In 2024, Fire-Dex released our groundbreaking AeroFlex turnouts. We set out to make the most breathable turnouts the fire service has ever seen.  

The secret to the bunker gear’s breathability lies in the VaporLite Panels and AeroVent Technology.  

VaporLite Panels are the first step to increasing breathability. We placed specialized panels where heat and sweat accumulate (in the groin and armpit areas). These panels are powered by our exclusive TECGEN71 fabric, which allows for thinner composite materials. Together, those materials are extremely light and breathable, allowing hot air to be forced out where it matters most. 

The AeroVent Technology further supercharges the VaporLite Panel’s breathability. Using patent-pending processes, these vents allow hot air and sweat vapor to escape without letting in fire or contaminants.  

Together, these technologies make any turnout composite more breathable. More breathable turnouts help to combat the number one cause of LODDs: overexertion and heat stress.  

Proven Performance 

For Fire-Dex, it’s not about just saying that we have the most breathable gear on the market.  

We take firefighter safety very seriously, so we sent our gear to independent laboratories to back up our claims.  

Previous studies have proven that the VaporLite Panels can stand up to the heat of battle. Researchers at North Carolina State University aimed fire nozzles directly at the panels and the result was zero burns.  

Another study at Florida State University examined how AeroFlex affects core body temperature and sweat rates, demonstrating how the cooling technologies decrease sweat rates and core body temperatures.  

More Breathability Testing 

But that wasn’t good enough for us. So we asked Florida State University to perform the same test and analyze how AeroFlex technologies affect breathability measurements.  

As with the previous FSU experiment, a specialized mannikin was outfitted with two nearly identical sets of gear: one with AeroVent Technology and VaporLite Panels and one without. Both used the same composite and performed the same tasks (simulating overhaul activities).  

Breathability for turnouts is generally expressed in two main ways: Total Heat Loss (THL) and Resistance to Evaporative Heat Loss (Ret). Together, they show how well gear allows hot air and sweat vapor to escape. That in turn leads to the cooler core temperatures found in previous experiments.  

This experiment allowed researchers to measure the impact of AeroFlex on THL, Ret, and other breathability measurements. They ran a total of six tests, three in dry conditions to test thermal insulation and three to measure evaporative resistance.  

Thermal insulation measures THL, looking at how well gear insulates (i.e., traps in heat). More insulation means that hot air can’t escape, keeping it inside the garment where it heats up the body. 

Evaporative resistance is similar, but measures how easily evaporation can occur inside your gear. Resistance to evaporation means that sweat cannot evaporate, which prevents the body from being able to cool itself. 

The Results 

When compared with turnouts that don’t have vents, AeroFlex resulted in an average of a 20% reduction in effective Ret. That shows that AeroFlex more readily allows sweat vapor on the skin to evaporate, increasing the body’s ability to cool itself.  

For THL, researchers found that AeroFlex increased THL scores by 16.2%. AeroFlex was particularly beneficial in wet conditions (mimicking steam and water from hoses), where THL increased by 21.9%.  

Taken together, THL, Ret, and other breathability measurements allowed researchers to get an overall sense of how AeroFlex performs.  

They found that, on average, AeroFlex saw a massive 20% increase in thermal comfort and heat loss compared to gear without AeroVent Technology or VaporLite Panels.  

While performed in simulated laboratory environments, these results demonstrate the power of the technology underpinning AeroFlex turnouts. The addition of vents and breathable panels drastically increases the performance of turnout gear in terms of breathability.  

For firefighters, increased breathability means less risk of heat stress on and off the fireground. It can mean less exertion and more operating time. It can mean less sweat and faster recovery.  

Your gear shouldn’t hold you back from doing your job. New turnout technologies are making it possible to dominate the fireground like never before—and are making it possible for firefighters to be safer than ever before.