Carins 515 Navigators

[Truckie5055]

I don't know if anyone else has seen thenm or had the opportunity to use them but the new helmet that Carins released in Dalas at Fire Rescue last year the 515 Navigator but these helmets are nice. My department purchased the firefighters all this new style to replace our older model helmets the older style 660's non ratcheted. For most of our firefighters this was there first exposure to a ratchet system well they have fell in love with them. But good luck trying to find out info on them from Carins they told me that that helmet didn't exist funny I ordered one from them for personal use outside of my department. But the helmets look like a 660 only no brim on it and have a different style refelctor on it, and ESS Goggles. If anybody has had any problems with them I would like to know they are really in my opinon at $175.

[FiremedicMike]

Are those the ones that look like a construction helmet?

[OSUfirepro]

Good luck Cory. I was trying to found out the difference between the Cairns 360 structural and the 660 metro. I got one reply on here, but it didn't help much. I also couldn't find out any info on MSA's web sight.

[MetalMedic]

Cairns... good luck trying to get them to help you with ANYTHING.... They certainly had nothing to say to a department I used to be on when we tried to work with them on mounting flashlights to our helmets. We asked for advise.. they gave is a flat DO NOT DO IT and refused to discuss the matter any further...

[Ten8_Ten19]

Richard... you didn't really think they were going to advise you on how to attach anything to your helmet did you?

[MetalMedic]

Originally posted by Ten8_Ten19:
Richard... you didn't really think they were going to advise you on how to attach anything to your helmet did you?

It wasn't "me" that was working with Cairns... it was the "department" who had just purchased new Metro helmets for the entire staff. The members wanted to put Mini-Mag lights on the helmet, so the administration decided to follow the instructions in the owner's manual. They contacted Cairns before allowing the members to attach a Mini-Mag light using a common bracket they found in GALL's. Cairns response was not to attach ANYTHING to their helmet that was not made by Cairns. Doing so would negate all warranties. So, the department asked Cairns if they had a bracket to attach a Min-Mag to their helmet. Their response was, that they did not approved of anyone attaching "bells and wistles" to their product... and that was it.
They did not respond to our answer explaining that a simple flashlight was a safety device and not a "bell or wistle"...

So, we didn't get flashlights on our helmets and th entire department had a bad taste left in their mouths as far as Cairns was concerned. I haven't bought any Cairns product since then.

[ 08-08-2001: Message edited by: MetalMedic ]