Try This On: How to Properly Size Bunker Gear

Advice for finding your fit from Fire-Dex

Todd Herring, V.P. of Product Innovation and Strategy, Fire-Dex

As a firefighter, you work in dynamic environments and need gear that allows you to perform to your optimal ability. Selecting new turnout gear and composites for your department is a crucial decision that can improve your crew’s safety and performance. And no matter what gear you might be sizing up, accurately sizing each ensemble will ensure a proper fit that provides the best mobility and protection for the person wearing it.

There is much to consider when making a purchase that can impact your department for years to come. The following advice can help you take correct measurements head-totoe when outfitting firefighters for new garments.

SIZING YOUR CREW

If trial gear or direct assistance is not available from your equipment supplier, Fire-Dex recommends the following methods for sizing your crew. Be sure to have a good tape measure on hand as well as a Brannock Device® for measuring footwear. Also, be sure to record all information using a checklist for consistency.

All measurements should be taken with the person’s arms at their sides in an “at ease” stance and with station wear on. Also, when measuring for one manufacturer’s gear, never use a different manufacturer’s methods as even slight variations between gear and sizing instructions can add up to serious problems when equipment does not fit like a glove.

Taking extra care with your measurements and checking twice is always the best starting place for your sizing activity. Adhere to these guidelines for both men and women: • Chest: Measure loosely over clothing around the fullest part of the chest and below the arms with arms at rest. For broad shoulders or muscled arms and/or back, an over-the-T-shirt arm/chest measurement is helpful. As a common practice, add four inches to your measurement. Pro tip: If an individual’s midsection is considerably larger than their chest you should document these differences when ordering gear.

A coat measuring 46 inches on the top and bottom, for

instance, may not comfortably fit a person having a largersize abdomen. Fire-Dex gives customers the option to increase the hem and sleeve area of their coat up to a ten inch differential of the chest size. • Bust (females only): Measure over clothing, around the fullest part of the bust, and below the arms with arms at rest. • Sleeve: Measure sleeve lengths from the middle of the back, from the vertebrae at the base of the neck, over the shoulder to the point on the hand that is required (generally to the thumb crotch). Longer is usually recommended for better protection.

Do not bend the arms. Pro tip: For individuals with particularly large hands and/ or forearms, a wider cuff can make it much easier to insert one’s arms through the sleeves. • Waist: Waist is measured at the point where pants will be worn.

Add four inches for pants to normal waist size. Bigger is usually better for fit and comfort. The inside of the pants, at the waist, will measure the dimension you place on the order (32 inches, 34 inches, etc.). Pro tip: For individuals with a waist size greater than 40 inches, be extra mindful of how bunker pants fit over the hip and thigh area. For example, a stout, muscular person with a narrow waist might have trouble finding a comfortable position while wearing typical-size pants. In such cases, the pant area can be opened to minimize any such restriction. • Hips (females only): Measure at the widest point. • Inseam: Measure from the crotch seam (inside leg) to the top of the ankle. For baggy pants, be sure to pull the crotch up tight before taking your measurement. Inseam is measured from the crotch to the point on the foot that is required.

For better fit and comfort, choose a shorter length than you usually wear. The standard inseam is 28 inches to 30 inches. This is appropriate for anyone between 5’9” and 6’2.” For inseams 33 inches to 36 inches, add 10%; for 37 inches and up, add 20% to shell and liner. • Suspenders: Suspenders are measured from the rear suspender If you do not already have one, your gear supplier can provide a measurement guide for capturing people’s sizes and data.

post over the top of the shoulder to the front suspender post.

Correct-rise pants and rear bib size need to be used. Pro tip: Often firefighters wear their suspenders too high, which in turn pulls the bunker pant up too high. Crew should resist the urge to “crank up” one’s suspenders—a lower fit is typically preferred. • Gloves: The National Fire

Protection Association (NFPA) quick reference chart is a helpful guide for sizing structural fire gloves. It breaks down how NFPA sizes compare to most standard glove sizes:

STANDARD SIZING

XS SM MD LG XL 2XL

NFPA SIZING

70N 70W 76N 76W 82N 82W • Boots: Use a Brannock

Device to take the most accurate measurement (do not automatically assume one’s boot size based on their response alone).

MORE TO KNOW

Fire-Dex has sized gear for some of the country’s largest departments and knows what it takes to quickly find the right fit so crews aren’t tied down for long. These practical steps can help ensure a good experience for everyone involved:

• Remember this may be the first time a person has been sized.

Individuals can be apprehensive about what to expect. Measuring is a hands-on process that can make some people feel uncomfortable. Put people at ease by explaining the process in advance and consider having both a female and male participant on hand to take measurements.

• Instruct your crew to come dressed in typical station wear and not just for that day but with changes of clothes for all four Accurate bunker gear measurements are critical for the moments when every move counts.

seasons, from t-shirts and shorts to sweatshirts and blue jeans, also including socks and belts (even smartphones and other tools commonly carried in pockets). This will help ensure a fit that doesn’t feel too tight or too roomy as the weather changes.

• Explain there is no room for vanity sizing when measuring for bunker gear. While you should never argue with participants about their measurements, it is important to assert how accuracy is essential to providing the best mobility and protection possible. • Always error on the side of being an inch too long on your inseam or sleeve; never error on the short side. For instance, when a firefighter stores their gear by placing the pant cuff over their boot, an artificial shortening of the bunker pant can eventually occur due to the fabric becoming wrinkled and kinked. A shorter measurement can result in ensembles that do not provide adequate overlapping protection in vulnerable areas.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

Of course, experiencing the fit and flexibility of new bunker gear firsthand is the best way to know