Originally published on FireApparatus.com
Firefighting is built on progress – passing down the trusted traditions while considering new information and adjusting to new realities. This is how we continuously advance the line.
About a decade ago, that progression brought about the resurgence of the 2 ½” hose for aggressive interior attack armed with water mapping data. Today, most departments rightfully understand the need for getting Big Water to the seat of the fire.
The shift to 2 ½” handlines hasn’t been without its challenges though – particularly with limited staffing growing throughout the fire service.
The good news is that there are options that strike a balance to meet technical attack requirements without sacrificing tactical performance – like Mercedes Textiles’ KrakenEXO SUPER II®.
"TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE ON THE FIRE GROUND"
While the 2.5” line has become the preferred handline to reach those required flows for fires in commercial occupancies and standpipe-equipped buildings, the larger diameter comes with disadvantages related to weight, maneuverability and quick water application.
Those limitations are felt across North America, as Kevin Pfluger points out. Pfluger is an 18-year veteran of the fire service, currently stationed with Guadalupe County Fire Rescue in Texas. He also leads the DAGUM Training Cadre and recently joined Mercedes Textiles as their Southwestern Sales Rep.
Pfluger says that moving and flowing with the 2 ½” through tight urban spaces or expansive suburban homes can be challenging even at full staffing, because the weight and inflexibility requires considerable more strength and effort, slowing down response times and putting lives at risk.
“UL studies show us we need to be getting to the seat of the fire, but with the restrictions of where you can get the 2.5" line that becomes significantly harder,” he say. “With victims possibly inside, you're delaying that time of putting the fire out. It just doesn't make sense to me.”
He set out to find a line that delivers the 265 GPM flows with less weight and more maneuverability for his department back in 2021.
"The whole point of this is to be more effective on the fireground..."
– Lt. Pfluger, Live Oak (TX)
MAKING THE MOST OF MINIMAL MANPOWER
Limited staffing exacerbates these realities. Captain Franklin “Linn” Baxa—with Buckhannon Fire Department in West Virginia— is among those who experience this regularly.
“We are a low-manpower fire department. We only recently went to three people per shift, backfilled by volunteers. Everything we do is with minimal manpower,” he says.
His crews had experimented with over-pumping a standard 2" hose to get higher flows, but found the hose to be unmanageable and the friction loss too high. "In order to achieve the GPM we wanted – a lot of water – with a manageable line for a single firefighter," they needed an alternative to both the 2" and the 2.5" hose.
Presented with these issues, Mercedes Textiles sent their engineers to the drawing board with this challenge: Reduce the high friction loss and handling of a 2” hose (particularly with 1.5” couplings) to allow them to hit 2.5” targeted flows with minimal manpower and without sacrificing maneuverability.
INNOVATION DELIVERED
“At Mercedes Textiles, we design innovative products that answer the challenges of the modern fire service, pushing the boundaries of performance”, said Bob Richardson, President of Mercedes Textiles.
“We look to firefighters to tell us what they need so that we can engineer products that evolve alongside progressive firefighting tactics. We developed the KrakenEXO SUPER II specifically to address current realities of the fireground.”
Engineered to address the tactical challenges of the standard 2.5” attack line, KrakenEXO SUPER II is a premium double-jacketed 2” attack hose that delivers 210-300 GPM with 30% less weight. Maximum water at minimum weight.
With a charged inner diameter of 2.25”, the hose pairs perfectly with a 1 ⅛” smooth bore tip based on the Freeman Ratio – balancing water velocity, flow rate, and nozzle reaction, creating an efficient and manageable stream for firefighting.
Mercedes Textiles, who manufactures their own couplings in-house, also developed custom three-part 1.5” and patented 2” x 2.5” Merlite® couplings – which feature their WAYOUT® arrows and IDentify® slots – to further increase flow and decrease friction loss.
Capt. Baxa confirms, “There is a big difference between this 2” and our previous 2.5” hose. The KrakenEXO SUPER II gives you more water in a fire hose that suits our department's staffing levels. So much easier to work with!”
THE ADVANTAGE IS IN THE DETAILS
With a charged outer diameter just over 2.5”, the KrakenEXO SUPER II is easier to grip, easier to hold onto, and easier to maneuver. It is ideally suited for advanced interior tactics, and high-rise and standpipe applications of modern fire crews facing realistic manpower constraints, while still providing enough GPM to overcome the BTU’s but in a lighter attack package.
When charged the KrakenEXO SUPER II is up to 40 lbs lighter per 50’ length compared to a standard 2.5” hose – up to 160 lbs less over a 200’ line. That lighter weight is particularly relevant for high rise and standpipe operations. The detailed hose specs are available at KnowYourHose.com.
Kevin Pfluger adds, "It truly is more like advancing a 1 3/4" hose than a 2.5" because of less water weight and smaller diameter to grip. You’re able to flow the exact same amount of flow for fires that need that larger GPM, but you can now move this hose easily with only two guys."
NOTE: In 2025 the NFPA 1960 added 2.25" to the official hose sizes. While it has an inner diameter of 2.25" when charged, the KrakenEXO SUPER II remains listed as a 2" hose based on its dry ID. This is an important distinction, as a 2.25" listed hose would still be closer to 2.5" in hand grip and weigh more than the KrakenEXO SUPER II. Be sure to get all the specs when evaluating options.
FIGHT THE FIRE, NOT THE HOSE
“Limited staffing is a common challenge in the fire service across all of North America. Combined with the reality of bigger, faster-burning fires that require bigger GPMs, we see the 2.5” line deployed often, adding further challenges related to weight, maneuverability and speed,” says Jamie Emblem, Mercedes Textiles’ Northeast Sales Rep.
“At Mercedes Textiles, we’re always looking for ways to provide new, more efficient and effective ways to get water on a fire. That’s exactly what the KrakenEXO SUPER II does; it lets the front line fight the fire, not the hose.”
It's been three years since KrakenEXO SUPER II launched – and its purpose is no less important. Many departments across North America have adopted this innovative 2” solution to the challenge of the 2 ½” attack, achieving the same flows with up to 30% less weight for a more efficient and effective attack.
In the fire service, we should always be pushing to improve, whether through new technology or refining how we operate. The 2 ½” handline is no exception. Departments don’t need to settle for bigger when there is better. Work hard, smarter.