REVIEW: Midwest Armor Badger ACH High Cut Ballistic Helmet

Level IIIA to Bump Helmet Price, we need to take a closer look at that. We've tested and shot the Badger helmet. It lives up to its promises.

There are now a lot of Ops-Core clones and helmets on the market that have borrowed the design. Due to the high price you have to pay for a ballistic Ops-Core, it's definitely worth taking a look at the competition.

The Badger ACH High Cut has the typical FAST Helmet cut, meaning the side areas are raised and offer space for communication sets and hearing protection. In addition, the weight is reduced by the cutouts.

On the sides, there are rails designed to hold equipment. Additionally, the screw points on the rail hold the headband straps. Bungees are installed on the underside of the rail to hold the night vision device. When not in use, they hook onto the front shroud.

There is Velcro on the sides and top, where patches and strobes can be attached.

The back of the head is also equipped with a wide Velcro strip so that counterweights for the night vision device can be attached.

The mounting point for the night vision device is metal and a no-name product, as are the rails. If this is not liked or trusted, all original parts can be used: the Badger is compatible.

The chin strap is secured with a Fastex buckle. Adjustment is done with four sliders that are easy to operate.

The chin is padded with leather and divided into two areas. This fixes the chin both on top and bottom.

The helmet adjustment is done with a knob at the back of the head. This works quite well, although with the model we tested that was shot at, there was no proper fixation - the knob kept coming loose. The helmet shown here did not have this problem. In case of doubt, install the excellent Team Wendy Cam Fit Kit, and you will have a perfect headband.

The pads are attached with Velcro. There are two on the top, one at the back of the head, as well as one on each side. The forehead area has a hard foam padding behind a soft front part. The padding kit is ok, quite basic, but of course, high-quality liner kits can also be used.

The ballistic protection is rated at Level IIIA: Protection against pistol ammunition with soft core and round head or partial jacket, or hollow point. In addition, protection against shot, fragments, and shrapnel. This was also tested by us.

9mm, no problem. A small hole with barely noticeable deformation on the inside.

The good Walther PPK with 7.65mm rounds. Also no deformation on the inside.

In the background, the .38 is visible, which also did not impress the helmet. Caliber .40, on the other hand, caused more damage. There was clear deformation on the inside as well.

Finally, we turned the helmet around and shot it from behind with .223. The entry hole was small and unspectacular.

The projectile passed through the helmet and exited on the front side. There is clear damage visible. So, no protection against long gun ammunition. This is not guaranteed by the protection class and was only for comparison and illustration purposes for us.

We wore the helmet for several days. As expected, due to the cut, it fits quite well, but the comfort leaves something to be desired after wearing it for a few hours, which can be quickly resolved with a liner kit. The rails and NVG mount, on the other hand, work flawlessly and held everything we attached. The weight is about 300 grams higher than the original: The helmet we tested in size L-XL weighs 1.4kg.

CONCLUSION: The Badger ACH High Cut Helmet impresses with its low price and the full protection provided at NIJ Level IIIA. If you don't want to spend a lot of money and especially need a helmet that is available (Ops-Core Ballistic is quite difficult to find in this country), you should take a look at the Badger. The basic equipment is absolutely justified for the price and can be fully and conveniently replaced with compatible parts. With a Wilcox Shroud, liner, and strap kit, you are still significantly under the price of the original, so a clear recommendation from us.

The Badger ACH High Cut Helmet is available in Coyote, Olive, or Black for €399 at S4 Supplies.

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