Gear Test: El Toro

When I first saw pictures of the El Toro, my initial thought was, “Where is there room on the rig to put this thing?” Compartment space is prime real estate. With the El Toro in hand, however, I was surprised to find that it wasn’t so much comparable in size to a pike pole or rubbish hook as it was a Halligan or pick-headed axe. It fit in the forcible entry compartment nicely, and resides there still. That the tool still has a home on my rig says a lot-it impressed me immediately upon usage.

I’ll admit I wasn’t quite sold right out of the box. I recall cocking my head dubiously when I felt its weight and saw the off-kilter handle. It’s a little heavy, but not terribly so, just the right weight to make you think, “I can do some damage with this.” The weight comes from solid steel construction, which is a plus in any book. It has a T-handle that is slightly off level, with two different thicknesses on each side. I was concerned that the T-handle would make the tool awkward in handling and usage, but it doesn’t. Rather, it adds to the tool’s versatility.

There are three components to the El Toro: the head, the T-handle, and the shaft. The head of the tool resembles a wider, pronged pike head. It is sharp and has weight to it. These characteristics were noticeably beneficial when I used the tool to penetrate through lath and plaster, oriented strand board (OSB) and drywall. The extra weight, density and sharpness from the steel construction of the head made penetrating through walls, ceilings and roofing construction easier than with a standard pike pole. One especially nice feature of the double-curved hooks is the ability to tear through drywall and bite into the insulation, so that when you pull down a large section, drywall and insulation are both removed in one movement. Though I put divots in a roof while using the point of the head as a sounding tool, the divots had nothing to do with any structural integrity issues due to fire, but everything to do with the solid tool in my hands.

On call with the El Toro we were faced with a difficult dumpster fire-not exactly a glamorous incident, but the efficiency of the El Toro was noteworthy. After putting a significant amount of water in the dumpster and sifting through soaked bags of trash and debris, we came upon the source of the smoke: a large roll of carpet. It was smoldering and weighed a ton with the added water weight. Filling the whole dumpster with water wasn’t an option because of the existing holes for drainage. The strength of the El Toro allowed us to tear apart and maneuver the carpet far more effectively than with our rubbish hook. Other uses of the El Toro head include deflating tires for stabilization, penetrating and prying metal roofs and using the cutout to secure gas utilities. As with any worthy tool, the versatility of this tool is limited only by the user.

The shaft of the El Toro is constructed out of drawn over mandrel (DOM) steel and is the reason for the tool’s solid feel. The high-strength alloy steel shaft will outlive any fiberglass or wood handle and give far more support in prying. The T-handle attached to the end of the shaft can be used for forcible entry, creating purchase points or as a fulcrum for quick lifts. The two ends of the “T” feature different thicknesses-one thin end for insertion into small gaps to create a purchase for prying, and a thicker end that can be struck by a sledge, flat head axe or similar tool for larger prying jobs or for lifting. I also used the handle to lift heavy concrete objects and the El Toro bore the weight well without bending or breaking.

One drawback with the El Toro is that when used to check for extension overhead, it can only be used on shorter ceilings, depending on the height of the user. This drawback is countered by the point made previously: It fits in a compartment and doesn’t take up a lot of space. Though the tool does come in different sizes, I think much of the versatility would be lost with increased length. For instance, when using the tool for prying open doors, the doorway cannot be recessed into a narrower hallway or entryway because the tool can be too long to position into the angle required for purchasing and prying. A flush door on a longer, straight wall is the ideal door for the El Toro.

The El Toro is manufactured by BA Fire Tools, a firefighter-owned business located in Central Texas. They’ve made a solid, versatile tool that is constructed for longevity and strength. Every time I used it I was further impressed with its design and practicality. It’s apparent that each feature of the El Toro was created with the diverse nature of our industry in mind.

Sidebar – BA Fire Tools
El Toro

Pros
+ Solid steel construction
+ Versatile head and handle
+ Practical design

Cons
– Length can be an issue
– Heavy
– Sharp head precludes certain uses

BA Fire Tools
Tel: 254-793-3613
Web: www.bafiretools.com

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