Rain gear test – get hit by a fire hose!
I was hit by water from a fire hose – gosh, you don’t say that every day.
The video was to show how to test rain gear out and the producers had a number of brilliant ideas — all which had a very good chance of either embarrassing me or injuring me, or both. First, the producers had me step into the shower with a light weight Outdoor Research Helium Jacket. It was funny, and very affective showing how waterproof this lightweight jacket really is. But we also happened to be filming the scene the moment my wife and daughter came home — both just shook their heads and left to go back out shopping.
The second scene was held in a car wash where Scott washed me down with the power hose; this is the same guy who dressed up in a bear costume in a previous film, slammed down on me at the end of the scene, and broke two of my ribs. The Outdoor Research Furio Jacket and Foray rain pants kept me dry, even though Scott went through five dollars of coin trying to soak me.
The third scene was with the local fire department. I happened to know the fire chief in Peterborough, and he mentioned hitting me with a fire hose would really test the rain gear. I disagreed but the producers jumped at the chance. To be safe, I made up a dummy (with help from my daughter) and we edited it into the shot, similar to what Super Dave Osborne would do. Thankfully everyone were fans of Super Dave and they agreed a dummy being hit full throttle with a fire hose would be just as funny as hitting me. It sent the dummy flying, knocking him out of his boots. The dummy wore the Furio jacket with Outdoor Research’s Furio pants (can you tell that I’m a big fan of Outdoor Research gear), and so did I when I replaced the dummy for the re-edit. Of course, that’s when Scott and the fire crew turned the water back on and struck me dead on.
I was still dry. And I came out of the ordeal with just a soar crotch for a few days – and a new admiration for Super Dave Osborne.
