The desire for tactical gear has increased over the many years, and the market has responded by offering a plethora of choices for the end user. Interested buyers are seeing plenty of product options, affordable prices and functional helmets unseeable even a decade ago. Helmets on the market today are lightweight, durable, and readily available to tactical professionals without breaking their bank. Tactical helmets are priced between $250.00-$3000.00 but I believe you can find a good helmet right at the $500.00-$1000.00 mark, that will protect your melon. There are so many choices out there, so you really have to ask yourself, “What do I need it for?”

If you need more protection, then go with a low-cut. If you want more agility, optimal vision and hearing then you might need a high-cut. If you want to attach accessories you will need a helmet with a flexible rail system. If you want a good fit and comfort, look for a helmet with quality pads and an adjustable retention system. Thin pads won’t provide comfort and a poor retention system won’t give a good fit, nor can you adjust it quickly.

Many police and military units use ballistic helmets but the civilian market is drawn to them too. Right now, buyers can find functional ballistic helmets in varying prices, colors, and quality from some notable and less notable companies. If you are looking for protection from concussive shock waves from explosions, or from small arms fire, a ballistic helmet is something that you should consider, Hopefully your unit or department supplies you with a quality melon protector, and if they don’t make sure you buy one. It’s tough when there are budget restrictions.

My article is on the Protection Group (PG) Denmark ARCH Level IIIA Bullet Proof Helmet from Bulletproof Zone. It is a high-cut, ballistic helmet. The high cut model helmet is a very popular ballistic helmet and used by professional military and police units in Europe and the United States. I appreciate Bulletproof Zone reaching out to me to see if I wanted to review one. My acceptance of their product in no way, shape or form induces me to write a positive review. We treat every company the same, and you can read some of our reviews where we believed the products performed poorly.

Protection Group is a Danish-owned company founded in 2013 with headquarters in Randers. Although you can buy their products directly from Protection Group, there are retailers located in 12 countries.

Most of the companies who make bulletproof helmets are using Aramid fiber. Aramid fiber is a strong material and its good at stopping bullets. This is due to the manufacturing process whereby the material can be spun together to create layered, threads that are very strong; not only that, but the material is lightweight and when processed in a certain manner becomes protective against handgun ammunition. Quality helmets from good producers are upgradeable; merch such as cameras and night vision devices can be mounted to them. The Protection Group ARCH meets this need; it can be designed with a rail system to hold night vision goggles, cameras, communication devices or lights, and much more. Keep in mind that the more you add to the helmet, the more it will weigh.

Ask yourself before buying a helmet, “What is my budget?” Buy the best that you can afford, and ensure that it fits you properly.

Weight

A size large (54-60 cm) Protection Group ARCH helmet weighs only 2.5 lbs. (for the helmet shell without side rails, front shroud, boa and Velcro). This makes it one of the lightest aramid bulletproof helmets on the market. Similar brands come in lighter and heavier. The weight of the helmet is 3.2 lbs. (incl. Side rail and front shroud). As large sizes go, the Team Wendy EXFIL Ballistic helmet weighs between 2.6 lbs-2.75 lbs., the CRYE PRECISION ATX at 3.7 lbs., the Hard-headed Veterans at 2.7 -2.9 lbs., the MTEK FLUX ballistic at 2.2 lbs., and the Ops-Core Fast High Cut at 1.6-1.65 lbs.  I’ve worn heavier helmets. While I prefer a lighter helmet and prefer added protection, I can’t justify paying for a higher cost. I believe the ARCH helmet meets my particular needs. For roughly $400.00 I get what I want. The higher priced helmets are an added value to anyone’s tactical needs. Yes, it will be lighter, but you’ll pay for it. So, for about $400.00 you can get something great from Protection Group.

Helmets from good producers can be upgraded to have cameras and night vision devices mounted to them.

Cost

The helmet is priced on their website for 447 Euros which converts to $511.00 USD. Bulletproof Zone, their U.S. dealer sells them for $409.00. There are comparable helmets that pass all the safety and ballistic regulations, such as Hard-headed veterans or Acelink armor and those are priced at $540.00 and $459.00, respectively. This helmet is neither cheap, nor expensive but you get will get what you pay for and this is what matters. Your head should be one of the most important things to protect. Not everyone can afford to purchase an OPS-CORE FAST SF or a Team Wendy EXFIL. Purchase what works for you.  Protection Group’s goal is to produce high-quality helmets in Europe to offset what producers are making in China. A buyer should consider this; do they want to purchase something that is made cheaply and sold for a premium, or something that is made cheaply and sold cheaply; neither option is palatable as a poorly made helmet won’t do the job and a helmet sold for a premium is unpalatable when there are better options out there; particularly if you need excellent protection. High-quality materials offer excellent protection but cost much more. This helmet rates well across the board while being affordable. Whenever I purchase something, I always consider two things: what I get for what I spend. I compared it to other helmets and this is what I discovered:

• HHV ATE® BALLISTIC HELMET $533.50
• TEAM WENDY EXFIL® BALLISTIC $1,203.00
• 3M F70 BALLISTIC (NOW AVON RUBBER) $1416.00
• OPS-CORE FAST® SF $1,772.00,
• CRYE PRECISION ATX $990.00
• MTEK FLUX BALLISTIC
  $1,875.00
• Protection Group ARCH $409.00
• Acelink Special Mission $459.00

I considered the testing data. Whether priced higher than the ARCH helmet, or comparable in price, all of the helmets met the same criteria:

• They had the same NIJ Level: IIIA.
• Every helmet had the same Back-Face Deformation: Less than 25.4mm
• The same Fragment Performance: 17gr V50 ≥ 2400 ft/sec (731 m/s)
• Blunt Impact: AR/PD 10-02.

What seemed to make the other helmets exceptional was their lighter weight, such as the Ops-Core or the MTEK, added comfort and stability like the Team Wendy, or they exceeded the US Army impact standard. I couldn’t find Fragment Performance or Blunt Impact data on the MTEK or Crye because it is not published. I have worn different kinds of helmets over my career. I can deal with an 8-12 hr. days of discomfort, and if it means I save a lot of money, I will choose cheaper. Choose what works for you.

Comfort

Most helmets have a dial at the rear of the helmet, and some come without. I prefer the dial for the extra snug fit.  Some say that having the dial means it takes up extra room but I didn’t find it to be an issue. The ​​ARCH helmet comes with their PGD buckle system, which uses high-quality materials from BOA, ITW Nexus and Duraflex. The BOA Fit buckle system fastens the helmet to the head and can be quickly adjusted via the rotary knob. BOA provides a performance fit at the highest possible level. In addition, the retention system is adjusted with the 4 Duraflex plastic buckles so that they have the correct length for your head. I definitely like having something that doesn’t have an average chin strap. It feels very comfortable; the pads are not rigid at all.

Padding is a really important feature. I have worn helmets where pads needed to be put on top of the pads, because the original pads were hard and therefore ineffective.  If you are wearing the helmet for longer than a few minutes, you will need something that provides comfort.  Cheaper helmets with less padding will cause headaches and discomfort but the most important thing to consider is excellent padding will always outperform basic pads in terms of ballistic and blunt impacts.

This helmet comes with memory foam and when combined with the BOA fit, and the retention system with the adjustable 4 Duraflex plastic buckles it provides a perfect fit. It will fit snugly without feeling tight, as it adjusts to your head shape. I’ve seen helmets with 3 pads, and some with as many as 16 adjustable pads. You will get the comfort and fit that you need with their 10 Memory Foam Pads liner system in the helmet. Note: “The PGD-10 pad memory foam technology is a specially developed foam technology that reduces blunt force trauma from shots while providing incredible comfort. Memory foam was originally developed for use by NASA to protect against ‘impacts’. The foam, which is attached with Velcro, can easily be replaced. A Zorbium^® foam liner protects against impact and allows for an overhead communications headband.”

Having worn some cheap helmets and padding in my lifetime, I really appreciated the quality of these pads.

Durability

A layer of polyrea spray paint is applied around the entire helmet, which ensures that the helmet can withstand rain, oil and similar liquids. This strengthens the bulletproof helmet and allows it to last for many years without the paint fading or the ballistic properties deteriorating. Protective Group notes on their website: This model helmet is produced in Kevlar aramid fiber from Dupont and is bulletproof. Dupont is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of Aramid fiber. What does this mean to a user or a a potential buyer? It means that the helmet is truly bulletproof. It is approved for NIJ 0106.01 level 3a, and makes the Kevlar helmet stop firing up to a .44 Magnum. The V50 helmet has been tested up to 720 M / S against fragments and shrapnel (17 grains) according to STANAG2920, which is the NATO standard for testing of bulletproof materials. The company marketing material notes that when a bulletproof helmet stops a projectile or fragment, a standard helmet is affected in a 130mm area around the impact, which is also called Blunt force trauma.  The Protection Group Denmark ARCH ballistic helmet is only affected in an area up to 75 mm. around the impact. It makes a world of difference in how deep the helmet is bent towards your head and thus also how much the helmet mitigates the shot. An ARCH helmet reduces the depth by up to 50% (according to HPW-TP-0401.01B IIIA), where the trauma is on average 11.2 mm against a 9 mm. It provides significantly greater security and the chance of surviving the trauma from a shot is greater.

This works for me! I’ve only had the helmet for about 6 weeks. We’ll see how it holds up in the coming months.

Functionality

Choose a helmet of whatever color you’ll need the most. You can always use a cover or spray paint the helmet if you want to change the color. The ARCH level comes in five different colors; Black, Coyote Brown, Multicam-black, OD Green, Multicam, and Khaki Green. A correctly installed helmet will not interfere with your vision at all, and normal hearing can be achieved. A loose helmet might not offer protection if its pivoting on your head, and if its is too small and on tightly it’s gonna suck for you.

Protection Group Denmark ARCH has many, good features:

• This helmet comes with a 5-year warranty.
• Excellent cushioning system. Some brands offer from 3 to 16 pads. Protection Group ARCH comes with 10 pads and this really gives maximum comfort. With 3 pads you likely won’t get a good fit; you might have to add pads onto pads, or add better pads.
• Can be designed with a rail system to hold accessories.
• It is designed according to the latest US military standards, which provides protection against the most advanced weapons, and is bullet resistant. Keep in mind that bullet proof and resistant are two different things. No company on the market offers a bullet proof helmet.
• Meets NIJ Standard 0101.06
• Manufactured out of Aramid. Protection Group is made of Kevlar Aramid from Dupont.
• Is ergonomic.
• Possible to adjust the helmet. The weight of the helmet at 1.45 kg (incl. side rails and front shroud) falls in the range of most quality helmets, and is not heavy for most average sized users.
• Adjustable chin strap.

Cost: 5/5 Very good compared to similiar models. $406.99 and $419.99 for Multicam and Multicam-Black

Comfort 5/5

Functionality 5/5

Durability: Unsure but believe this is a solid product. I will keep wearing it.

Weight: 5/5 The helmet weighs the same as comparable models. Lighter helmets mean higher priced and better protection, but for the money the ARCH isn’t bad.

Overall 25/25

I think this is a solid helmet and I am rating it well. Although the HHV was very similar, it is $110.00 dollars more than the ARCH, and therefore the ARCH is very attractive. The HHV does have an interesting looking pad system but there isn’t any product data posted on their site. The Acelink seems comparable but it is priced $40.00 higher and there is no data on their pad system, and weighs more. The other helmets that I listed were from $200 to $500.00 dollars more. While they might have a few features that outpaced the Protection Group ARCH, I didn’t find those reasons compelling enough to want and purchase any of them. For example, their helmets might be lighter, but I think the padding in the ARCH makes it very comfortable and will disrupt some discomfort of wearing a heavier helmet; this might be a consideration for you when comparing helmets. Will the extra ounces matter? Additionally, one of the big draws for me was that any accessory can be mounted to the rail system, unlike comparable brands.

Protecting your head is important. You don’t want a cheap product when it comes to protecting your life. The minimum level of protection that ballistic helmets must have is level IIIA. III-A rating means protection from up to .44 magnum and a 9mm, .357. The Protection Group ARCH helmet meets the IIIA standard. What I liked most about this helmet was the BOA dial, the memory foam pads, and the buckled retention system; none of the comparable brands offered that.  I believe this puts the ARCH in a place above the HHV and Acelink, and right below the more expensive helmets. I honestly think this will give you a lot of bang for your buck. You can check the company out at these links: Bulletproof ZoneandProtection Group Denmark.

Specifications ARCH helmet:

• The inside of the helmet is padded with soft foam, which can be adjusted.

• NEW NIJ IIIA; V50 ballistic test according to STANAG2920, 17 grains 720 m / sec

• 50% BFD reduction mod 9 mm (HPW-TP-0401.01B IIIA)

• Designed according to the latest US military standards, providing protection against the most advanced handguns.

• Possible to adjust the helmet.

• The weight of the helmet is 1,45 kg / 3.2 lbs. (incl. Side rail and front shroud)

• Produced with Kevlar from Dupont.

• Size L (54-60 cm) (XL 60+)

• Accessories can be mounted on the rail system.

• Colors: Get your ARCH helmet in Khaki, Black, Multicam, Multicam Black and Coyote Brown.

They have designed the bulletproof helmet so that it can be adapted to your needs. It allows you to mount additional equipment on the rail and front shroud (side and front rail) such as:

• O2 Mask

• COMs headset

• weapon light

• camcorder

• side protection

• strobe list

• night vision

• GoPro camera

• Up-armor side covers

• Protective visor

• NVG Glasses

• Picatinny Rail adapter

• Covers for the helmet