Head Protection

[The Stig]

What sort of head protection to you have for various SHTF events?

I'm not only talking about Red Dawn/Mad Max scenarios but garden variety events like going outside in a heavy windstorm or the like.

Does your head protection include some sort of built in eye protection/shield?

Have you spent any serious time wearing it to see how it fits/wears over a long hot day?

I have a surplus ACH helmet I found at an army/navy store. I upgraded the suspension harness to a more robust X-harness but have left the nasty dirty ACU cover on it. While I generally hate ACU it's so dirty and faded it actually works.

I have not worn it much but am taking a carbine 1 class in July and am seriously considering wearing it for the class.

[izzyscout21]

I've got an OPS Core FAST Carbon helmet for when I think spped and mobility are better than ballistic protection. I also have my MICH helmet, painted tan for the hard core stuff. gotta love the MICH. I spent 4 years wearing the MICH, so I'm used to wearing it in almost all weather conditions.

[RedJohn]

I have a full ballistic military helmet. I don't know why I bought it as I never wore one in combat before.

[bacpacker]

I have nothing at all in this area. I guess never having been in the military I never gave it any thought.

[alaska]

coffee can & a bungee cord

[cwconnertx]

I have a MICH helmet for tactical type uses, a motorcycle helmet... for riding a motorcycle, and a hardhat for construction.

I wear Wiley XL-1 sunglasses on a daily basis, and have additional lenses in clear and light-adjusting for situations where sunglasses are not appropriate. I have some more heavy duty ballistic googles if warranted, but the Wileys are supposed to be V50 rates like many of the heavy googles.

[Jerry D Young]

Several broad brimmed hats for general wear, a couple of hard hats with ear protection, several sets of goggles for eye protection. No military helmets. Yet.

[LUNCHBOX]

I have never been a big wearer of any hats/helmets (other than military) but....I think that if something kicked off I might keep my hair cut short on a regular basis for weather/medical/hygiene reasons. If that happened I would look to wearing something then for sure.

[The Stig]

Several broad brimmed hats for general wear, a couple of hard hats with ear protection, several sets of goggles for eye protection. No military helmets. Yet.

I had forgotten that I have a hard hat for work. I can use that for events where general noggin protection is needed, but a full-blown ACH helmet would be odd.

Thanks.

[bacpacker]

I wasn't thinking about stuff other than helments. I have a straw hat for sun protestion when working in theyard/garden. A nice crusher hat for when in public for sun protection.
Hard hat for construction demo type stuff. Multiple hearing/eye protection around house, in the shop, and vehicles.
One thing that's been mentioned that I need to get is some good ballistic googles. I used to have some when I raced dirt bikes and they do a great job. Hadn't given those much thought in years.

[sigma pete]

To be honest, I haven't really given head protection any thought. I guess it should be part of my emergency clean up equipment (aka, chainsaw) but doubt I'll concern myself about it for ballistic protection. I've already got a few work issued hard hats laying around (almost never visit active construction sites so I never wear them) and wore a helmet in the Army and have the neck pains to prove it so no desire to do that again.

[dragon5126]

I have issues with most helmets, primarily they dont mak any off the shelf in my size. I am very serious when I say that I am just below the point of being medically classified a giant. I do wear glasses however. and one ting I make sure of is that every pair I own is rated to exceed ansi specs. It drives the optometrist up a wall, but I hate having to change glasses or put on plastic safety goggles.

[Gunfixr]

I've never been much on wearing anything on my head, but I do have hats. I used to do CAS shooting, and still have several western-style hats. For military style hats, my favorite is the boonie hat, and I have them in most patterns and colors, even a Multicam waterproof one. I do have some baseball style caps.
Don't have any helmets.
I must wear glasses all the time, and do have a set of sports goggles in my prescription.

[izzyscout21]

I have issues with most helmets, primarily they dont mak any off the shelf in my size. I am very serious when I say that I am just below the point of being medically classified a giant. I do wear glasses however. and one ting I make sure of is that every pair I own is rated to exceed ansi specs. It drives the optometrist up a wall, but I hate having to change glasses or put on plastic safety goggles.

We had a guy in our platoon that was in a very similarly "sized" situation as you. Kid's noggin was the size of a basketball. They were finally able to put him into an X-large ACH helmet. But in order to get him into the pot, they had to take the pads out, cut them open, cut the foam in half, sew the pads back up, and replace them into the helmet. It worked. Maybe you should look into something similar.

[dragon5126]

Thanks Izz, sounds like a plan!

[izzyscout21]

no problem. (hands on hip, cape billowing in the wind, superhero voice) It's why I'm here.

[mitunnelrat]

I've got a hard hat and my DOT approved motorcycle helmet for now. Something I'm considering though is a PT Helmets A- Alpha Half Shell (http://www.pthelmets.com/products.asp?cat=14).

Its got cut outs to accept ear pro/ comms, can be set up for use with NVG's (on my long term dream sheet), has rails and apparently a light option, is paintable out of the box, and can have velcro backing attached for patches. Its only one pound, so would be acceptable to me and not look out of place while I'm bicycling or learning how to rollerblade.

[LUNCHBOX]

MI, I like the bicycle one. I would only pick one up for the occasional head bump. Besides, you take one upstairs and your helmet won't change to much of the outcome.

[mitunnelrat]

That's where my thoughts lie now. I don't get shot at enough to require a ballistic helmet, but I have been known to lose my brakes while mountain biking - or trip myself up getting used to the skates I bought. I'm getting to a point I'd much rather have as little dedicated fighting gear as possible. Multi-purpose is the way to go in my view.