Tecasafe anyone? Expiration date for wildland cothing?

[Skojo]

Hi folks,

Our dept is looking at purchasing some coat/pant sets for the few (1-3 per year) small wildfires we have in upstate NY. I've read previous threads on Nomex vs Indura. One clothing retailer is selling products made of Tecasafe. Can anyone explain what this is and/or how it compares to either Nomex or Indura? Thanks!

~Skojo

PS - Is there a NFPA standard/recommendation on the expiration of wildland clothing, similar to the "10-year" recommendation for turnout gear?

[Krausnp]

Hey Skojo,

Tecasafe Plus is a blend of 3-4 fibers that provides inherent FR properties along with inherent moisture management, meaning you will not wash out the protection like with Indura and you won't wash out the comfort like with Nomex. Tecasafe Plus (TSP) actually provides better thermal protection than Nomex but for about 2/3 of the cost. In comparison to Indura, TSP has significantly better durability.

Currently there is no expiration date for wildland gear. The only thing that determines the life of the garment, is what sort of condition it is in (i.e. holes and tears).

Nick