Helmets

Hard Head Veterans, a veteran-owned and operated helmet manufacturing company, announces the launch of the HHV ATE GEN3 Ballistic Helmet. These updated and modern ballistic helmets are made in Texas and designed by Americans who have experience in law enforcement, military, and other fields that contribute to making a high-quality ballistic-rated helmet. The new ATE GEN3 helmets have taken loads of customer feedback and now include a dial adjustable chin strap, a superior protection profile, and new night vision-compatible shrouds.

Princeton Tec has announced the introduction of their NEW Charge X Helmet Light for those who are donning ballistic helmets and need to shed a little more light on a situation. The new Charge X Helmet Light is compatible with existing Princeton Tec Charge mounts and will additionally include both an M-LOK mount and hook ‘n loop mounting solutions.

If you are one of those people who participates in reindeer games in the dark (get your head out of the gutter, we’re talking about night vision here), then you will be glad to hear that you have yet another choice when it comes to selecting your ballistic helmet for all of the gear on your noggin. The new Premier Body Armor Fortis Ballistic Helmet looks to be a legitimate contender as a night vision host and to protect one of your most valuable assets – your brain.

Hard Head Veterans (HHV) as can be inferred by their name is a Veteran owned and operated manufacturer of ballistic helmets and other protective headgear. Located in Sweetwater, Texas, Hard Head Veterans has been attempting to establish itself in the highly competitive but small market of ballistic and protective headwear for shooters and operators. HHV has recently announced the introduction of its new American-Made ATE_Lite ballistic helmet. This new domestically produced ballistic helmet boasts a new lightweight and adaptable design and attempts to blend performance, price, customization and comfort all into one affordable package for all shooters – not just military or police operators.

TFB is visiting EnforceTac in Nuremberg, Germany, and we stopped by Snigel Design from Sweden for a “live” report. Recently Snigel got an order from the Bundeswehr / German Army to deliver more than 250,000 backpacks of various sizes.

TFB Visits Varusteleka Finland – Europe’s Largest Army, Surplus & Outdoor Shop (according to them). Go to Suomi (Finland) they said. It will be fun, they said. Well, there I was in the middle of the Winter. Of course, it snowed, and it was freezing cold. Luckily I got a ride from a local friend in a posh car, with four-wheel drive and heated seats.

Ace Link Body Armor, a premier manufacturer of high-quality life-saving body armor, helmets, and plate carriers is excited to announce their 2022 Black Friday sale where customers can save up to 50% off select body armor products or 20% off virtually everything storewide. Ace Link Armor has everything from their Quadrelease Tactical Plate Carrier, Level 4 Ceramic hard armor plates, to their Flexcore Patrol Vests and  Livewire bulletproof vests. Since virtually everything on their site is going to be on sale, we’ll list a few of their best options with the best discounts. New customers can also take an additional $20 off when they sign up for the Ace Link Armor newsletter here.

This is a review of the InfiRay Clip 1 CE2 and Jerry C C5 clip-on thermal imagers (COTI). These small wonders of technology will snap directly onto the ring of a PVS-14 night vision device. Once set and installed, you will get configurable thermal detection capabilities on top of your night vision.

Cole-TAC‘s Brain Bucket Bag has just been released. With a price starting at $125, it’s designed to provide a low-profile, lightweight protection for your half-shell helmet and night vision. There’s also an inside Velcro loop panel to mount your IR patches, strobes, and other helmet attachments.

The recent and hasty withdrawal of the United States Armed Forces from the country of Afghanistan has been somewhat of a controversy. Many say that the withdrawal of US forces was irresponsible while others are lauding the decision as a step towards a more peaceful world. No matter what side you fall on, if you’re a serious gun aficionado then you are probably curious about all the shiny new hardware the Taliban has found themselves now owning. Today we’ll take a brief look at some of the new weapons of the Taliban and how they are already starting to integrate some US and European weaponry into their arsenal.

Grey Man Tactical has been making great tactical gear accessories since 2012. Their ethos is to produce quality organizational accessories for stowing your gear in an efficient and logical manner using the traditional MOLLE grid. Today, Grey Man Tactical has just introduced its Plate Carrier & Helmet rack for stowing your protective gear while on the move.

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“.

AR500 Armor, the company mostly known for making steel body armor and targets, is entering the helmet market. Being specialized in manufacturing products from high strength steel alloys, they have designed a steel ballistic helmet called Militia Helmet. This is a rather unique product on the market dominated by helmets made of composite materials.

It’s been a while since TFB covered anything from Thyrm, but with their release of their new Helmet Mount VariArc it’s time again.

Ops Core’s new Step-In Visor offers an innovative solution for eye protection. The Step-In Visor offers eye protection that is easily connected to a bump or ballistic Ops Core helmet having your personal protective equipment readily available in time of need. The Step-In Visor is available in Black, Tan, Foliage Green and Urban Gray and has an MSRP of $275.

After a brief hiatus, the infamous Mahama Tactical training team is back in the spotlight again. The group’s former leader, Uzbek national Abu Rofiq was killed a while back and since then the team appears to have lost some key leadership. Since then, a Twitter account under the handle of Salman Belarus started posting older media of the group on April 19th and has continued to grow to include much newer material, in addition to posting about the group coming back into the picture.

Ops Core has long been known for their bump and ballistic helmets and was gracious enough to send me an XP Ballistic Fast Helmet for review. Also included was the new eye protection offering called the step-in visor.

Night vision is an incredible tool, but to utilize it to its full potential it often must be able to be used in a handsfree manner. Everyone sees the “tacticool” helmet systems worn with NODs by all the tier 1 units. These are effective, but not all users need ballistic protection, strobes, or have the extra cash to devote to a helmet setup. Bump helmets are a good compromise, but again these are still relatively expensive and too bulky for some uses. Finally, many have seen and used a NVG head harness like the standard “skull crusher” that comes in the kit included with most PVS-14 units. While cheap, this system is so uncomfortable that it really is ineffective. During nearly any form of movement as the night vision bounces around and away from the eye.

Today’s Photo(s) of the Day are taken by Jakob Østheim at the Norwegian Defense (Forsvaret).

Often completely overshadowed by the larger SHOT Show, the Antique Gun Show is strategically held during the weekend after SHOT Show (although this year it was held the weekend before). Although possibly not the best antique show in the United States, it certainly ranks highly up there with the quality of firearms brought into it. The majority of everything sold within this show is from the 1800s and early 1900s, with even a few older firearms as well. And unlike SHOT Show which is strictly regulated to media and industry folks, the Antique Arms Show is open to the general public for a small admission fee at the door. Apparently, for the first time since attending SHOT, TFB was able to pay a visit and bring to light a number of the more interesting pieces on display. Although not comprehensive of everything that was on display, this post will highlight some of the odder and more fascinating tables and vendors.