REVIEW: Ops-Core H-Nape and N-Nape

Garter straps? Always good... Even better when the garter straps fit really well. Especially with helmets, this is an important issue, because they should not only hold the helmet itself in the right place but also carry everything else that is mounted on the helmet - from night vision devices to flashlights. The standard straps on the MICH are OK, but there is room for improvement. The original straps on the SDS Warrior Helmet at the top have already been replaced by Ops-Core H-Napes. In addition, there are also X-Napes. SPARTANAT has tested these two straps from Ops-Core for you (Click on images to enlarge).

Here are the two Ops-Core products side by side: The name comes from the shape of the neck piece. On the left are the H-Napes, on the right, the X-Napes. Why is that? It's related to the potential load on the helmet: X-Nape is designed for the PVS14 night vision device as a load, while H-Nape is intended for heavier models such as PVS15 and ANVIS-9. In the former case, Ops-Core promises twice the strength of normal MICH straps, and in the latter case, three times.

Same view, but with the straps turned around. The inner lining on the neck and chin is made of fine, soft leather that sits comfortably. Mounting hardware in the form of screws is included. The straps are very well sewn and are a pleasure to touch.

For comparison, the original MICH helmet strap and the Ops-Core straps: The latter are thinner, much better made, and structurally far superior to what comes with the MICH helmet.

Hardware: screws and nuts compared. The short screw and round nut are the original parts that are replaced by the long screw and (almost) oval nut when installing an Ops-Core strap. Most importantly: the nut part goes into the plastic piece of the straps (top right). While you need two screwdrivers to mount the original straps, which can be a bit tricky at times, the Ops-Cores only require two hands and a screwdriver.

To explain the effectiveness, let's refer to a graphic from the Ops-Core catalog: On the right, you can see a normal helmet strap for the MICH in action, and on the left, the Ops-Core strap. The latter fits much better and more securely and can be adjusted in seconds thanks to the sliders in the ear and cheek areas.

The two straps in the graphical representation mounted: The buckle to the left of the chin may look delicate, but it is still very easy to use even with gloves. By the way, these straps are also available with a buckle on the other side of the chin - for left-handed people who operate a weapon.

CONCLUSION: If you want to do something good for your MICH helmet, you should swap... Rarely have we come across a product that makes wearing a helmet so much better than these straps. They are of much higher quality than the ones that come with the helmet. You can tell that someone has really thought about the design here. The straps are thinner, better sewn, have better mounting, ultimately fit much better, and are easy to adjust (even with gloves) in seconds. In plain language: Ops-Core straps are the best we know. Or to quote the advertisement: "Expensive, but it works..."

The Ops-Core straps are available in Germany at DEZENTRAL. X-Nape costs 85€, H-Nape 90€.