I'm thinking of getting a pair of Nomex coveralls to add to my coverall fleet. It would double up as a "the house is on fire, you have 10 seconds to leave" suit sitting next to the bed, since the material is also flame-retardant.
The question is:
Is the material comfortable against the skin?
Does it stink? (Like e.g. polyester?)
Does it machine wash cold or warm?
Nomex coverall comfort?
Re: Nomex coverall comfort?
We had to wear nomex for my forestry job. I spent 3 summers wearing a suit for a couple hours a day. I never wore it without a shirt or some pants etc underneath but it did not irritate my arms and was not itchy. After swimming or getting really wet at work, some would wear just the suit and underwear. I never heard any complaints. Further, wildland firefighters will wear the nomex pants and shirt. The pants were always sought after because they were so comfy and durable.
They do stink pretty bad. You might be ok if you’re not doing much physical activity in them. The smell would come out in the wash. Some people would say you needed a special detergent for them so as not to damage the fire retardant capabilities but the firefighters always just washed them regularly so we did too. Iirc, wash cold.
They do stink pretty bad. You might be ok if you’re not doing much physical activity in them. The smell would come out in the wash. Some people would say you needed a special detergent for them so as not to damage the fire retardant capabilities but the firefighters always just washed them regularly so we did too. Iirc, wash cold.
Re: Nomex coverall comfort?
I'm a firefighter by trade and wear nomex regularly. I also own a nomex coverall that I use when I'm doing any kind of welding project or setting things on fire in the yard for whatever reason. If you're interested in maintaining the fire retardant capacity of the Nomex, you aren't supposed to wash it with cotton clothes. The lint from the cotton gets impregnated in the Nomex and reduces the fire resistant rating. It will still perform better than synthetic fibers or any kind of cotton blend. You can wash hot or cold, it doesn't matter. It's pretty comfortable, and gets more comfortable over time. It seems to wick moisture well which is nice in hot weather. Doesn't stink. If i remember correctly, it will discolor to an off pink when exposed to high heat, which may signify the material is compromised. Material lasts about as long as denim with regular wear.