You've found the perfect ballistic helmet: Level IIIA protection, comfort, lightweight, high-quality padding, excellent retention system, attachment rails for your beloved NVG and comms gear, GREAT!!
The drawback?
You'll need to shell out a thousand bucks for it.
ENTER THE PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK (PGD) ARCH LEVEL IIIA BULLET PROOF HELMET
The Protection Group Denmark (PGD) Arch Level IIIA Bullet Proof Helmet has been making waves in the tactical gear community for a while now because of its real cost savings that do not sacrifice any of the features and comfort that you'd find in most ballistic helmets that would normally cost at least $1,500.
Made of Ballistic Twaron aramid from Teijin in the Netherlands, the main advantage of the ARCH Level IIIA is really in the modularity.
Its high-cut design leaves room for communication equipment and also comes with side rails where you can attach gear like lights, NVG, masks, or even a GoPro, and so on.
Weighing just 1.45 kg/3.5 lbs including the side rail and front shroud, the ARCH helmet is also equipped with a 10 memory foam pad lining system, making it a very cozy fit you almost "forget" you're wearing it. These pads also help with blunt force trauma (if you should ever have the misfortune of experiencing that).
PGD also designed their very own buckle system, which fastens the helmet and can be easily adjusted with a rotary knob.
Finally, a layer of Polyrea spray paint is applied to ensure the entire helmet can handle rain, oil, and similar liquids and allows it to last for many years without the paint fading or the ballistic properties deteriorating.
This helmet comes in multiple colors and is rated based on US military standards NIJ 0106.01 Level IIIA, which means it can protect against the most advanced handguns up to a .44 Magnum.
If you need more options or modularity, the PGD ARCH is a fantastic helmet that manages to bundle protection, comfort, and function in one super-packed shell.
ABOUT PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK
Founded in 2013 with the mission of bringing quality body armor to those who need it most, Protection Group Denmark's product line includes a wide range of bulletproof and stab proof vests, bulletproof helmets, hard armor plates and other ballistic equipment.
We got in touch with the company's founder Jonas Olesen about his motivation to start the company. He told us it came from his experience working a dangerous job himself,
"I originally worked as a bouncer in Denmark (as a part-time job) and the equipment we had access to in Denmark was of questionable quality. Some of the stab vests were made of thin flexible polycarbonate with no stab protection at all!"
The birth of PGD began with his desire to make quality body armor from only the most durable materials and only sourced from the most trustworthy countries and companies, not from those who are willing to race to the bottom and compromise the quality of the equipment.
IS PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK'S GEAR TRULY TRUSTWORTHY?
As a company, their goal is to protect people in the best way possible at a price that everyone can afford.
"We put quality over profit and price. We don't aim to be the cheapest brand, but to produce quality that everyone can afford and trust. We would rather spend a little extra to give the product the final touch than skipping the small important details," Jonas explains when asked what sets PGD apart from other manufacturers.
Their materials come from reputable manufacturers including Twaron from Teijin, Dyneema from DSM, Kevlar from Dupont, and Spectra from Honeywell ensuring only the best quality and security for all customers.
THE PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK PHILOSOPHY
SOURCING AND MANUFACTURING
As crime rates and demand for body armor have risen in recent years, so have the number of companies willing to sacrifice quality in exchange for significant cost savings during the manufacturing process.
Although Protection Group Denmark is still a burgeoning company, they've already established themselves as a quality manufacturer who are unwilling to cut corners. They manufacture their products in Europe and use only well-known materials that have a long proven record.
"It's dangerous to import products from manufacturers that will promise you anything and never say "no" as its often made the cheapest possible way. This is so wrong as its life-saving products. As mentioned before, we would never save 5 euro on a glue so your hard armor plate de-laminates after 2 years of use," emphasizes Jonas.
STAB PROTECTION
A lot of our users have given us positive feedback about the PGD helmets and vests, a testament that PGD thought about their gear from every angle.
Many manufacturers don't include stab protection with their ballistic vests, unlike PGD.
We asked Mr. Olesen about this, and according to him, "Many people are focused on ballistic resistance because they expect stab protection to be covered by a typical vest as well. This isn't the case. With PGD equipment, we want to offer the full 'package,' and that means offering ballistic AND stab protection."
The Protection Group Denmark Level IIIA ALPHA Bullet and Stab Proof Vest is considered to be the king of PGD's vests (hence the name Alpha). Its their most advanced bulletproof and stab proof vest carrier system made for concealable use.
"It's made in Denmark with US Honeywell Gold shield and lined with Outlast PCM technology. It's quite comfortable to wear for long periods and is a really nice piece of equipment to invest in," Jonas explains when we asked him why the Alpha vest with Delta IIIA + 55J armor is his favorite PGD gear.
The vest weighs 1.7-1.8 kg/3.4-7 lbs for a medium size and has two armor options: the Bravo IIIA + 27J and the Delta IIIA + 55J.
- Bravo IIIA + 27J is made of Spectra shield from Honeywell and a special trauma technology. 27J is the standard for bulletproof vests and stops superficial stabs.
- Delta IIIA + 55J consists of Goldshield and is their most flexible bullet and stabproof vest, which shapes itself to both men and women's bodies. It's also thinner (only 4.9 mm) and is stab proof up to 55 joules, making it twice as stab-proof as the Bravo model.
Designed with comfort, concealability, and durability in mind, the ALPHA vest is perfect for security professionals, law enforcement officers, and civilians looking to protect themselves in any situation that may arise.
OTHER PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK EQUIPMENT WORTH CONSIDERING
PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK PASGT LEVEL IIIA BULLETPROOF HELMET
The Protection Group Denmark PASGT Level IIIA Bulletproof Helmet is a simply designed but effective helmet and is one of PGD's best-sellers. It is designed for both military and civilian use and is also popular among press/journalists.
Weighing in at just 1.24 kg/2.75 lbs, it is light weight and offers great protection, stopping rounds up to .44 magnum and .357 SIG and protects against fragments and shrapnel.
The PASGT Level IIIA comes with a 7-pad lining system inside the helmet, making it comfortable to wear for a long time. It also comes with the PGD-BOA Fit clamping system that can make these helmets tight and snug.
PROTECTION GROUP DENMARK ULTRA LEVEL IIIA + STAB LEVEL 1 STAB PROOF AND BULLETPROOF VEST
The best in body armor protection. The Protection Group Denmark’s Ultra Level IIIA + Stab Level 1 Stab Proof and Bulletproof Vest offers 3-in-1 protection against bullets, stabbing attacks, and blunt force trauma caused by objects like hammers, baseball bats, and police batons.
Made with a unique composition of Unidirectional Aramid (UD) fibers, this bulletproof and stabproof vest is rated with an NIJ Level IIIA armor protection and S1, P1 and Spike up to 36 joules against edged blades and spikes (36 joules <20 mm) based on NIJ 0115.00 standard.
A popular choice among law enforcement, security personnel, and civilians alike because of the safety and comfort it guarantees.
PROTECT WHAT MATTERS.
As with Protection Group Denmark's philosophy, people who put themselves in harm’s way to protect something that is important deserve only the best protection.
Their prices aren't the cheapest on the market, but they are fair, and all of their materials are traceable and come from only the most reputable manufacturers in the body armor industry.
Because of the protection, quality, and reliability that they invest in, their popularity among law enforcement, military, and civilians has been growing and we believe it will only get better from here and in the years to come.
What's your favorite Protection Group Denmark item that was mentioned? Feel free to share your thoughts with us by commenting below!