What do you wear under your Probans?

[Kangaroo75]

Just after some advice on what's best to wear under my Proban's, At the moment I wear Jeans and a T-Shirt

I've seen quite a few marshals wearing another layer of fireproof material underneath their Proban's (a T-shirt of some kind)

One marshal said to me "if you can feel the fire, then you've already got too close" -which I've already taken on board as good advice

Just wondered what everyone else wears?

[Norbert]

I wear fireproof top and long johns. Not because of their fireproof quality (though that is a bonus). They are very comfortable to wear, have the peculiar qualities of cotton (cool in the summer/warm in the winter). Additional layers in the winter include jeans and thin cotton polar neck jumpers.

In the end it comes down to personal preference. Just ensure that you don't wear anything with synthetic material included.

[Cerberus]

I spent years wearing overalls in my old job and have never really felt comfortable wearing trousers under them so I wear Nomex longjohns that I still have from my racing days. Seem to be keeping me warm enough at the moment.

On top I wear a merino wool base layer, soft warm & v comfy, then a wool jumper.

For the summer I will wear my old racing nomex t-shirt.

[M Greenslade]

What do you wear under your Probans?

Just the usual, although I tend wear the lace ones for the bigger meetings!!!!

Bladders........

[Kangaroo75]

Originally Posted by M Greenslade

What do you wear under your Probans?

Just the usual, although I tend wear the lace ones for the bigger meetings!!!!

Bladders........

I did wonder how long it would be before the Marshal sense of humor would kick in!!!

ROFL :-)

[NotLordPercy]

And you have borrowed my basque once or twice to look trim for the cameras at televised meetings!!

[Robin_D]

I so know this'll put a cat amongst the pigeons.

I'm more a believer of being comfy and dry and warm. Therefore I go on the proviso of if I can feel the fire then I'm much too close. And we all normally encounter weather conditions more than fires.

I wear a a couple of tshirts, some 'skins', and anything else under my overalls to keep me warm. Normally a softshell jacket or fleece.

We were actually talking about this on post yesterday and thought the original advice of wear natural fibres came from the 70's and 80's when fire was a bigger risk than it is now.

[Woolley]

This has come up several times in the past, most recently here and my answer remains the same. So does the underwear, in fact, but that's probably too much information! It does however confirm it's durability.

I'd still go the natural fibres route, however. Just because fire is less of a risk now doesn't mean there's no risk, and should I be already at the scene when a fire erupts I would not like to be shrink-wrapped in nylon undies.

[M Greenslade]

Originally Posted by NotLordPercy

And you have borrowed my basque once or twice to look trim for the cameras at televised meetings!!

I know, and jolly comfy it is too!!!

Bladders.....

[pauln]

Risk of fire might be less but to use the jargon, "impact" remains very high.

I wear old jeans (cotton shorts if really hot, which I probably shouldn't) and one to several cotton layers on top. The most was at the Britcar 24 hour: t-shirt, polo-shirt, 2 long-sleeved tops and a fleece (again cotton - they can be found).

[HairyDJ]

Maybe one more thing to add to the fire training sessions in the new year?

Stick the blow lamp on an old chunk of nomex, some old (and new) proban scraps, an old cotton shirt and then an artificial fibres shirt. If you've never seen an old nylon shirt wrapped around a stick catch fire, then you may not be able to imagine a shrink-wrapped marshal .....

The biggest drawback to the sound advice is that so many of the winter sportswear shops have a lovely range of base layers for sale - the safe stuff is usually way more expensive.


Now that the serious stuff has been typed, dare I resurrect a twist on the old kilt joke? "There's nothing worn under these probans, it's all in perfect working order"

[Matthews Dad]

Nomex base layer on top half, usually longsleeve OMP T shirt one but if very hot a short sleeved one,
Nomex work trousers and cotton underwear

If cold weather do add layers underneath the probans such as fleece etc but have a layer of nomex as the base

As said before dont want to be shrink wrapped, by wearing man made fibres as a base layer

[Sparky-steve]

well it all depends on the weather..
normal days its a cotton long sleeved and polar neck top and cotton jeans.
cold days add a sweat shirt,
very hot days errrr you really don't wanna know what's under the probans

[FATNACKER]

Originally Posted by M Greenslade

I know, and jolly comfy it is too!!!

Bladders.....

Bladders What do you use to protect those "milky white" thighs?

[M Greenslade]

Bladders What do you use to protect those "milky white" thighs?

Milk!!!!!

Bladders................

[JimW]

Originally Posted by Woolley

. . .
I'd still go the natural fibres route, however. Just because fire is less of a risk now doesn't mean there's no risk, and should I be already at the scene when a fire erupts I would not like to be shrink-wrapped in nylon undies.

But an interesting aside is that Nomex (TM) is a particular type of nylon.

Regards

Jim

[Woolley]

Ooh, most interesting fact of the week award to Jim. I didn't know that, I'd always presumed it was treated cotton.

[mikenunn-78]

Out of interest, I've had a look around for nomex and proban undies and they're all quite expensive, AWS for example sells proban ones for more than their overalls (not knocking AWS brilliant service on the overalls!). Does anyone know of a cheaper alternative for the marshal on a budget?

[Sparky-steve]

Originally Posted by mikenunn-78

Out of interest, I've had a look around for nomex and proban undies and they're all quite expensive, AWS for example sells proban ones for more than their overalls (not knocking AWS brilliant service on the overalls!). Does anyone know of a cheaper alternative for the marshal on a budget?

you really don't need Nomex or Proban undies. just plain cotton will be ok.

it is true "if it gets to hot your to close.."
and wearing cotton just in case of a flash fire. nylon might melt cotton won't, and your proban overalls will give you time to get out or be got out.

so save yourself a fortune and forget the fancy undies..

[mikenunn-78]

Sparky-steve - That was my feeling anyway, this thread just caught my interest on a quiet afternoon at work and I thought I'd have a look around!

[M Greenslade]

so save yourself a fortune and forget the fancy undies..

Not my style!!!!!

Bladders........

[Shelagh]

I, personally, wear layers on the top half and cotton-based trousers with elasticated waist on the bottom half. These may or may not have long johns (thermal) underneath.

Why the elasticated waist? - especially now I have two-piece overalls, I'll leave it to your educated guess/imagination........!

(BTW 2-piece overalls were the best thing I ever bought. If only they'd been around 20 years ago when I started!)

[Steven Humphrey]

These look pretty good value:

http://www.thermalshop.co.uk/merino_base_layers

I tend to just layer up if need be, all natural fibres. I've looked into fireproof underwear (I started the thread about it last year) but it's just too expensive & I don't really see that it's necessary. I do wonder if all these people who do wear fireproof underwear then just put a non-fireproof set of waterproofs over the top if it's wet (or just the jacket if cold)?

[Grumps]

I favour the Nomex route,

I have thought about the logic of the polyester waterproofs and investigated the cost of FR versions but these are the items most likely to get damaged on the normal things like oil, bits, wire fences and armco barriers. I prefer not to wear them anyway if I can help it.

I also decided that two layers of FR underneath the waterproofs would protect me better against the damage that would occur from the heat from a flash that ignited the waterproofs while someone put me out as it were.

My common sense (if you can feel the heat you are too close arguement) will protect me more though.

[Richard Duvall]

The layers I wear beneath my probans vary throughout the season! In hot weather it is the minimum and in cold multiple layers which can be added or removed during the day as it can sometimes be cold early in the morning and warmer later, and then cold again.

I do try to keep to natural fibres as I have been led to believe that some artificial fabrics can melt although the proban provides some flame protection.