Advice for Tactical Helmet

[The_Roach]

Hello, being new-ish to the game, I'm looking for a FAST type helmet, preferably good quality (looking as close as possible to the real deal), no accessories other than rails and padding. Solid, especially the straps.

If you have any pointers (with links and pics), I'd be most grateful.

*EDIT* Punctuation

 

[Duff Beer]

I use a PTS Flux and it’s super comfy.  The cutout at the back is useful for looking up stairs/being prone, and it’s easily the comfiest helmet I’ve ever worn.  It’s a licensed copy of the real deal, and there aren’t that many around which is quite nice.

It’s not all roses though.  As the pads are memory foam they can get super warm in the height of summer, but that’s the price you pay for the comfort.  The straps and pads come out to be washed if you have sweated in I t.  As the rails are MLOK you have to be a bit more discerning over putting things on it, but I’ve not had an issue with things like putting cans on there.  And then there’s the cost.  
 

As it’s a proper replica and is made of nice things it’s not the cheapest around, but it arguably one of the best.

 

[MrTea]

I'd suggest avoiding helmets that only offer one size based purely on my sample size of 1. I had an Emersongear one and it didn't fit well, it got uncomfortable after an hour or two. I swapped to an 'FMA FAST SF Tactical Helmet' which has multiple size options and the padding/lining is way way better and I can wear it for hours on end with no issue.

Helmets always get warm/hot, you can't escape that even with vents/holes in the top.

 

[Emergencychimps]

My question would be why? 

They get sweaty, in summer they get very sweaty. That sweat will encourage your glasses to fog (assuming you don't wear mesh) and can cause pressure headaches. 

They can get hot and quite uncomfortable, they also can act as nice little targets behind trees, hedges, bramble patches etc. that are hard to conceal and make you an easier to spot target. Unless you make them look great (and each style that is something different) then they can be pretty dorky/brand new airsofter look. 

They aren't generally rated, so while anecdotally they help in a tumble, walk into a branch, bashing heads on windows while climbing through, they can also cause these by adding an extra inch or so to your height. 

If your answer is you want to wear nods or you think they look cool or you want that extra security they bring, want to mount a face mask, all are valid but the recommendation of what is likely to change. 

The PTS flux is brilliant, owned one before and sold (regret it), have a genuine ops core carbon at the moment but just picked up another pts flux as they very good for the money. They can suit big heads 60cm plus, so if you're smaller, then they can look a bit spaceballs helmet esque (google if you're too young to get it). They are nice and rigid so do the protection thing well, they look cool, don't need a lot of dressing up to look good. But there is little to no ventilation, smaller headed players look silly, they aren't cheap and accessories (ear attachments, covers etc) are harder to source and more expensive. 

Real opscore carbon/bump. They're super comfortable, light, ventilated, rated for bumps, knocks etc, come in a variety of sizes to suit. but they are expensive, £150 plus second hand if you're lucky for an old bump, £350 plus for carbon. New prices are silly (£600+). Legit accessories then add on as well (cost wise)

FMA do a good set of clones, they come in multiple sizes and colours. Haven't owned one so can't comment anymore but heard good things, if the cheap mtek flux didn't just come up then I'd probably have got one. I think getting a UK source isn't easy. 

I have owned Emerson and dragon red(no longer exist), if you have a larger head, then they'll be tight. 

Anything cheaper than £50 and I'd probably avoid to be honest. 

 

[Enid_Puceflange]

I had an FMA , it was relatively comfortable sitting in the house watching 13 hours -Benghazi

Out in the field was a totally different thing as Emergency Chip says above.

Ok, it was good for mounting my comms to, and for dorky COD toy nvg’s

But, I soon reverted back to wearing a baseball cap, as it did get too warm and caused fogging.

Id wear one if I was into the proper larp, but not for playing in

I looked like a dork in mine!!

 

[Tackle]

Agree with emergencychimp, why ? 

I've got a couple of lids to match camos, but only wear them if there's a chance I'll be banging my head, such as when I played the ucap tunnels, but other than that I find them cumbersome & unnecessary, & revert to a baseball cap or boonie.

 

[Krisz]

I bought the cheapest rubbish from Ebay to mount my ex-fog and ear defender on it and it's still goes strong after years of abuse.

It saved my head in certain tunnels multiple times and doesn't matter if people shoot me in the head point blank.

Expensive ones are supposed to be more padded and having better adjustability. And ofc different sizes to choose from.





Have a look I posted pictures not long ago about mine. 

 

[Rogerborg]

My question would be why? 

LARP is the only real reason.  Well, maybe CQB if you get whanged in the skull a lot.

Well, occasionally I'm in the mood to hide behind hard cover, pop mine on a stick, and waggle it around to get shot. The cries of "Marshal! Take your hits! Maaarshaaaaall!" are worth it.  

 

[Enid_Puceflange]

Where is @Tactical Pith Helmet when you need him? ?

 

[The_Roach]

Thank you all for your wealth of experience and knowledge. I have enough information to make the choice that will suit my gameplay.

Just to answer, and narrow down the range of, a few concerns : 

- I'm all up for comfort, but 13 years in two armies, including stints in Helmand, the Balkans, Kenya, Norway etc. have taught me to support way worse when it comes to sweating under a heavy helmet.

 - The why ? Purely fashion. I'm not after protection, I don't need it. I will however get accessories on it, including headset, I plan on getting NVDs, probably a strobe and/or counterweight. 

*EDIT*

P.S. Oh and I'm a medium size, I will however avoid one sized options. 

 

[Emergencychimps]

LARP is the only real reason. 

For me, thats a good enough reason on it's own. I just don't want to bang on about a super good team wendy/ops core if you want to do namsoft! 

I miss the days of people doing impressions and even the most casual player dressing semi like a soldier.....where have my rose tinted glasses gone!?!?! 

Thank you all for your wealth of experience and knowledge. I have enough information to make the choice that will suit my gameplay.

Just to answer, and narrow down the range of, a few concerns : 

- I'm all up for comfort, but 13 years in two armies, including stints in Helmand, the Balkans, Kenya, Norway etc. have taught me to support way worse when it comes to sweating under a heavy helmet.

 - The why ? Purely fashion. I'm not after protection, I don't need it. I will however get accessories on it, including headset, I plan on getting NVDs, probably a strobe and/or counterweight. 

If you're planning on NVDs in the future, spend the money and get something good now. Or you'll spend a small amount now and then a bigger chunk later as well vs just doing a bigger chunk now. A PTS flux is good enough for NVD usage. 

As always though, your opening comment says you're newish to Airsoft. Unless you've done a good 5+ games I'd advise holding off until you do. I love airsoft (generally) but it has a few inherent not so great bits and its easy in the first few months/games to overlook them, sometimes choosing to do so. If you're still into it after 5+ games and you're still convinced etc then yeah, spend the cash. 

 

[Krisz]

For me, thats a good enough reason on it's own. I just don't want to bang on about a super good team wendy/ops core if you want to do namsoft! 

I miss the days of people doing impressions and even the most casual player dressing semi like a soldier.....where have my rose tinted glasses gone!?!?! 

I always look for costumes just never find decent ones. Like a good banana one for example. 

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

I miss the days of people doing impressions and even the most casual player dressing semi like a soldier.....where have my rose tinted glasses gone!?!?! 

I must admit, I probably fall in a different category then! Primarily I enjoy the game rather than the LARPing element, and dress/arm accordingly for function over military realism. In reality these days, those two aspects come rather close - e.g. Crye style combats+ UBACS possibly being the best of the two worlds. Where I don't think the worlds align is helmets - comfort and situational awareness is reduced by any helmet (albeit considerably less these days than with e.g. the good old Mk6!). That said, I do wear one for up close and personal CQB and its protected me rather a lot!

 

[The_Roach]

I miss the days of people doing impressions and even the most casual player dressing semi like a soldier...

 As always though, your opening comment says you're newish to Airsoft. Unless you've done a good 5+ games I'd advise holding off until you do. 

I did namsoft back in the days but on the MACV-SOG/LRRP side of things. I even had a functional PRC-25/77. My current setup isn't a 'period' one. It's meant to be functional and a tribute to the heyday of my old unit.

I'm sort of new. I'm coming back to Airsoft after a 15 year hiatus. But I used to play on a monthly basis from 1999 to 2004. I did one big milsim weekender in 2008 and I'm back since Oct last year. Only 4 games so far.

 

[Lozart]

Thank you all for your wealth of experience and knowledge. I have enough information to make the choice that will suit my gameplay.

Just to answer, and narrow down the range of, a few concerns : 

- I'm all up for comfort, but 13 years in two armies, including stints in Helmand, the Balkans, Kenya, Norway etc. have taught me to support way worse when it comes to sweating under a heavy helmet.

 - The why ? Purely fashion. I'm not after protection, I don't need it. I will however get accessories on it, including headset, I plan on getting NVDs, probably a strobe and/or counterweight. 

*EDIT*

P.S. Oh and I'm a medium size, I will however avoid one sized options. 

If you just want a FAST style/opscore, of the cheap Chinese knock offs the FMA ones are definitely the better ones. They do have both dual sized (M/L, L/XL) ones and some REALLY cheap one size jobbers (avoid those). I have a "PJ" style FAST, a Maritime and a Team Wendy (all FMA) and they have been great. The PTS Flux is an officially licenced MTek copy and is better and more expensive than an FMA but if that's the style you want then it's a no-brainer.

 

[Emergencychimps]

Well, it sounds like you have enough knowledge to make informed decisions. 

Theres so many new players that splurge money on kit and gizmos and then they lose the bug for the sport, times are hard and it's hard to see the wasted money time and time again. 

 

[The_Roach]

Well I know what I want/need but I no longer know what's on the market so all your contributions are welcome. 

 

[Duff Beer]

I wear my PTS Flux indoors for CQB as the Black Site is dark and has many things I can doink my head on (mostly due to being clumsy).  It’s also saved me a couple of times from what would have been very painful close range shots.  It gives a stable platform to mount my ears, as well as my head torch too.  Plus I think it looks cool!  I got the Spiritus Systems cover which is arguably the most underwhelming thing I’ve bought for the money in my entire life (it was about £90 if I remember correctly), so get a knockoff from eBay.  MTEK do laser cut camoskins in various patterns if you don’t want a cover.

There’s sod all chance I’ll wear it in the woods though except for the coldest of cold days.

 

[ParHunter]

My question would be why? 

They get sweaty, in summer they get very sweaty. That sweat will encourage your glasses to fog (assuming you don't wear mesh) and can cause pressure headaches. 

They can get hot and quite uncomfortable, they also can act as nice little targets behind trees, hedges, bramble patches etc. that are hard to conceal and make you an easier to spot target. Unless you make them look great (and each style that is something different) then they can be pretty dorky/brand new airsofter look. 

They aren't generally rated, so while anecdotally they help in a tumble, walk into a branch, bashing heads on windows while climbing through, they can also cause these by adding an extra inch or so to your height. 

If your answer is you want to wear nods or you think they look cool or you want that extra security they bring, want to mount a face mask, all are valid but the recommendation of what is likely to change. 

The PTS flux is brilliant, owned one before and sold (regret it), have a genuine ops core carbon at the moment but just picked up another pts flux as they very good for the money. They can suit big heads 60cm plus, so if you're smaller, then they can look a bit spaceballs helmet esque (google if you're too young to get it). They are nice and rigid so do the protection thing well, they look cool, don't need a lot of dressing up to look good. But there is little to no ventilation, smaller headed players look silly, they aren't cheap and accessories (ear attachments, covers etc) are harder to source and more expensive. 

Real opscore carbon/bump. They're super comfortable, light, ventilated, rated for bumps, knocks etc, come in a variety of sizes to suit. but they are expensive, £150 plus second hand if you're lucky for an old bump, £350 plus for carbon. New prices are silly (£600+). Legit accessories then add on as well (cost wise)

FMA do a good set of clones, they come in multiple sizes and colours. Haven't owned one so can't comment anymore but heard good things, if the cheap mtek flux didn't just come up then I'd probably have got one. I think getting a UK source isn't easy. 

I have owned Emerson and dragon red(no longer exist), if you have a larger head, then they'll be tight. 

Anything cheaper than £50 and I'd probably avoid to be honest. 

I fully agree with this. I always hated my heavy steel helmet I had in the army so I never got a helmet for airsoft but rather use a boonie. To give a little protection against bumps or bbs I use a bump cap https://amzn.eu/d/cCGtLkP

My son uses an FMA Team Wendy helmet which you can get cheapish from AliExpress.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002651631133.html

They have a better suspension than normal fast helmets (but you can retrofit other helmets with that suspension - again cheap on AliExpress)

The only disadvantage is that they use a different rail than other FAST helmets

 

[TheFull9]

The PTS would be the bare minimum for mounting thousands worth of night vision.  Definitely consider a real shroud to go on the front of it.

Sadly this is one area of kit where mil surplus is a no go.  The only place I've seen bring in ops-core non ballistic models (the best option I think for such use) is Endeavour Tactical, but they're out of stock, probably be a while before they get more.  I don't know of anywhere else outside the US one can get hold of OC, Team Wendy or MTEK and ship to the UK but if you try to checkout at enough sites you might strike lucky.