Helmet discussion.

[nightsta1ker]

Hey everyone. Been a while since I graced you all with my presence on these forums.  Hope everyone is well after all this pandemic mess. 

I'll get straight to the point though: 

I currently am running an EVO 252 with bose installed.  It's a lot better than my issued SPH-6, but I am wishing I had gone with the Gallet LH250.  Now that I am looking around, I am seeing several different options out there and looking for anyone who has used any of these and has opinions.

Gallet LH250 and LH350:  Particularly curious about the 350.  People don't seem to like them for some reason.

Paraclete Aspida and or Aegis.  I read somewhere that Air Methods is now issuing these to their pilots.  Anyone running one? And what are your thoughts?

Northwall.  Anyone have one of these?

Alpha Eagle.  People either seem to love them or hate them.  Any opinions welcome. 

[twinhueyman]

The next helmet on my list to buy will be a Paraclete Aspida.  They are so light weight it’s kind of ridiculous… a friend with one only really griped about how the earcups attach to the helmet (similar to an HGU but not much Velcro contact area).  Other than that, they look well built, same low profile as an SPH, and once again… light as a feather.  Scott, the fella who started Paraclete, is a former Night Stalker that designed the helmet to truly allow goggles without a weight bag, and fixed just about every issue with Gentex/Gallet/Alpha/Evo when he designed his.  
 

Just gotta get a winning scratcher and the order is going in…

[PRJ]

Interesting stuff. I have not heard of the Aspida. Any idea what the cost is? I typically just pass by things that don’t have a price attached. For what it’s worth, I sport an HGU-56p with “big ear” custom tips on my CEP. Super comfortable on long flights. 

 

 

[fleman202]

I'm going to keep lurking and follow the other reviews. 

I'm using an Evo 250 with the Bose earcups and like it well enough but it seems bulky. And I'm not impressed at all with how they attached the earcups inside the helmet. 

Would love to hear more about the Aspida and like PRJ said, tell us a price! Also, if weight is a huge issue then the Northwall would be the winner at least by looking on the surface. Website says it's 1.6lbs without comms. That's crazy! Love to hear an actual real word review of this one as well. 

 

Sorry I don't have more to add!

[Spike]

Welcome back……

I run the Gallet LH250. My organization issued me the SPH-5 but I only wear it to remind myself how good the Gallet is…. I have quiet kit, CEP’s (molded earpieces), Zita liner, straight chord, NVG mount which was purchased from Marit Apparel….  

Helmets seem to be a matter of; #1, cost, and #2, loyalty…  Kinda-like the Ford/Chevy thing….

I tend to stick with the tried-and-true stuff. Stuff that has been worn in the field over a long period of time. The majority of pilots in my sector go with the Gallet… Comfort, lightweight and a narrow CG are the most common compliments. Most of them tell me; the other “newer” brands are “knock-offs” of established models. I’m not sure why anyone would gamble with knock-offs for head protection (not to say in this particular case the “other” helmets mentioned are in fact “knock-offs”).

In motorcycle racing, the saying goes; if you believe your head is worth $150, then get a $150 helmet. The helmet I eventually purchased was $600-ish which wasn’t the highest price but was considered one of the top helmets for head protection...

The LH350 looks interesting but since I haven’t been in the market for a new helmet, I don’t know much about it. From the info I’ve seen, it appears to be an upgraded LH250, although an “A” model which brings me back to the tried-and-true philosophy…..

[Howard A Read]

Yes. Absolutely right. Value for the helmet means value for your head.

[nightsta1ker]

On 7/26/2021 at 4:15 PM, fleman202 said:

I'm using an Evo 250 with the Bose earcups and like it well enough but it seems bulky. And I'm not impressed at all with how they attached the earcups inside the helmet.

I agree.  And it's heavy.  Way heavier than my SPH-5 or my coworker's Gallet, even though they advertised it as lighter than the Gallet.  Also, the NVG retention has failed on me twice now, and the battery back retention either won't lock the pack in place, or if it does lock, I have to use a knife to get it off again.  I'd rather have hook/loop honestly... As swoopy an idea as that thing was, it was poorly executed with the angle the coms cable comes out of it. Anyone who has had an Alpha?  I wish there were more places where one could actually try these things out.  I can't fly all over the country to try on helmets. 

[nightsta1ker]

On 7/25/2021 at 7:43 AM, twinhueyman said:

The next helmet on my list to buy will be a Paraclete Aspida.  They are so light weight it’s kind of ridiculous… a friend with one only really griped about how the earcups attach to the helmet (similar to an HGU but not much Velcro contact area).  Other than that, they look well built, same low profile as an SPH, and once again… light as a feather.  Scott, the fella who started Paraclete, is a former Night Stalker that designed the helmet to truly allow goggles without a weight bag, and fixed just about every issue with Gentex/Gallet/Alpha/Evo when he designed his.  
 

Just gotta get a winning scratcher and the order is going in…

I know the history of Paraclete and I have been curious about them.  They obviously didn't want to reinvent the wheel, as the SPH-5 is a tried and true design used all over with great success, but it does have some issues that annoy the piss out of me.  I only know one person who has one of the higher end ones and he loves it.  Everyone I have talked to so far who has one issued from Air Methods hates them because they have the same issues as the SPH-5.  The visor system is identical, and I have had huge issues with that.  And I have heard the build quality, paint, etc, is garbage.  AAAAAND they are ridiculously expensive considering it's basically an SPH-5 shell with a new retention system and liner inside.  They should just sell the retention liner and kits as a retrofit for the existing SPH-5 shell and allow us to save some $$. I'm just not convinced it's worth it.  It's also possible that the Aegis (the one they are selling as a company-wide affordable helmet solution for companies like Air Methods) is significantly worse quality than the Aspida, which is the high end version of the helmet.

[Wally]

I liked the LH250. It's not the lightest, but I guess I got used to it.

I liked the way the ear cups are mounted, part of the helmet liner. Spread the hard-shell at the strap-mounts, don the helmet and release the tension and it closes around your head.

And that brings me to what I don't like- the ear cups fray/wear with donning and doffing the padded edges fray/wear as well, need replacing every year or so. The actual liner comes out for washing so that funk doesn't get to overwhelming.

The frickin' visors, cover is kind of a pain to remove and clean, replace.

 

On a tangent- visors, like a base ball cap visor. Never jury rigged one that worked. It get's to be a pain to constantly put your hand up to block the sun so you can scan that part of the sky. (NO, the tinted panels don't help)  I'd by a couple if somebody produced them...