3D Configurator

Great product, good customer service. Had to send back and get a smaller size, every thing was relatively smooth with no problems. Reason for 4 and not 5 stars, i had to pay the shipping to return and have the replacement shipped back. It was my mistake on sizing but with the amount of $ that was spent on customizing the helmet the shipping seemed a bit redundant...

Here’s the review with that comparison added naturally:

If you’re on the fence about buying this helmet, just do it.

I’m going into my junior year of football, and I’ve worn a Riddell Speed my freshman year and a Riddell Axiom my sophomore year, so I’ve experienced everything from older designs to some of the best helmets available. I’ve also tried on several other helmets, including the Vicis Trench. Out of all of them, this is by far the best helmet I’ve ever worn.

Even with just a standard steel facemask, this helmet is about a pound lighter than my Axiom with a titanium facemask. It’s also noticeably more comfortable, even compared to my custom-fit Axiom. As your head changes over time, it even comes with extra padding so you can adjust the fit whenever you need.

One of the main reasons I didn’t buy this helmet my sophomore year was because I wasn’t sure how to get it in my school’s colors. I reached out to customer support by email, and they were incredible. They answered all of my questions and helped me get the exact colors and design I wanted.

Overall, this helmet is unbelievably comfortable. I don’t notice any neck strain, even with the steel facemask. With my custom-fit Riddell Axiom, I would definitely notice neck fatigue and strain after practices and games, but with this helmet I honestly don’t feel it at all. I did order a titanium facemask for games, which will make it even lighter.

My setup cost about $900 because I chose nearly every premium option, but you can spend much less and still get everything you need. For comparison, a fully equipped Riddell Axiom costs well over $1,300 while offering far fewer customization options, especially when it comes to facemasks.

Another thing people don’t always think about is reconditioning. Riddell charges around $250 for a repaint and reconditioning, while this helmet is around $150, saving even more money over time.

At the end of the day, you’re getting a lighter, more comfortable helmet that costs less, offers more customization, is cheaper to maintain, and, in my opinion, looks much better. The warning labels are small and tucked into the corner instead of the large, distracting stickers on Riddell helmets.

Save money. Get a better helmet. Protect your neck. Just buy it.

First I just want to say that we purchased an APACHE lightning varsity and APACHE tomahawk youth.

The first thing we noticed on both helmets was that they were definitely lighter than the helmets that the league supplied. I compared the weight to a couple Riddell and a VICIS helmet side by side and the LIGHT helmet was noticeably lighter. I was happy about that. The supplied padding helped with small adjustments to fit better. Overall, the APACHE lightning gets my approval.
The Tomahawk Youth was a different story. I could not get it to fit my younger child. The issue was the chinstrap would not properly secure the helmet to his head. We've tried different chinstraps that we had on hand and nothing would prevent his the helmet from sliding off his head. Oddly, the Lightning helmet fit better on him than the Tomahawk.
Customer service was decently responsive and helpful. They were ready to send me other chinstraps to troubleshoot on the Tomahawk but I told them I had tried a few without success. I returned the Tomahawk due to fitment issues but the most disappointing part was the money on lost on restock, shipping and return shipping of nearly $80.00. After I sent the helmet back, it took about a week to receive a refund email.
In hindsight, I regret being so eager to blind buy such a crucial piece of equipment. I wish I had a way to try it on before buying. A friend purchased a helmet for his son after I made a referral. I was anxious because I was worried it wouldn't fit his son properly either but it sounds like they were happy with their purchase.
I can't say with confidence that I would ever take a risk to blind buy a helmet again. I regret not being able to try these in person before buying. This is not a knock on helmet quality or customer service but I rated my experience as 3 stars based on my overall experience on my purchases.

Love this helmet for my son. The included adjustable fit kit is great. Your athlete will have room to grow and resize in this helmet. This was definitely worth the money.

So much padding and protection my 7 year old loves it and he can move fast with it its really really light. Best purchase when it comes to safety this is 2nd to none. Happy father