Leather Helmets

[TRFirefighter25]

Who out there is currently using a leather helmet, Cairns, Paul Conway, Phoenix Tech, whatever. Tell us what kind of lid it is and what you think of it. Post pictures if ya want to. Stay safe everybody.

[TurbineTillis]

I am seriously thinking about buying a leather helmet. What are some of the advantages of leather v/s the other materials used?

Blessings,

Mark

[Weruj1]

do a search ..................then go to the Off Duty Forums and check out the "Helmet Pic" Thread ...........that should give you all that you need.

[TRFirefighter25]

A leather is no better nor worse than a composite traditional style (performance standards I mean) But the tradition and look is what sells you on the leather. I have used for for 2.5 years now and will never wear another (unless for some reason I am not allowed to any longer). The leathers tend to be kept by guys during there entire careers. My father got his last one in '86 and used it until he retired last year. Stay safe.

[dday05]

I would like to have one but, I still have to fight fire in the daytime and I'd feel bad if my white leather helmet looked like the helmet I wear now.

[fireman4949]

http://forums.firehouse.com/showthre...ght=helmet+pic

Nuff said!

[TRFirefighter25]

Well that is the good thing about leathers, the factory sells the paint to redo the helmet yourself. It is not hard at all. The other option is you can always send it back to the factory to be repainted, it takes like 2 weeks and cost like 100 bucks. Stay safe.

[dday05]

Well that is the good thing about leathers, the factory sells the paint to redo the helmet yourself. It is not hard at all. The other option is you can always send it back to the factory to be repainted, it takes like 2 weeks and cost like 100 bucks. Stay safe.

I think I'll stay with my BenII as I would have to buy a leather. I still can't get over destroying it I do know you can paint them like you said but I guess it's the idea of it. It would be a money trap sorta like how my wife and dirtbikes are....

[FDChief25]

This is how it goes in my company, Explorers wear Yellow cairns 660's during there tenure, once graduated to probationary firefighter, they are given a Black Cairns 1000 w/ a red probationary shield for the 1 year probie term. Once all required school and that 1 year is completed, the company will vote to either make then a class III firefighter or remain probie for a then determined length of time. If they are upgraded as expected they are presented with a brand new Black Cairns N5A Leather helmet and there regular black patent leather shield. They will retain this helmet unless they are voted into a lieutenant position, at which time they will be given a red N5A. We have 1 Chief (White Obviously), 2 Deputy Chiefs (also White), 3 Captains (Red w/ white shield), 4 Lieutenants (Red w/ red shields), also we have 2 Safety officers who were Green Cairns 1010's. The safety officer position is usually retained for members who served the office of Deputy Chief and up. Thanks.

[dhfd433]

Well that is the good thing about leathers, the factory sells the paint to redo the helmet yourself. It is not hard at all. The other option is you can always send it back to the factory to be repainted, it takes like 2 weeks and cost like 100 bucks. Stay safe.

Are there any helmet brands that have dyed leather instead of painted? I'd really like a Natural color leather, preferably the Phenix TL2 but from what I'm hearing, their "natural" is painted also. I then considered the N6A, but reluctant as its only OSHA compliant.

Also, why is the leather painted instead of dyed anyway?

[Firefighter2230]

I then considered the N6A, but reluctant as its only OSHA compliant.

The N6A is the NFPA compliant helmet the N5A is the osha compliant one.

[TRFirefighter25]

I personally have never worn the natural, my dept. requires all helmets to be black so that is what we got. A buddy of mine on another company wears the natural, it looks as good as the day he got it. Mine is still fairly new so it has not started chipping or anything but my fathers has. And where it is chipped away it is the natural color. I do not believe the Cairns natural is painted, anyone know if it is?. Never worn the phenix, not many of them floating around the northeast. I wear the N5A, but the N6A is great too. Stay safe.

[ncfd1864]

I have worn both a conway , and a carins leather and i love them both. They can take a beating in a fire or two and the most they might need after some time is a little paint. Go leather you'll never go back.

[jfaz81]

If you have or want a leather, try this website. The business is run by a friend of mine who is also a firefighter.

www.signal50.com

Thanks guys and as always be safe!!!

[tecrsq]

I have been wearing Cairns Sam Houston's since 1993, to me it is a personal choice and I am content to wear leather until I hang it for the last time.

Cairns is the Great Grand Daddy and thats good enough for me.

I do have a tupperware helmet that I wear on Technical Rescue jobs as well as technical training and it serves its purpose on those occasions but the leather is what gets worn 90% of the time.

The quality, performance, fit and finish are spot on and if you can deal with a little more weight then they might be for you as well.

To each his own.....make mine leather and make it from Cairns & Brother.

[TRFirefighter25]

I wear a Black N5A, what is the difference between the N5A and the N6A, any difference in shape, materials, anything like that? Just curious.

[WFDjr1]

Only difference between the N5A and the N6A is that the N6A has an impact cap, the N5A does not.

[FyredUp]

I am going to swim against the tide here and advise not to but a leather helmet. For the cost and additional maintenance and life span I just don't think they are worth it.

I have used a Cairns N5A and a N6A and while they look great and do the job they don't do it any better than the composite traditional look helmets. At roughly half the cost or less you would have money left over to buy leather boots, or a bail out belt and rope, or a couple of better flashlights. I know way too practical and not nearly as cool. Sorry about that.

By the way my old (pre new NFPA guidleines) N5A was a great helmet I thrashed that thing both in real fires and several years as an instructor in the burn tower before I finally busted the back brim. Great helmet if I could buy one like that I would still use one. Then I bought my N6A, same type of usage and 5 years and the brim is gone off the back. I send it to Cairns and they replace the shell and less than 5 years later it too has the back brim crack and fall off. Coincidence? Bad luck? Perhaps. I kept the thing painted and clean and yet it didn't last. $500 for 5 years of use just doesn;t cut it with me. My composite traditional, being used in the same way has made it 5 years so far and other than burning off the refelctive trim a couple of times it is still in great shape.

Love the look and feel of the leather helmets...don't like the cost to life time matrix.

FyredUp