Globe vs. Janesville Turnout Gear

[ChiefDog]

We are presently looking at replacing our turnouts. We are looking at Globe GX-7 Advance and Janesville (Lion) With Advance shell. What have you seen with these companies and materials??

Thanks,

[AVFR452]

ChiefDog,

Cannot speak for the Advance, But we wear the GX-7 in Nomex. Can't beat the fit and the wear is excellent.

Chalk one up for Globe.

Stay Safe,

Jim

[bfpd36]

Wore the Globe for about 5 years and the stuff we had seemed to unravel a lot at the seams, not to mention the fit wasn't that good (the fit was probably more from the guy measuring us)

Have work Janesville for the last 8. The fit is great and it seems to hold up better.

I did get a steam burn while wearing Janesvillem but, it was a hot day already so I was sweating as soon as I put the gear on. And the fire I was in was extremely hot, hot enough to melt the faceshield off my helmet and cause damage to my mask. Only a 1st degree steam burn though, so I think it held up very well.

[FiremedicMike]

I _LOVE_ my janesville gear, I find it very comfortable, holds up great, dries quickly. Just very nice overall!

[Natexmolly3ltexsfd]

Chalk another one up for Globe,

Im a fire explorer and my dad is a 29yr Vet who now has Globe, They have always had globe. For a few years they had janesville but my father did not like them at all and eventually the dept. switched back to globe. I now have their old gear (janesville) and its alright, but i would love to have Globe, Their gear is lighter and their technology is better.

[medic1085]

We have used both, Janesville does offer a few better options like a 29" coat, and the ugly green knee both of which a excellent, but overall they are fairly equal in wear and service life.

Good Luck

[FitzBFDT2]

Have you looked at Morning Pride?

[Will24]

I have quaker nomex, make fun of it as much as you'd like but it's affordable, it's durable and it's made right here in Pennsylvania...

My department however is debating buying cairns basofil and I would support the decision if it were made, that stuff is down right comfortable to wear!

[fireman_387]

Sometime take a look at your smaller companies making gear. All the materials comes from the same places (like Southern Mills for the majority of US gear mfg's). It is all in how it is stitched together. Another consideration in using a smaller company is the fact that their custom options are easier to incorporate. Still a third thought is that the customer service should be exceptional as these companies want to get a bigger piece of the pie, they will take better detail to their work.

[ChiefG1630]

Have your Globe dealer quote Cairns - made on the same assembly line by the same people

They have the same options

Cairns is less expensive!

Check out their stock gear - no 100 day wait and the gear is the same as special orders.

[distchief60b]

Fireman387 is right....Look hard at quaker...thier seams are lock stiched and surged. Wont unravel if cut. Also use 8-12 stiches/inch as opposed to most who use 6-8. And...as he said...it is all in the construction as most companies buy from southern mills or dupont.... Quaker has great customer service....and gear is custom fit and delivered in 5-7 weeks. You are measured....not asked for your sizes and sent stock gear....CUSTOM MEASURED AND CUSTOM FIT.

Also...look hard at your liner system as this is closest to you and most important. Suggest you consider a CALDURA (5% filament liner)as it is the best whicking liner out. Then for your vapor barrier use STEDAIR 2000.

Quaker is Definitely affordable...expecially comparing Janesville and Globe....EXPENSIVE!!!!!!!

What outer fabric are you using now? PBI, NOMEX ADVANCE???? If in PBI...take a look at BASOFIL.....comparible and still affordable...

Watch out for those that will sell you gear with a Aquatech or breathtex liner in them. Because they will not meet the upcoming washing requirement in the standard, W.L.Gore has removed them from the market. It is not compliant in the 1971 standard for the 2000 edition. Anyone selling you that liner style "cheap" is unloading non-compliant gear. Look closely at your label and make sure it meets NFPA 1971, 2000 edition

[CFDENGINE3]

Any company you buy from gets there material from the same place as the other manufacturers, or at least has that option, Nomex, Pbi etc. If you don't at least look at MORNING PRIDE you are making a huge mistake. If you stopped at there booth at any of the trade shows and then went to Globe, Janesville or any other vendor it would be no contest, Morning Pride hands down. They seem to be very willing to listen to the people who wear there gear, when they get feedback they check it out good and bad, and innovate accordingly. Our department switched over about 11 years ago. We went to bid and Morning Pride under bid Globe by about $50.00 for a full set of gear [Boots, bunker pants, coat, gloves and hood.] My point is they are in the same ballpark. There service is excellent, and they are very consumer friendly, it started as a family operation and you can still talk to the owners. They gave us a complete set of gear for a field test, our choice of material, with every one of there options, at no charge, or obligation. We gave it to a member who was also an NYC firemen so he could put it through its paces at work. Our feeling was if it held up there it would be a sure thing for us. One of there big selling points are very innovative designs to relieve stress, there by not tiring you out as quickly [They actually have over 2 dozen U.S. patents on there gear]. Our guy worked in a busy truck company in hi-rise projects. He noticed almost immediately how he was not tiring with the rest of his company but was able to go further because he wasn't as fatigued. They wore great, we chose PBI, with Goretex liners. It was a no brainier. About 5 years later after fielding testing many brands FDNY also chose Morning Pride for there gear. We like to think they followed our lead [lol]. I don't sell there gear or anyone else's, but with all the options out there it would be ashamed to not check something this good out especially with such a large purchase, which you should have over a long period of time.
Good Luck

[MFD]

you really should look into Morning Pride. That's some GOOD STUFF.my set of gear(guessing) is about 5 years old.I've had it for 4 years and it was a "hand me down" from another big guy in the dept. It's holding up fine. We even have Morning Pride Helmets. our liners are Nomax. But like CFD said there customer service is AWESOME they are based out of Ohio (chief told me this story) We didn't even request a sales rep we we're calling around for prices and information about the gear. They came to our meeting(and they weren't like most salemen at meetings where there SUPER PUSHY to buy it) they said alright here's our product here's the features, here's why we think our prouduct better. Then i think within a week we placed a order for all new red Morning Pride gear(except mine which is Tan)
Almost all the departments around here run Morning Pride. I say it's all about how good the product is and how you treat the customers.
but overall on a scale of 1-10 I'd give them a 9.5

[firechief10]

Globe gear vs other brands.

I have worn Globe for over 30 years, since 76. Wearing the old heavy tradtional style with the neoprene moisture barrier is much heavier then the ones in use today. Our department has bought other brands and field tested them in comparison to Globe and has stayed with Globe. Today to the best of my knowledge all paid departments in the Washington DC Metro area and Northern Va area use the same spec, wearing the Globe Xtreme in PBI matrix, and as far as I know even paid departments in the surrounding Maryland counties use the same spec gear, and that's from visiting and training with other departments or seeing them on scene. So I think that says alot about Globe. Of course Cairns is now part of Globe so you're getting the same product with a different name.
I have seen a one piece overall gear used by the US Navy made by Janesville which looks like something I would be interrested in using, but have not been able to find it on the market, not sure if it's specialty item for DOD.
In talking with paid firefighters in Frederick Co Va they are also using Globe GX7 in the "Fairfax Spec" now called "NOVA Spec" also, but thier volunteer department is using gear made by Morning Pride which they claim is more comfortable and user friendly then the GX7, but they have not been issued Globe Xtreme yet, like other Northern Va departments so they can't compare it. I have worn and used both, I like both, the GX 7 and G-Xtreme are simular in feel to me, the G-Xtreme is lighter in wieght then the GX7. Now there is the G-xcel, which according to Globe is less stressful to wear then their other products. Cairns has the Reaxtion gear, which compares to the G-Xtrem, The Cairns RS-1 compares to the GX7 by Globe and finally the new Cairns RSX is the same as the Globe G-xcel, so they are virtually the exact same product with different names. It just depends on which on eyou can get a better deal on. But check it out yourself www.globefiresuits.com compare the booklets on both and go from there.

I'd like to see Globe bring back the Astra gear with the 28 inch coat, and bib style pants. I have a set I bought in yellow nomex I got in 1986 and it still looks fairly new and held up well, it cost me about $600.00 for a complete set. now a days you can't buy a nomex traditional coat for that. Having said that the cairns version of the Astra is still made , called Aegis, with very slight differences in specs.

Just realize Nomex has lower thermal protection rating then PBI but a longer shelf life. PBI is sensitive to sunlight and has a shelf life of about 5 years, which isn't a long time considering the cost. So if you can afford to budget $2000-$2500.00 every 3-5 years to replace your gear and want the higher temprature protection get the PBI/matrix. If you have a budget where you can spend $1200-$1500 every 5-10 years get the nomex/advance. Basofil (Alessandra yarn) costs more then the PBI...and offers even greater protection then PBI.

Your turn out gear is the most important tool you have. you need to know exactly what your gear is made of and the rating for it. I am amazed all the time when teaching how many firefighters have no clue what thier gear is made of, how old it is or the history on it. If your gear has been exposed to hydroarbons, fuel spills etc. it is a walking wick and can never be properly cleaned to reduce the hazard, even when sent to a cleaning and decon company. This information comes from the product litiure included with a new set of gear. Never use soap to clean your gear, a liquid laundry detergeant such as Tide is what Globe has listed on thier information booklets. Many firefighters take for granted thier department will protect them and know what they are buying or using. I have come accross many departments that thought they bought PBI in new Globe Gx7 when in fact they got Nomex/advance in Tan and had no idea until I pointed out the PRODUCT label inside the front of the coat. READ it! It tells you what your gear is made of and when it was made. If it is PBI and older then 5 years it's time to replace it, regardless of if it's been used or not. You have to know what your gear is, how old is it and what the specs are for it, nothing more in the your career as a firefighter does you life and safety depend on then your gear. You can not go by the color today to tell if you have nomex, pbi or Basofil they all come in a tan/ or gold color. PBI and Nomex come in Black. Only nomex comes in other colors like red or blue, or natural (white). Again you can't go by color. read the label, know your gear. I would stay away from on line auctions, most listings of gear on there that I have seen have no idea about the history maufactor date or product information on turnout gear. the ones I have written haven't been able to answer these basic important questions. If you see new gear or something certified as being safe and get written documentation from the seller of that, shop somewhere else. It's your life and your safety, a so called "good deal", may cost you way more in the long run, your life, permanent disabilty. Unless you are buying something strictly for winter warmth, non- fire related training or a halloween custome stay away from on line auction sites. Rememebr the old saying, "better safe then sorry". Is on line auctions savings worth the cost of a funeral or hospital stay or loss income for you and your family?

[BULL321]

Arise and walk! It almost 7 years old, but what the hell.

Stay Safe
Bull