Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
A couple of months ago, I was in search of a new helmet shield. I posted on the FC FB page about who everyone recommended. Mind you, that I know dozens of great helmet front makers and have met several over the past years. This was simply a “call-out” to see who all was out there and who the majority were fans of. I was amazed to see so many talking about Taylor’s Tins. I had only heard of them a little bit and it was recently due to another guy in the department got one.
It was crazy as to how many people recommended Taylor’s Tins. Before I could even look into them, Taylor contacted me and said he’d send one over. Sounds good to me. I told him I would do a review for him….here it is.
Taylor’s Tins website – Facebook – Instagram
In his own words:
Taylor’s Tins is the fire helmet front you have been looking for. 16g aluminum painted with high heat enamels. It’s a simple concept that solves a handful of issues. No more crispy crusty leather fronts & no more crushed holders that can become an entanglement hazard. Fully customized to your needs, Taylor’s Tins is the last helmet front you’ll ever need.
Taylor is a 6 year career firefighter in Missouri. He decided to come up with a helmet front that stands up to the wear and tear of our jobs. He spent time perfecting the aluminum painted fronts until he was happy and what he ended up with is a long lasting helmet front that has soared in popularity recently. The tins cost anywhere from $50-$100 dollars (gold leaf being the more expensive) and he offers several other products on his site too.
I got my Taylor’s Tin to fit the plastic helmet that is issued by my department. Due to a recent promotion, I could no longer where my yellow TL-2 that I had enjoyed for many years. I hadn’t figured out whether to get another TL-2 in red or repaint it myself. I mounted the Taylors tin to my new red helmet and it fit perfectly. I must say that the paint was crisp and the design was perfect. Along with the shield I would wear on the job, he also sent me a custom Fire Critic shield. The artwork was perfect. While it won’t see any action, it does look good in the office.
For the price and the assumed longevity of these helmet fronts, Taylor’s Tins offers a very affordable alternative to leather shields.
Taylor has done a great job of creating a buzz around his company through social media. So much so, that his customers have done an excellent job of marketing and advertising the tins through their enthusiasm for the customer service received and products being created.
I recommend you check out Taylor’s Tins! Keep up the great work Taylor!
One other thing I really liked is that he signed the shield on the back. Very cool little addition showing the care he puts into his products!
*The guys who work around me know that I won’t be wearing this shield long. I am currently temporarily assigned as a 1st Lieutenant at #3 as a Captain. In the near future, I will likely be moved out to a different assignment.
