Frag Out! Magazine

The BalliSTic helMeT Shell Made ouT of ToP claSS araMidS or uhMWPe PolyeThyl- ene reinforced WiTh carBon fiBerS Will Provide excellenT ProTec Tion againST BulleTS or fragMenTaTion BuT ThaT 'S noT enough To keeP your Melon Safe. Shock Wave MuST Be aBSorBed or neck Will Be Broken When helMeT Would Be hiT By The BulleT. ThiS func Tion iS fulfilled By helMeT linerS alSo naMed SuSPenSion SySTeMS and MoST PoPular SoluTion eMPloyed in The Modern coMBaT helMeTS are adjuSTaBle inTerchangeaBle PadS. The padded type of helmet liner become popular after it was used in the US SOCOM MICH ballistic helmet – it was not the first helmet with pads as similar solutions were available earlier, including sport bump helmets but first mass produced and issued. Also, the pads were not just simple comfort – they had to provide protection. Quality pads from best manu- facturers might look simple but they are quite advanced structures tested and certified in wide spectrum. Their primary tasks are absorbing hit ener- gy and providing ultimate comfort during extended period of wear. Since 2001, when MICH helmets were issued to the SOF operators, different pads solutions are offered by many but the U.S. company Team Wendy might be easily called markets' leader. In Team Wendy portfolio there are multiple helmet liner systems based on heavily modified pads and complete family of EXFIL ballistic and bump helmets. The top product from Team Wendy liner solutions is the EPIC Air Combat Helmet Liner System developed as a drop-in kit for most popular MICH/ACH/ECH, PASGT/LWH or TC2001/TC2001 (step-cuts or high-cuts aka Gunfighter cut helmets of all kinds) helmet shell patterns. They will even fit the most recent Crye Precision AirFrame helmets. After some time and work, the EPIC Air might be also installed in the Ops-Core FAST Ballistic High Cut and Maritime helmets but the standard chinstraps and Occ-Dial must be removed as they will not work properly with the EPIC Air kit. Team Wendy offers also replacement chinstraps. deSign feaTureS EPIC Air kit comes in two sizes – S/M and L/XL which corresponds with the size of MICH/ACH helmet shells. Pads are available in three different colors: Black, Foliage Green and Coyote Brown. The EPIC Air comes as a set of following items packed in wrapper: • Three-piece main insert aka base mounted to the shell, • Assortment of black colored comfort pads, • Four plastic Air Channeling™ vent channel inserts, • Adhesive Velcro hook circles, • Alcohol prep pads to clean the helmet shell before applying Velcro circles. The main Zorbium shock absorbing cushion filled insert has three sections – front, rear and crown, with the cuts creating the ventilation channels al- lowing the air flow. Protection is provided by the main liner and the com- fort is secured by flat, soft pads placed with the Velcro on the back. They are made of thin layer of cushion and covered in thin mesh fabric, moisture wicking and quick drying. Aside the excellent protection, the pads cush- ioning has so called "slow memory effect" – after applying pressure it will keep the shape for extended period of time. www.fragoutmag.com

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