Last week we told you about MSA Gallet’s new Accessory Rail Combat Helmet or ARCH.
The official designations of this new line of helmets are the Gallet TC 800 series and Gallet TC 500 series (MSA decided to revert to the previous Gallet name for them, in order to avoid confusing their clients with nomenclatures of helmets made in the now defunct US helmet factory).
The rails feature proprietary 360° rotating buckles on the front and lower back (three slots on each rail). Additionally, the removable “V” shaped, ratchet-style shroud clamps under the front brim of the shell, and bolts unto each of the upper portions of the side rails in the back. On top of the actual NVG interface (USGI/wilcox compatible), between the two “V” branches, they’ve added bungee ties that go all the way to the top, in order to secure strobes and other non-railed accessories.
It might seem odd to American readers that they would use a ratchet-style shroud but there are a lot of units, especially in Europe, that still use the Lucie NVG with its claw/strap system. Additionally, this solution means no pre-drilled holes in the helmet.
The other interesting thing about those helmets is that they come in only one shell size, with sizing adjustments made via removable pads. However, MSA will offer two harness sizes, as they have introduced a captive strap design similar to the one introduced by Ops-Core.
Specifically, the helmet models are 800/801/802 (first digit is shell thickness in millimeters, last is cut style), the fourth model released is the 501 (same naming convention applies). The 501 is the thinnest MSA available that still retains a frag rating. The line of ARCH is offered in NATO green, Black, Tan.
Tags: MiliPol, MSA Gallet
Looks cool and all but it seems like just when helmets are finally getting light they are now bolting all kinds of stuff to them to make them heavy again.
That being said, if you need 8 things strapped to your helmet then this is better than duct tape.
What a ridiculous amount of plastic, pile, and bungee to add to something all i’ve wanted was to get lighter…
Dude, it has bolts…they are used to attach or detach what you want on the helmet.
And if you are worried about a little hook and pile tape weighing you down…then I can’t help you there If you can’t figure that one out bro.
If you want lighter, use common sense and make it lighter.
I think that this helmet system is a good concept. I like choices and this looks to afford us the options to set up the kit how we want it.
Josh deserves a medal 😛
It is in fact really light, even with all rails and stuff on it.
I don’t see how the one-size-fits-all shell will work. Maybe it’s different in Europe but in the US Army we had heads of ALL sizes. Huge and small.
I was hoping for an unveiling of something more along the lines of OPSCORE or Crye’s airframe
Loving the 801 changed to 802 on the little sign below the closest helmet… attention to detail?!
This’ll possibly be the new flavour of the month, guess we’ll be trying to keep up with the Joneses and ditch our Ops Core helmets for 501s.
Leave it to the French to not have the gratuitous flag velcro on the side of their helmets.
Does anyone make a white flag with a velcro backing?
That’s getting old. Grow up.
Um.. no… it’s not… it’s still pretty funny.
If not a white flag, what about a picture of Jerry Lewis?
It was never funny…People would be pissed off about jokes about US troops surrendering in large numbers.
If it’s too heavy, train more. problem solved.
What’s with all the plastic shit? If Frag hits that it; A. disintegrates and B. becomes secondary projectile that your ranger buddy standing next to you gets to pick out of his face and neck. Umm no thanks I’ll keep my Ops-core. Should be great for deflecting 6mm plastic BB’s though.
Really getting tired of reading that. “No way man! X product will turn into secondary effects”. I feel like every time I read it , which is often, I’m reading General Butt Naked’s comments.
News flash, Your radio can all turn into frag too!
weapon
magazines
Plastic buckles
Zippers
grenades
Computers
Compass
ARC rails
Flashlight
Lasers
New stuff for airsoft to copy!
To Terry and reverend, for the respect of our soldiers who lost there lives in astan and malia, just don’t make that jokes around here, French military guys are also readind soldier systems and they also working hard for freedom.