What to Look for In a Tactical Helmet with Night Vision

Night vision goggles are very useful for various tasks or purposes. These goggles are not only seen on soldiers but also on fishermen, hikers, miners, and other types of workers that would usually work at night. As the name of the gadget already suggests, the night vision goggles allow the user to see things at night, as our eyes are naturally not capable of seeing in the dark. So, if you have a night shift job or have different tasks that you need to accomplish at night, you would need a pair of night-vision goggles to make you work with better efficiency.

While there are night vision goggles that you can wear on your head using a strap, the best ones are often connected or installed on a tactical helmet. The tactical helmet is a type of headwear that usually has a hard shell or exterior that is made to provide protection for your head against falling debris or accidental bumps. 

There are thousands of tactical helmets that you can use with night vision goggles, although only a few are considered the best in terms of quality and function. If you want to know which tactical helmets are the best, here are the things that you should look for while also finding compatible night vision goggles.

Pick the Type of Tactical Helmet You Need

The very first thing you need to know about tactical helmets is that there are two types of them that you can buy in stores. These two types are ballistic and non-ballistic helmets. Ballistic helmets are used to protect your head against shrapnel and bullets, while non-ballistic helmets are typically softer and thinner and do not offer the same level of protection as ballistic helmets.

Ballistic helmets are typically worn by soldiers on the battlefield, although they can also be worn by airsoft players or by anyone that wants to protect their head against heavy and sharp objects while at work. However, if you want a lighter helmet that will give you better head movement, you can just buy the non-ballistic helmets so that you won’t add more weight to your head once you install night vision goggles.

airsoft player with tactical helmet

Choose How You Want to Attach the Goggles to the Helmet

There are two popular ways for you to attach a pair of night vision goggles to a tactical helmet, and these ways are through a rail system or through a shroud. The rail system features a rail similar to what is used on trains but in a much smaller size and can be installed on the top of the helmet or on the sides. Basically, the night vision goggles would be installed on a rail system like a carriage that is securely attached to the rail and can be moved from the front (if in use) to the back of the helmet (if not in use).

On the other hand, the shroud is just a triangular metal or plastic piece that is installed on the front of the helmet using a set of screws. The shroud would then come with another attachment (called the mount) that you are supposed to install on the night vision goggles so that the helmet and the goggles will have a secure connection. The shroud is arguably the more popular choice for tactical helmets since they don’t add a lot of weight compared to rail systems.

Make Sure that the Shroud and Mount are Compatible

There are many shrouds that you can buy online that already come with mounts, which you can attach to night vision goggles. However, there are also goggles that already have a proprietary mount, and for these goggles, you would need to buy a compatible shroud so that you can attach the goggles properly to your tactical helmet.

In order to make sure that the shroud you will be buying is compatible with the mount of the night vision goggles, you should contact the company that made the goggles and ask if they know what shrouds can be used with the gadget’s mount. However, if you can’t contact the manufacturer or if they don’t know which shrouds are compatible, you can just go to the shop where you purchased the goggles and see if they can recommend shrouds that are compatible with the goggles.

Install a Suspension System on the Tactical Helmet

tactical helmet with shroud

Usually, the shroud of a tactical helmet isn’t enough to keep the night vision goggles in a specific position while you are using them. So, in order for it to stay in place while in use, you should have a suspension system installed between the helmet and the goggles.

The suspension system is a set of parts that are particularly used to retain the position of the night vision goggles and prevent it from wobbling or moving accidentally. There are different ways for you to install a suspension system on a tactical helmet, like installing it as a nape strap behind the head or connecting it to the chin strap. Pick the suspension system that you think is more comfortable for you to wear.

Add a Counterweight

Despite having a sturdy shroud and a working suspension system, the night vision goggles would often be heavier than the tactical helmet, thus forcing it to move downward at the front and cause discomfort for your head since the helmet will be pulled downward as well. To prevent this problem from happening, you will need to install a counterweight, which is a heavy piece of metal or plastic that is attached to the back of the tactical helmet with night vision

Any type of counterweight is suitable for tactical helmets, although you will need to make sure that it is heavy enough to counter the weight of the goggles at the front while also being light enough to not pull your helmet backward.

These are all that you need to know and look for when it comes to tactical helmets and installing night vision goggles on them. As evident in this article, picking the right set of parts and equipment is essential in providing the best comfort and utility whenever you use a tactical helmet with night vision goggles.