Multi Camo Painted PASGT

[Mark K]

I thought I might share a recent acquisition with the group I very recently bought a grouping of composite helmets from an advanced US collector and there were a couple of real gems in the group such as this Multi camo painted PASGT which is sporting a Thermotux cooling insert in the interior this helmet is thought to possibly have been used by either members of the Coalition forces and or a US contractor as the multi camo scheme would have been adopted some time after these helmets were shelved by the regular army...
All thoughts and opinions are most welcome thanx in advance...

Regards Mark

[Gunny Hartmann]

An awful lot of effort has gone into painting that!...

[James C]

Sure does make for a wonderful display piece Mark of which i would be proud to own ,im not familiar with the cooling insert's but see a similarity to the euro composites with that schuberth style mesh crown material ,the tan section's im guessing look to be of a chamois material ? forgive my lack of understanding but what is there purpose ,im surmising additional support to the mesh ?,back to the paint scheme ive heard the mich /ach helmet's have in the recent past been painted in digi pattern ,either way the owners of these helmet's really do have a steady hand an undoubtedly an artistic flair, i must admit i did a double take at first thinking you had picked up those early painted pasgt experimental's as it it so reminiscent anyway I'm confident your's will if it hasn't already become a very sought after example to own .Can i ask what your thoughts are on the additional side hole ,surefire mount perhaps ?

[Mark K]

Morning James as to the Thermotux Cool-Aid helmet insert it is my understanding from a gent on a different venue is that these cooling inserts were designed to give the wearer extra cushion and the chamios material that you noticed is in actuality sleeves that were filled with high grade polymer crystals which when soaked in water would expand and create a gel-like substance but they did not stand up well in the heat and after extensive use in the field they hardened like a rock and were no longer cooling nor cushioning...
Which is the case with this particular example upon inspecting the insert yesterday it became quite clear that the crystals had indeed separated and hardened in the sleeves which would have made for a very uncomfortable fit I do not know if this is a direct result of the crystals breaking down due to the heat or if there is some other factor at play here such as the material in the inserts reacting to perspiration...
As to the paint scheme IMO it has been very lightly sprayed on and would have taken some time to complete as it is multilayered with overlapping colours which does look much lighter in natural light showing more tan colour than greens I will post up a couple of different images out side when I get a chance...
I as well thought that it might have been an experimental prototype but can find nothing to compare it to in the way of an example but I am satisfied with it all the same as it is an extremely interesting helmet that will indeed display rather well on the shelf...
As to the screw hole on the left side of the helmet I can only speculate as to what would have been attached there is a slight ghost of an image on the side which I will measure and see if I can find something that would have fit there such as a surefire mount...

Regards Mark

[ruddersrangers44]

Now thats one nicely camo painted PASGT,great displaying kevlar pot.

[Mark K]

Thanx Jake I was quite intrigued by this PASGT and when time allows I will post up the other helms that came in this grouping...

Regards Mark

[ruddersrangers44]

So off the top of my head as i can't find Greg p's links,is this an original Gibralter made factory camo?if so i know there quite rare and very collectable,just saying.

[James C]

Mark ,here is the early pasgt prototype circa late 1970's with painted camo which to some extent has been echoed in your later production model

[Mark K]

Many thanx James I have been doing a little research into experimental and prototype helmets that were produced by Gibraltar Industries and there are a few different variations of camo patterns that were tested ...

Regards Mark

[James C]

Your welcome Mark to be honest I'm not familiar with maker Gibraltar Industries ,i heard it mentioned by Jake in an earlier post but thought little of it ,i take it they were awarded the first contracts to manufacture theses early pasgt's or were they just one of many ,can i ask if they are still going as of today ? and do you have anymore background information on them please if possible ,sorry to depart slightly from your original post but as its pasgt related im hoping you don't mind