Cam,

Do you guys have the custom molded CEP's or the generic foam ones? I've used both but the molded ones are much better IMO

Bender wrote:Cam,

Do you guys have the custom molded CEP's or the generic foam ones? I've used both but the molded ones are much better IMO

I've flown with both. The custom molded ones are great for a little while, but your ears keep growing and after a year or so they stop sealing as well and you ought to get refit and a new set molded. I found a pair of the surefire earplugs with holes through them work well and are much cheaper. Actually, I just checked their site and it looks like they're making them specifically for things like CEPs now.

The foamies are great too, but they tend to get gross and seem to lose attenuation after washing.


EDIT: I just did some more looking on surefire's site. The ones they market for piping communications into your ear DON'T attenuate sound.

The model I have and use are the Sonic Defenders with the filters pulled out and the CEPs just screwed into the holes where the filters were. Mine didn't come with a retention cord, but I'd just cut that off anyway.

Yes, it is amazing how quiet my helmet is without the ANR turned on. I would imagine, just as the company claims, that the standard ear cushions are more than adequate for noise attenuation.

Anr kills some of the sound that travels through the plug, possibly even through the bone. I have tried plugs no anr and i have tried plugs with anr. No going back from anr for me. Both is best of all.

CamTom12 wrote:I fly a turbine helicopter for work with a .50 cal barrel just outside of our doors (that are removed 90% of the time).

We use helmets and CEPs, no ANR. No need for the ANR, imho.

Also in a noisy turbine, but have the option to listen to tunes rather than the big .50, and have the need to donn and re donn several times a day, consequently for me ANR gets a big nod.... Like anything else fitting the equipment to the mission is key to satisfaction

Troy Hamon wrote:Anr kills some of the sound that travels through the plug, possibly even through the bone. I have tried plugs no anr and i have tried plugs with anr. No going back from anr for me. Both is best of all.

Agreed

Re CEP's;

IMHO foamies are king in comfort and sound attenuation (aside from MEP's) but the triple flange plugs are cleaner to 're-use' . since I tend to fly in a 'dirty' environment, I never re-use foamies. These are the tripple flange plugs I use when I do elect to use my CEP's they are hollow cored and the pig tail on the CEP's just screws right in;

http://www.earplugstore.com/roauprtrflt ... uctReviews

It just occurred to me that there are multiple styles of CEP's, so it might be worth buying just one set to confirm they'll work with what you have. Mine are the early generation which are larger and more of a PITA than some of the newer tiny ones

This thread has kind of jumped back and fourth between Gallets, Evo's, Bose, Headsets inc, etc etc.. So for those who might the on the fence a little betwen the brands and options I thought I'd jump back in and compare some things that I have noticed.

I think it's safe to say that I've flown pretty much every imaginable Gallet variant you could come up with, they are just that good...
But when all the buzz started about the new Evo, I really wanted this helmet to fly (pardon the pun). First off, on principal alone , I would rather spend my money on an American made product than any other YMMV, and secondly, I am a firm believer that the more competition out there, the more the consumer benefits... So the last time I needed a new helmet, I pulled the trigger on an Evo. Here are some notes;

Weight... No matter how you configure them, Like for like, the Evo is always lighter. It is just a lighter built helmet. If weight is a factor for you (and ultimately it should be) the Evo is lighter. Unfortunately the Evo isn't magic, it's lesser weight comes with a couple sacrifices A plus for Evo (sorta)
While the Evo may be thicker, looking at the two I can honestly say this would take a micrometer to discern. The reason the Evo is stiffer is because the Gallet has three strategically located relief cuts in the nape of the helmet.it is designed to flex there to ease donning of the helmet. If you put it on once during the course of the day, and use it once in a while, life is great. If you're like me and may remove it a couple dozen times a day, and wear it 330+ days a year… the ease of the Gallet is greatly appreciated.

Fit... Of course all helmets in this league are custom fitted, so if it doesn't actually fit right then you're not doing something right.. But that's not what I'm getting at. What I mean here is how the shell is made, and what it takes to make it fit. If you build an ANR helmet, (and I have no idea why you wouldn't) you are simply not going to be able to order an MSA Gallet shell of the appropriate size, and get it to work with the oversize comm equipment that goes with ANR. These shells were designed before the day of ANR. Consequently, if you were a size 7 1/8 ball cap, you will be ordering a shell that is good for an XXL head Evo did their homework and pushed the ear cups out 1/2" This gives you the ability to fit ANR in the right sized shell, and not order a bigger one that gets 'padded down' everywhere else to fit right. Another plus for the Evo.. again sorta..
One negative to fitting the Evo is that they come with Boxell's version of an Oregon Aero Zeta liner. This is awesome if you live in Nome, but if home is more like the Sahara, you'll want something cooler like the Gallet comfort liner. Unfortunately the under liner (or lack there of in the Evo) makes utilizing other liner systems a challenge in the Evo. Booo Both come with several sizes of nape pads. Evo's all suck until you try their memory foam one. OMG! Why don't they all come with one of these? Gallet… take notes here.

Options and set up... Once again, ordered new, either of these helmets will be a custom build, So you'd think there'd be not much difference here, but there is one thing about the Evo that is worth noting. With a Gallet, you'll either get a single visor'd helmet (with an internal visor) or a dual visor'd helmet. With the Evo, it's pretty much the same, with the exception that you can have your single visor'd helmet come as an internal visor (model 052) or an external visor with a carbon fibre cover (152). This doesn't seem like much of a difference, until you try one on with glasses on. Having the external visor which is farther and a tad larger makes wearing glasses under your helmet much more friendlier.The only way to do this with a Gallet is to order a dual visor'd helmet and either deal with the extra weight or remove the inner visor you paid for
another plus on the Evo side.

Price… Price is about a wash, which is a little surprising since the Gallet has to come from France. Add ANR and either is a big ticket item

Sound… the stock comms in any of these helmets work, but they sound like your head is in a fishbowl. CEP's are the undisputed king if your ears and mission will tolerate them, and to that end either helmet will be using the same CEP's so a push there… ANR absolutely rocks for those of us that can't use CEP's. In this case the Evo shines. The helmet was designed form the get-go to accept ANR ear cups.
Which ANR is a personal choice, but a few tid bits; A20 clarity and sound is amazing. If you listen to music, you will love these, but beyond that the hype is just that. I can and have flown with HSI and Bose back to back. The HSI is every bit as quite, but has much more volume. (if you wear foamies under your helmet this will be important as the Bose will then just barely have enough volume to work) Lastly here, (and the only plus I see to the Bose) ease of interface with peripherals. Come on HSI, lets catch up to 2015…The blue tooth interface on the Bose will allow you to listen to music, take a call from a grower, and have it all mute when an important radio call comes in… This is the way it should be done…

Little odds and ends;

The comm cord securing on the Evo is bombproof, The Gallets works, but the Evo is better
Another nice comm touch on the Evo is the mic cord exit, (there is one) on the Gallet the mic cord was forgotten and the cord just has to be routed out the edge of the helmet
The securing strap ends on the Evo are aluminum vs plastic ones on the Gallet, nice touch, but the way the Gallet fastens down is a world easier than snapping and unbuckling every time. If the aluminum ones worked as easy this would go to the Evo, but for me the plastic ones get the nod.
Fit and finish, I hate to say it, but the Gallet is just a nicer finished product. Remove the liner on an Evo and it looks like the inside of a $.99 ice chest The Gallet looks refined even when it's naked. I'm sure leaving the under liner off contributed to some weight saving, but this must be minuscule, what it also did was leave you with a much poorer interface for velcro on the Evo…. Booo

Soo… net net which one gets my vote? I'd say they're both pretty darned good helmets. The Gallet is definitely more 'refined' but the Evo has 'evolved' from it to be an easier to set up helmet. Price seems to be a wash, so for me it comes down to customer service and how much money stays at home, and in this case Evo got the nod

Sorry if that was pretty long winded, but some of these things are approaching three and a half grand, if this helps just one person pick the better choice it's probably worth it. If anyone finds it useful I can upload a few pics of the differing areas I posted on.

Take care, Rob

Great comparison, Rob, and thanks. I haven't used an EVO helmet, but have used a Gallet extensively, and other helmets as well.

The last Gallet I used had the single, internal visor. I always wore sunglasses, and, while the visor was close while opening/closing, there was never a conflict with my glasses.

I really prefer single visor helmets, or no visor helmets for the simple reason that what I generally am doing is googley-eying out the windows, as in looking down. And, those visor housings really get in the way.....and can scratch that precious plexi. The primary purpose of the visor is face protection in a crash in any case, and since I always wear sunglasses, to me a tinted visor is pointless. And, I'd rather be able to look out the windows than worry about facial protection in a crash.

My Gallet had ANR, and I totally agree that it's the way to go. Several folks I knew opted for the ear buds and fairly quickly started complaining that they didn't like them. I'm a fan of ANR in any case.

As Rob said, for most helmets (except apparently the EVO) you'll be ordering a very large size helmet to get one that fits. And, in my experience, it's not just to get the ANR stuffed in there. Dimensions of helmets vary of course, but....most helmet sizes run pretty small, including Gentex.

A properly fitted helmet will be more comfortable than a headset during an extended flying day. But, a poorly fitted helmet will create discomfort and suffering the likes of which you don't want to think about. Get it fitted right, and don't scrimp on liner pads and parts.......Oregon Aero is indeed king here IMHO.

MTV

Wow, big thanks to all of you taking your time to write up your impressions in such detail

As I am looking at a $2k to $3k for a helmet with all the goodies, there is no such thing as too much information.

Talking to sales people I have gotten advice all over the place, which makes me uncomfortable and unready to buy. From the excellent write ups here I am seeing many similar observations and advice, which helps a lot when so much money is at stake.

I think I will give EVO another call soon and get something ordered.

Great community we have here

-Jim

Rob wrote:This thread has kind of jumped back and fourth between Gallets, Evo's, Bose, Headsets inc, etc etc.. So for those who might the on the fence a little betwen the brands and options I thought I'd jump back in and compare some things that I have noticed.


Take care, Rob

Rob,

Thanks for the great write up on the EVO vs Gallet helmet. I have spent most of the day researching the two as I am in the market to replace my HGU 84. Your write up is the best information I have found. You got to love BCP! Evo appears to be a new company so I wonder about their longevity. It also concerns me that one of their employees has a bit of a smear campaign on YouTube against Gallet. The Evo is obviously a copy with a few improvements. I would rather give my business to a US company but only if their product is superior.

I am debating on the Bose A20 install in the helmet but sounds like it is worth it. I have never enjoyed CEP's or foam plugs in my ears for more than an hour. I think I can justify the expense since its a work item for me.

I currently run the Oregon Aero padding and hush kit in my helmet. How does the Evo padding compare?

Thanks Again,

Ken

Another one to consider is NORTHWALL HELMETS. I have a pair of the LMT Medics with Bose A20's installed in them. Very light and a much smaller footprint than the EVO or Gallet. Price is about the same I believe. I've had mine for 3 years now with no complaints.
If this throws a wrench in the discussion, sorry. It's my nature to f--- with people.
Cheers

What would really 'float my boat' would be a helmet with wireless ANR (think wireless Lightspeed headset but in a helmet). That would be great for helicopter work getting in and out of machines and loading sling loads etc, would give a bit more freedom in the fixed wing too. If there's nothing like that already I'm sure it won't be too far away given Lightspeed are already on the case with contemporary headsets.

I use the padding that came with the EVO helmet. Nothing too fancy and it isn't super squishy. But it seems to fit well and I have worn it for 3+ hours at a time without much issue. My only issue is that I have skylights and when the sun is shining down on me, my head gets really hot because my helmet is a darker color. If you are at all exposed to light, I would get a light color....like white.

Because the shell is so stiff, it is difficult to quickly don or doff the helmet.

When my bose were initially installed in the EVO helmet (by EVO), there was this really cheapo foam with some velcro and tape holding the ear cups into the shell. After about 2 or 3 times putting the helmet on, the ear cups would fall out. I had to get some better foam and new velcro tape to refit the cups into the helmet shell primarily to 1) get the cups to fit against my ears with the correct pressure, 2) to get the correct amount of surface area of tape and velcro to hold the ear cups into the helmet.

I have a 2 visor plus bose. The wireless would be aweome but I fear with the current wireless ANR technology that the helmet would get even heavier.

I see helicopterhelmets.com shows an evo 152 with a Zulu 2 now for almost 500 bucks less than the 252 with the Bose. Can't find a weight comparison though.

I've been doing quite a bit of flying with guys who wear helmets lately. It's got me thinking it might be the right thing to do, especially since I'm doing a lot more flying lately . Any updates on the information provided on this thread? I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Gallet 250 with the Bose A20 from Tiger performance.

Good for you, Scott.

Anyone used an Alpha Eagle helmet? Squash and I think we identified the ones the heli pilots on The Horn wear as Alpha Eagle. Curious where they fit in.

I'm currently waiting for the Evo + lightspeed combination that I hear is in the pipeline. Sounds like the Evo shell needs to be enlarged further to fit the Lightspeeds. Don't know how long I'll end up waiting but Gallet + Bose would be a good combo if Evo don't hurry up. There are a couple of real advantages to having the lightspeed for my purpose.

For you cheap bastards: https://www.protechelmet.com/proddetail ... 11931HSMIL

Basically a headset compatible bicycle helmet for $61. Won't save you if you really ball it up, but at least if you have an incident while "taxiing" you won't be getting coloring books for Christmas.

scottnt wrote:I've been doing quite a bit of flying with guys who wear helmets lately. It's got me thinking it might be the right thing to do, especially since I'm doing a lot more flying lately . Any updates on the information provided on this thread? I'm pretty close to pulling the trigger on a Gallet 250 with the Bose A20 from Tiger performance.

I went the same route in May, earlier this year. I love the helmet, Tiger Performance not so much.

This is a tough market for anyone to do business in, and I have held off posting about my experience as I don't want to throw anyone under the bus. Then I found a posting on Supercub detailing the same experience as mine, at about the same time, with Tiger. I feel now I must share my experience out of loyalty to BCP'ers asking for a report.

In May, after many calls to sort out the choices, I ordered all the options, including the Bose upgrade, was told 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. Called in July to check on status and was told by the salesman I worked with "just a couple more weeks". In 3 or so weeks I called, same "just a few more weeks". Each time I called there was a reasonable story, so I waited. For most of the summer the story was it should ship any day. Couple of calls in August. In September, I called, once again a great story. No helmet. I was beginning to get stressed as they had had my money for months with nothing in hand.

Each time I called a more outlandish story. No helmet.

Then I checked for Tiger performance experiences here, and on Supercub.org. On Supercub another guy posted the exact same experience with Tiger at the same time as my drama, and didn't get his helmet until he called and played hardball. I would do the same.

I called and my salesman was out. I was transferred to another person who apologized and said it would be shipped right away.

I got my helmet after 5 months and a few grey hairs stressing over whether I would ever get it.

Did they fix it, yes in the end they did. Will I ever do business with Tiger again? No.


-M3X

Zzz wrote:Good for you, Scott.

Thanks Zane! It's been pretty fun so far. You'll have to come to Hood River and check out the operation. I'd love to show you around.

M3X, thanks for the PIREP on Tiger Performance. Glad to hear you like the helmet. As far as I can see they're the only ones putting the Bose A20 in a helmet. Does anyone know of any other companies that install Bose headsets in Gallet Helmets?

Well, I'd say Tiger lost a lot of business as folks read M3X's pirep. I think I'll start a new thread on businesses that I will do business with again, because they know how to treat their customers.

Cary