Hansen Protection's E-307 Arctic Survival Suit provides valuable life insurance in case of an emergency at sea. The E-307 is a SOLAS-approved 6-hour thermal protection immersion suit. It is made from durable 100% waterproof, flame-retardant PU-coated nylon; it keeps the wearer dry and warm and in the correct flotation position without a lifejacket.
Insulating flotation material deployed in separate cells in the lining provides high freeboard and good flotation and makes the E-307 a popular suit for use in Arctic regions. This unique built-in 3mm PE foam lining gives the wearer a stable elevated floating position in freezing water and excellent insulation against extreme cold. These features help prolong survival time in extreme conditions and allow the rescue team to succeed by giving them valuable extra time.
Extreme cold donning test
To comply with SOLAS requirements, a person must don the suit in less than five minutes when the temperature is -30°C. In Arctic regions, temperatures are frequently far lower than this. That is why Hansen Protection chose to submit the suit to a new, much more challenging test.
E-307 suits were refrigerated and cooled to -60°C and prepared for testing. Two test persons wearing full winter clothing had to put on their test suit in less than 5 minutes. One test person had a refrigerated E-307. The other had a refrigerated vacuum-packed E-307, just as it would be when stored onboard any vessel. Donning was completed in 2.57 and 3.47 minutes, well within the SOLAS requirement.
After completing the test, the suits were inspected for damage. None of the survival suits showed any signs of harm, and we can safely say the E-307 successfully passed the extreme cold donning test with flying colors.