Sweetwater, Texas - Hard Head Veterans, a veteran-owned and operated helmet manufacturing company, announces the launch of its newest product, the ATE_Lite ballistic helmet. Proudly made at their facility in Sweetwater, Texas by the very men and women who have worn helmets into combat themselves, the helmet is designed for military, law enforcement and patriots of this great nation.
Hard Head Veterans' mission of protecting our protectors shines through with the ATE_Lite, as it provides impressive protection while also being ultra-lightweight. The helmet is made from a hybrid blend of UHMWPE and Aramid and has a shell weight of 1.6 pounds, with a total system weight of 2.3 pounds in the medium size. The ATE_Lite is a perfect blend of performance and comfort, making it ideal for extended use.
Hard Head Veterans is dedicated to producing gear that performs in real-world situations. That's why the ATE_Lite was put to the test at the National Technical Systems testing lab, the leading independent testing lab for personal protective gear. The helmet consistently hit single-digit ballistic transient deformation numbers, with an average of 8.27mm against 9mm at 1400 fps (Testing Data Here). Furthermore, the ATE_Lite has been thoroughly tested against .40 and .45ACP, with deformation numbers still far below the 24mm req
uired for 9mm (Testing data here). FBI casualty data tells us that these three calibers account for the majority of handgun threats in the US. While many manufacturers move away from BFD testing, and even new standards such as ASTM WK70812 make this testing optional, Hard Head Veterans helmets have always been designed with limiting BFD at the forefront and we will continue to do so. The ATE_Lite has also been tested to the NIJ IIIA standards and is rated to stop .44 magnum in resistance to penetration tests.
HHV’s MicroLattice Pads not only play an important role with BFD and blunt impact mitigation but also provide unparalleled comfort and support in the ATE Lite. Conforming the helmet naturally to each individual’s skull shape, while maximizing airflow inside of the helmet. The ATE_Lite also features Hard Head Veterans' signature A3S Lite shroud, one of the lightest helmet shrouds on the market, weighing only 32 grams. This night vision retention shroud features rubber inserts and machined aerospace aluminum inserts that prevent movement on most common mounts. In addition to this, the ATE_Lite comes standard with our patented SnapBack Retention system, which is a set-it-and-forget-it alternative to dial-type retention systems that have failure-prone mechanical parts.
With a price tag of $978.99, the ATE_Lite is an excellent value for those looking for a premium, American-made ballistic helmet. Hard Head Veterans is proud to offer a growing list of protective products and to employ a growing number of American veterans to make them.
Focusing on customer feedback, we have also decided to make the shell itself available for purchase as a stand-alone product for $764.00. This will allow end-users to plug and play various helmet accessories from other manufacturers to get the very best helmet setup for their personal needs and mission-set.
