Our legendary KrakenEXO® is designed for aggressive fire fighting applications, where durability coupled with lightweight, excellent low pressure kink resistance and superior water flow are critical factors.
Ideal for aggressive interior attack, standpipe and high-rise applications, Rapid Intervention Team (RIT), pre-connected cross-lay attack hose, pre-connected front bumper attack hose, and potable water transfer hose (stenciled).
Standard with our patented WAYOUT® couplings in gold with yellow reflective arrows and IDentify® coding system. UL approved in all sizes and can be labeled upon request.
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The inner hose jacket alone shall be a NFPA compliant Attack hose, made with 100% filament polyester warp and weft yarn. The outer jacket shall be made with virgin spun polyester warp yarn and a minimum of 10 filament polyester weft yarn picks per inch (394 per Meter). The jacket shall have two 5/8” (16 mm) wide red stripes, ¼” (6 mm) apart, running the full length of the jacket. The outer jacket shall be impregnated in one of the standard NFPA colors with high performance polymeric dispersion.
The lining (waterway) must be made from polyurethane and must be applied using a fused process that welds the polyurethane directly to the textile while the hose is being woven, without the use of adhesives or hot melt. The fused lining process must create a virtually inseparable unit without the use of adhesives, yielding an extremely low friction (pressure) loss by filling in the corrugations of the weave, creating an ultra thin and smooth waterway. Fire hose made using adhesives of any type do not meet this specification. The lining shall be approved for use with potable water.
The adhesion shall be such that the rate of separation of a 1 ½” / 38mm strip of polyurethane, transversely cut, shall not be greater than 1/4” / 6mm per minute under a weight of 12 lbs / 5.5 kg.
HIGH PRESSURE: A full length shall withstand, without damage, a hydrostatic pressure of 600 psi / 4140 kPa while kinked.
LOW PRESSURE: For sizes up to 2 1/2” / 64mm, the hose shall not kink when formed into a 25” / 64 cm wide loop (outside measure) at 60 psi / 415 kPa internal water pressure.
For 3” / 76mm size, the hose shall not kink when formed into a 36”/ 91 cm wide loop (outside measure) at 60 psi / 415 kPa internal water pressure.
The female coupling shall have at least 3 reflective arrows, in order to be visible from any position. The reflective arrows must be engraved into and below the surface of the coupling, to resist abrasion. The arrows must point in the direction of the water source for a standard hose connection. The male coupling and female swivel nut must both have a recessed area to facilitate color and bar coding and/or identification markings.
WEIGHT
Each length of fire hose shall not weigh more than indicated in the specification table
COLD TEMPERATURE FLEXIBILITY
The hose must remain flexible to -65°F (-55°C) as per test UL-19.
SERVICE, TEST, BURST PRESSURES
Minimum service, test and burst pressures shall be as detailed in the specification table.
STANDARDS
Hose must be manufactured and UL approved to meet or exceed all NFPA 1960 (1961) standards. The hose must also be tested in accordance with the procedures specified in 2020 UL 19 Heat Testing.
MANUFACTURE
Both hose and couplings must be manufactured in North America. Couplings must be USMCA/CUSMA compliant
WARRANTY
The fire hose shall have a 2-10-L warranty, as described below.
Full warranty terms available upon request.
Mercedes Textiles specializes in manufacturing premium double-jacket polyurethane fire hose. The inner jacket features our unique Mertex® lining — not EDM/rubber or nitrile — for unrivaled performance and superior quality.
From the hydrant to the nozzle, Mercedes manufactures both supply and attack fire hose in all standard sizes. We're known for our legendary KrakenEXO line, but we offer other quality lines for a variety of applications and priorities. We've got the hose you need, guaranteed.
All Mercedes hose and couplings are manufactured in North America.
Mercedes Textiles developed a patented weave process for our Mertex® inner hose linings. We weave a molten lining material directly into the fabric jacket at the loom. This offers a superior waterway — free from adhesives, glues or other bonding agents. The smoother surface minimizes turbulence and friction to deliver greater water flow at the discharge end. Mertex® lining also ensures your hose will never delaminate!
Mercedes Textiles' patented Breather™ Technology is an exclusive weave process that releases trapped air and water for superior packability, while also adding flexibility and strength. We currently incorporate these exclusive stripes into our large diameter hose MegaFlo® Breather and our newest KrakenEXO SUPER II™.
We take fire hose standards seriously – because YOU are on the line, and that matters to us. Mercedes is committed to ensuring every hose we manufacture meets or exceeds the latest NFPA 1960 (1961) standard. We have all the necessary testing equipment for each requirement, including the new UL-19 Radiant Heat testing required as of March 2021.
UL & ULC LISTINGS
On top of our own internal testing, we go above and beyond for many of our attack hose lines by submitting them to Underwriters Laboratory (UL) for third-party testing and approval. UL provides safety-related certification, validation, testing, inspection, auditing, advising and training services for fire hose products. Mercedes is world-renown for the premium quality, detailed specifications and superior performance of our fire hose.
FM APPROVAL
The international insurance carrier FM Global provides an independent testing division. Using scientific research and testing, FM Approvals make sure products conform to the highest standards for safety and property loss prevention. They follow five steps to make sure the products they’re testing meet quality guidelines. Products that pass get the “FM APPROVED” mark.
Mercedes takes pride in our products. We understand that a lot rides on their performance – from efficiency to safety. So when you have our lines, you can rest assured we have your back.
On most of our municipal products, we include either a 10-L and/or 2-10-L warranty – the best in the industry.