11 Jun How to Clean a Tactical Helmet for Military & Airsoft
How to Clean a Tactical Helmet for Military & Airsoft
“Take care of your gear and it will take care of you” an old saying that still applies today which obviously also applies to helmets. So in order for you to correctly take care of your brainbucket, we here do our part by bringing you a guide on how to clean a tactical helmet.
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Disclaimer
The guide we will give you here is applicable for both ballistic and non-ballistic helmets. Just so you know, this is a general guide which can be used for most helmets out there. However it is always recommend to consult the manual of your helmet for more specified information.
Content
To give you a short view on what to expect, in this video we will go over the cleaning of your helmet, the inspection of your helmet and we’ll also share some longevity tips.
So, let’s start off with the cleaning itself.
Cleaning a tactical helmet
When it comes to cleaning, you want to wash your helmet regularly, especially after exposure to sweat, salt, sand and other contaminates.
Stripping the helmet
Before you start cleaning, you first want to remove all your accessories like covers, lights, headsets, cameras, counterweights and so on.
Once you got rid of everything that basically made your helmet look cool, you want to remove the interior pads from their hook and loops. This leaves you with just the shell and the retention system.
Stripping: retention system
Now, if your retention system is dirty as well, you can also remove it to make the washing part a bit easier. For this it is recommended to follow the manufacturer instructions on how to remove it. Since this is different for various brands.
Stripping: rails & shroud
At last regarding stripping your helmet, talking about the accessory rails and the shroud, you best leave them attached to the helmet. Only if they’re absolutely filthy and need to be cleaned, you may remove them.
Now onto the cleaning itself.
Cleaning: hook & loops
First thing you want to clean are the hook and loops for dust and dirt. This is easiest to remove with an air pressure.
Cleaning: shell, rails & shroud
After that, you want to hand wash the shell, the accessory rails and shroud with a mixture of fresh water and mild soap. For this you can use a cloth and a soft brush for harder to reach spots.
Cleaning: suspension & retention system
The suspension system or the interior pads and the retention system can best be hand washed with a synthetic soap for fabrics.
Rinsing
After everything has been hand washed, you want to rinse it all thoroughly with fresh water to make sure all the dirt and soap has been removed. You also want to squeeze out all the moisture from the pads for them to dry faster.
Air-drying
Once that is done, allow all the parts to fully air-dry. Do this out of sunlight and away from any heat sources.
Next step is the inspection of the parts.
Inspection of a Tactical Helmet
In general you want to frequently inspect components of your helmet for signs of damage and replace damaged parts as soon as possible. For this you want to check a few components of your helmet.
Inspection: shell
One is the shell. This may not be cracked or dented, if so it will need to be replaced. For ballistic shells, if the helmet fibers are exposed or fray the shell should be replaced as well.
Inspection: rails & shroud
The second thing you want to inspect are the rails and the shroud. These may not be cracked or otherwise damaged and need to have a secure fit.
Inspection: suspension system
Next are the pads, here you want to look for tears, rips or soft spots. In these cases the pads should be replaced as well.
Inspection: retention system
As for the retention system, you want to check the buckles and closures for function and damage and you want to make sure all stitches are secure. Also check the bolts for a secure hold.
Inspection: hook & loops
And at last you want to have a look at the hook and loops as well. Both the interior and exterior hook and loops should be checked for peeling and if they still hold secure enough, if not they’re best replaced.
Reassemble the helmet
Once everything passes this inspection checklist, you can reassemble the helmet.
That being covered, let’s give you a few tips to get the most out of your brainbucket.
Longevity tips for Tactical Helmets
- The first thing you want to do which is often neglected is simply doing proper storage of your helmet. This means avoid storage with exposure to UV-light and sunlight as well as in a too hot and too humid environment. So, no not in the back of your car until next time.
- It’s also important to let your helmet air-dry after each usage otherwise it will start to smell.
- Another tip is to apply a helmet cover to your helmet shell to protect it from getting surface damage during usage and also to minimize UV exposure or in other words sunlight exposure.
- The last tip is for ballistic helmets. If it shows any surface damage on its shell, you best repaint it to have that extra layer of protection for the ballistic material inside.
- This is important since UV-light breaks down a lot of materials over time. And that implies your helmet won’t offer the same protection anymore once it has been too much exposed.
Thanks for reading our blog
“How to Clean a Tactical Helmet“
So guys that was it for taking care of your helmet. As shown, it’s nothing more than taking a bit of time for it and it’s as simple as that. Make sure to put your comments down below and share this blog with your buddies!
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