Ive had mine for almost a year. I trust it enough to CATCH the projectiles its rated for, same as a standard ACH. BFD's a different story though. Still id rather have SOME level of protection so I give it a 10/10 for all intents and purposes for the price lol. Anyone considering making the purchase, for what its worth, I recommend.
Guard Dog Body Armor sells a IIIA helmet in the $250-$300 price range, too. Probably basically the same as this thing. There are a few videos of it standing up to handgun rounds, so I got one. I just can't afford to drop $1k on a ballistic bucket. Basically think of this as a chonky bump helmet that doesn't need counterweights. And it gives you a better chance at preserving your brain than a bump. Or your Mk. 1 Human Skull.
There are tested long fri helmets on RU-vid; 45acp from a pistol and 5 rounds of 9mm in a central area didn’t go through the helmet. Descent helmet for the price. You can always upgrade the inners with team Wendy kits.
I just got one of these in the mail from Botach on 12/23/2021 and my genuine Wilcox NVG mount wont fit into the front NVG shroud (it falls right out as the NVG shroud isnt sized properly) and my genuine 3M Peltor Arc mounts wont fit into the helmets rails at all...really disappointing. I can tell that my rails dont look the same as they do in this video. I really really wanted to make this work as this review had me excited. What worries me is Botach's website says no returns or exchanges but you can clearly see that the rails on my unit are different than what they even show on the Botach product page...so if they dont let me return these upon my request, I guess I'll be doing a charge-back with my credit card company. I dont know why the manufacturer had to change parts...but Im 100% sure nothing is wrong with my NVG mount or my Peltor Arc mounts. EDIT: Botach was kind enough to make it an easy return and I went and purchased the Denmark Defense Group helmet instead and that works incredibly well and my helmet accessories fit perfectly. In my personal opinion, if the helmet rail and mount accessories dont fit properly or vary from this original review, then you have to wonder if the ballistic protection of this Longfri helmet is consistent as well. Not trying to talk trash but just a genuine worry in the back of my head after this incident. If/when I need another helmet in the future and want to save some money, perhaps I'll buy this helmet again from Botach and buy some rail and NVG shroud replacement kits to make everything work properly. The problem is that a decent NVG shroud and helmet rails arent always that cheap unless you just want airsoft quality stuff, and buy the time you purchase this Botach helmet along with investing in new rails, NVG shroud, and maybe also better straps/chin-buckle, and maybe new pads, then you are much closer to buying a better overall helmet from another company, which is why I bought the Denmakr Defense Helmet from Bullet Proof Zone's website, and Im super happy with it. Take care everyone!
hmm I hope its just a fluke with the manufacturer. With it being different than advertised, they should accept a return. If not, I would definitely get your credit card company to do that. This is the first I have heard of that. Keep us updated 👍
Bought this helmet, off of this review. Is it as quality made as what I had working for the gov? No. But for 200 dollars you just can't beat it. The suspension isn't great or strap/dial is kinda flimsy, its made in China, but it is ballistic rated by an independent lab. The mount holds my Rhino II pretty firmly, very little if any play with the mount and it's a pretty good platform for my PVS-14s. Thanks for the review.
no prob! Yeah, it definitely has its negatives, but for $200, I will deal with them lol. I just took a 2 day night vision class with it and my pvs14 and I was surprised that it was actually comfortable the whole time 👍
I've got a high cut ach and it was about $200 total cuz helmet was $22 at a garage sale then I paid to get it high cut with custom cover and rails. I'd trust it over this one for sure. But hey it's probably gonna stop rounds
older helmets are only tested or certified to older NIJ standards, and from what I understand, they are only rated up to level 2. But they have separate ratings for BFD. Basically most “ratings” for cheaper helmets are generalities, not usually certified NIJ . Most would probably stop bullets, but would it cave in your head? This helmet offers more protection than a bump helmet though 😀
@@poortac5568 that's what I say about my cut down ach. It's not just about stopping rounds. A bump helmet will run you almost the same amount anyway and offers no ballistic protection.
How do you think this compares to the Top Gentle helmets? I am curious if they are from the same manufacturer? If they're same the top gentle helmets are a hell of a price, especially the L110 top gentle? I'd appreciate your input.
Ive seen some $100 helmets get shot on youtube. They stopped the bullet, but crumpled like a soda can. The LongFri is the cheapest ballistic helmet i would “trust” to not leave you as a vegetable.
I was dumb enough to buy one of those Top Gentle helmets. They're actually pretty heavy, but they are plastic. I just relegated mine to being a bump helmet.
my friend still needs me to put his on. i will make a video when he buy the equipment. but I plan to make a video, even if he isnt ready. Ill just show what I did. 😀 Thanks for watching!
Good review, thank you. Higher production value like some b roll footage of you wearing it, putting it on, or just shooting with it on would make the video seem much more professional. Just some minor advice
Weasle thanks! Our newer videos have some footage of me using it in the intro. Im slowly learning about video editing. I will try to do better and insert more footage of us using the specific equipment. I appreciate the advice 😀
i have basically the same thing from Hudis Tactical, i added different pads, its still too tight around my giant head and i think its probably because of the dial system plastic pressing my head too far forward. might need to get a new suspension system. lol the dial actually caught on my vests carry handle in back so i had to slap a "no commies" patch to hold down my handle so my helmet dial doesnt snag.
Ive had my drag handle catch on stuff too. Some companies integrate ways for it to be out of the way, but a patch works too! I always tell people if you are not improvising with your gear, you aren’t using it enough 😎 Thanks for the info 👍
@poortac556 Thanks for the info. Can you tell us where you got the arc rail ear pro adapters and the counterweight? Any issues with the ear pro adapters coming off? Have you considered upgrading your arc rails, inner padding, suspension and straps to something else like Ops-Core or Team Wendy?
icanhazsteel 3m Peltor Helmet Adaptors are what I used. They are around $50. The Howard Leight ear pro will slide onto the adapters with permanent modifications to the ear pro. Mine have never come off, they are fairly snug. They dont slide around on the ARC rail either. Ive thought about upgrading, but you may as well get a HHV helmet at that point. They have better “accessories” and padding.
LongFri is a Los Angeles based Chinese import company. A lot of cheap Chinese helmets are been sold on Wish and Aliexpress aren't worth a dime. They cut corners during the manufacturing on the main shell to save cost, most of them never passed the NIJ test. Shoot it, see if it works.
Im going to contact Botach again and see if they will send me one to shoot. Ive seen a lot of those Chinese ones on different videos, and the shell is much thinner than these. Like I say in the review though, Id treat this as a fragmentation helmet than “can” stop bullets, but the BFD is what my main concern would be. I can see botach selling the same junk as Wish.
@@poortac5568 Yes, better be safe than sorry. The reason a lot of helmets are thin is that they don't use enough Kevlar or PE layers. So when you shoot it with a 9mm, the bullet penetrates. IIIA should be able to handle 44mag. Ask for their test reports on both ballistics and fragmentation, see what they say.
@@poortac5568 Also, just because the bullet doesn't penetrate the shell, it's doesn't mean it passed the IIIA test. IIIA has requirements for both penetration and blunt trauma resistance. Just like body armor, a bullet doesn't have to go through to kill you.
@@poortac5568 Yes it is, and V50 for the fragmentation rating. In Europe, it’s a different name, I don’t remember what it is called. Look up Ops Core or Team Wendy.
How do you wear yours? That ratcheting helmet suspension and the rock hard pads make this the most uncomfortable helmet I've ever worn. I switched out the pads and removed that damn suspension system and replaced it with the older one for the MICH helmet. The only thing this helmet has going for it is that it is a real kevlar ballistic helmet.
I had to move the pads around a lot on mine to get it to sit comfortably. But it is very comfy after adjusted. I dont rely on the ratchet mechanism. It doesn’t hold very tight. My buddy has a wider head and says his is not comfortable. I was able to adjust his pads and he said it was better. The side pads were the issue on his. We had to move them farther up the helmet.
@@poortac5568 hey poortac do you think the ops core ratchet system would fit, since I'm doing an ops core only "devgru" loadout for milsim lol. bc oper8ter or unless i get enough money for a ops core lbh
@@evoklax I would contact opscore and ask. This helmet is thicker, so I would imagine the dimensions are slightly different. Ive tried a few generic helmet covers, and they were too small. I would think it would fit, if you can adjust it, but I would definitely ask them directly before spending the money.
@@poortac5568 thanks man, maybe ill go with a med or small, since I think you can fit an ops core ratchet system in to an ach so it might fit into a longfri ballistic helmet
It's built to nij standards BUT NOT certified. It's in the description when you purchase the ballistic helmet what time in the process of doing but looking at some videos first I'm hoping someone had the courage to shoot the helmet to test it
thats because NIJ 3A certification is for body armor. Helmets have a different testing standards. A helmet cannot be certified to 3A. These helmets are labeled as tested by Chesapeake, a third party testing facility. Id shoot one if Botach would send me one. But no response as if yet. The kevlar is the same thickness as surplus helmets, unlike cheaper Ebay options.
Did you have issues attaching anything to the helmet rails? I have the same helmet and the rails seem off spec and I cant attach anything. I tried several things like ear pro, lights, ect and they all fit my other helmets but not this longfri rail.
Recieved both my helmets, love them besides the pads on the black one are to thick, have been meaning to contact Botach, to see if I could get smaller pads.
not really, except in special cases where you are in an enclosed vehicle or getting out of vehicles, from what I understand. A bump helmets purpose is in the name, its to protect you from impacts against stuff, while still giving capability for nvgs.
GunsNBudder mine is a size large. Their sizing measurements are true to size. I would measure your head to see what size you needed. I wear a size 7.25 or 7.5 size boonie hat/baseball hat and the large fits perfect.
@@poortac5568 Interesting. I wear a 7.25 hat (New Era MLB official & '47 baseball caps) and they fit my 24" head perfectly. Botach's sizing chart for these says I should order the XL: Size Chart: Large: 22.5" To 23.4" - X-Large: 23.5" To 24.2"
Update: Got my Longfri helmet from Botach. I got the "XL" just to be on the safe side. Well, I'm glad I did because it's TIGHT. It's almost too tight. I've worn it for hours at a time 3 times now, though, and it hasn't given me a headache yet.
Will Davis 12 Depends on if they have it in stock. Mine took 2 or 3 weeks. my body armor took 2 months. Botach is terrible when it comes to accurate stock/shipping times/customer service.
@@poortac5568 Gotcha, Im still on the hook with them for mine lol. Been 2 weeks since I ordered and over a week since they "Shipped" the package. They really just printed off a tracking # and haven't sent it to FedEx yet.
Brandon Bell yes I got it in about 4 weeks after my order yes. They’ve supposedly had a very hard time getting shipments out with all the demand for these helmets. If you ordered it you’ll get it, it’ll just take a bit longer than they advertise (which I think is very scummy)
Have you actually tested it, literally can not find a single test or other video of this brand anywhere, is it real or just over priced shit? I mean "helmets" on wish go for upwards of 140 and they're sure not real would love to know if it's real
Tipnotice its made of Kevlar and is the same thickness as a German surplus helmet I have. I have no doubt it would stop a 9mm bullet. What I dont know, is how much back face deformation there would be. I will message botach and see if they will send one out to shoot. I would not trust a helmet off Wish
It's real. But the pads in the helmet are the most uncomfortable I've ever worn. I took it out and installed and older harness, the one without the rear knob tightener.
@@gizmo8760 Have you tested it or seen it tested anywhere? Not asking cynically, I just can't find any testing anywhere. I own the thing, but I always have doubts about chinesium
Josh O'Connor it will 100% work as a bump helmet, but with better ballistic capability. Id take this over a high end bump helmet all day. good point about protection from thrown things 😀 thanks for watching
It is pretty bad. Ive had quick shipping and slow. If you try to cancel or backorder an order, it takes forever. Rule of thumb, only order in stock items that you dont need quickly.
Doc Holliday97 they are not NIJ certified. But they say they are tested to the same spec. That said, nearly every Chinese made ballistic helmet ive seen shot in reviews, has had bad back face deformation with hotter pistol loads. but it should stop all 3a rated threats. I look at it as able to stop normal pistol rounds like 9mm and .45 as well as shrapnel. but i dont expect Opscore level performance (NIJ) when it comes to back face deformation for hotter pistol rounds
Got it in the mail ... is a little heavy ... Maybe a little bit to big ... I’m in the military and the one I use is smaller ... or maybe I just need to get use to it
BOOST IT BOB use the dial system to snug it up. it helps to move the pads around too, to fit your head better. They are heavier than an ops core, because they are kevlar. buts im pretty used to it now.
jester jake I tried to get a helmet from Botach for testing. Never heard back. Ive seen other chinese helmets, that were not even as “legit” as this one (they were thin kevlar helmets with plastic support shell), stop handgun rounds. but there was Extreme bfd. Based on those videos and surplus kevlar helmet performance, Id expect this helmet to stop bullets, but with more than approved bfd. better than a bump helmet, but not an opscore
@@poortac5568 so the answer is no, no one has tested these lol but if its kevlar I suppose it's got to better than a bump helmet at least and for the price broke bastards like me cant be choosers
@@jesterjake88 I just look at it like this: if I'm wearing a helmet and get shot in the head, it's way more likely that it's by a rifle than a pistol. In that case, the claimed ballistic rating is moot anyway. Combat helmets were originally designed for shrapnel. As long at it stops that, I'm rock steady
@@GodWasAnAlien They have XL Green and Large Black Longfri helmets in stock. They are sold out of other options. I had to type their website in the web address bar, then search Longfri in Botachs search bar. When I used google, the drop down options wouldn’t load. Strange, but they do have those two options in stock. Im assuming its an issue with Google.
@@poortac5568 I appreciate it, my head measures 22" circumference so I'm hoping I can squeeze in a medium. Thinking of going with a HHV helmet, going by their sizing should work with room to spare, if I got the dough for it later probably will go all out and get the mandible attachment from Team Wendy. Got one of those Galac-Tac plastic faux helmets, thinking of trying to create a fiberglass mold and make a real ballistic version when I have the time.
dietcokeaddict48 Nearly all Chinese made helmets including the $400-$500 ones have considerable back-face deformation. So its either spend the $1000 on an OpsCore or Team Wendy or overpay for other Chinese made helmets 🤷♂️
Even the OpsCore helmets have pretty significant back face deformation. So why should I pay 1500 bucks to become a vegetable, when I could pay 200 and have a decent set up and put the rest toward training that will hopefully prevent me from getting my grape popped?
