Firefighters are picky when it comes to their protection gear.
Some only like a specific brand (and even color) of PPE, prefer Nomex over carbon hoods and always have a new boot on their Christmas wish list.
We wanted to know which hood firefighters like best — Nomex or carbon. So, we asked our fans on Facebook which hood they prefer and why. Here are some of their responses.
“I have a carbon hood now and the only thing I dislike about mine is that it takes longer to dry than a Nomex.” — James Gormish
“How about PBI? We haven’t used Nomex hoods for 15 years or so. Find the carbon hoods really comfortable but you definitely ‘feel’ more heat than when wearing PBI/Lenzing hoods.” — Gearoid Blake
“I feel more heat when using a carbon hood. I prefer Nomex to stay a little more insulated from the extreme conditions.” — Jay Wright
“I don’t use a hood. But if it was cold, I’d use Nomex.” — Billy Davis
“Carbon hood. Because they stand up to higher temps and it seems not to shrink as much as Nomex after washing.” — Christopher Tindle
“I wish I could tell the difference. I use a Reed hood. I figure that performance is what is best though, and the technology in the sock hoods has gotten a lot better in recent years. I am very curious to see what we adopt in the next few years.” — Willie Acklin
“I have both and I like the carbon one better. It is lightweight and feels better to me.” — Derek L. Milby
“I prefer a European style helmet with integrated flashood! It saves time putting on and allows me to use a clip-on BA mask. This allows me to put on and take off my mask without having to remove my helmet and flashood first. This is clearly the future to follow and a proven reality in Europe for about 30 years now.” — Wannes Gulinck
