Patent ID: 8028351

Claim:
A gasket system for use with a protective boot and a pant leg of a protective garment for a firefighter or other emergency worker, the boot including an outer boot and a moisture/vapor barrier liner, and the pant leg including an outer shell and a moisture/vapor barrier liner, the gasket system comprising: a first gasket member fixed to the liner of the pant leg and defining a first annular interlock to encircle a wearer's leg received in the pant leg; a second gasket member fixed to at least one of the outer boot and the boot liner and defining a second annular interlock to encircle a wearers leg received in the boot, the first and second interlocks engageable with each other to form a seal with a leg received in both the boot and the pant leg; and releasable fasteners on the pant leg and the boot, the fasteners having a first state wherein the fasteners on the pant leg are fastened to the fasteners on the boot to maintain engagement of the first and second annular interlocks, the fasteners having a second state wherein the fasteners on the pant leg are unfastened from the fasteners on the boot with the first and second annular interlocks engaged.