r/canadaguns • u/FaithlessnessHot1912 • 23d ago
Gun and gear reviews AliExpress Ballistic Helmet Fail
I bought an NIJ IIIa Kevlar Fast Helmet off of AliExpress for fun. After seeing all of the reviews being people making ridiculous claims about the protection and wanting to shoot it, I decided to do it.
I shot the helmet with 22LR Sub, 22LR CCI Target ammo, and Ballistic tipped 30-30. All of which passed through with no resistance, not even so much as moving the helmet. Behind the helmet was a steel gong, and even the spalling of 30-30 passed through. The inside smelled like bondo, and what looked like dry blue power and fibre glass went flying everywhere making the berm smell like an auto shop.
For all the people who want to buy one of these cheap helmets, who own one and don’t want to test it, or like to see money wasted… Don’t Buy This Helmet For Actual Protection. This is an airsoft helmet that is made of fibre glass.
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u/CaptainPeppers 23d ago
The idea of trusting your life to something off AliExpress is fucking nuts lol
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u/JustACanadianGuy07 23d ago
Surprisingly, some of the stuff off of wish can stop smaller things like .22 and 9mm, and in demo ranche’s video, one plate was able to stop a .50 BMG FMJ
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u/CaptainPeppers 23d ago
You'd never catch me cheaping out in safety equipment lol, especially helmets!
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u/SwampyUndies 23d ago
Well at least in the case of ballistic helmets. If it fails, you wont know. No 1 star reviews!!
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u/ourstupidearth 23d ago
Your plate might stop a 50bmg but your bones and organs are soup at that point
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u/YuenglingsDingaling 23d ago
I remember that video. It caught the round but turned the plate into a bowl. It would probably punch out your spine.
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u/JustACanadianGuy07 23d ago
Fair, but its still insane that you can, with a lot of luck, buy basically NIJ IV plates on wish
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u/TrulyMagnificient 23d ago
Problem is you won’t really trust them until they prove themselves capable - at which point they’re toast…
Schrodingers NIJ IV plates
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u/JustACanadianGuy07 23d ago
Buy two. Test one
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u/TrulyMagnificient 23d ago
And trust it’s the same batch, same QA?
You go for it!3
u/JustACanadianGuy07 23d ago
I mean, the plate itself was incredibly thick, even if it doesn’t stop a .50, it will probably stop most rifle rounds, and will stop all pistol rounds.
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u/acidboogie nb 23d ago
nah at that point you just flip a coin on which one to trust. You'll never know if you failed the flip anyway
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u/16gaugeguy16 23d ago
Stopping a round, and effectively stopping a round are two different things though. Many of those cheap plates will send so much spalling (bullet fragments) into your neck that you may as well not have a plate on.
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u/ImKindaSweatyy 23d ago
All of those rounds would still kill you from the back-deformation caving in your skull/ribs....
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u/emeric1414 23d ago
The russians in ukraine would like a word
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u/julienjj 23d ago
Cope armor is better than no-armor xD
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u/MapleDesperado 23d ago
I appreciate the sarcasm, but at some point, crappy gear is worse than go gear because it interferes with performance while providing no protection beyond the air of ill-founded confidence.
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u/julienjj 23d ago
For sure. That's why products you have to rely on are usually certified to standards and tested and audited.
People joke about millitary standards... but the truth is without a standard the only one you would have is ''trust me bro''
Clearly in that case it means fatal head injury.
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u/Routine_Chest_1171 23d ago
Might as well jus stand up an jus take like a man if ue trusting this garbage lol
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u/julienjj 23d ago
Well If you are sitting in a trench for russia somewhere in ukraine you are so far down the tree of bad decisions I'm not sure how we can call it anymore.
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u/Inevitable_Edge6857 23d ago
To be fair the level 3+ and level 4 militech plates off Ali express are actually legit.
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u/Imaginary-Leading-49 23d ago
I got my ebike helmet from aliexpress but it’s a motorcycle helmet… not expecting to stop bullets 😝
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u/TheSacrifist 23d ago
Is it certified to western saftey standards? If not, id be worried about it even doing its normal job...
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u/illknowitwhenireddit 23d ago
The only thing an AliExpress helmet saves you from is getting a ticket for riding without a helmet
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u/goodfleance 23d ago
Unsurprising results but important science was conducted and fun was had, well done!
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
I really hope my post will stay up to help people on the future doing research.
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u/CanadianRunner03 23d ago
If you want an decent cheap helmet get a surplus MICH/ACH or get PGD arc 3
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
That’s the plan now. I own a Galvion Caiman for looking good, and next is a modernized Pasgat for protection.
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u/NorthernRicky5060 23d ago
Cold harbour supply got me a PGD low cut MICH through a private order just hit up their customer service email about it, though since it’s a unique order and they order it for you from PGD’s Denmark warehouse when they place their own monthly/bimonthly pgd restock order it can take awhile
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u/FedInformant 23d ago
Any advice on where exactly to find them?
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u/CanadianRunner03 23d ago
Surplus ach and mich? It depends on what province you are in for ease of access, find out what you’re provinces rules are on body armour whether or not you need a PAL to buy one.
Just search online, fb groups, private sellers, surplus stores, order them
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u/FD4L 23d ago
Its not a failure. You got exactly what you paid for.
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
That is indeed true. A little over 100 bucks and 3 weeks of waiting just to say it isn’t what they claimed lol.
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u/MG34owner 23d ago
Go buy militech instead
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
All of the cheap helmet manufacturers use the same parts as these other cheap helmets. The straps, liner, rails, Nvg mounts. The sellers with cheap helmets make false claims, and use inferior materials that are cheaper to mass produce quickly.
I already own one of the militech helmets that was $300usd at one point, and I won’t be shooting it because it’s my last tactical one lol.
My next helmet with be another CG634 with the ears cut off, or a modernized Pasgat to save money.
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u/MG34owner 23d ago
Militech is Chinese high quality gear, I tested their ceramic plates, helmet with “modular” hard plate and uhmwpe, they all passed claimed calibers. Cheap Chinese stuff is all the same, however militech and few other brands are different. Not on same level as hesco or properly certified stuff for sure, but not at the same price too
Get pasgt, cut off the ears yourself and get a strap kit or modify it yourself, easy <200 build
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
I’ve been telling people to start getting more Chinese gear to save money, and curve our current markets charging 4X the price for a while now. I personally like some of the Jinwudun gear like the Kevlar belt, vests, and visor I own. But it’s really hit or miss. One hand you don’t wanna get scammed, the other you want to believe it’s true and get protection for less.
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u/Wiggum13 23d ago
Couldn’t even get a ricochet with 22 subs 🤣. That’s hilarious.
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u/comitthedog 23d ago
At those speeds I don't know if I trust it to stop airsoft. Seems like it ain't even got glue in it
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u/SleazyGreasyCola 23d ago
if I'm buying something to save me from getting shot in the head, it's the last place I would cheap out on.
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u/spicymeatmemes 23d ago
Ya but with the money you save you could buy a Taurus that looks like a staccato to be like John Wick.
From there its pretty basic strats, pull 90s and use omnimovement (idk what im talking about but I've heard my nephews say these words)
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u/stepchildzx 23d ago
They're not all the same. A lot of items, seller only copy/paste the description without actually checking if the item is actually a real ballistic helmet. Goes with a lot of other products too, not just protection. I guess they expect the end user to do the due dilligences and know what to look for.
I have an actual ballistic helmet from aliex and you can see the kevlar weaves inside the helmet. The one you showed doesn't. It just looks like a plastic airsoft or bump helmet.
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u/hippz 23d ago
It was $110, and they misspelled Kevlar (spelled "Kevla" on the ad), likely on purpose because this isn't a ballistic helmet (obviously).
The outcome of your testing is not a surprise whatsoever, the surprise comes from learning that someone actually thought it would have any ballistic abilities whatsoever to begin with..
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u/yukukaze233 23d ago
Lmao the listing does not even mention bullet proof rating, idk where you get that nij 3a from.
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
It was in the description, but the listing was removed after buying the helmet and leaving a negative review with my pictures. The full add description looked like the laundromat in Family Guy and had random words in like “Kevlar high quality NIJ IIIA protective helmet FAST, etc”
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u/Current-Speed4096 23d ago
this gotta be satire
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
Nope. I just got tired of seeing all the people in the reviews and questions asking “is this bulletproof?“. This post could probably save a life or two.
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u/Current-Speed4096 23d ago
can't believe you have to do this to warn these people....... man... we need to be flooded again
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u/Corvus_Mortem 23d ago
The "just-as-gud" crowd will say this is AI. In all seriousness, buying quality gear isn't just for the flex. There is a reason for spending more on kit that works the way it's supposed to. Especially for PPE and life-saving equipment.
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u/FaithlessnessHot1912 23d ago
Exactly. If you have a $100 head you buy a $100 helmet, and vice versa.
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u/Snoo_67544 23d ago
Achs costs anywhere from 150-300 usd in the states. Just buy those if your on a budget yall.
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u/ironicallyOnlin 23d ago
The only bulletproof armor im trusting is Ned Kelly's
If it ain't 1 inch steel then im not trusting it
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u/45203255 23d ago
How are you even surprised? Its aliexpress.
I remember surplus stores in the late 90's practically giving helmets and uniforms away.
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u/LananasCourageux 23d ago
Not surprising at all but thanks for shelling out for the experiment and sharing :)
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u/nammaheff 23d ago
Can't believe this post even needs to be made. If you want life saving gear, spend the money for life saving gear
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u/powersmoke9494 23d ago
Even if it's just for funzies why give that money away. I'll never understand it.
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u/cat_bachelor 23d ago
No surprise. You get what you pay for. I would never trust any life to a $90 ballistic protection.
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u/PM_me_your_beavah on 23d ago
The fiberglass version would be good in a riot situation where getting bonked by a flying bottle or rock would end you.
Protection from bullets? Spend the money.
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u/Switchclicka 23d ago
It’s called a bump helmet. It’s not meant for bullet protection it’s meant to protect when hitting your head and mounting your nods.
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u/Viper_Offroad 23d ago
I got one of the full cut ones specifically to use as a bump helmet. Way cheaper than any name brand bump while still doing the same thing and being better than an Amazon thin plastic bump in the same price bracket
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u/HappyCan7250 23d ago
Hey, its maybe ballistically proof to airsoft rifles! I guess it would at least stop you from bumping your head.
I also enjoy shooting random things to find out if they're bullet proof.
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u/Warm_Doughnut2980 22d ago
There is a guy selling these for 200$ on a certain site, “wendy suspension” brand and has a picture of one that stopped a 357. The helmets look similar but there are some small differences in the seller’s pictures compared to OPs pictures… is OPs a wendy suspension knock off? Whats going on with these things because i was about to purchase one
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