Bullerproofzone MICH Helmet

Body armor is too bulky, heavy and hot but a good helmet is a life saver in a SHTF situation. The PASGAT is cheaper and slightly lighter according to specs than my purchase. My helmet is 2.69 lbs according to specs, PASGAT a few oz. less. Body armor with plates would severely hamper your movement at any age but a helmet would not. I was not going to pay $699 to $899 for one but $339 is doable. This helmet has the side rails and front mount for NVG's not that I plan on buying a set. Light or red dot could be mounted on side rail. Helmet will be placed in my bugout bag with trauma kit (recently took class at Mill sponsored by Finnerty) along with loaded mags, MRE's, etc. I have ACU ruck packed with extra clothes, sleeping bag, pussy pad and one man backer tent for emergencies. I have 4 full face Arai motorcycle helmets and 2 bicycle helmets in my inventory. My Arai helmets cost twice what the MICH helmet cost so good deal to me.
 
Crazy what happens sometimes. My grandfather in WWII had a round enter the helmet below the top of his head. But got deflected and kind of skimmed the inside of his helmet and then pop out the other side, also below the top of the head. Literally curved around his head inside the helmet. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see his helmet that he kept.
If you've ever read the Late COL. David Hackworth's book "About Face" he details a firefight he was in in Korea where a round pierced his steel pot, slid around the side of his head and exited the rear of the helmet and knocked him unconscious. His buddies looked at his bloody head and assumed he was dead and retreated leaving him behind. He woke up in the middle of the night with a screaming headache in a trench if I remember correctly, realized what happened and E&E'd back to his Company HQ. His Platoon buddies almost passed out when he confronted them in person and they swore to him they checked him and were convinced he was dead. 🤬
PS, If you've never read his book, it's a must read. It convinced me to join the Army Reserve as an 11B at the ripe old age of 33 yrs old in 1988.
 

PS, If you've never read his book, it's a must read. It convinced me to join the Army Reserve as an 11B at the ripe old age of 33 yrs old in 1988.
Wanna know how I know you’re old? The USAR still had infantry when you enlisted… and you were already 33 at that point. 😆

I kid, I kid.
 
Wanna know how I know you’re old? The USAR still had infantry when you enlisted… and you were already 33 at that point. 😆

I kid, I kid.
You are correct, in early, mid 90's the Guard and Reserves did the drug deal so all Combat Arms went NG and Army Reserve became all Combat Support. I was a wannabee in 11 SFG at Ft. Devens and one day Guard recruiters walked in, tore up our contracts and told us either sign new contracts with MANG or turn in your gear and you were free. 11th SFC became 20th SFG and 2 years later I was in the 29th ID in Greenfield. Never got funding to go to Q course thanks to Slick Willy so back to Infantry.
 
Body armor is too bulky, heavy and hot but a good helmet is a life saver in a SHTF situation. The PASGAT is cheaper and slightly lighter according to specs than my purchase. My helmet is 2.69 lbs according to specs, PASGAT a few oz. less. Body armor with plates would severely hamper your movement at any age but a helmet would not. I was not going to pay $699 to $899 for one but $339 is doable. This helmet has the side rails and front mount for NVG's not that I plan on buying a set. Light or red dot could be mounted on side rail. Helmet will be placed in my bugout bag with trauma kit (recently took class at Mill sponsored by Finnerty) along with loaded mags, MRE's, etc. I have ACU ruck packed with extra clothes, sleeping bag, pussy pad and one man backer tent for emergencies. I have 4 full face Arai motorcycle helmets and 2 bicycle helmets in my inventory. My Arai helmets cost twice what the MICH helmet cost so good deal to me.
So ... you buy a "bullet proof" helmet but no body armor?

You choose to protect a smaller target over the larger target that is your body?
 
"So ... you buy a "bullet proof" helmet but no body armor?

You choose to protect a smaller target over the larger target that is your body?"

Yes and I explained why. Ever wear body armor w/plates over an extended length of time? At my age it would be more of a liability unless I was in a fixed defensive position then yes it would be beneficial.
 
Opposite for me, rather have plates than head protection.
Depending on situation I'd prefer both but situation dictates. Wore vest w/plates in Bosnia but we patrolled in HUMVEES and only got out to walk around town or meet with officials. I would not last long humping a ruck, LBV w/ammo and water, helmet while wearing a vest with plates. Weight and overheating are the limiting factors for me.
 
Depending on situation I'd prefer both but situation dictates. Wore vest w/plates in Bosnia but we patrolled in HUMVEES and only got out to walk around town or meet with officials. I would not last long humping a ruck, LBV w/ammo and water, helmet while wearing a vest with plates. Weight and overheating are the limiting factors for me.

Conditioning is a software problem you can fix. You can aid that by reassessing what you're carrying.

Armor helps. While a vast majority of wounds are to the upper and lower extremities, the torso isn't far behind.

A limited study of 100 consecutive patients in Iraq. Penetrating Missile Injuries During the Iraqi Insurgency

Gunshot wounds highlighted in black. Places protected by helmet in red. Places protected or partially protected in green.

Capture.JPG

Plate coverage:

thorax_anterior_800.jpg

thorax_posterior_800.jpg
 
It's got to be lighter, and if it fits as close to the head as it appears, that'll make a big difference to anyone used to the PASGT.

The ACH or ECH is vastly more comfortable and less bulky than the PASGT ballistic helmet.

While non airborne folks can modify the suspension system in the PASGT to make it more comfortable, it is still bulky.

I had a spare ACH that I kept when I left. No idea what I'm going to use it for other than to sit on a shelf.

I use the Ops Core bump helmet I had the last three years as a tree felling helmet.
 
AFAR/PFAR is correct and nice graph but like I said body armor with plates is too heavy, bulky and uncomfortable unless in a static, defensive position.
 
I don’t know about that helmet. Nobody shooting at my head with a pistol….
If I was gonna spend that money and buy myself a fast helmet something at least looks more tactical and “funner”.
We all like to play army man, but do you wanna look like that fat supply sergeant that was pulled to the front lines or do you want to look like somebody who might know what they’re doing?


RC
 
AFAR/PFAR is correct and nice graph but like I said body armor with plates is too heavy, bulky and uncomfortable unless in a static, defensive position.
Depends on the armor. Modern light plates and plate carriers are pretty easy to do all sorts of IMT in without issue. Only time they’d be a problem would be jungle when you’d get massive prickly heat and possibly skin infections due to lack of airflow.

Now, the old IBA with overlapping soft armor to cover every nook and cranny and thick/heavy ICW plates? those suck when doing anything with elevation change or if you’re not in the shape you were in as a young hard charger. My IBA will forever be stored for memories now.
 
I don’t know about that helmet. Nobody shooting at my head with a pistol….
If I was gonna spend that money and buy myself a fast helmet something at least looks more tactical and “funner”.
We all like to play army man, but do you wanna look like that fat supply sergeant that was pulled to the front lines or do you want to look like somebody who might know what they’re doing?


RC
People who know what they’re doing know how important it is to protect your dome. I’ve seen enough canoed heads (edit: and people saved by helmets) to appreciate a helmet.

Situation dependent, of course.
 
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I was in the military 26 years, and didn't see the value in a helmet, I sure wouldn't wear one now. (I was Army Intel, then in the Air Force - I was as far from being a high speed low drag supertrooper as you can get) Wearing a helmet and vest was, IMO, stupid, and I made every effort to not do so. If I had to wear the vest, chances are my plates were in my (air conditioned) tent. I figured the chance of me needing them was minimal and took the risk.

I've kept them, for sentimental value, but as I've already chucked most of my military stuff, they'll probably end up in the dump soon.

I do have a construction type hat that I would be inclined to wear. Not so much as protection, but as a means of blending in an emergency situation as someone who should be allowed to go areas where I probably shouldn't. I've got a couple flourescent t shirts as well.

in 26 years you never had an indirect fire threat?
 
Now, the old IBA with overlapping soft armor to cover every nook and cranny and thick/heavy ICW plates? those suck when doing anything with elevation change or if you’re not in the shape you were in as a young hard charger. My IBA will forever be stored for memories now.

IBAs with plates are relatively light-IMO lighter than PASGT vests and/or RBA with front/back plates. IOTVs, even when they're stripped down, get slightly heavier/bulkier. Plate carriers WITH soft armor and plates is where it is at.

but yes, body armor has improved just a hair. We only had 20+ years of strolling around in hills and cities to modify it a few times.
 
If I'm on the ground in the Ukraine full body armor is a must because of indirect fire like Dench mentioned. Russia is now waging an artillery war because they can't sustain the Infantry casualties and they have superiority in Artillery. Same in a vehicle whether armored or not. As the graph above shows majority of serious injuries in Afghanistan/Iraq were to limbs, mostly legs, from roadside bombs/IED's and body armor did nothing to protect them which the enemy knew. As always situation dictates.
HOOAH!
 
If I'm on the ground in the Ukraine full body armor is a must because of indirect fire like Dench mentioned. Russia is now waging an artillery war because they can't sustain the Infantry casualties and they have superiority in Artillery. Same in a vehicle whether armored or not. As the graph above shows majority of serious injuries in Afghanistan/Iraq were to limbs, mostly legs, from roadside bombs/IED's and body armor did nothing to protect them which the enemy knew. As always situation dictates.
HOOAH!

...so... you're on your way to Ukraine, then?

Safe travels!
 
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