $$$ issue on gear.

[Guest]

Sleepy Hollow uses Morning Pride