Ballistic helmets require unique chinstraps and retention systems to allow the user to comfortably wear a helmet. Even more important is keeping the helmet in place with added accessories such as night vision optics. Chinstraps and retention play a vital role in this. We are going to discuss some of the best ballistic helmet chinstrap and retention systems that are available on the market today and how they originated.

Chinstraps of Old

Some of the earliest chinstraps used in "modern" day ballistic helmets can be seen on WW1 helmets like this M1917 helmet in the photo below. They consisted of a simple leather strap that fits under the chin with adjustments for tightness. Most of these helmets did have a type of liner, typically made out of leather that would help keep the helmet in place. Though as you can see from these photos they didn't stay situated on the head.

WW1 ballistic helmet chinstrap example

British WW1 Soldier with crooked ballistic helmets

• Note how none of these helmets sit straight*

H-Harness

Fast-forwarding around 75 years troops saw the introduction of the ACH and MICH helmets and with them came what we refer to as the H-Harness. This chinstrap system attached at 4 points, with a chin cup, and H shape around the nape of the neck with multiple adjustment points.

H-Harness Chinstrap for MICH ballistic Helmet

While this is a significant upgrade from a single leather strap going under the chin. This modern era also brought in the need to attach numerous accessories to the helmets themselves. The largest being night vision devices. The leverage created by the extra weight of these devices would have a tendency to pull the helmet down in the front. Causing the ballistic helmets to not only be uncomfortable but required constant re-adjustment. The H-Harness simply did not have enough adjustment at times, or due to design limitations was not able to keep an ACH or MICH ballistic helmet in place on the users head.

US ARMY adjusting ACH helmet

H-Nape & X-Nape

It didn't take long for OPS-CORE, now Gentex. To offer a great solution to this problem with their H-Nape and X-Nape chinstrap aftermarket harness systems.

H-Nape Ballistic Helmet chinstrap