Truckman belt vs Escape belt

[HPFD25]

I'm looking into buying either a truckman belt or an escape belt but cannot decide. Background: I'm from a mainly suburban area that is most of all 1-2 story houses, a mall, 5 hotels, restaurants, but we run M\A to a lot of rural areas. We do run a ladder truck for for all structure fires in district and out. So to get to my question: What do you use or prefer and what type of an escape belt (yates, gut(not made anymore))(if you use one).



Thanks,


.zimm

[fyrpiper32]

Iwould personally opt for the escape belt. It will cost a little more but will be a lot more versatile( you can add a tower strap for truck ops, etc.). I have A Gut Belt (supposedly they are coming back onto the market shortly) and love it. Bad thing about the truckman's belt is no life safety rating and not a lot of weight difference.

Be Safe,
Capt. Todd J.Matthews
South Lynches Fire Dept.

[Duffman]

Be sure to research your departments rules regarding life safety equipment. A few years ago my department was going to buy the Gut Belt for each member. Then they found out that it was not 3rd party certified (UL listed or an equivelant). The village had a policy that stated all life safety equipment must be.

[PAVolunteer]

Click here (http://www.gemtor.com/rescue.htm) and check out the first belt shown. In my opinion, this is the best, and it is designed for the fire service.

Stay Safe

[tripperff]

I'd probably get a pac-mule belt

http://www.pacmule.com/

looks like you can get a fairly good safety/tool belt from these guys

[FFFRED]

Well it depends on what you really want it for. For a Truck belt I always just wore a top grain Boston Leather Truck Belt. It worked great. I always liked the simplicity of the ring and clip.

But if you want a harness for escape all you need to know is the link to Gemtor which PAvolunteer provided. When I work in the Truck Co. I put one on every time.

But according to your description of your city you might just want to go with a normal Truck Belt and learn the many methods of removing yourself from a bad situation with just a rope and halligan.

FTM-PTB

[hfd66truck]

Look hard at the Colorado trucker by Fire Innovations.

Go to Rapid Intervention (http://www.rapidintervention.com) and ask Jim Crawford, I believe he was field testing it.

Fire Innovations (http://go.fireinnovations.com/)

And for the record, I am not a salesperson of any kind. I saw this belt at the expo in San Diego and it was interesting.

There are a couple of guys on my job using a adjustable pick off strap held around their waist with a biner. They attach a short prusik to it with another biner on the end for use a ladder belt. I don't have the exact numbers..but everything is rated for this type of use.

Dave

[hwoods]

My current belt is from Yates. I have had several others, but the Yates is the best by far. And, it is 3rd party certified. Stay Safe....

[fyrpiper32]

I actually talked with the guy that designed the Colorado Trucker Belt. Man, that thing is a CADILLAC!!! Only downside is the price. Supposedly they're coming out ewith one made of nylon that should be half the price.

[ADSNWFLD]

What are you going to use it for?
We have to wear our truck belts (the gut belt switching to Yates) and most guys don't use it for anything. Everyone has 20' of webbing for removal or a hose strap and I think that is fine. I can also use the webbing to make a hasty harness if needed.
One belt I did like and use from time to time was my Milwaukee spanner belt. It has a spanner end and is long enough to use as a rope hose tool http://www.rbfab.com/Item/SB-1.htm

[SLYtruckie]

Well it depends on what you really want it for. For a Truck belt I always just wore a top grain Boston Leather Truck Belt. It worked great. I always liked the simplicity of the ring and clip.

But if you want a harness for escape all you need to know is the link to Gemtor which PAvolunteer provided. When I work in the Truck Co. I put one on every time.

But according to your description of your city you might just want to go with a normal Truck Belt and learn the many methods of removing yourself from a bad situation with just a rope and halligan.

FTM-PTB

OK heres the thing. Ive been wearing a boston leather belt for about a month now, I wanted a belt to hold some equipment, and for the fact they look great. Now what I want to know from your personal expirence is the boston leather truckmans belt a safe belt to tie yourself off to a ladder or a aerial platform. Because ive read that some companys are using these belts for that purpose. I was playing with the idea of getting a gut belt but I didnt know if I should spend the extra money. And the reason im asking is because I want to use it for tying into our 65' snorkel.

[cap6888]

I used to wear a Boston Leather Truckie Belt. It was nice to wear to carry an axe to the roof, then I started hanging my flashlight from it. In the end, I didn't find it as functional as I had wanted. It had some functionality, but overall it really didn't improve things for me. I am planning to buy one of the Fire Innovations Colorado belts ($$$ has kept me from doing it sooner). I think the Colorado belt is less bulky than a lot of the other escape belts out there. I plan on putting belt loops on my running pants and using it as an escape belt/ladder belt. I was thinking about the Gemtor harness, but in my opinion, it adds extra weight and bulk compared to the Colorado Belt. Like someone mentioned above, if Fire Innovations comes out with a nylon version, it would not only be cheaper, but lighter. Bottom line, if you are going to get a belt, you might as well get one than can be used as an escape belt too.

Some people balk at the whole "escape belt" thing, and think it is a waste of money if the dept doesn't provide it. I am a firm believer in the better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it philosophy. Also in my weird way of thinking, if i spend money on self rescue stuff, I will probably never have to use it. If I try to save the money, I will be hanging out a window kicking myself for being a cheap bastard.

Stay Safe

[firemandaddy]

I have seen these belts worn by the Windy City Brothers, but have not seen any place they can be purchased.... Is Germanator not producing these belts???? I know they make other types of harness etc, but would like to here others opinions on this belt. Thanks much!!!

[BLSboy]

This is what I have. A little pricy, but well worth it
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/products/20041103050827_Photo2.jpg

I am fixin to get rid of it, since the new bunkergear has the intergrated harness.

[mcaldwell]

This is what I have. A little pricy, but well worth it
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/products/20041103050827_Photo2.jpg

I am fixin to get rid of it, since the new bunkergear has the intergrated harness.


We have two of these in service, and they are great if you want more than a basic pant/escape belt. NFPA Class II, and Life Safety Rated. Add any one of these for a belt that will hold a lot of gear.

http://www.yatesgear.com/rescue/firerescue/harnesspads/index.htm




But for the aerial, we have the FFRED Escape system on all our Dragar SCBA, and I have just ordered a couple of the ladder hooks for them as well to eliminate the need for a second belt. If the guys are not going to use SCBA, they can grab one of the Yates harnesses, or we have a few standard 8" ladder belts with 3 foot lanyards.

[jbrescue]

Yates offers several options. They have a "Gut Belt" style as well as the Ladderman belt. The Ladderman can be worn as a ladder belt or a class 2 harness. Here is a link: http://www.jbrescue.com/harnesses.htm scroll down to the ladderman harness.

[KEEPBACK200FEET]

This is what I have. A little pricy, but well worth it
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/products/20041103050827_Photo2.jpg

I am fixin to get rid of it, since the new bunkergear has the intergrated harness.

I like that harness. The Kevlar is a little pricey though. I wonder if this would work:http://www.thefirestore.com/store/products/20041103050800_Photo2.jpg

I would buy a Gemtor harness, but I'm not in a rescue department anymore, I'm simply in a department that handles fire suppression and EMS. Our county has a separate squad that handles all rescue related incidents. Still though, I like the idea of being able to have a belt (and a harness) to hang my bail out bag on and maybe some other things. However, I may just go with this:
http://www.thefirestore.com/store/products/20070705093024_Photo2.jpg
It's confusing.

[mcaldwell]

I like that harness. The Kevlar is a little pricey though. I wonder if this would work:http://www.thefirestore.com/store/products/20041103050800_Photo2.jpg



It looks like a devcent harness, but depending on your plans, I would be very leery of purchasing any over the coat harness that has nylon components (despite thier "Fire resistant" claims). They will probably melt before you feel the heat.

If it is just a bunker pant belt, it might not be so bad, but don't cheap out with a critical peice of gear. :)

[blink58truckie]

im a product designer with a great deal of knowledge in materials and processes. leather is one of the highest strength to weight ratios of any material. thats why its been around for so long. remember, were buying leather helmets and boots again, after being told they were unsafe. also coming from the design world, products are designed for an average. and with the average american is steriotypically overweight, these belts are often designed to hold 3 or four people. so the only real difference that i can see between the two is the little piece of paper that says its rated. the only thing that will do is cover your dept and your ass if you infact get hurt using it. but other than that. i would feel safe with a piece of kernmantle tied around me in a bowline knot. but to each their own i suppose.

[KEEPBACK200FEET]

Good point. I think I'm just going to go with a Gut Belt or a Yates Escape Belt.

[giweff]

I have the gut belt and love it but if my dept world let us get the tabs on bunker gear for a harness like FDNY I would go with that instead, since I use my belt more for the bailout purpose instead of carrying stuff like many other people use the belt for.

[SLYtruckie]

im a product designer with a great deal of knowledge in materials and processes. leather is one of the highest strength to weight ratios of any material. thats why its been around for so long. remember, were buying leather helmets and boots again, after being told they were unsafe. also coming from the design world, products are designed for an average. and with the average american is steriotypically overweight, these belts are often designed to hold 3 or four people. so the only real difference that i can see between the two is the little piece of paper that says its rated. the only thing that will do is cover your dept and your ass if you infact get hurt using it. but other than that. i would feel safe with a piece of kernmantle tied around me in a bowline knot. but to each their own i suppose.

GO LINK YOUR THE MAN