Helmets have played a critical role in the evolution of combat gear throughout history and are as old as war itself. The evolution of combat helmets reflects advancements in materials, technology, and military tactics.

From the earliest helmets made from leather and bronze to today's helmets crafted from far more advanced materials like Kevlar and polycarbonate, the primary focus has been on maintaining adequate protection, weight management, modularity, and comfort. When outfitting any piece of equipment, these categories should be considered and carefully analyzed.

Bandaids: as I have always called them because bandaids fix fuck up's, and when you rip these off your helmet in a pinch, there's a decent chance you fucked up. The concept is not new or intriguing, but it is often replicated incorrectly due to the use of incorrect adhesives, failure to stack strips on top of each other, and or not implementing pull tabs. Here, we have 1" Gorilla Tape cut down the center, providing two 1/2" strips on either side of the helmet, stacked, with pull tabs located on all four sides.

Ranger Band: in contact with the dovetail of the NVGs to help negate any wobble. The built-in shock cord on the shroud achieves the same effect, but it loses its elasticity quickly, rendering it useless over time. Additionally, manipulation of your nods up and down can be an annoyance with the shock cord because the amount of tension is excessive when the product is brand new. This may not bother some, but it is certainly a consideration if you plan to switch from your NVGs to an INOD or any thermal imaging device frequently and quickly. The Ranger Band is easy, cheap, and efficient.

Tarsier Eclipse: Provides the ability to see objects at all distances without adjusting the focus on Night Vision Goggles. It is a massive upgrade to the old-fashioned method of punching out a hole in the included rubber caps with a 5.56 casing. These help immensely in situations with constantly changing illumination due to its ability to be rapidly adjusted.

Ops-Core AMPS Headset: Luckily, in 2025, there are several aftermarket solutions to mounting these headsets to Peltor clips that are not as "creative" as our set-up, but when these were issued to us, there were none, so we made do.