How It's Made - Fireman's helmet

[1100011CS]

Do they really still wear leather helmets? You'd think there would be a better material to use.

 

[ianoconnor]

I love that show.

 

[Clone9]

Just saw that....great show.

 

[CrossCyed]

It's amazing how many guys you can find here that just will watch that show for hours.

 

[cyclonefreak77]

interesting.

 

[CarolinaCy]

Plastic helmets would melt, and any type of metal would get way too hot. There's a reason foundry workers wear leather garments as protection against molten metals.

EDIT: it does appear that there are composites too.

http://www.phenixfirehelmets.com/

 

[jaretac]

I've never had a leather helmet. I think most helmets are made with a composite (maybe fiberglass) material.

 

[herbicide]

Its funny, after all these years, leather is sometimes still the superior material when it comes to certain things.

For instance, I have never seen a material superior to leather for a football, basketball, or baseball.

 

[Jer]

The leather ones are mostly used in Canada - same could be said for several of the things they have on that show.

I've seen every episode of "How It's Made", "Modern Marvels", "How They Do It", etc, etc. The wife makes fun of me but that stuff is very interesting and better than just about anything any other channel (except CBS) puts out.