Q: Why are we changing the P2 and P2H?
A: While the P2 series of Roughneck® Caps are iconic in their strength and durability in the field, we have had complaints over the years about chipping and peeling paint and in some cases cracking due to the inconsistencies of the long fiberglass compression molding process around the edges of the cap. North Safety Products has made a large investment in new injection molding equipment and tooling, and in the tradition of Fibre-Metal, finding new high performance engineered fiberglass reinforced plastics that produce Roughneck toughness and durability in the new P2N and P2HN while also molding in colors that are chip, scratch and peel resistant.

Q: What are the differences between the old P2 and the new P2N?
A: You can expect the same P2 Roughneck toughness and durability in the new P2N, but without the chipping and peeling paint. The new P2N also has a matte finish on the shell that produces a consistent color from a fiberglass reinforced resin, but also readily accepts color imprints for a much crisper, cleaner logo application.

Q: What are the materials that the new P2N and P2HN made from?
A: The P2N is injection molded from an engineered short glass fiber Polypropylene resin and the P2HN is injection molded from a long glass fiber Nylon resin.

Q: How can I tell the difference between the new P2N and P2HN caps?
A: Since both are now injection molded in colors from the same mold, the only way to tell them apart is by the model designation that is molded on the underside of the cap’s bill. Holding the cap by the bill, there is an insert on the left corner that will be marked with either ‘P2N’ or ‘P2HN’.

Q: What temperature will the new P2N and P2HN withstand?
A: The P2N shell has passed impact testing after being conditioned at 325°F for five minutes, and the P2HN has passed impact testing after being conditioned for five minutes at 500°F.

Q: So how tough is the new P2N material?
A: One of the ways to measure toughness in a plastic is by the flex modulus rating of the plastic resin. Flex modulus is used as an indication of a material’s stiffness. It is a measurement of force applied in pounds per square inch (PSI) required to flex the plastic a measured distance. The old compression molded P2 fiberglass reinforced material had a flex modulus of 812,000 PSI. The new injection molded P2N fiberglass reinforced resin has a flex modulus of 1,116,000 PSI which is 37% greater than the old P2 material. Most all hard hats on the market are made from high density polyethylene (HDPE). The flex modulus for HDPE is 140,000 PSI, so the new P2N material is 8 times stronger than HDPE. That’s Roughneck tough!

The P2HN fiberglass reinforced material has a flex modulus of 1,190,000 PSI which is 8.5 times stronger than HDPE.