Helmets are a personal piece of kit. Everyone’s head shape is different, everyone’s use case is different, and what feels perfect for one person can be miserable for another. Here’s how we look at helmet setups and what we recommend before you spend money.

Bump vs. Ballistic

There’s no “right” answer. Just the right choice for your needs.
 

• Bump Helmets: If you’re on a budget, a bump is usually the move. They’re lighter, more breathable, and more comfortable for long nights. Just remember: bumps are for impact protection, not rounds.

 

• Ballistic Helmets: Heavier and warmer, but built to provide ballistic protection. If your use-case justifies it, they’re worth the trade-off.
   

Helmet sizing:

Measure your head. Don’t guess based on hat size.
 

• Use a soft tape measure around the widest part of your head (typically just above the eyebrows and ears).
   

• If you’re between sizes, size up. Especially if you plan on running ear pro and thicker pads.
   

• During long, active sessions, your head can swell slightly. A helmet that’s “just barely” fitting at the start often turns into a headache later.
   

Helmet pads:

No matter what helmet you choose, we strongly recommend upgrading the pads. Something like 4D Tactical is a solid option.

When you’re wearing a few pounds of night vision and accessories on your head all night, comfort isn’t a luxury, it’s performance.

Ear pro

If you can, integrate ear pro into your helmet setup.
It helps:
 

• Protect your hearing
   

• Balance the helmet
   

• Keep everything more stable and streamlined
   

Battery packs & counterweights

Battery packs are cool but for 95% of users, they’re not necessary.
Instead, we prefer something like a Mohawk-style pouch to store extra batteries to power not only our night vision but also our accessories like optics, lights, lasers, ear pro, etc. Having it all integrated in one setup.

Lights

A small admin light is one of the most useful upgrades you can make.
 

• A red mode is perfect for quick tasks without alerting others.
   

• For navigation and PID in extreme low light, a SureFire M340V (or similar) on a Thyrm Swivel mount is a great option.