scout trooper helmet

[Silverfox]

Hey folks, while I'm waiting on my scout trooper armor, I've been browsing like mad to find a decent helmet. There's a lot of places to get them, but a good portion of them look like crap, and/or would take major amounts of adjustment to make them look decent. I'm hoping someone might have a suggestion, idea, thought, finger pointing me in the right direction..something like that. I'm looking to spend in the neighborhood of about $80 bucks, maybe a little more, if it's good quality. I'm not above tweeking it a little either, so it doesn't have to be perfect. Also, if anyone might have a replica of an MG-34 just laying around.........

[Terrell78]

$80 will get you a Rubes and cover some of the supplies to mod it. Unfortunately the better helmets cost a bit more than that.

[Mowskwoz]

I'm afraid these not much in your price range besides a rubies vinyl helmet. Those often need a lot of work to get them to look decent. Many of them come severely warped straight from the box. It's not an impossible task but is time consuming. There are a couple threads on Bikerscout.net that show how to mod a rubies helmet.

The only other low price helmet suggestion I have is to get a helmet kit from Kropserkel. The kit is about double of what your current budget is but is well worth it. They are a good quality ABS helmet. Not a hundred percent accurate but can made so with just a few minor modifications. If you would like some contact info for them just send me a PM.

As for the MG-34, I'm not aware of any just laying around. It is on a certain garrison members short list of things to make. But he is easily distracted by other projects, so that could be a little while. And there's a pretty long, but unofficial waiting list.

BTW, what Biker Scout armor are you getting?

[Pesci]

I can personally speak on behalf of 2 helmets that I purchased and currently still wear. I guess it all depends on what you're ultimately looking for. I purchased my original helmet from Kropserkel and was, and still am very satisfied and impressed with it's construction and quality. I did however have to replace the lens and some of the stickers and add some fans. I have another Bikerscout helmet that I purchased from a guy that goes by the name "MLC" on the boards on Bikerscout.net. The ultimate helmet would have been one made directly from the company in Australia called Altman's but they've since gone out of business or just shut down. This company is where LucasFilm purchased the original helmets from. Believe me, I've tried to locate one.......nearly impossible.

Difference between Kropserkel and MLC: Pricing - Roughly $300.00 each (sorry). Maybe the prices have come down but you would have to contact them to be sure. I purchased mine fully assembled. Kropserkel is made of ABS plastic (thermoformed) and is very light and easy to turn your head rather quickly for different reasons. Bikerscouts do a lot of head turning rather than body turning to see things quickly, therfore the ABS helmet makes it much easier. It's not cast resin, or vinyl and will not warp or distort, and has held it's shape perfectly over the past 3 years. It can take a punch too. It's been punched, dropped, & kicked. Basically you can say that it takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

MLC - Helmet is made of Fiberglass and is much heavier. I like this helmet because its very well constructed and the face plate moves really good unlike the Kropserkel. This helmet however doesn't do well with being dropped, punched, or kicked and will crack. I only use this helmet if I'm marching in a Parade or at smaller events where it won't be subjected to abuse by the public. It's detail is much cleaner and crisp than that of thermoformed ABS plastic, hence the reason I purchased it. They are roughly the same size and shape, but my MLC just looks....well....."meaner"! Little longer snout gives it that look, but that's what I wanted. MLC has 4 versions of the Bikerscout helmet, all just slightly different. I purchased version 1 and haven't regretted it once.

Lastly, finding a good quality helmet around the $80.00 range might be a little tough, not impossible in this economy, but well.....harder. I have seen some rubies helmets that do look pretty good. The person had to reinforce the inside of the bucket with a large metal rod to keep it's shape, but it didn't look too bad.

Hope this helps.

Pesci

[Silverfox]

Thanks for all your help folks. I appreciate it. I've done a bit of looking at both sites. The Rubes look okay, but I'm really liking those kropserkels. Either way I look at it though, still probably doing a little bit of a mod. That's where my buddy Ducky comes in!