Patent ID: 7636955

Claim:
Protective apparel comprising: shroud material included in a body portion of the apparel for covering at least a portion of a person's torso when the person wears the apparel; a hood that includes a viewing window and hood shroud material that attaches to the viewing window; and a set of compliant spacers configured to maintain a buffer volume of air within the body portion between the shroud material included in the body portion and the person when the person wears the apparel, wherein the buffer volume includes a volume of at least about 2 liters, wherein the set of compliant spacers includes a set of compliant neck spacers that is configured to a) maintain neck shroud material included in the apparel distant from a neck portion of the person when the person wears the apparel and b) create an air channel, between the buffer volume in the body portion and a space inside the hood, that allows the person wearing the apparel to inhale air in the buffer volume.