A thermal wave skin model incorporating surface heat flux from a skin simulant sensor is developed to characterize the thermal performance of heat resistant fabrics covering the skin simulant sensor. Comparisons of time to 2nd-degree skin burn and temperature elevation of skin beneath a layer of fabric between the Pennes' equation and the newly developed thermal wave skin model are performed in this research. Results of tolerance time from the Stoll criterion method are also compared with those from 2 skin models in a thermal protective performance calorimeter. It is concluded that the thermal properties of heat resistant fabrics can be characterized more precisely than previously.