Helmet + Hearing Protection + Gas mask Interfacing

Skuba.1361

Newbie
Greetings! I am hoping to get some advice regarding interfacing some gear for a simulation exercise. I volunteered to be OPFOR in an simunition training and the organizer requested that we all wear a helmet, hard over-ear protection, and a gas mask for protection. I would like to integrate everything to my helmet.

I have the following equipment:
HHV Helmet
Avon M40
Sordin Supreme Pro X
Comtac III

I think I need the following:
Ear Pro to Helmet mount (Thinking Unity Tactical MARK ARC and using the Comtac IIIs since I wouldn't use a comms headset for a regular/civilian range day and it's not something I can switch back and forth from helmet mount to regular head band easily.) Also what model number should I use? I'm not sure what length of the MARK arms I need based on the helmet profile.
Team Wendy worm dial harness for the helmet, as the stock helmet to head mounting harness isn't the most comfortable and I think it'll be even worse with the M40. Also would I need the chin strap extension piece to fit the Team Wendy Harness with a gas mask on?)

If all this doesn't interface well, my backup is just wearing an old JSLIST to keep my head/ears from getting too banged up with sims. Will I regret this? - Temp regulation should be fine as it's getting cold in the NE.

Thank you for your experienced input in advance - I appreciate it.
 

shoobe01

Established
I will leave worries about the helmet to others, but agreed with Matt's immediate response on that.

If your helmet is properly fitted (and has no weird suspension, just pads... can you switch back to pads easily?), you should not need adapters. Arrange pads to leave ear side room, take out crown pad, put on ears, put on helmet.

Why the gas mask? Will there be gas, or do they think it provides suitable ballistic protection? I am not sure I'd want to take SIMs in the mask alone, even if they were going to gas you all, so now you are into needing a riot shield on the helmet also. I also worry about mask use due to the liklihood of injuries from tripping over and falling into obstacles. Seen it a lot, so make sure the training ground is clear of obstacles and the OPFOR is briefed about hazards so they don't fall into ditches, fall down stairs, etc.

Make sure you have communications set for the masks, not just for tactical needs but exercise control. Practice it all, head to toe: you cannot use your whistle for example with a mask on.

If gas, no prepper logic: get new cartridges from a certified supplier. Check your seals. Clean your lenses and DE FOG. Still, expect to fog a lot.

Bring wipes and a rag to get SIM paint off lenses, etc.


IF this comes off with all that stuff, make sure you hydrate a lot, and have short exercise iterations. The mask will wear you all out fast for breathing restriction, and the stress of trying to see and not bump into stuff, etc. Yes, I've seen heat casualties in the winter. Bundle up and run around without drinking and you are toast.
 

Grizzly

Regular Member
I've been doing sim/utm opfor for many years at DARC so I feel like I'm pretty in my lane here. It sounds like you haven't done much with helmets/masks all tied together yet so my advise would be stay cheap and separate for now.

What I'd do in your case is this.
For the mask:
1. Get ballistic outserts, more than one because they do break. Especially in the cold.
2. Mold kydex to cover the diaphragm in front to protect it. Use electric tape to cover the top area of the kydex and vent. It will keep hot breath from fogging your lenses
3. Cat crap on the lenses to reduce fogging
4. Use a drill bit and hollow out a filter it will make breathing much easier

For the helmet/ears, just rock them as is. If you do a lot of sim training you'll be able to watch what other guys are doing and see their mistakes instead of copying what you've seen on the internet. And just because it works great for high speed dude X doesn't mean it works great for you in your specific role. You'll save money by only buying once with experience.

Get a towel/shemagh to wrap around your neck or a good hockey style neck protector.

Put it all on and have a buddy see where there are any gaps. Fill the gaps. If you don't fill them sims will.

Get a towel to shove down your pants or a cup. I prefer the towel as it seems to be more comfortable and provide better coverage when in odd shooting positions.

Fingers get shot and it really doesn't feel good. So if you want extra digit protection get some vtac airsoft gloves. They are pretty nimble, cheap and do a good job protecting your fingers. I've tried quite a few protective gloves and these are the best balance I've found.

Simple green and a tooth brush do great for getting sim goo out.

Don't run a whole bunch of padding all over your body. In the heat of the moment you'll never feel hits and you'll end up being a douche training helper. Unless someone yells diet coke.. then go nutso. But you'll still be cooler in my book for fewer pads.

Are you responsible for the sim guns? If so that is a whole other long post.

My usual sim gear is:
Surplus mich helmet (yippy ear protection)
Avon C50 mask
Howard Leigh ears (when, not if, they get broken its a cheap replacement)
 
I have an HHV Helmet and an earplug, which I use at the time of the shooting. Use best noise-canceling earplugs for best hearing protection.
 

Chriscanbreach

Established
Grizzly is 99.873 % correct and DARC opfor knows sims. Don’t over think the set up and definitely not the comma part. They should give you what’s needed to communicate. Our Avon’s have comms built in and we only have attachments for our radios. Opfor can murder entire units with crappy little Motorola walks talkies and an earpiece.
Enjoy.
 

Oak City Tactics

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
They are probably only telling you that because they figure you may have that but not Sims gear.

I’m a stickler for proper sims gear having seen enough injuries and near misses playing by big boy rules or wearing gas masks. I’ve seen two Spec Ops guys have near career ending life altering incidents and another get a scrotum penetration. The round itself doesn’t even have to hit you to have significant eye injury. There are top tier DOD courses that just use Balaclavas and Oakley’s. I don’t recommend that fo sho.

I don’t like the simunitions product with the exception of the nut guard because it’s easy to work with and durable as hell in the long run.

What I do like is Ken Murray’s system. It’s the best I’ve seen so far and have years using it and caring for it. If you don’t know Ken he founded the Force on Force concepts of Reality Based Training. He sells the system he designed in conjunction with the Australian SASR over on the RBT Super Store. Head/ throat, face all purpose built for FOF marking cartridges. Doesn’t fog and you can talk and communicate while wearing it. You can wear your ear pro right over it. By removing the visor ridge you could wear it with a helmet. It’s pretty reasonable from a price perspective.
If this is something you are going to do often, do yourself a favor and buy proper purpose designed gear. Tell them you want industry rated protection.
 

Oak City Tactics

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
One of the injuries I’ve seen that folks don’t even think about was the soap particles in the projectile, the paint for lack of a better description, being forced out of the projectile upon impact and the marking agent itself continuing on at fair velocity into the eye. This happens with a mask that doesn’t have the proper secondary screen behind the primary one.
 
Top