Outer shell with spacer pads for firefighter protective garments and firefighter protective garments including the same

A firefighter protective garment, comprising:

• a first liner defining an innermost layer of the firefighter protective garment;
• a second liner extending over the first liner;
• an outer shell defining an outermost layer of the firefighter protective garment and extending over the second liner, the outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface;
• an array of spacer pads distributed across the inner surface of the outer shell, the array of spacer pads being positioned to maintain a gap between the second liner and the outer shell, each spacer pad of the array of spacer pads being separated one from another by at least one air circulation channel;
• and
• a mesh fabric at least partially extending over the array of spacer pads and extending over at least one portion of the inner surface of the outer shell, said at least one portion being aligned with areas of high rates of perspiration and metabolic heat transfer of a firefighter's body when the firefighter protective garment is worn by the firefighter, wherein the areas of high rates of perspiration and metabolic heat transfer comprise at least one of:
• the front torso of the firefighter, the back of the firefighter, a side torso of the firefighter, arms of the firefighter, or upper legs of the firefighter, the mesh fabric decreasing the THL value of the firefighter protective garment and increasing the TPP value of the firefighter protective coat.

An outer shell for a firefighter protective garment, the firefighter protective garment comprising at least one liner, the outer shell comprising:

• an inner surface contacting said at least one liner when the outer shell is attached to said at least one liner;
• an outer surface defining an outermost surface of the firefighter protective garment;
• and
• an array of spacer pads distributed across the inner surface of the outer shell, the array of spacer pads being positioned to maintain a gap between said at least one liner and the outer shell, each spacer pad of the array of spacer pads being separated one from another by at least one air circulation channel.