Your Privacy Choices
As at least five or six out of ten doctors would probably agree, the head is a relatively important part of the human body. It contains your brain, as well as all of the necessary organs and equipment for four out of the five senses. Even less severe head wounds tend to bleed heavily due to the local proliferation of many of the circulatory system’s smallest blood vessels, needed to feed oxygen-rich red blood cells to critical pieces of corporeal infrastructure. Given this, it is generally considered a good idea to protect your head from injury by using a helmet during risky activities, which can often include shooting and shooting-related activities or professions. Indiana-based Citizen’s Armor Co. has come up with a reasonably inexpensive way to provide their customers with some cranial conservation, even from ballistic threats like shrapnel or small arms fire, plus offer some of the more sought-after features of pricier helmet options. Enter the “Tendy Defendy“.
The helmet’s front view showcases the included Wilcox NVG shroud.
A Tendy Defendy helmet (so named to reference chicken tenders, your precious stockpile of which you could theoretically have to defend by force in an emergency) can be ordered directly from Citizen’s for $410. Here is what Citizen’s Armor Co. has to offer in their serious skull-shield with the tongue-in-cheek name:
These batch made helmets are THE most affordable way to get into the ballistic head defense game. Protect that chrome dome without breaking the bank.
- Converted CVC 132B Shell
- Wilcox L4 Mount
- US Contract Improved Nape Suspension System
- DLP rails
- Hard Headed Veterans Comfort Plus Helmet Pads
- US Made Custom Bungees
- One Tigris Cover (Optional)
- Proposed IIIA rating (Pending NIJ Cert.)
These are **BATCH MADE** and lead times vary.
The Combat Vehicle Crewman (CVC) helmet shell referenced above is how each of these lids starts out. The company receives plain surplus ballistic shells, which were originally manufactured for the teams of service-members operating military vehicles like tanks. They then add on the pads, side rails, night vision goggle mounts, and other components. The base helmet shell color options are black and OD green. You can opt for the included side rails, NVG shroud, and bungees to be black, green, or tan. As an optional $15 upgrade, the helmet can be finished with a Multicam or Multicam Black mesh-style cover, custom-made to fit these converted CVC helmets.
Without an optional custom cover, the CVC shell base indicates the helmet’s military surplus origins.
Make no mistake: this helmet offering is not intended to compete with the industry’s high-end lids from makers like Ops Core and Team Wendy. The Tendy Defendy may not be as fancy or lightweight as others costing two to three times as much, but it isn’t meant to exist in that space. This is supposed to be a well-functioning but less expensive option for those who want to cover the basics of ballistic protection and features, without spending four figures for all the bells and whistles and the latest airweight technology. Being batch-made by a small business, these helmets are not available for order all the time. Citizen’s will periodically open the order window temporarily and individually assemble each customer’s specific options on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you miss an order window, don’t worry; keep an eye on the company’s active social media presence and another chance will come around as supply and volume allow. If you decide to try one out, let us know what you think in the comments below. See you at the range!
