Helmets (L to R), Team Wendy, HHV Gen 2, HHV Gen 1For some people, there ’ s a certain invoke to owning the same matter as ( or at least something similar to ) what actual soldiers are using. Some veterans enjoy owning tactical items because it connects them to their time in service .
And some people precisely enjoy the hardheaded expression of tactical items, like durable protection and lots of pockets .
Hard Head Veterans Helmet with Accessories Regardless of which of these groups you fit in, the tactical helmet is an amazing and practical piece of tactical equipment to add to your collection.
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What is a Tactical Helmet?
Tactical ( or tac ) helmets are precisely what the name suggests : helmets designed to provide protection in battle situations .
The tactical helmet, like most tactical gear, had its origins in the military and is now besides used widely among jurisprudence enforcement .
Leather helmets were used in combat situations starting in ancient times, but the mod tactical helmet in truth grew from the “ steel pots ” of the early twentieth hundred, which were designed to protect troops from shrapnel, but not from gunfire .
The M1 Helmet, standard issue to US armed forces (except paratroops) during World War II. modern helmets are made of faint materials like kevlar, carbon character, and impact immune credit card, and are frequently designed to protect the wearer from gunfire. They have padding for comfort and fit and are shaped to be as effective and ergonomic as possible .
Tested Helmets (L to R), Team Wendy, HHV Gen 2, HHV Gen 1
Modern tactical helmets can besides be used with countless interchangeable devices, including night sight optics, cameras, lights, audio equipment and communication devices, and more .
Tac Helmet vs Ballistic Helmet vs Bump Helmet
Before we get besides far, let ’ s talk about a couple other terms that you may hear used to describe tactical helmets : a ballistic helmet and demote helmet .
As I said, many, but not all, tactical helmets are designed to withstand gunfire. These types of tactical helmets are referred to as ballistic helmets. however, they are normally lone rated for effectively pistol bore hits .
Hard Head Veterans Gen 1 vs Gen 2 (Ballistic)
Bump helmets, on the other hand, are a type of tactical helmet designed to protect the wearer from the shock of bad things, such as falling debris, shrapnel, and other harmful stuff. They are not rated for gunfire of any kind. They besides provide a commodious chopine for mounting things like NVGs, hearing protection/communications, etc .
Team Wendy Bump Helmet
The advantages of a bulge helmet is easy of manipulation, quilt, and weight. They besides make for dainty discipline aids since they are radically cheaper than ballistic helmets. In a fight situation, these helmets are sometimes worn by paratroopers, pilots, and drivers .
Why You Might Want One
The beginning rationality a civilian may want a tactical helmet is the lapp argue why a civilian may want a draw of different kinds of military gearing : prepping .
If you want to be prepared for anything in an hand brake position, a ballistic helmet will provide you with the protective covering you need against attackers, looters, and super healthy gun-wielding zombies .
Saving Private Ryan – remember people, keep your helmet ON! If you ’ re more concerned about natural disasters, a bulge helmet will keep you safe during tornadoes, hurricanes, and seismic events .
On a similar bill, a tactical helmet is besides a huge advantage in the event of a home invasion. A ballistic helmet will protect your point, while night vision optics will help you see what your attacker can ’ triiodothyronine .
There are besides reasons to have a tactical helmet that aren ’ thyroxine “ just in case ” type situations .
Hunters may appreciate the video from a helmet-mounted television camera, whether for the scenery and wildlife or for the impressive kill shot it captured. And if night hunt is legal in your area, night imagination optics in your helmet besides make safely hunting and navigating the woods at night much easier .
tactical helmets can besides provide an extra layer of auspices from a hunt accident or from a fall from a deer stand .
Speaking of base sustenance, a helmet is an all-important safety device for ladder crown home plate sustenance, like trimming tree branches, cleaning gutters, and replacing side or windows. tactical helmets have the add advantage of accessories like face shields, hearing protection, and filters .
tactical helmets are besides big for sports like climbing, mountaineering, bicycle, base alternate, and more, specially if you ’ d like to film your adventures or have a hands release lighting option .
finally, military contractors need fight protection, but by and large have to provide their own tactical gearing, including tactical helmets .
Choosing the Best Tactical Helmet Type
I ’ ll be the foremost to admit that a tactical helmet can be a bite costly, but this is not the prison term to sacrifice quality for the price. Your helmet is responsible for protecting your brain, after all .
With that in thinker, there are a few features you ’ ll want to pay special attention to when choosing a tac helmet .
The first thing you ’ ll indigence to decide is what character you need .
PASGT
PASGT stands for Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops and is pronounced “ pass-get. ” These helmets were standard issue for the US military from the early ‘ 80s to mid-2000s .
PASGT Kevlar Helmet They ’ re made of ballistic aramid fabric and a phenolic resin resin arrangement with an extinct blast consisting of 19 layers of Kevlar. They provide protective covering from both ballistic projectiles and shrapnel .
MICH/ACH
The MICH ( Modular Integrated Communications Helmet ) was designed to improve upon the PASGT, and the ACH ( Advanced Combat Helmet ) is an improved version of the MICH .
These helmets are made from advance Kevlar, protecting the wearer from pistol shots a well as ballistic projectiles and shrapnel. An improved four-point retention system, as opposed to the PASGT ’ second chinstrap, provide greater ease and improved protection from impacts .
ATE/High Cut/Maritime Cut/FAST
This style of helmet goes by many names : ATE ( above the ear ), high gear reduce, and nautical cut, but no matter what you call it, it ’ s the cutting border in tac helmet technology .
The ATE helmet was primitively developed for nautical special ops and, as the name suggests, is cut higher on the sides to prevent urine catching in the ear cups during gamey speeds. This higher cut besides means that this helmet offers less security, but greater visibility and easier practice of communication devices .
ATE helmets are normally made from Dyneema, a lightweight but fabulously ballistic resistant specialized composite material. Some consume helmets are made from the lapp aramid Kevlar as the MICH, which offers greater protection but besides greater weight .
Degree of Protection
The manufacturer of any helmet should be able to provide the detailed results of NIJ required testing .
A few results to focus on are resistance to penetration, back-face deformation, shard performance, and deaden affect resistance .
resistance to penetration is how well your helmet stands up to gunfire. For ballistic protection, you want a helmet that ’ mho rated NIJ Level IIIA, which means it offers security from 9mm, .357, and .44 Magnum .
Back-face contortion occurs when a helmet is hit with a projectile and the opposite side bulges outward causing dull injury. 9mm ( 1400fps ) BFD should average less than 25mm in all locations .
break up performance is basically the same as resistance to penetration, but with fastball fragments rather of bullets. Your helmet should stop bullet fragments at a accelerate of at least 2400fps .
Blunt Impact performance is precisely what it sounds like, and should average less than 150g over 14 drops .
You may besides want to look at compaction testing, specially for a bump helmet, and element testing to make certain your helmet won ’ thyroxine be weakened by the environment in which you live or use it .
Accessories & Other Features
Your helmet should be comfortable adequate that you ’ ll actually want to wear it. That means it should fit by rights, not be excessively big, and not rub uncomfortably .
Side Profile of ATN NVG It should besides have a impregnable retention system that will keep it firm in place, flush against a strong impingement .
You ’ ll want to make sure your tac helmet can be used with any accessories that you ’ ll want to use .
Choose a helmet of whatever semblance you ’ ll need the most. You can always spray paint the helmet or use a cover if you need to change the color .
Best Tactical and Ballistic Helmets
now that we ’ ve covered what and where to look for a tac helmet, let ’ s act on to some recommendations .
1. hard Head Veterans ATE Gen 2
You can rest assured that Hard Head Veterans knows their stuff because tac helmets are all they do .
(L to R): HHV Gen 1 vs Gen 2, Front They are veteran-owned and operate and their stallion team is connected to military or law enforcement in some direction .
On top of that, they perform rigorous safety testing on all of the tac helmets that they sell and offer an incredible guarantee.
Read more: Australia Maritime Strategy
We ’ ve used their Gen 1 helmet ( above ) in our Best Night Vision Goggles article and we recently reviewed their gen 2 with Micro Lattice Pads .
Their Gen 2 version is completely redesigned too…from the front arranger to the side rail adapters .
Hard Head Veterans Helmet Gen 2, Black Multicam The ATE is Kevlar and HHV besides sells a tactical bag for your tactical helmet, helmet covers, and pads to customize your helmet ’ sulfur fit and comfort .
(L to R): HHV Gen 1 vs Gen 2, Rails We besides very like the addition of the Micro Lattice Pads which keep your head nice and cool — even on hot days .
Use code “PEWPEW” for $15 off your order!
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2. Veterans MFG
Vets MFG is one of those rare companies that provide truthful invention to the marketplace, they are besides ( as their name suggests ) veteran-owned .
Their tactical Helmet is a elementary oblation, you won ’ t find anything flashy on it or anything that doesn ’ thyroxine want to be there. It is a simple ballistic helmet with side rails, NVG adapter, and hook-and-loop mounting points .
It is designed to work – period. And it very does work !
While at TriggrCon 2018, we got the probability to see the Vets MFG helmet at bring when they mounted it to a target dummy and unloaded ~15 rounds of 9mm FMJ at a range of about 15-feet into it .
The tan helmet on the right was the one used in the live fire demo! We inspected the helmet close after the show and could not find any penetration or deformation on the inside of the helmet. Truly impressive !
3. Crye Precision AirFrame
If you ’ rhenium looking at Crye Precision, make surely you bring your biggest wallet .
Crye Precision AirFrame Anything made by Crye is circus tent of the line, amazing quality, designed for fight, and priced accordingly .
The AirFrame is no exception – clocking in at a cool $ 1,100, it is a no-frills design that is an diligence leader in auspices .
Ballistically rated, lightweight, and designed to be compatible with the most comment NVGs and hearing protection on the market the AirFrame besides sports the ability to be reconfigured based on the mission at hired hand .
Add-ons include AirFrame Chops, Ears, and rails .
AirFrame Chops If you need the best and can afford the cost – it ’ second hard to argue with Crye Precision .
4. Lancer Tactical Bump Helmet
first off – no, this is not the lapp Lancer celebrated for their AR-15 magazines. This is a bump helmet, so it won ’ thymine offer ballistic protection. Of course, most of us aren ’ thyroxine often in situations where getting shoot in the head is a big concern .
ballistic helmets are much several times more expensive than bump helmets, a draw of extra money to spend on something that ’ s not a high priority .
If you ’ re more refer with protecting your head from bumps and bruises quite than gunfire and you want the ability to mount accessories, the Lancer Tactical provides that at a bum price point .
The helmet features dovetail accessory rails on each english and a movement climb for a camera or optics. It besides has bungee strips for attaching lightweight hook-sided devices like battery packs and lights .
5. Team Wendy LTP EXFIL and EXFIL Carbon
The Cadillac of non-ballistic bump helmets, Team Wendy is huge in the search & rescue community due to their attention to detail, high quality, and advanced design .
Enter…their LTP EXFIL. We ’ ve been testing this one out for over a year and we love it .
Team Wendy LTP EXFIL Bump Helmet
Lightweight, easy to wear, lots of options for mounting NVGs, white lights, and more – Team Wendy helmets are perfect for protecting your heading and enhancing your capabilities .
Team Wendy Mount
Plus they are comfortable !
Team Wendy, Foam
And that ’ s fair their standard helmet .
The EXFIL Carbon is where things get matter to !
EXFIL Carbon Made primarily from carbon fiber and a bunch of space-age polymers, the EXFIL carbon does everything a blow helmet should do while weighing well less .
Less weight means less tire on the drug user, a greater degree of campaign, and the ability to mount more utilitarian stuff without making the helmet besides fleshy to wear .
Conclusion
Do you need a tactical helmet ? credibly not. But better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. And at the end of the day, don ’ thyroxine let some arse on the internet tell you what you need or don ’ t need.
Read more: Australia Maritime Strategy
ATN NVM14-3
Do you want a tactical helmet? Why? Once you decide on the tactical helmet for you, you’ll need some NVGs for it! Check out our hands-on review of the Best Night Vision Goggles!