Military & Tactical Helmets
Our tactical helmets are made for airsoft, paintball, reenactment, costume and display use, along with the covers, pads and straps that finish them off. Let's be clear up front: none of the helmets in this department provide ballistic protection.
The lineup starts with the Rothco ABS MICH-2000 Replica Tactical Helmet, a lightweight ABS plastic shell with seven removable hook-backed cushion pads and an adjustable chin strap, in black, olive drab and tan. The Advanced Tactical Adjustable Airsoft Helmet adds a rear dial fit system, a head-lock chinstrap and mounting points for lights and cameras. The Base Jump Helmet is another ABS shell with rails and a 7-piece loop kit, with a matching accessory pack sold separately. For a different look there's the classic Rothco Pith Helmet.
Helmet accessories include a G.I. Type Camouflage MICH Helmet Cover, a Chin Strap for MICH Helmet, MICH Helmet Goggle Straps, a Tactical Helmet Replacement Pad Set, G.I. Type Cat's Eye Helmet Bands and military phosphorescent luminous tape. Hinged and fleece hinged vented balaclavas sit under the shell in cold weather.
A note for service members: your combat helmet is issued OCIE and is the only helmet you should wear for training or duty. These replicas suit airsoft, costumes and display, and some accessories, like covers and cat's eye bands, are handy spares; check with your unit before adding them to issued gear.
Tactical Helmets: Replica, Airsoft and Ballistic
Buy with the right expectations. A ballistic helmet is built to stop or slow projectiles and fragments and is issued through military or law enforcement channels or sold with a stated protection rating. The helmets here are not ballistic. Rothco's own description of the ABS MICH-2000 replica says it "does not provide ballistic protection," and the airsoft helmet is described as for airsoft, paintball and non-ballistic training. They're for the airsoft field, reenactments, costumes, parades and collecting.
How to Choose a Tactical Helmet
Replica MICH Helmets
The MICH-2000 replica copies the cut of the Modular Integrated Communications Helmet, with higher sides that leave room for ears and headsets. It's the pick for a realistic look in black, olive drab or tan. The shell has no rails, so it suits a cover and goggle straps rather than a stack of accessories.
Airsoft and Base Jump Helmets
If you want to mount a light, camera or patches, choose the Advanced Tactical Adjustable Airsoft Helmet or the Base Jump Helmet. Both use lightweight ABS shells with accessory mounting points. Match accessory hardware to the helmet's rail style before buying.
Pith Helmets
The pith helmet is a polyethylene shell made in the USA for safari costumes, sun shade and period looks, not tactical use.
Sizing and Fit for Tactical Helmets
The ABS MICH replica fits adult head sizes 6 3/4 to 7 3/4, and the pith helmet covers hat sizes 6 1/2 to 7 3/4. The airsoft and base jump helmets are one size fits most, so their dial, straps and pads do the fitting. A good fit sits level, about a finger's width above the eyebrows, without rocking when you shake your head. Swap or move pads to fine-tune it, and use the replacement pad set when foam packs down.
Helmet Accessories
A camouflage MICH cover changes the helmet's color and gives you a place for bands and tape. Cat's eye bands fit around the helmet and carry luminous strips that help teammates spot each other in low light; phosphorescent tape does a similar job. Goggle straps keep eye pro anchored, and a hinged balaclava adds warmth under the shell. A replacement chin strap for a MICH-style helmet is worth keeping as a spare, since straps and buckles take the most wear. If you run lights or a camera on an airsoft helmet, check the total weight; a front-heavy setup tires the neck quickly over a full game day, so a small counterweight or pouch on the back helps balance it.
Tactical Helmets and Military Regulations
For Soldiers, the combat helmet is OCIE, issued by the unit. DA PAM 670-1, paragraph 4-3, lists OCIE among accessories worn with the combat uniform "as determined by the commander" in accordance with the common table of allowances, and paragraph 4-1 authorizes OCIE in UCP, OEF-CP and OCP patterns, with OCP items procured as older gear wears out. A replica shell is never a substitute for an issued helmet. Covers, bands and pads are lower stakes, but your unit's policy decides what can go on issued gear, and it can be stricter than the regulation.