where do you keep yours?  on your helmet?  you have to clean them after each fire?

In the pocket of your turnout?  do they get scratched up and are they inconvenient to grab?

in a gear bag?  do you forget them when you need them?

I'm making my decision based on your experience.

There are several different mounting options - we had the "hard mount" type that used setscrews and brackets to mount to the rim of the lid. They sucked. The straps couldn;t be mounted far enough back and down to keep the sides of the goggles against your face.

Our new goggles are full strap (traditional) style. I keep 'em in my coat pocket. I've found I use a close fitting set of ANSI rated safety glasses more, and our SCBA facepiece is ANSI rated for impact protection.

Yes, they get scratched up, and yes, they're inconvenient.

I want my Bourkes back!

I've still got a set of the ESS hardmounts like Tango described. They are the suxxor. They don't fit for side protection, and they fog up like a mother. I'll be ditching them as soon as I get a set of full straps, of maybe some Oakleys like the .mil uses with clear lenses??

Mine are hard mounted to my helmet, and I've not had any problems with them, and I've worn them through several burns.  I keep them flipped over the back of my helmet when not in use, and we are issued nomex protective covers to go over them.

The cheap helmets that came with our thermal imagers have this neat little pouch on top of the back of the helmet for holding the goggles.  It looks like it would do the job.

But until my department gets some goggles worth a shit, I'll keep my visor.

Googles suck, real firefighters have a shield

Quoted: Googles suck, real firefighters have a shield

I have a shield, it sits on the front of my helmet, its made of leather. Wrap around goggles for me, I just keep them in a coat pocket.  

Quoted: I have a shield, it sits on the front of my helmet, its made of leather. Wrap around goggles for me, I just keep them in a coat pocket.

Sweet, you have one of those toy helmets that ya get from dead cows

Now this is a real firefighters helmet

Quoted: Quoted: I have a shield, it sits on the front of my helmet, its made of leather. Wrap around goggles for me, I just keep them in a coat pocket.   Sweet, you have one of those toy helmets that ya get from dead cows Now this is a real firefighters helmet www.allhandsfire.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/660C.jpg

You did it now.

Let me guess, you are a PETA life member.  


Leather boots and lid for me.  I hate that plastic crap.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I have a shield, it sits on the front of my helmet, its made of leather. Wrap around goggles for me, I just keep them in a coat pocket.   Sweet, you have one of those toy helmets that ya get from dead cows Now this is a real firefighters helmet www.allhandsfire.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/660C.jpg You did it now.

Quoted: Let me guess, you are a PETA life member.   Leather boots and lid for me.  I hate that plastic crap.

Nothing like having a dead cow on you're head keeping ya alive now is there

My boots are Warrington pro 5000's and they rock as boots should be leather not rubber crap.

However, all modern day helmets are plastic/other synthetics just wrapped with leather to "look" good while the modern day materials are what protects and keeps ya alive

My "goggles" are kept in the box they came in when issued, I dont wear them.  If I need eye protection,  I wear Z87 type eyewear.  I carry nothing on my helmet, and refuse to until it becomes policy...and is then enforced.

Quoted: Now this is a real firefighters helmet

I like you... you're a funny...

... the modern day materials are what protects and keeps ya alive

BS Brother... it's training, teamwork, and tactics that keep you alive.

Back in the day, leatherlungs used to fight the Beast with leather helmets & rubber coats and no SCBAs. The advantages that modern technology have given as are admirable, and I wouldn't "leather lung" nowdays unless it was the only way out of the shit... but at the same time there are folks in this business who's word is gospel that espoused ideas that became practice that became SOP's that have us going in farther in faster, and getting ourselves deeper in the shit before we know it, especially with new home construction techniques.

Nothing wrong until Mr. Murphy shows up, then at best it's a "Man, that was some shit!" story when you're bcak rolling hose; at worst it's a NIOSH investigation and "WTF?"  while we're draping black or purple bunting and cleaning out a locker (while the white shirts hone their creative writing and job hunt during their lunch hours).

The biggest advantages with the new gear is it less us do our job longer, lighter, and with a higher post-employment expectant mortality date. No complaints, I want to see my kids grow up and eventually do the Grandpa thing.

But if you've relying on your basic equipment to guarantee your survival, then things have gone too far.

OK, lecture's over ... here's our rig:



In basic black, of course...

However, all modern day helmets are plastic/other synthetics just wrapped with leather to "look" good...

Yeah... something about tha NFPA wanting us to have more protection that a Listed construction type hard hat.

I want my Cairns New Yorker!!!

Quoted: but at the same time there are folks in this business who's word is gospel that espoused ideas that became practice that became SOP's that have us going in farther in faster, and getting ourselves deeper in the shit before we know it, especially with new home construction techniques.

I've heard these guys described (defended?) as "good, aggressive firefighters."

Fortunately, most have already retired.  Maybe we'll now have fewer LODD.

SCBA Facemask for overhaul. (It's SOP) Saftey glasses kept in turnout coat for exterior operations, vehical extrications or anything else requiring eye protection. To minumize scratches to the lenses I put GLAD PressNseal on them. Keeps em scratch free and rips off easy even with gloves on.

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Quoted: SCBA Facemask for overhaul. (It's SOP) Saftey glasses kept in turnout coat for exterior operations, vehical extrications or anything else requiring eye protection. To minumize scratches to the lenses I put GLAD PressNseal on them. Keeps em scratch free and rips off easy even with gloves on.

wow, that looks so cool.  what happens in a house fire to the pressNseal, should you have your googles on your helmet?  does it melt?  ooops, never mind, it looks like you put them on your lenses, then put the glasses in your pocket.  i like your idea.

Quoted: but at the same time there are folks in this business who's word is gospel that espoused ideas that became practice that became SOP's that have us going in farther in faster, and getting ourselves deeper in the shit before we know it, especially with new home construction techniques.

The advancement of gear allows you to go deeper and unfortunately has some end up where they shouldnt be.  It is training, knowledge and experience that one needs to rely on, not what  some chief 50 years ago in long coats and day boots developed as operating procedures.  

Side note, I guess I'm just inexperienced with this firefighting goggle craze, but I just dont see the practicality of wearing them on your helmet for the few times you might use them versus the times you put on your helmet and wont be.  At least thats how I see it.  I carry a duffle bag of shit I might use but dont want in my gear at all times.  I reach for whatever based on the dispatch of the call or sizeup on arrival.  

wow, that looks so cool.  what happens in a house fire to the pressNseal, should you have your googles on your helmet?  does it melt?  ooops, never mind, it looks like you put them on your lenses, then put the glasses in your pocket.  i like your idea.

I have never any problems with the pressNseal melting. I have however, melted goggles that were hard mounted to my helmet, and I have seen people melt their flip down visors, and bork shields as well; if you were concidering those avenues. I'm not saying either of those are wrong, or bad, in anyway. Just observations.
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Goggles? No.
Borques? Yes.

Quoted: Goggles? No. Borques? Yes.

bourques barely qualify as eye protection.  I'm not sure they're even NFPA OK'd.

Quoted: Quoted: Goggles? No. Borques? Yes. bourques barely qualify as eye protection.  I'm not sure they're even NFPA OK'd.

I believe they are as long as you have something on underneath them.  But I could be wrong, it's been known to happen.  

Face shield and SCBA mask for me - goggles sit on my hemmet for decoration and to occasionally melt. The real question is where the hell are my gloves!

Quoted: I'm not sure they're even NFPA OK'd.

Of course not... just like your N5A's...

Remember what NFPA stands for:
Not
For
Practical
Application

If you didn't spend at least $100 dollars more than the commercially available equivalent, then it's not NFPA approved.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Goggles? No. Borques? Yes. bourques barely qualify as eye protection.  I'm not sure they're even NFPA OK'd. I believe they are as long as you have something on underneath them.  But I could be wrong, it's been known to happen.

IMHO, Borques are useless "look cool" crap.
My department will let you wear Borques on your helmet ONLY if you also have mounted, NFPA approved goggles.
Im not sure if that is the NFPA standard, or if it is just the stance of the Fire District I work for.

I wear a leather lid w/ borques, but keep the goggles in my pocket. One fire and the goggles are toast, so there's no point in mounting them. Even when I need to wear goggles, a pair of saftey glassess works beautifully.

I got a $7 pair of clear lens glasses in my turnout pocket.  I keep them in a Crown Royal bag to keep them from getting scratched.

I got a bullard LT model with ess goggles and they SUCK.  Visibility decreases and they push on my nose so it sounds like I have a cold.  I carry safety glasses in my coat pocket and use them instead.  I want my faceshield back.