Want to protect your head, use night vision goggles, or wear professional-grade ear pro and comms gear? You’re going to need a tactical helmet for all of that.
Helmets are kind of like suppressors. People tend to put off buying them because they’re expensive, but a whole world of fun opens up to you once you make the plunge.
We’re here to help you make sense of industry jargon, share our experience, and help you find the best tactical helmet for you.
Let’s roll!
THE QUICK LIST
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Editor’s Pick
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Best Value
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Best Lightweight Helmet
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Best Budget
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Best Premium
Table of Contents
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Tactical Helmet Comparison Chart
| Ballistic Rating | Weight | Sizes | Colors | Price | |
| Hard Head Veterans ATE Gen3 | NIJ Level IIIA | 2.9 – 3.4 lbs | S, M, L, XL | Black, OD green, tan, Multicam | $799 |
| Premier Body Armor Fortis | NIJ Level IIIA | 3 lbs and up | S/M, L/XL, 2XL | Black, green, FDE | $574 |
| Hard Head Veterans ATE Lite | NIJ Level IIIA | 2.2 – 2.5 lbs | S, M, L, XL | Black, OD green, tan, Multicam | $1,199 |
| Team Wendy LTP EXFIL | None | 1.6 lbs | M/L, XL | Black, coyote | $403 |
| Crye Precision AirFrame | Level IIIA | 2.3 – 2.75 lbs | M, L, XL | Black, OD Green, tan | $1,226 |
How We Tested the Best Tactical Helmets
For this article, we gathered a bunch of tactical helmets we’ve personally used, reviewed, and owned here at Pew Pew Tactical.
That includes entry-level bump helmets, combat-ready ballistic helmets, and some great value picks in between.
Our priority for this article was to keep you informed about tactical helmet specs and features, important terminology, opportunities to customize and accessorize, and (last but not least) how comfortable these helmets are to wear.
Best Tactical Helmets
1. Hard Head Veterans ATE Gen3 – Editor’s Pick
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
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Pros
- Rigorous safety testing
- Micro-lattice is compofrotable
- Veteran owned and operated
Cons
- Expensive
Specs
- Ballistic Rating: NIJ Level IIIA
- Weight: 2.9 – 3.4 lbs
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Colors: Black, OD green, tan, Multicam
- Country of Origin: U.S.A.
We love this helmet’s predecessors, and the Hard Head Veterans ATE Gen3 has really kicked things up a notch.
We used the ATE Gen 1 in our Best Night Vision Goggles article, and we recently reviewed their Gen 2 with Micro Lattice Pads.
The third generation is NIJ Level IIIA-rated, and features an A3S Lite night vision mount and M-LOK mounting points for all your other operator-esque goodies.
Padding is adjustable, and the chin strap has a quick-detach function.
Best of all, it’s built in the U.S. from American materials!
As the name suggests, the company is owned and operated by veterans, and their entire team is connected to military or law enforcement in some way.
On top of that, they perform rigorous safety testing and offer an incredible warranty.
What’s your take on HHV? Rate them below!
2. Premier Body Armor Fortis – Best Value
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Excellent, transparent testing
- Lots of accessory mounts
- Comfortable
Cons
- A little heavy
Specs
- Ballistic Rating: NIJ Level IIIA
- Weight: 3 lbs and up
- Sizes: S/M, L/XL, 2XL
- Colors: Black, green, tan, Multicam
- Country of Origin: Thailand
Looking to get the best helmet for your money? The new Premier Body Armor Fortis came out swinging, and we’re here for it.
This helmet comes with standard accessory rails and an NVG shroud, and you can take your pick from several solid colors and Multicam.
We weighed our L/XL in at 3.4 pounds. That’s a little heavier than some of the tactical helmets here, but certainly nothing to worry about.
In fact, comfort is where the Fortis really shines. There’s a ratcheting cable system at the nape that lets you dial in the perfect amount of tension and release it all with the push of a button. It’s fast and convenient.
The padding is super plush and (maybe more importantly) anti-microbial. Nobody likes putting on a stinky helmet.
For the price, it’s hard to beat!
3. Hard Head Veterans ATE Lite – Best Lightweight
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Only weighs 2.3 pounds
- Micro-lattice padding
Cons
- Expensive
Specs
- Ballistic Rating: NIJ Level IIIA
- Weight: 2.2 – 2.5 lbs
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL
- Colors: Black, OD green, tan, Multicam
- Country of Origin: U.S.A.
Another option from HHV is the ATE Lite. Based on customer feedback, the company wholly produced this helmet in America — Sweetwater, Texas, in fact.
The ATE Lite has all the features the Gen2 does, and — even with Level IIIA protection — only tips the scales at 2.3 pounds for the medium size. Add the fact that it comes standard with Micro Lattice, and you’ve got a helmet that’s wearable all day long.
We’ve been using the ATE Lite for a while now and really enjoy the level of comfort and protection it provides. Plus, we’ve been able to mount up all our favorite accessories.
The ATE Lite is 0.67 pounds lighter than the standard ATE Gen2. That, and the fact it’s made wholly in the USA, means you’ll spend a little bit more money for it, though.
4. Team Wendy LTP EXFIL – Best Budget
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
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25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Comfortable
Cons
- No ballistic protection
Specs
- Ballistic Rating: None
- Weight: 1.6 lbs
- Sizes: M/L, XL
- Colors: Black, coyote
- Country of Origin: U.S.A.
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 innovative design.
Enter their LTP EXFIL. We’ve been testing this one for more than a year, and we love it.
Lightweight, easy to wear, lots of options for mounting NVGs, white lights, and more – Team Wendy helmets are perfect for protecting your head and enhancing your capabilities.
Plus, they are comfy!
This is a bump helmet, so it doesn’t offer any ballistic protection. What it does offer is a rigid platform for mounting NVGs and comms gear, and a layer of protection between your noggin and hard objects.
5. Crye Precision AirFrame – Best Premium
Prices accurate at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
-
25% off all OAKLEY products - OAKLEY25
Copied! Visit Merchant
Pros
- Top-tier protection
- Compatible with most NVGs and ear pro
- Light
Cons
- Expensive
Specs
- Ballistic Rating: NIJ Level IIIA
- Weight: 2.3 – 2.75 lbs
- Sizes: M, L, XL
- Colors: Black, OD green, tan
- Country of Origin: U.S.A.
If you’re looking at buying a Crye Precision AirFrame, make sure you bring your biggest wallet.
Anything made by Crye is top of the line, amazing quality, designed for combat, and priced accordingly. This helmet is no exception – it’s a no-frills design that is an industry leader in protection.
Ballistic-rated, lightweight, and designed to be compatible with the most common NVGs and hearing protection on the market, the AirFrame also sports the ability to be reconfigured based on the mission at hand.
Add-ons include AirFrame Chops, Ears, and rails.
If you need the best and can afford the cost – it’s hard to argue with Crye Precision.
How to Pick the Best Tactical Helmet
There are a few features you’ll want to pay special attention to when choosing a tactical helmet. The first thing you’ll need to decide is what type you need.
Tactical Helmet vs. Ballistic Helmets vs. Bump Helmets
Let’s talk about a couple of other terms that you may hear used to describe tactical helmets: a ballistic helmet and a bump helmet.
What’s the difference?
Many, but not all, tactical helmets are designed to withstand gunfire. The ones that offer protection from bullets and shrapnel are ballistic helmets. Keep in mind that they’re normally only rated for pistol-caliber ammunition.
Bump helmets, on the other hand, are a type of tactical helmet designed to protect the wearer from the impact of bad things, like as falling debris or bumping your head on something (which is pretty common when you first start wearing one).
They are not rated for gunfire of any kind.
They also provide a rigid platform for mounting things like NVGs, hearing protection, communications equipment, and the batteries to power all that cool-guy gear.
Bump helmets are affordable, easy to use, comfortable, and lightweight.
On one hand, they’re very similar to the hockey helmets America’s elite operators used to use. But to be fair, all those guys switched to ballistic helmets a long time ago.
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, fragment performance, and blunt impact resistance.
Resistance to penetration is how well your helmet stands up to gunfire. For ballistic protection, you want a helmet that’s rated NIJ Level IIIA, which means it offers protection from 9mm, .357 Mag, and .44 Mag.
Back-face deformation occurs when a helmet is hit with a projectile and the opposite side bulges outward causing blunt trauma. A hit from 9mm at 1,400 feet per second should produce less than 25 millimeters of deformation inside the helmet.
Fragment performance is basically the same as resistance to penetration, but with shards of metal instead of bullets. Your helmet should stop fragmentation traveling at a speed of at least 2,400 feet per second.
Blunt Impact performance is exactly what it sounds like.
You may also want to look at compression testing and element testing to make sure your helmet won’t be weakened by the environment where you live.
Accessories & Other Features
Your helmet should be comfortable enough that you’ll actually want to wear it. That means it should fit properly, not be too heavy, and not rub uncomfortably.
It should also have a secure retention system that will keep it firmly in place, even against a strong impact.
You’ll want to make sure your tac helmet can be used with any accessories that you want to use.
Choose a helmet of whatever color you’ll need the most. You can always spray paint the helmet or use a cover later on (well-painted helmets look pretty rad).
Meet the Experts
This article comes to you from Pew Pew Tactical Content Producer Sean Curtis. Sean has been shooting since childhood but began to delve into guns more during his law enforcement career. He spent over two decades in law enforcement, where he became a POST-certified handgun instructor and NLEFIA Red Dot Instructor and received CLEFIA Advanced Firearms Instructor Training and AR-15 armorer training. He has since attended a variety of training, including Tactical Performance Center Handgun Mastery & Carbine Mastery, and earned USCCA rifle instructor certification. Aside from training and prior to joining the Pew Pew Tactical team full-time, Sean wrote for several gun publications evaluating and testing guns and gear and has written hundreds of articles.
Editing this article is Scott Murdock. Scott is a Marine Corps veteran who competed and qualified as a rifle and pistol expert while in service. In addition to shooting, Scott has written for a variety of publications, testing, researching, and evaluating guns and gear. He brings that knowledge and skillset to this article, editing and fact-checking for accuracy.
Editor-in-Chief Jacki Billings runs our experienced team of reviewers. She is a National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Instructor as well as a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, ACES: Society for Editing, and the Professional Outdoor Media Association. Jacki has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and has worked as a media professional for close to 20 years, specializing in gun media for almost 10 years. With 2,000+ articles to her name, she uses her professional journalism and editing experience to set testing protocols and editorial standards for Pew Pew Tactical.
Final Thoughts
Do you need a tactical helmet? Probably not. But it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
And at the end of the day, they’re fun to train with. That’s a good reason to own one, too.
Do you already have a tactical helmet? Let us know what you’re rocking in the comments. Want more high-speed gear? Check out our hands-on review of the Best Night Vision Goggles!
Latest Updates
- June 2025: Removed the Hard Head Veterans ATE Gen2 and Lancer Tactical Bump Helmet. Added the Hard Head Veterans ATE Gen3 and Premier Body Armor Fortis. Added a comparison chart and updated supporting content.
- March 2023: Added Hard Head Veterans ATE Lite.
25 Leave a Reply
There are a number of sound arguments for using NVGs, having ballistic head protection, body armor, and using them to your tactical advantage — particularly living in an rural environment when it might take law enforcement hours to respond. Is it overkill to own these in an urban area? Perhaps… if you’re living in a metropolis or city, but even in the suburbs, having gear like this makes clearing your house much less risky.
The increased lawlessness of our country, thanks to the politicians and monsters like George Soros, have left us competing for our safety with career criminals whose decades as guests in the prison gladiator academies make it difficult to face armed, determined numbers of military-age home-invaders. Yes, we’re forced to take every advantage — be it training, firearm, and/or ballistic protection. If you can do that saving money, using only a flashlight and firearm, I wish you all success. I’m going to use every possible advantage from gear, training, and a dedicated effort to be proficient to stack the odds in my favor. YMMV.
Just lock yourself in your house and never leave if you’re so scared of the outside world dork.
Will the Lancer helmet accept a Wilcox G24 or other standard mount? If not, it seems like a more expensive equivalent to a bike helmet with Velcro and a duct tape mounted flashlight.
The problem with wearing these helmets is the public comparing the tacticoolness of the headgear vs the presence of abs of the wearer.
Seems all the folks who would never consider volunteering for the job will trash talk all those who accept the risk.
Convince me I'm wrong.
Anyway, after I cut down the old PASGT with an air saw in a water bath and make it a high cut, I already have a helmet cover picked out for it - a Trapper fur cap with ear flaps. Just gut the insulation and slip it over.
Less insults is the intended result. Nobody is gonna look twice if some old geezer is out in the woods wearing that.
Well guys the best thing you can do period is place your trust in Jesus Christ and prepare for His return. Everything that's happening right now has been predicted by the Bible. Ph and saints will have weapons far more powerful than an AR 15. The reason nations are besting their "swords" into plowshares is because the military of heaven (other dimensions) will be far too powerful for any earthly military to resist.
Keep in mind that heaven had weapons long before humanity did. See Genesis 3:24 in the Bible. Then read Psalms 149:6-9.
Yes, and the Dinosaurs did not really exist!
used ACH helmets are $200 or less on ebay. PASGT kevlar helmets are $50 or less. Right now.
You're welcome.
According to the specs on the Team Wendy website, the weight of the Exfil LTP "complete system" is just a little bit lighter than the Exfil Carbon (1.59 lbs vs. 1.66 lbs, respectively). Hmm.
Oh great, an article on helmets written by a guy who has never been in the military and/or ever worn a helmet professionally. Please teach us how to protect ourselves mr.civillian!
You're so cool. I wish you could teach us.
But, but...he LARPs! ;)
attack the argument, not the person. is there anything he wrote that is lacking or inaccurate?
"well, no, but he's a civilian!"
interesting 'yardstick' you use to measure folks assessment of products, very interesting.
I don't know if it always been so or perhaps it is current news coverage. I've lost faith in our government, our dollar, our press and perhaps more important OUR PEOPLE-and they vote.
I was there... cynical of just about everything. even now, i battle to maintain and develop my hope in others because, if not, i will become part of the problem.
surely you remember the principles our country was founded on and from Whom they stem from; faith in Him will not lead you wrong.
a big part of our issues, problems, battles lie within each individual. get the right mindset then fight the righteous fight. also, within our govt, press and our people are folks just like you. don't give up on them/us; we need you.
The writer has SWAT Commander under his bio. I am fairly certain that he has worn his helmet in the line of duty. It would also be far more likely that he has worn it for active scenarios than the average military member. Only a small percentage of military members have actually used their gear in active combatant scenarios. Most in combat zones remained within the safety of the FOBs and have only worn their gear due to indirect fire or transport to and from the FOB. Unless they were patrol or door kickers, the vast majority are not truly "combat" tested. Either way, I wouldn't be rushing to judgement without checking the writers experience.
Avoid HHV like the plague. They take forever to ship your order and will cancel it against your wishes if you dare speak out against them on social media. Waited 13 weeks and had my order cancelled cause I hurt their feelings.
Ordered a helmet from them Friday and I’m getting it Monday no hiccups or delays
I have issues with falling after being in a horrific car wreck and got a brain injury. Multiple falls later i have MRI's showing 4 more brain injuries. I need a helmet to protect my head and prevent more brain injuries. Im assuming that i need a "low-threshold energy" protection.
Does the Lancer Tactical Bump Helmet provide that type of protection? Or is the protection i need? Or must i go up to Team Wendy?
Working with America Epilepsy Society they advise that i use the MICH 2000 style helmet. I have been searching for weeks for a USMC LWH MICH 2000 with the side rials and front mount (color: coyote brown).
Would these 'OneTigris', 'Atairsoft', type paintball, airsoft pellet helmets work as well in protecting my head?
This is all new to the epilepsy society.. They say there "helmets" (no way i will wear those!) Or "real" motorcycle, football, hockey helmets. Those are all over $100. What many people dont know is the protective matterial inside gets depresed to absorb the 'shock' It does not come back so you have to toss the helmet away. These tactical helmets can take out pads and replace them. Saveing a lot of money to people like me having fall issues. If i have to wear a helmet. It better be a cool one!!!
Sorry thing is long , wanted you to have full picture. Thanks for any help you can give me protecting my head from more brain injuries.
Steve
This list is god awful
Seriously, two ballistic helmets are from the same company, who would spend 600+ on a bump helmet, that's some serious air soft. Team Wendy and Ops Core make a bunch of different types of helmets but they are twice as much as HHV. Check out military surplus stores and eBay to get a 2nd hand ballistic helmet, some models you can replace the pads. I decided on the HHV Gen II but I am find it hard to be patient only one month in. Body Armor typically has made to order wait times regardless.
I ordered from HHV and waited just like you did. I got my order in just fine. Just waiting on their helmet covers to come back into stock.
Great article! Thank you, this will help me in my purchase.
I am the coordinator for the Manistee County CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) and we can be tasked with performing search and rescue and/or damage assessment after a natural (or man made) disaster. When we complete Basic CERT Training, we are issued some very basic (read cheap) equipment and supplies to help us perform whatever mission we may be tasked with. The helmet we are issued is the least expensive, least comfortable, and least versatile "construction crew" looking helmet I have ever had the misfortune of putting on my head. Obviously CERT does not need ballistic protection but good bump protection and the ability to mount lights and/or cameras is ideal. Something between the Lancer and Team Wendy would be nice.
Thank you for the hard work you do!
If you have a recommendation for something between the Lancer and TW helmets, we'd love to hear about it!
Join the discussion...Unfortunately, I have not found anything in between them. I believe Rothco is making a helmet like the Lancer Tactical at about the same price point and Opticsplanet.com has another brand that I have never heard of but it only has a rail on one side and no front optics mount but is predrilled for one.