How much does a firefighters gear weigh?
Different manufactures make their gear out of slightly different materials that can determine the weight. However, the gear the MFD uses weigh approximately 50 pounds. The MFD uniform consists of a fiberglass helmet, nomex hood, bunker coat & pants, gloves, spanner belt, ax and boots that collectively weigh roughly 25 pounds. Firefighters also wear a SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus) with a full 30-minute bottle, adding another 25 pounds. However, keep in mind that when our gear gets wet, it absorbs water and adds another 10 or so pounds of weight (e.g. My weight =185 lbs. + gear =210 lbs. + mask = 235 lbs.).
